New Hampshire
'Well, that was fun': Fritz Wetherbee, provincial beatnik, shares some of his own story
“I’ll tell you the story.” That’s how Fritz Weatherbee has started his segments on WMUR TV’s New Hampshire Chronicle for nearly 25 years, spinning old yarns and telling local trivia to viewers. Now, the iconic TV storyteller is retiring.
Wetherbee sat down with NHPR Morning Edition Host Rick Ganley to talk about his love of the state — and the curiosities of local history — and to tell us some of his story.
Fritz Wetherbee, beatnik.
I was a self-professed beatnik in the early 60s. I played the coffee houses in New York, wrote all this poetry. It was a kind of slam poetry that I wrote. I was early on that. ‘It’s the surest of the tourist towns, the greatest to explore, color clashing, frantic flashing, golden glaring, dirty daring, Broadway bopping…’ How’s that for words?
Once back in New Hampshire, Weatherbee became a local journalist and broadcaster- but was skeptical when he was approached by News Nine.
What happened was that they got in touch with me and they said, can you do us a New Hampshire story every night? I said, of course I can’t! It takes a full week to do a produced program. Sometimes it takes a full month to do a 5-minute program… and they said, ‘Well, how about up against the wall? (Meaning stand in front of a camera and tell a story).’
I said, sure, I can do that because I’d been doing it on radio for all that time. So they put me on the air and that’s generally what I did.
Part of the charm in Weatherbee’s segments is the focus on the unique quirks of provincial New Hampshire life- which he sees disappearing.
There used to be a time when it was all different- you could tell the difference in an accent from the White Mountains to one down in Seabrook; Seabrook had a whole bunch of people that had an accent that didn’t sound like anything else in New Hampshire. There really were provincials like that. I mean, I’m a provincial, but a real provincial is somebody who just is within that, in that realm.
He still finds the state special and different from its neighbors.
I do love New Hampshire, and, I think that comes across… We’re not Vermont, we’re not Maine, but we are something completely different.
Fritz Wetherbee’s axiom:
If you’re on TV all you have to be is more interesting than the conversation in that room that you’re getting into would be if you weren’t there… it’s a very low threshold. So you could relax and kind of be there… and so you allow that to happen. What do I hope they get out of it? ‘Well, that was fun.’
New Hampshire
Photo Exhibit | Art Talk | Crew Competition | Nashua Genealogy Club | More: Week Ahead Events
NASHUA, NH — Here is the week ahead roundup.
Get out, New Hampshire.
Event listings are free on one Patch site. You can share your calendar info on other community sites for a modest fee, starting at 25 cents per day. To get started, visit the Events link on the front page of all Patch sites. Statewide calendar roundups are published on most Sundays and Wednesdays. Visit any of the 223 New Hampshire Patch Event sites (patch.com/map/new-hampshire) for updated listings.
Join us for a community conversation exploring how land conservation supports thriving communities, healthy ecosystems, and local economies. Recent research from Maine highlights the growing economic value of conserved lands — from supporting recreation, forestry, agriculture, and tourism to protecting clean water, storing carbon, and strengthening climate resilience. The findings reveal something important: protecting natural landscapes is not only good for the environment, but also for the people and communities that depend on them.
Together, we’ll explore what this research means both regionally and here at home. How do conserved lands shape our quality of life, local economy, and sense of place? How can communities balance growth, conservation, and long-term sustainability? And what role can each of us play in protecting the landscapes that support both nature and people?
At each “Let’s Talk Nature” gathering, we share a short article in advance and come together for an informal, welcoming discussion. Each session stands on its own, and everyone is welcome. No expertise needed. Bring your curiosity and a willingness to listen and share. Drinks and cookies provided.
Read this session’s article: Conserved Land in Maine has Growing Economic Power
Grey Rocks Conservation Center
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM on Wed, 1 Jul 2026
Event Supported By
Newfound Lake Region Association
603-744-8689
info@NewfoundLake.org
High winds and widespread rain contributed to more than 12,000 power outages Saturday as a low pressure system passes over New Hampshire.
A high wind advisory remains in effect for southeastern New Hampshire until midday.
There is a high surf advisory in effect for the Seacoast area until 8 p.m. Saturday, with large-breaking waves in the range of 6-9 feet, according to the National Weather Service.
The forecast warns of dangerous wintry winds for hikers and campers, with heavy wet snow likely at higher elevations and a foot of snow possible on summits in the White Mountains.
In southeastern New Hampshire, the wind advisory calls for steady winds of 15-25 mph, and potential wind gusts up to 50 mph.
Eversource reported over 10,000 outages as of 9:30 a.m. Unitil had about 1,400 outages at that time.
The Mount Washington Observatory has recorded winterlike weather over the past 24 hours. Weather observers there say over half a foot of snow and sleet has fallen at the summit.
-
News16 minutes agoFamily visitation partly restored at New Jersey ICE facility after week of protests
-
Los Angeles, Ca2 hours agoMan found stabbed to death in Huntington Park
-
Detroit, MI2 hours agoDetroit Grand Prix father-daughter volunteers help make winner’s circle moments shine
-
San Francisco, CA2 hours agoTony Vitello just lost the only Giants allies he has left
-
Dallas, TX2 hours agoFatal crash on LBJ Freeway in Dallas leaves 1 dead, multiple people hospitalized, police say
-
Miami, FL2 hours agoDeputies searching for 2 men accused of shooting man during attempted robbery in SW Miami-Dade
-
Boston, MA2 hours agoFriend of Worcester woman killed in Virginia I-95 crash ‘cannot believe she is gone.’ – The Boston Globe
-
Denver, CO2 hours agoDenver hockey’s Johnny Hicks wins DU Pioneers’ Male Athlete of the Year
