What Is TownUnderground?
What is TownUnderground, or “TU,” as it has come to be known?
TownUnderground was created to encourage citizen participation in Londonderry, New Hampshire, by providing information about local government, town issues, and community activities. Our goal is simple: help residents stay informed, encourage constructive discussion, and make it easier for people to become involved in their community.
The name TownUnderground may sound a little mysterious to some, but the mission behind it is anything but. TU is about bringing local issues into the open, sharing information, asking questions, and encouraging residents to take an active interest in their town.
The site first went online in January 2006. Originally called TownUnderground, it was renamed TownUpdate in 2010 because some people felt the original name sounded too dark. In 2016, we returned to the original name. After all, you can’t escape your roots!
Today, TownUnderground continues its original mission of informing residents and encouraging participation in Londonderry’s civic life.
How It All Began
My interest in local government began around 2000, when I became curious about how things worked in Londonderry. Since we planned to stay in town for the foreseeable future, I wanted to learn more about the community and become involved.
I began attending meetings of the Town Council, School Board, Conservation Commission, and other local organizations. I also watched many meetings on Londonderry’s local cable channel, LACTV.
I soon discovered a problem: there simply weren’t enough hours in the day to keep up with everything happening around town. Meeting attendance was often limited to a handful of residents, even when the issues being discussed affected the broader community.
I began to wonder how many other residents wanted to know what was happening but simply couldn’t find the time to attend meetings or follow every local issue.
Keeping Residents Connected
Londonderry is often described as a “bedroom community.” Many residents commute to work in other towns, and some travel south into Massachusetts. After a long day, getting home, having dinner, and heading back out for a seven o’clock Town Council or School Board meeting isn’t always practical.
I don’t believe a lack of attendance necessarily means a lack of interest. People have jobs, families, and other responsibilities. Keeping up with local government can be difficult when so much of the information is scattered across meetings, reports, announcements, and other sources.
I felt there had to be an easier way for residents to stay informed.
In January 2005, I began thinking seriously about creating a website to help fill that gap. I discussed the idea with my son, and we bounced around ideas before getting to work. After months of tinkering, TownUnderground went online in January 2006.
The idea was straightforward: give people a place they could visit whenever it was convenient to see what was happening around town, learn about issues, and join the conversation.
You don’t have to attend every meeting to be an informed citizen. If you can’t make it to a meeting, stop by TownUnderground when you have a few minutes and catch up on what’s happening.
My hope has always been that providing information will lead to greater awareness, more discussion, and more residents taking an interest in Londonderry’s future.
The TownUnderground Forum
In its early years, the TU discussion forum was the site’s primary feature. It quickly became a place where residents and others interested in Londonderry could discuss local issues, exchange ideas, ask questions, and share information.
The forum was open to anyone interested in the town and provided an opportunity for people to participate in discussions even when they couldn’t attend meetings in person.
In 2016, I decided to move away from the traditional forum format and transition to a WordPress-based website. Unfortunately, the original forum later experienced a serious technical problem and went offline.
Although the format has changed over the years, the underlying purpose has remained the same: making local information more accessible and giving people another way to stay connected with their community.
Your Town. Your Voice. Your Community.
TownUnderground is an independent, grassroots effort built around a simple idea: an informed community is better equipped to participate in its own future.
Whether you’re interested in town government, local issues, community activities, or simply understanding what’s happening in Londonderry, I hope you’ll find something here that interests you.
You don’t have to agree with everyone, and you don’t have to attend every meeting. Sometimes, getting involved starts with reading an article, asking a question, or taking part in a discussion.
If you have suggestions for improving the site or ideas for topics that deserve attention, I’d welcome hearing from you.
Email me at Info@TownUnderground.com.
Best regards,
Glenn Douglas
TownUnderground.com