Back in the 70's New Hampshire's rich history added another chapter, and now, there's a book documenting the incredible story of Durham's crusade against an oil titan.

 

The book tells the story of how residents of the New Hampshire town fought back against big oil, and preserved what could have become an oil refinery over forty years ago.

According to a description on Amazon.com, oil titan, Aristotle Onassis, husband of President John F. Kennedy’s widow, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis proposed to build an oil refinery on the coast of New Hampshire. Specifically, in the town of Durham. The cost of $600 million was nothing to one of, if not the richest men in the world. However, in an inspiring story, Onassis hugely underestimated the people of New Hampshire. While the project was supported by Governor Meldrim Thomson, and by William Loeb, the publisher of the influential Manchester Union Leader.

 Three women had other plans.

Nancy Sandberg, founder of Save Our Shores, State Rep Dudley Dudley, and Phyllis Bennett, who alerted the public to Onassis’ secret acquisition of the land intervened. They led a statewide fight which handed big oil a huge defeat, and preserved our way of life.

David W Moore's Small Town, Big Oil is now available.

 

 

 

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