130+ Reasons to Move

A lot has changed in Keene since this list was originally published in March of 2008. Since then the activist population here has increased significantly and more activists are arriving each month while still others are planning their moves to Keene.

Keene is still the best destination for pro-liberty activists, now more than ever! From an activist perspective, it is challenging and full of exciting, ground floor opportunity. Whatever your brand of activism, whether outreach, political, disobedience/noncooperation, or media, you are welcome here. Here are some reasons why you should consider a move to Keene. Please feel free to link to, copy, and use this list however you like. Please visit the Shire Society Forum for discussion of this list. If you’re ready to visit Keene, check out our Visit page. If you’re ready to make the move, drop by our forum’s Housing and Jobs/Opportunities sections.

Update: Here’s a video version of the 130+ Reasons:

Keene Liberty Activism

There is so much to do in Keene, and the self-starting activists that are attracted here are always coming up with new ideas! Here are some of the regularly scheduled activist opportunities happening in Keene as of this publication. In addition, you’ll see some historic activism that originated in Keene. Please see our Calendar to see just some of what is happening!

Keene Activity Center (KAC) – Liberty activists come together for social activities, meals, and activist projects at the KAC.
Shire Society – Declare your personal independence from the coercive state society and join the Shire Society! Check “The Shire” tab at the top of this site to see some of the Shire happenings.
The Liberty Community – Wherever there are high concentrations of liberty-oriented activists and others, you get a great, supportive community. Here’s a different list of reasons to move to the Shire, which outlines some of the great community features that can be found here.
First Responders – Keene is relatively small so it’s easy for activists to respond to activists in need of assistance. As an example, here’s what happened one night recently when Cecilia was pulled over.
Shire Choir – Activists joining their voices in song and addressing issues in a warm and fun manner. As an example, the Shire Choir began by visiting state liquor stores and singing anti-war-on-drugs songs to point out the hypocrisy of the state in that they cage peaceful people for selling drugs while selling one of the most dangerous drugs.
Television Production – Free Keene TV and Free Minds TV are produced weekly in Keene at Cheshire TV by liberty activists.
Radio Production – Several radio programs are produced here in Keene, mostly at the LRN.FM – The Liberty Radio Network. See below for a list of the shows.
Jury Nullification Outreach – Keeniacs have been handing out jury nullification info every time jury selection is held, in front of Cheshire Superior Court since August of 2008!
Courtroom Activism – Have you ever not stood for a robed man? We do it all the time up here, among other things like refusing to stop recording in public places. Whenever an activist is forced into their so-called justice system, the activist can count on others to be there in support!
Courtroom Outreach – Activists are distributing info before arraignments to the victims of state aggression, suggesting refusing plea bargains in the hopes of crushing an already overburdened system.
Robin Hood’s Parking Meter Rescues – Activists walk around downtown Keene, spot cars at expired parking meters, and buy them some extra time, saving the cars’ owners from parking tickets! Activists leave envelopes on the windshields of the cars they save so drivers know who is responsible and giving the owners a chance to send in a contribution to the effort.
Free Speech Fridays – Weekly open-megaphone session at Central Square.
Live Free or Dance – Weekly dance party on Friday nights during the Summer after 10pm at Central Square.
School Outreach – Activists visit area schools with signage and flyers, reaching out to students with our pro-liberty message.
Free Keene Fest – Activists gather twice yearly in Railroad Square to reach out to the public, socialize, enjoy music, and spread the word of freedom!
The Home of Fr33Agents – Fr33 Agents has relaunched as of December 2011 and its key organizers are Keeniacs. It’s a site with an international focus designed to bring activists and ideas together as well as encourage more activism.
4:20 Celebrations – In Sept. of 2009, 4:20s began to be held in Central Square and kept going strong (with as many as more than 100 participants) for months, despite aggression by Keene Police in the beginning. Here’s a great article about them from Cannabis Culture. NOTICE – this event is no longer daily at any specific time and involves mostly regular Keeniacs, not liberty activists, so if you are visiting Keene, this is not the best place to meet the activist community! Check our Calendar for activist events.
Nightcaps – Central Square has been mostly won by activists as a DMZ for personal freedom, so it seems smoking cannabis and even open container can happen anytime without police intervention. With that in mind, in 2010, Ademo and Pete from Liberty on Tour kicked off the now-well-attended “nightcaps” in Central Square. Nightcaps tend to occur during the summer at 11pm and involve socializing and recreation. Open containers of alcohol are enjoyed and cannabis consumed as well. Good times!
Keene is the world destination for pro-liberty civil disobedience and noncooperation! We’ve had people arrested for all kinds of “crimes” here that do not involve a victim.
Getting involved with other activist movements – From Occupy Keene to the tea party, democrats to republicans, liberty activists are getting involved.

