-
Katherine Potts and her mother, Barbara Pelkey, on top of Mount Monadnock with a banner celebrating Jaffrey’s 250th anniversary, in footage shot for a documentary on the town’s anniversary. -
Steve Pelkey, chair of Jaffrey’s 250th Anniversary Committee. -
Former White House Chief of Staff and Franklin Pierce University President Andy Card of Jaffrey was among those interviewed for a documentary for the Jaffrey 250th anniversary documentary. -
Ann Sawyer is interviewed for a documentary that captures the perspective of long-time Jaffrey residents for the town’s 250th anniversary. -
Harvey Sawyer of Jaffrey is interviewed at the Jaffrey Silver Ranch Airpark, which he operates, for a documentary celebrating the town’s 250th anniversary. -
Footage from Jaffrey that was shot while filming a documentary to celebrate the town’s 250th anniversary. -
Footage from Main Street in Jaffrey, which was shot while filming a documentary to celebrate the town’s 250th anniversary. -
Aerial footage of Jaffrey, shot while filming a documentary to celebrate the town’s 250th anniversary.
The Jaffrey 250th Committee has been working with a production team to collect interviews from prominent Jaffrey residents and to film the town’s ongoing anniversary celebrations, with the anticipation of creating a long-form documentary set to to premiere at the end of the year.
The documentary is being produced by Veverka Brothers Production, led by Jesse and Jeremy Veverka. The two have a background mainly in cultural documentaries, particularly a series on how fireworks are used in cultures around the world. That was how they crossed path with Steve Pelkey, the long-time CEO of Atlas Fireworks who also chairs the Jaffrey 250th Committee.
“When we started planning this, years ago, we wanted to do something to commemorate this anniversary that would be a little nontraditional,” Pelkey said.
The documentary is intended to preserve the celebration and capture the town’s anniversary theme of honoring Jaffrey’s past, celebrating its present and envisioning its future. Pelkey said the interviews include people who were at the town’s bicentennial celebrations and their recollections of that event, favorite childhood memories and what they think Jaffrey will be like in another 50 years.
Jesse Veverka said the documentary will be a new subject matter for him. Despite having no prior knowledge of Jaffrey, Veverka said that after conducting more than 30 interviews with residents, he is starting to see the running themes that make Jaffrey special. With assistance from Pelkey in forming the questions for interviewees, Veverka said there were some common themes – including the town’s industrious nature built from its history as a mill town, its enduring industrial legacy and iconic centerpieces such as Mount Monadnock.
“Before I’d come to Jaffrey, I wasn’t even aware of [Mount Monadnock],” Veverka said. “But it very quickly became clear that it was something that was important in the region. Everyone we talked to had climbed it, and had a story about it. It’s a shared experience that just about everyone in Jaffrey has, spanning the generations.”
Veverka said he was also struck by the number of companies in Jaffrey, including those that have or had a prominent place in making everyday products, such as D.D. Bean, which is currently the only match manufacturer in the United States; or Joe Manning and Bill Coleman, who innovated a fiberglass production company in Jaffrey.
“There’s a real sense of innovation in such a small town, that really struck me,” Veverka said.
Veverka said when interviewees were asked what message they would like to send to future generations, the most-common answer was to not forget what made Jaffrey special – the way that people can be kind and considerate to one another.
“There is a sense of pride people had, across generations, to be in Jaffrey, and a desire to continue living in Jaffrey, that made them want to have kids and raise their families here,” Veverka said. “A sense of almost civic responsibility for being a member of that community, and thinking about its future.”
Veverka Brothers Productions will return to Jaffrey Aug. 17 to 19 for the town’s main anniversary celebrations to film events and conduct further interviews with residents.
Pelkey said the first draft of the documentary is anticipated to be completed by November, and the finished product is expected to premiere at The Park Theatre in December, as the town is wrapping up its yearlong celebration.
“We’re excited to have this opportunity to create this film in cooperation with the town, and have it premiere in a local theater,” Veverka said. “That type of thing is what truly independent documentary is about.”
The Jaffrey 250th Committee is still seeking potential interview candidates to be included in the documentary, particularly female perspectives. People who are interested in participating should contact Pelkey at stephen.pelkey@jaffrey250.com.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172, Ext. 244, or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.