NH history and broadcasting icon Fritz Wetherbee to retire

New Hampshire broadcasting icon Fritz Wetherbee, whose amusingly gruff personality has conveyed state history tidbits on radio, public TV and WMUR for some six decades, is planning to retire.

Wetherbee, 88, has been a regular on WMUR’s New Hampshire Chronicle since 2001, conveying historical facts and oddities in short segments shot in every corner of the state. He did similar work on New Hampshire Public Television for 15 years before that, and before that he was a reporter, editor and general manager for various radio stations, and worked as a reporter for the Monadnock Ledger. He also taught media at Keene State University.

In the announcement on WMUR, Wetherbee noted that he has recorded more than 5,000 segments for Chronicle alone.

Wetherbee was born in Nashua. He and his wife, Laura Walker, live in Acworth. He has received multiple Emmy awards and honorary degrees from the University of New Hampshire and Rivier College.

WMUR said he plans to work on his memoirs, “including stories he never told on TV.”