The TRUE story of Dixville Notch

Okay, we should not be proud of this story of the press manipulating time for their own means … but it’s a great story. Bill Greene at the Boston Globe takes a look at how Dixville Notch, N.H., garnered its “first in the nation” reputation for primary voting.

For what it’s worth, I did the Dixville Notch shoot for Agence France-Presse in 2000. Still being a film guy, and with Reuters and AP going digital, I wasn’t going to beat them out. So my editor made the call to have me stay at the closest motel instead of at The Balsams, the resort where they do the balloting. Why? The Balsams was charging $300 for a room, the no-tell motel at the bottom of the mountain was $35.

Which was fine, it was just a 20 minute drive … then it snowed. A lot. Like, 10 inches, not plowed, while I was waiting. Big, white puffy flakes … now that was a ride down the mountain.

Thanks to Greg Mironchuk for the heads up on Greene’s story.