Keene Activist Tools
Keene activists have a unique set of tools which they can utilize to improve communications amongst activists as well as outreach success.

Flyers and Trifolds – Please visit the Tools page here on Free Keene for a list of some of the fliers and trifolds we regularly hand out to the community.
Communications Tools – From our text messaging blast service, Keene 411, to two-way radios for instant mass communications, to facebook and the Free Keene Forum, activists in Keene can stay connected.

Keene Social Activity and Community Involvement
Every week activists gather multiple times to forge friendships and help the community. Liberty minded people are often criticized for being cold-hearted because they don’t support government welfare, when of course it’s the coercion that a liberty-minded person is against. Activists involve themselves in local charity because they believe in helping others – on a consensual basis.

Meals at the KAC – Different chefs come to the Keene Activity Center and prepare delicious meals on a regular basis.
Free Keene Karaoke – Typically happening Saturday nights – activists gather to sing their favorite tunes and be merry.
Social Sundays – Activists meet weekly on Sundays for “Social Sundays” and socialize, strategize, and brainstorm.
Game Night – Sunday nights at the KAC, activists gather for board, card, and sometimes electronic games.
Movie Night – Weekly gathering of activists for moving-watching on Tuesday nights in nearby Winchester.
PORC – The Porcupine Outdoor Recreation Club – founded in Keene.
Community Volunteering – Activists have volunteered in the community in various ways, from helping with the Community Kitchen, to the Hundred Nights Homeless Shelter, to Pumpkin Fest, to Project Graduation, and more.

Keene: Liberty Media Capital of the World

No one has dared challenge this claim. Keene has more pro-liberty media for you to consume, distribute, and help create than anywhere else in the world. Here’s the current list:

Free Keene TV – Activists produce a weekly, live news show on Cheshire TV, the local cable access channel.
Free Minds TV & Radio – Hosted by liberty-loving NH natives Toby and Nick, FMTV is widely distributed on cable access channels across New England and originates from Keene’s Cheshire TV. The nationally syndicated talk radio version of the show also originates from the LRN.FM Studio in Keene.
LRN.FM – The Liberty Radio Network – This 24/7 streaming audio collection of the best liberty oriented shows on the internet originates from Keene.
Free Talk Live – Internationally syndicated, pro-liberty talk radio originating from the LRN.FM studio in Keene. Airs locally on WKBK.
Puke and the Gang – The show for grumpy young men, hosted by liberty activists Puke, 280, Luthor, and Ryder.
Talley.TV – Jason Talley, reporting from the front lines of freedom.
Fr33manTV – Derrick J’s Youtube channel
FreeKeene.com – Multi-user, multimedia blog by Keene-area liberty activists. Features include a calendar, forum, video of activism, free audiobooks, and more.
Ladies in Keene – The liberty movement has long had the problem of being mostly male, but those demographics are changing in the Shire and Keene now has its own ladies activist group and blog!
Shire Free Press – A new independent press organization has sprung up in Keene, is issuing press badges and is planning to release a newspaper.

Keene’s Challenges

Keene is a challenging opportunity. If you want easy street, you should look at some other areas of the state. On the other hand if you’re ready to be the change you wish to see in the world, this is where you want to be. With that in mind, here are some of the challenges in Keene:

Courtroom Crackdown – The Keene courts have prohibited media devices from their entire buildings and have arrested several activists over it. This situation continues to develop.
Militarization of Keene Police – The federal gang continues to hold hundreds of thousands of dollars in front of the city’s police department and as a result they are getting more officers and even a scary Armored Personnel Carrier.
Close proximity to both Massachusetts and Vermont + college town = lots of statists.
Some of the highest property taxes in NH.
Existing state representatives have poor NHLA liberty ratings.
Zoning board stifling new and existing businesses.
Crackdown on property freedom in downtown “Historic District”.
Code Enforcers
More housing for incoming Keeniacs needed.

Keene’s Advantages and Opportunities

It’s not all doom and gloom – the future is bright here in Keene. Here are some already existing advantages as well as a few activist opportunities. Of course, you can always create your own opportunities and activists that like your idea may join you! Get in on the ground floor of the peaceful evolution in Keene!

