Communiqué
From formation and development, to people and places that left an impact, it’s OUR TOWN: ATHENS – Thursday, April 4 at 9 pm
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Thursday, April 4 at 9:00pm
The hour-long documentary covers the formation of the Ohio Company of Associates and their journey into the Northwest Territory, the founding of Ohio University, the early industries of salt and bricks, John Newton-Templeton – the first African American student at Ohio University, The Athens Asylum, The Berry Hotel, The McBee Corporation and PGA Champion Dow Finsterwald. It also looks at the 1970 shutdown of Ohio University due to the shootings at Kent State. A closure had never happened again until the closure of the university and move to remote education due to the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020.
“Our Town: Athens will be of tremendous interest to people living in the Athens community, but also to Ohio University alumni who fell in love with Athens when they were going to college and those who are just interested in Southeastern Ohio history,” said WOUB Community Engagement Manager Cheri Russo.
“I think seeing this documentary will provide hope to many, as it shows the struggles the community of Athens and Ohio University have gone through in the past, only to overcome them and prosper,” said Shaw. “When people have watched the Our Town documentaries in the past, they have come away with a great sense of community pride.”
“We are tremendously proud of the high-quality local documentaries WOUB has produced over the years and the value they bring showcasing the proud history of the region we serve,” said WOUB General Manager Mark Brewer. “Looking back at our history, learning from it and seeing the resilience of those who came before us can be tremendously inspirational.”