Last summer, Rhode Island PBS announced Lincoln as the next stop for their Our Town documentary series, inviting residents, businesses, organizations, and students to submit story ideas and footage.
Community members who volunteered were offered assistance with filming and given access to equipment. After the collaborative effort, Rhode Island PBS edited the documentary together.
Part documentary film, community-building initiative, and fundraiser, Our Town: Lincoln offers a collection of historical events, local traditions, and personal memoirs from the town. The film premieres on Wednesday, March 6 at 8p.m.
Made through the eyes of those who love and know Lincoln best, the documentary features the following stories:
A Life at Brae Crest (As Told by Ana Marsden Fox): Founded over 60 years ago, the Brae Crest School of Ballet in Lincoln continues to teach ballet and dance to Rhode Islanders.
Chaos Farm (As Told by Emily Bonci): When Emily Bonci moved with her family to start a farm in Lincoln, they didn’t realize how chaotic it would truly be! But the name Chaos stuck, and the farm continues to grow along with her family.
Lincoln’s Great Road (As told by Kathy Hartley): Kathy Hartley has spent the last two decades preserving Lincoln’s historic Great Road. As a member of the Chase family, the original owners of Chase Farm, Hartley shares why Great Road is so important to her.
The Saylesville Meeting House(As Told by Rosanne Cedroni): Serving as the longest continuously running Meeting House in Rhode Island, the Saylesville Meeting House is rich with over 300 years of history.
The Whipple-Cullen Farmstead (As Told by John Cullen): John Cullen’s family laid roots at the historic Whipple-Cullen Farmstead in the late 1800s, but the house’s history dates back prior to the Revolutionary War. Cullen gives us a tour of the historic property in Lincoln.
Lincoln’s Mr. Enos (As told by LHS student Hailie Harris): Dave Enos has taught at Lincoln Schools for the last 40 years and was a student prior to that! Lincoln High School student Hailie Harris shows us why Mr. Enos is such an important part of the LHS experience.
Cherry on Top (As told by LHS Students): A fan favorite in town, the Lincoln Creamery has something for everyone to enjoy. Students from Lincoln High School visit the creamery to see what brings people to this roadside sundae spot.
Life at the Butterfly House (As Told by the Van Cleve family): When Nicole Gonzalez Van Cleve and Andrew Van Cleve bought the historic Butterfly House, they were shocked to discover just how much history was inside the home. They share how Lincoln has become their home, and they’re sharing the history of their house with everyone.
The Butterfly Farm (As told by Dan Flynn): Dan Flynn grew up working on the Butterfly Farm, but never thought he’d one day own the property. Flynn shares how he came to purchase the farm, and the lengths they go to keep the farm operating all year long.
The Climbers at Lincoln Woods (As told by Kristin Re/RAY): Kristen Re grew up in Lincoln but didn’t discover the boulders at Lincoln Woods until she was in her 20s. Now, the avid rock climber has founded the Ladies Climbing Coalition, along with a rock-climbing event for everyone held annually at Lincoln Woods.
Hocus Pocus Comes to Lincoln (As told by Alex Berard and Lincoln Residents): When the filming for Hocus Pocus II came to Rhode Island, they needed a location to build the set for Historic Salem Village. In came location scout Alex Berard and his favorite walking spot for his dog, Chase Farm in Lincoln.
The Hearthside Gang (As Told by Paul Zangari):Paul Zangari loves classic cars, and so do his closest childhood friends; they called themselves the Hearthside Gang. Zangari gets the gang back together to talk about their memories of growing up in Lincoln.
Our Town: Lincoln is made possible in part by