Voluntarists, Agorists, and Free Marketeers will find a number of like-minded individuals in Keene. The voluntarist viewpoint is the core of the activist community in Keene.
Quick Response Times – Keene is so small, when a call goes out for activists to help others, they have been known to move fast and arrive on-scene within moments.
Ease of access to the aggressors – Keene is the county seat, so both courts are right downtown – those living downtown can easily walk or bike there. In contrast, another area with a high amount of movers per capita, Grafton, is 90 minutes away from its county’s courts.
Keene cops not as nasty as bigger cities like Manchester. They are more tolerant of cameras, and typically easier-going than their their thin-blue-line brethren in other cities. (Though, this is starting to change a little with the slow militarization of KPD.) Some, like Shane Maxfield are openly friendly to liberty ideas, while still doing wrong and enforcing bad laws. It’s not police utopia, but it could be a lot worse, like it is in Nashua.
If you’re going to do disobedience, Keene is a great place to get jailed, all things considered. The jail is run by a man who tries to bring as much humanity to an inhumane system as possible, Rick Van Wickler (he’s a Law Enforcement Against Prohibition speaker). It’s nice to have a jail that’s not run by a sadist. It’s still a jail, but there are many across America that are FAR worse than Cheshire County Jail. The jail is brand new, with construction finished in 2010.
Keene bureaucrats tend to not be as unfriendly as bureaucrats in other cities. The small size of Keene means they are less anonymous than bureaucrats in bigger cities, so they have to keep up their image to some extent.
Highest concentration of liberty-oriented media in the world – radio, television, internet, and print. Nowhere else will the general population encounter the liberty message as often as they do in Keene. All this media serves as an activist attractor as well, meaning more people will come to Keene over time, hopefully including you!
Establishment confused, angry, and unsure of what to do about liberty activism in Keene. Some seem to believe they can arrest their way out of it, but that just gets publicized and more activists move because of their aggression. It must be frustrating to be a bureaucrat or politician in Keene.
Establishment attempted to publish a hitpiece blog against liberty activists but only resulted in more positive publicity for us. They quietly took the blog off-line. Later, another opposition group formed on facebook and fizzled.
Our first candidate for city council in 2007 received thousands of dollars in free press coverage including two front page news articles and radio and tv interviews. That same candidate spent $70 and did very little campaigning, yet received over 22% of the vote. The 2009 election resulted in 24% voting for NH native and Free Keene blogger Nick Ryder. In 2010, early mover Andrew Carroll set new vote records for Keene activists in his run for state rep. Keene does not have very many political activists, so it’s a wide open opportunity for the more politically inclined.
It’s easy to be a big fish in the small pond of Keene if you are interested in politics, as there are so few people out here. Keene has 1/4th the population as Manchester, so campaigning is easier and your public profile is larger. In some cases, candidates run unopposed for local election. You could be that opposition.
Operation Politically Homeless outreach shows that Keene residents are overwhelmingly either libertarian or liberal. Self-described liberals tend to be somewhat easier to convert to understanding liberty.
Liberty-friendly Housing – Available but always in high demand. Investors may want to consider purchasing a multi-family home, owner occupying, and creating options for incoming movers while collecting rent and living with all your bills paid!
Cheshire TV – This cable access channel is the only local TV source in Keene and is therefore highly watched in the community. You can create your own television show, or work on one of the existing liberty oriented shows.
WKBK 1290/104.1 – Popular news/talk station with no call screening. Great way to get your pro-liberty views out to a general audience.
WKNH 91.3 – College radio station with on-air opportunities. Start your own show!
The Keene Sentinel – daily paper known locally as “The Slantinel” which could use some letters to the editor.
Internships and jobs may be available at the above established old-media organizations.

Area Info / Demographics

Keene is the economic hub of southwestern NH.
There are plenty of jobs here as well as entrepreneurial opportunities.
Big enough to have the amenities and comforts of a city,
Small enough to be bikeable/walkable. Keene is the most walkable place in NH according to walkable.org.
Population as of 2010 is over 23,400 + an estimated 10,000 more who come in during the daytime from the Monadnock region, VT, and MA during the day to work and shop (no sales tax!)
Keene is young – the median age is 36.7
Keene is mostly female – 52.76%
Keene’s residents are mostly single.
Keene folk are gay friendly. Here’s a useful thread on the Free Keene Forum about suggestions for meeting gays in the Keene area.
Cost-of-living in Keene is lower than the national average.
Broadband Internet is available via Cable or DSL.
Lots of free WiFi.
Variety of Living Options – You can choose a more “urban” lifestyle in downtown Keene, opt for the suburbs, or go a little further and you have rural living!
Keene is conveniently located in a valley. Snowfall and wind are limited compared to surrounding areas.
As it is located in a valley in Southern NH, Keene is not as cold as the northern portions of the state.
Great real estate opportunities. Beangroup.com is a useful site to find properties. There are more useful links in the stickied thread in the housing subforum of the Free Keene Forum.
Keene has over 20 churches and one synagogue. (For the organized religious.)
Only 30% of Keene residents identify as religious. (For those who aren’t.)
Short drives to bigger metros: 60min drive to Nashua, 70min drive to Concord, 80min drive to Manchester, About two hours to Boston, About four hours to New York City, About 4.5 hours to Montréal
Cheshire Medical Center
Private trash pickup services!
The Keene area is a stunningly beautiful place to live. See for yourself via Google Street View.

