[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 94 (Tuesday, June 24, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S8436]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page S8436]]
                 NASHUA CELEBRATES ITS SESQUICENTENNIAL

   Mr. GREGG. Mr. President, I rise today in honor of Nashua, 
NH, the Gate City of New Hampshire. As the United States prepares to 
observe the 227th anniversary of our independence, the citizens of 
Nashua will be celebrating the city's sesquicentennial. It is therefore 
timely and appropriate that we recognize this great American community 
.
  With its rich heritage and the continuing role it plays in New 
Hampshire's economic and cultural vitality, I am proud to be a native 
of Nashua. We cannot accurately talk about this city without praising 
its most distinctive asset: the people of Nashua. From its founding as 
the Township of Dunstable in 1673 to its incorporation as the City of 
Nashua in 1853 through today, they have shown a unique entrepreneurial 
flair, a dedication to their neighbors and the courage to often times 
place their own lives at risk for the well-being of our country. Their 
involvement in the American Revolution is one of many episodes which 
vividly illustrate these characteristics. The residents in what was 
then called Dunstable, upon hearing of the fight at Lexington, rushed 
to take up arms. According to historical accounts, nearly one-half of 
the able-bodied men in Dunstable enlisted in the Army by the time of 
the Battle of Bunker Hill. CAPT William Walker organized a company of 
66 of these men for this battle. They were placed at the high point of 
the British attack. To be stationed here was actually a great honor as 
it reflected their fighting expertise and commitment to the cause of 
independence.
  Since then, Nashuans have continued to serve and defend their country 
when our freedoms were at risk: 1,348 men served in the Civil War; 
4,160 in World War Two. Nashua's airport is named after Paul Boire, a 
young navy pilot who died in March, 1943. Women, too, have greatly 
contributed to these causes, oftentimes on the front lines. Mrs. 
Adelaide Johnson Stevens was a volunteer nurse during the Civil War and 
was wounded during the assault on Fort Harrison.
  In the early part of the 1800s, the community was quickly becoming a 
center for commerce and industry. Daniel Abbott was the man perhaps 
most responsible for this reputation. He, along with partners Joseph 
Greeley and Moses Tyler, founded the Nashua Manufacturing Company which 
became one of the world's preeminent manufacturers of cotton, woolen, 
and iron goods. Throughout the 19th century, Nashua was well known as a 
center for innovation. For example, the Nashua Iron and Steel Works 
made the stoppers for the ports in the turrets of the S.S. Monitor. The 
Rollins Engine Company made the famous steam engine which help power 
the economic expansion not only in New Hampshire but throughout our 
country. As Nashua grew, so did its reputation as a home for 
entrepreneurs. Royden Sanders turned Sanders Associates into one of the 
top defense contractors in our country. In an interesting sidenote, 
Ralph Baer, who worked as a manager for Sanders in the 1960s, developed 
the first television video game and is often called the Tom Edison of 
video games. Sanders is now owned by BAE Systems but continues to be a 
pioneer in the design, development, and manufacture of electronic 
systems for both military and commercial use.
  What is perhaps the most distinguishing characteristic of the city's 
people has always been their commitment to helping their neighbors and 
to constantly improving the quality of life here. Nashua's history is 
full of stories which illustrate their dedication. On April 20, 1861, 
the city passed soldiers aid resolution providing one dollar per week 
for the wife of an enlistee and one dollar per week for each dependent 
child. Today, Nashua has organizations like Marguerite's Place which 
has done so much to turn around the lives of women and their children 
who have been victims of domestic violence. The city's current mayor, 
Bernie Streeter, has long served the public and is continuing in the 
honorable tradition started by Nashua's first mayor, Josephus Baldwin. 
My father, Hugh Gregg, has also served as mayor of Nashua and Governor 
of New Hampshire. It was in large part through his work that the city's 
economic vitality was restored after the mills moved and closed in the 
early 1950s.
  All of these people, and their stories, demonstrate how Nashua has 
maintained its vitality, adapted to changing times, and continues to be 
a leader in so many areas. It is no wonder that the city has twice been 
named as the best place to live in the United States. I do not think 
any other community in the country can make that claim. With that, I am 
proud to honor and salute them as they celebrate the sesquicentennial 
of Nashua, NH.

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