Chillicothe documentary premieres at Majestic Theatre
CHILLICOTHE― The Majestic Theatre was packed Sunday afternoon with Chillicothe residents eagerly awaiting the premiere screening of "Our Town: Chillicothe."
The WOUB award-winning historical series "Our Town" features different areas of Ohio. Producer Chris Flanery said Chillicothe is the eighth documentary in the series, but one with a difficult history to cover in a short time frame.
"The thing that documentary emphasizes is the history here is so incredible," Flanery said. "I think some towns would kill to have any one of the 10 big things Chillicothe has.
Those familiar with Ohio's first capital will see many current landmarks, like Tecumseh! Outdoor Drama, Adena Mansion & Gardens and the Lucy Webb Hayes Heritage Center, as well as historic archive photos from Camp Sherman and the since-excavated Hopewell mound.
The one-hour documentary also covered a variety of historical figures from Chillicothe, including Lucy Webb Hayes, Tecumseh and Thomas Worthington. Flanery said one of his favorite subjects covered in the documentary was the story of Freddy Meyers, a young boy who took an accidental and impromptu flight through Chillicothe after an airship escaped its ropes. Meyers returned to the ground unharmed, but his story made national headlines.
Many community members contributed to the making of the film, including the director of the David Nickens Heritage Center Beverly Gray, Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library Director James Hill and Ross County Historical Society Docent Dick Rutherford.
Community Engagement Manager Cheri Russo said her team was excited to be able to show Chillicothe residents the film in person before the documentary aired on television. She said it was "a little intimidating" to start filming the Chillicothe documentary because of the city's vast history.
"The first capital was something everyone hears, but there's these little stories in between that I think really make it special," Russo said.
Flanery said "the bulk" of his work on the project was trying to tell the story of Chillicothe's history visually. He said there were excellent archive materials to use in the documentary from the Ross County Historical Society and other local historians.
Director of Corporate Support Kathy Malesick said the documentary was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and challenging personnel changes, which ultimately meant the movie took about three years to produce.
The Majestic Theatre was full of people ready to watch the premiere, including prominent community members like the Ross County Board of Commissioners and Mayor Luke Feeney.
"I, for one, am very excited to be able to see it and begin to share our story with the world," Feeney said.
The Our Town series has covered Lancaster, Pomeroy, Nelsonville, Jackson, Athens, Morgan County and Gallipolis.
A DVD copy of "Our Town: Chillicothe" can be purchased online at woub.org/shop. WOUB and the Ohio University Alumni Association will host a virtual zoom screening at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 21. Register for the event at Ohio.edu/alumni/experience/events.
Megan Becker is a reporter for the Chillicothe Gazette. Call her at 740-349-1106, email her at mbecker@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @BeckerReporting
This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: WOUB completes historical Chillicothe documentary, movie to air