Shopping / Food

Downtown Keene – Widest Main Street in America – easy parking!
Plenty of locally owned businesses of all varieties.
Regional retail chains like Aubuchon’s Hardware.
Lots of familiar national chains- Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Target, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Staples, Gamestop (2x), Sears Essentials, JCPenney, Bed Bath and Beyond, Michael’s Crafts, JoAnn Fabric, Petco, & more.
Major Auto Dealers
Grocery stores include Price Chopper (24 hour!), Market Basket, Shaws, and Hannaford’s.
Blueberry Fields, for natural/organic enthusiasts. Plus, each major grocery store has a large selection of these foods as well.
Plenty of pizza, Chinese food, and a variety of other locally owned restaurants!
Fast Food – McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, Pizza Hut, Domino’s, Taco Bell, KFC, Subway & more.
Regional Food Chains – Friendly’s (2x), Tokyo Express, and more.
National Food Chains – Panera Bread (free WiFi), Chili’s, Applebee’s, Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, & more.
Lots of places to get coffee including locally owned coffee houses, Panera Bread, Starbucks (2x), and more!
Many local restaurants and chains are open Sundays.
The locally owned “Shipping Shack” is available for all your private mailbox needs.
24-hour CVS, 24-hour Walgreens, and other drug stores including Rite Aid.
National and regional cell phone service providers are available in Keene.
National, regional, and local banks all in Keene. You will also find credit unions.

Recreation / Leisure / Education

Convenient bike/walking trails all throughout the city!
The most hiked mountain in the Western Hemisphere, Mount Monadnock, is conveniently located near Keene.
Multiple parks, with several sports options.
At least three beaches in the area including Otter Brook Park, Surry Mountain Lake, and Spofford Lake.
The region has many sports teams including the Swamp Bats and a full complement of youth, high school, college and recreational level teams.
Granite Gorge- skiing, snowboarding, tubing and more just 5 miles from downtown Keene! Want bigger mountains? Pat’s Peak, Crotchett, and Sunapee are a short trip away.
The Ashuelot River
Whether it’s fishing, boating, paddling or swimming, the region has more than 200 bodies of water of every size.
Workout Options: Brand-new YMCA (Opened Dec 2011), a female-only gym, and a 24-hour men’s gym.
Keene Dillant-Hopkins Airport
The Keene Cinemas – Major Motion Pictures – Now with 3D!
The Colonial Theatre – Independent Films and Stage Productions
Opportunities to make music including the Apple Hill Chamber Players, Keene Pops Choir, and Monadnock Music.
Opportunities to listen to various types of music at local venues.
Plenty of bars/pubs with music, karaoke, and more bar attractions.
The Corner News smoke shop is right on Main St. and Phat Stuff smoke shop is right across the street.
“For book lovers, Toadstool Bookshop is awesome! It is very large and well-stocked. Keene also has two used book stores, Eagle Books and Hannah’s Used Books.” – Menno, Early Mover
Lots of historical points of interest.
Cheshire Fair
Pumpkin Festival
Keene Music Festival
Art Walk (week-long event that puts artists’ works in storefronts)
Farmer’s Market that is open twice a week, during three seasons.
Shooting ranges in and around Keene and gun shops in the Monadnock region
Keene State College and Antioch New England Graduate School are in Keene with other colleges very close by like Franklin Pierce University.
There are a number of private schools and other educational opportunities.

