Our Next Chapter
When Maharishi Came to Town
Funding for this film is made possible, in part, by the Humanities Project Impact Grant program (a subaward from the National Endowment for the Humanities) and by the Iowa Humanities Council, overseen by the State Historical Society of Iowa.
Your contributions are key in helping us make Fairfield history come alive. Your donations are both greatly needed and deeply appreciated.
Who Is Fair Field Productions?
We are a community-based, volunteer-supported, non-profit educational organization.
Since March of 2016, we have produced the award-winning Fairfield History Series - eight deeply-researched documentary films that depict the history of our hometown of Fairfield Iowa. These films bring to life the diverse and fascinating stories of the people who helped make Fairfield "one of the most talked-about small towns in America."
The Fairfield History Series provides a comprehensive, up-to-date look into the history of Fairfield, Iowa. Spearheaded by Producer/Director Dick DeAngelis, with support from over 100 local volunteer historians, researchers, moviemakers, and storytellers, these films provide a unique insight into the indomitable spirit of this small Iowa town will certainly leave a lasting legacy for generations of Fairfielders to come.
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"If you look at our lives today, we're all so busy just living...
This project is about our community gaining a new perspective about the place we live so we can live a more fulfilled life today by experiencing and learning from the stories of the people who have lived here before us."
- Dick DeAngelis, Director
Our film production crew comprises filmmakers, light and sound specialists, editors, and historical researchers. FMC Director Jason Strong serves as our Director of Photography and one of our Film Editors. Rene Holmberg coordinates the amazing aerial footage shot over Jefferson County using state-of-the-art drone camera technology. Tim Britton has received numerous awards for his masterful crafting and editing of our soundtracks.
Chapter One:
Life Before Fairfield
“Life Before Fairfield” tells the story of the prehistory of Fairfield, Iowa and surrounding areas, from the Pangean shift and how our lands were formed, to how the native tribes lived here thousands of years ago. This first documentary film in the Fairfield History Series opened to packed crowds of over 1,500 people when it premiered one weekend in August of 2017.
Chapter Two:
Heroes of Fairfield
“Heroes of Fairfield” brings to life stories of ordinary Fairfielders who did extraordinary things to make a difference in our community and our world. The second installment in the Fairfield History Series premiered at the Sondheim Theater at the Fairfield Area Convention Center June 30th, 2018.
In the atrium, packed crowds of movie-goers visited displays depicting local history information and artifacts from four area museums and visited with noted local history authors.
Chapter Three:
A Place to Grow
"A Place to Grow - the evolution of agriculture in Fairfield, Iowa", shows how generations of families risked everything to make their home in Iowa and the legacy they have left for today's new generation of farmers. It also explores Native American farming practices and the women seed keepers who have kept that knowledge alive. You get to hear from people who worked the soil in this small Southeast Iowa community before electricity or tractors. Explore the evolution of small family farms, the impact of modern science on large agricultural operations as well as the organic and sustainable farming practices that have taken root here.
Chapter Four:
Ahead of their Time
“Ahead of Their Time” celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit that inspired growth in and around Fairfield, Iowa. This film shares fifteen short stories highlighting some of the town’s “out of the box” thinkers, movers and shakers; from early industrialists to social change advocates of the 1800s. Supported by added insights from family members and local historians, “Ahead of Their Time” offers a glimpse into the hearts and minds of some of the most determined trailblazers in Fairfield, Iowa history and uncovers the unstoppable spirit that helped this small midwestern town both survive and thrive.
Chapter Five:
Parsons
"Parsons" is the fifth in the critically-acclaimed Fairfield History Series. It uncovers the truth behind the unprecedented growth and sudden demise of Parsons College through accounts from past students, faculty members and educational leaders.The film’s historical research team has uncovered what was really behind Parsons’ rapid growth in the 60’s from 350 to over 5,000 students. Archival footage and photos along with an amazing soundtrack bring to life the first-hand accounts of what really happened at Parsons College and what caused its tragic closing in 1973.