Dover, New Hampshire, Needs to Create a Historical Marker for This Spot
Editor's note: This article was written by a Townsquare Media Northern New England contributor and may contain the individual's views, opinions, or personal experiences.
You get varying types of feedback as a writer. Sometimes, the commentors love what you wrote. Other times, they hate what you wrote.
That is pretty much the extent of people’s reactions.
I recently shared my longstanding theory that maybe – just maybe – the town of Newington isn’t real. To those who jumped in on the joke, many thanks. But there were others, such as the reader who said:
“This is the dumbest article I’ve ever read.”
But you read it!
I also wrote about a man in Dover trying to set up a historical marker outside the apartment where the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were created (and I mean actually created; nice try, Northampton, Massachusetts). People seemed to like that one.
And why wouldn’t they? The Turtles are so popular, West Newbury’s John Cena couldn’t sign on fast enough when he was asked to appear in their upcoming film (but it's just a voice role, so in true John Cena fashion, you can't see him).
This was all swirling around in my mind as coworkers and I discussed ways to celebrate Dover’s 40th anniversary. Then it hit me: Newington…wrestlers…historical markers...
Ah-ha! I hereby call on town leaders of Dover and “Newington” to install a historical marker on the old General Sullivan Bridge to mark the exact spot where Stone Cold Steve Austin threw Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's first championship belt into the Piscataqua River.
It’s painful to think of all the people who travel over this spot daily without knowing it’s where the biggest wrestler of the '90s shaded the biggest movie star in the world (and, legend has it that the belt could still be in the river today...).
So, as we celebrate Dover 400 and Newington 400 (with the latter, I'm referring to the total number of people who’ve ever lived in Newington), let’s place a call to Stone Cold. Ask him to put on some jorts and his nicest tuxedo t-shirt and come to New Hampshire as we officially designate the spot on the old bridge that he and The Rock made famous.
Now, do we call it Stone Cold Point, or Rock’s Landing? I’ll e-mail my one-time boss and see what he says.