Endorsements

Who has chosen Keene, and why? We’re proud to share these endorsements with you:

“I should be in Keene, New Hampshire with the Free Staters.” – Magician and comedian Penn Jillette
In an interview on Free Talk Live, Lew Rockwell, the founder of the Mises Institute and creator and editor of LewRockwell.com, called Keene “The northern capital of libertarianism” and suggested it was the “epicenter” of NH liberty activism. Lew identified himself as an “enthusiastic supporter” of the Free State Project, saying, “I definitely endorse the Free State Project”. About Keene, he said “[i] especially like what you guys are doing in Keene”, adding that activists “do amazing things here”.
Will May’s three year retrospective on moving as a single young male and living as an activist in Keene. He covers the highs and the lows.
“I moved to Keene in 2004 and really enjoy living here. It has some big city conveniences without the big city size. It’s pretty, the weather is better than the immediately surrounding areas, the power stays on, it’s easy to get around, and we’ve made some really great friends here.” – Varrin Swearingen, Former president of the Free State Project
“I moved to the Keene area because residents were doing fun things and invited me. Now I live here and invite others who love questioning authority, pointing out injustice, committing random acts of charity, and creating public displays of a enthusiasm. Get out here and start having fun!” – Lauren Canario, Superactivist
“When selecting a place to base MotorhomeDiaries.com; Keene, New Hampshire – the emerging home of libertarian activism – was the only choice. I’m excited to be part of a community of principled libertarians who reject government violence in favor of a voluntary society.” – Jason Talley, Motorhome Diaries
“For a long time I’ve admired the work of the Free-Staters, especially those in Keene, who are leading the peaceful evolution toward a voluntary society. I want to use this as the model for my work with the activist network at Fr33Agents.net.” – Pete Eyre, Motorhome Diaries
“I moved to Keene because it’s a beautiful town. Lots of old buildings, lots of old trees, lots of shopping, all in a small town. Drive five minutes and you are in the country side. Like women? It’s a college town.” – Puke, Early Mover
“Keene rocks!” – Julia, Early Mover
I decided to move because from the first day that I was there, I felt like I would never be bored. There is a whole community of people from all walks of life that were kind enough to let me be a part of whats happening. – Andrew, Early Mover
“Big enough to support a wide variety of businesses yet small enough to maintain its neighborly charm. What more could you want from this little big town nestled in the beautiful valleys of New England?” – Paul Ott, Early Mover
“Folks in Keene are friendly and down-to-earth!” – Menno, Early Mover
“Keene is a great place to hang out with other liberty activists and have fun storming the castle.” – Russell Kanning, Publisher, NH Free Press
“Ground Zero for freedom…I fancy settling there when I move” – Thomas L. Knapp, Libertarian Blogger
“Most are wondering why on earth you haven’t moved yet. We’re wondering what you are waiting for. I can tell you that I am living a life beyond my wildest dreams. Though I have very little materially anymore, I am wealthy with a pleasure for life that I never knew existed.” – Kurt Hoffman, early mover and civil disobedience activist, written from jail in Letter 14.
“If you’re a liberty-minded person, you’ve got to come to Keene” – Derrick J, early mover.
“better than I ever expected” – Ali, early mover.
“If I was going to move back to the East coast, I’d move to Keene.” – Marc Stevens, Author of Adventures in Legal Land and Host of the “No State Project”. on his 5/1/2010 show.
More endorsements coming!

Unintentional Endorsements

Armored SWAT truck manufacturer LENCO’s sales reps complimented activists in Keene, saying that Keeniacs had more passion and organization than any other place they’ve sold over 300 BEARCATs
Some Keene activism called a “hybrid of Gandhi and Project Mayhem” by Mother Jones magazine’s Tim Murphy.
“Free State Project holds extremist views and their participants have wreaked havoc in areas like Keene and Grafton. We’ve seen a steady stream of Free Staters taunting the Keene police and ending up in the Westmoreland jail, costing taxpayers dearly.” – Pam Martens, Local Busybody Statist (Update on Pam in 2011 – She and her husband sold their house in Westmoreland and left the area.)
“Keene, New Hampshire, epicenter of the libertopian colony” – Justin Raimondo, Chroniclesmagazine.org
“Not sure how this ends — I’m hoping some town in New Hampshire will step up and say how much they want these people and maybe they’ll just leave. But there seem to be more each day, all here with the idea that they will turn Keene into their model town, so who knows.” – Mike Caulfield, Blue Hampshire Blogger
“Free Staters are becoming much more active — especially in Keene.” – Elwood P. Dowd, Blue Hampshire Blogger

Media Endorsements

“most [Free Staters] live in and around the city of Keene” – Chris Faraone, Journalist, Boston Phoenix. Chris was wrong about this statement, but the amount of activism around here certainly seems to have given him that impression!

This list was last updated in December 2011.