Nick: “We were living in London when Louisa got pregnant with our first son. The question was, Well, we probably need to move out of the city—where are we going to move to? We’re big outdoors people, and we wanted to live somewhere where we could hike and ski and counterbalance our incredibly intense professional life with something beautiful. I had visited New England as a teenager, and it had sort of seeped into my system. So I Googled ‘best small towns in New England’ and Louisa was dropping pins on Google Maps and looking around on Street View, and we turned to each other simultaneously and said, “Have you heard of this place called Keene?”

Emerson: It’s a very quick identifier when people say, “I’m from the Monadnock Region”—it’s something that comes to mind right away and rolls off the tongue with a lot of pride. I think people really love being from this area, and it’s a backbone of who they are. A few weeks back, a couple in their mid-20s came into the shop. They were from Massachusetts, looking at apartments here, and said they’ve always wanted to live in Peterborough. And I was so excited by the idea that there are people who are just starting their families or their careers who looking to move to the Monadnock Region. That narrative of young people wanting to leave this area—it’s great to see it disproven, that people are eager to come here and contribute and be a part of what we all love so much.

MEGHAN:  I was born in Nashua and raised in Peterborough, but I’ve moved all over: Connecticut, Boston, Burlington, Arizona. And I spent a number of years traveling the country for my former job [in marketing for Pepsi], seeing different cities and suburbs and rural communities, yet none of them truly felt like someplace where I would want to come back and live. There’s an intangible quality to being here and living in the Monadnock Region, something I can’t necessarily put my finger on. I think that’s part of what makes it so great: Each person loves it for their own reason

JOSH:  Adam and I met working together at a summer job in Rhode Island, and we were both on the same page for starting a business that was health- and wellness-focused. I believe New Hampshire was the best place to do that—this region is full of entrepreneurs, and we hope what we are building in Peterborough is encouraging everyone else to see the potential in what can be done in beautiful southwest New Hampshire.

ADAM: In Peterborough, what we discovered was, in my eyes, the true sense of community. Which was: If you’re trying to do something, the response is, How can I help? What can I do? How can I lift you up? A lot of that help and advice came from the business talent that lives in the Monadnock Region, and a lot of that comes from older or retired people with decades of experience in their given fields. What we’ve learned from them, we probably wouldn’t have gotten in a city like Boston. They had the time and the knowledge to help us, and they had the desire to give back.

AJA: Molly and I met in Brooklyn, where both of us had been living for quite some time. When Covid hit, we decided to come hang out in New Hampshire for a bit, maybe six months. And now it’s been three years! We bought a house here; we’re having a baby here. You could say we’ve become New Hampshirites. As a newcomer I find this region to be surprisingly open, especially when it comes to having these conversations about diversity and inclusion. It’s not instinctual, and we could bring more awareness to it, but generally people are open to it. I do think having initiatives to entice small business owners [from diverse backgrounds] to the region would be wonderful.

MOLLY: Aja is from North Carolina, but I’m from Dublin, and in hindsight it was pretty special to grow up here. It was lovely to know people; it was lovely to be known and felt cared for by an entire community. More generally, I find there’s a peacefulness in this area not only in the natural surroundings, but also in the way people interact with each other.

Gail: I moved to the Monadnock region for a career growth opportunity. Prior to coming to the area, I lived in the Philadelphia/New Jersey area where I lived for some time after migrating from Jamaica.

I have made so many rewarding connections in and around my community.  There are so many individuals and organizations that have supported my efforts to advance cultural and diversity engagement I am always overcome with gratitude. From the Monadnock Coop, Hannah Grimes Center, Arts Alive to the Local Crowd Fund and others, I can say enough to thank them.

Paul: Keene was a great place to grow up. I had friends all over town and was able to bike-ride anywhere I needed to go. The schools had great athletics programs with wonderful coaches and support, and Keene features great outdoor spaces and trails where I could spend the days exploring freely

Ritu: By profession I am an educator, I teach 8th grade Science at the Keene Middle School. By passion I am a community builder. I tirelessly work towards building our community into a welcoming and inclusive place. I am a founder and President of regions first Keene India Association, Chair of Keene International Festival, Member of Keene Human Rights committee, Advisor at The daily Good and Trustee Member of The Keene Public Library. 

For newcomers to the Monadnock region, I would suggest taking the time to explore the area’s natural beauty and outdoor recreational opportunities, including hiking trails, lakes, and parks. Engaging with the local community through events, farmers’ markets, and multicultural festivals such as Keene International festival can help newcomers connect with their new surroundings and meet fellow residents. 

Jenni: I started working in MacDowell’s New York office in 2013 and moved to Peterborough in 2020. Even before the pandemic started, I’d been thinking about leaving the city and had enjoyed visiting Peterborough on work trips. Being able to keep my job and my connections to my coworkers made this major life transition feel much less intimidating.

MacDowell was founded in 1907 and has a rich history. Both new and long-tenured staff are committed to stewarding the organization and dedicated to MacDowell’s mission of serving artists.  Having this shared purpose leads to a natural sense of community.  

Jan: My partner grew up in the Monadnock region and I relocated here, it wasn’t on my radar before that and has become dear to me for all it has to offer. 

As a marketing agency focused on supporting businesses, our goal is pretty ambitious. We aim to help local businesses have access to the tools typically available solely to larger enterprises and franchises. New Englanders want to support local businesses and we help to get businesses out in front of the competition both online and in person.

I’m an avid cyclist and I love all the small windy roads between Walpole and Surry; an abundance of climbs and descents with very little car traffic and it leads through some really beautiful farmland. I also really enjoy the rail trails, especially in the spring when everything begins to get green.