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This photo was taken by Cheyne Aerial Surveys of Methuen in 1948. According to the photo caption that appeared in the Boston Herald, "Take a good, long look at this suburban community, its main thoroughfare running from top left to right center of the picture, its athletic field at the bottom right, and two churches in the upper left corner. It's Wakefield from the air."
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This photograph is identified as having been taken by C.F. Richardson at Prospect and Elm Streets. In "Wakefield As It Is", a promotional booklet published by Chester W. Eaton's Real Estate Agency in 1880, the Boston Globe noted on May 2, 1880, "Eaton's real estate exchange reports an active demand for houses in the beautiful town of Wakefield., which is full of charming locations and various attractions. This agency, which is located at Wakefield, has houses and estates of every description ranging in price from $1,000 to $12,000 and building lots at reasonable figures. No suburban town is more popular for residential purposes than Wakefield, and its growth is sure and steady."
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G.W. Eaton, Grocers was located at 394 Main Street from 1889 to 1917. Owned by George W. Eaton, a lifelong resident of Wakefield, the store sold a variety of items some of which were featured on advertisements on display at the store, including Quaker Oats; Bon Ami, a cleaner developed in 1886 by the J.T. Robertson Soap Company; products baked by the New York Pie Bakery, located in Massachusetts; chocolate and cocoa from the well-known chocolatier Walter Baker & Company of Dorchester; and smoking materials from J. G. Dill's Tobacco Company of Richmond, Virginia, a company which received four patents for chewing and smoking tobacco in 1878. The picture may have been taken in February 1896, as indicated by the 29 days on the calendar on the wall . It is interesting to note that the next leap year did not occur in 1900, rather it occurred in 1904. A leap year is every four years, but not every 100 years. Since 1752 in the United States, years exactly divisible by 100 are only leap years when they are also exactly divisible by 400. For example, 1800 and 1900 were not leap years, but 1700 and 2000 were. When Eaton retired in 1917 after 28 years in the grocery business, he disposed of his goods and closed the store, not selling the business to anyone else.
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(Seated left to right) Captain Arthur Moncrieff, Captain Francis Bowman, Major Richard Dolbeare, Captain Roy Surrette and Captain Charles Carr. (Standing, left to right) 1st Lieut. Philip Pasqualino, 2nd Lieut. Winsor Finney, 1st Lieut. Frank DeFazio, 2nd Lieut. Myron Wing, Adj. A. Anderson, Battalion instructor Sergeant Ernest Monroe, 1st Lieut. Francis Walsh, 2nd Lieut. Abbott Fiendel, 1st Lieut. Cecil Ward, 2nd Lieutenant Robert Batten, and 1st Lieut. Samuel Levine.
The Wakefield High School Battalion was created in October 1885, when the "boys of Wakefield High School" formed a military company and entered into the Second Massachusetts Regiment with cadets from Reading and Andover. During the 1920-21 school year, the Battalion was said to have "advanced farther" than in other years under the instruction of Sergeant Monroe of the United States Army. The battalion's four companies met for drill three periods each week, with an officers' school held every Tuesday afternoon to instruct the officers and non-commissioned officers. For several years, the companies which made up the Wakefield Battalion held spring prize drills in the Town Hall and later on the park (common). Due to crowded conditions at the High School and overcrowding of the program, military drills were abolished in 1931. The program was resumed with the entrance of the United States in World War II and was required of all boys in the junior and senior classes, as military training was valuable to the young men entering the service.
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Referred to as the Frederick Ballard Eaton House on Main Street near Sweetser Street, this home was reported to be occupied by Frederick's widow Eliza in Lilley Eaton's Genealogical History of Reading Mass., published in 1874. Frederick was born in Reading (now Wakefield) in May 1792, one of five children born to Samuel Eaton III and Sarah (Evans) Eaton. He married Eliza Vinton in 1815 and the two were parents of five children: Sarah, Henry, Mary, Hiram and Joseph. Sarah married George Reed Morrison, a Deacon in the First Parish Congregational Church and one of the first corporators of the Wakefield Savings Bank. Frederick died in 1858. It is not known when the house was built. The Frederick Ballard Eaton House is believed to be the house occupied by William Stimpson in 1812. According to Lilley Eaton's book, Stimson "was a bricklayer by trade, a peaceable, industrious, and honest man. He afterwards purchased and occupied the farm at the 'head of the pond', now or lately known as the 'Stimpson Farm'," probably the historic house now at 22 Prospect Street. Frederick Ballard Eaton built another house, the Greek Revival style home to the south of the original house, now 196 Main Street, for his son Hiram. A map of 1856 shows two Eaton houses at the corner of Main and Sweetser Streets.
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One of the oldest commercial buildings in downtown Wakefield, the Kingman Block, was built around 1860 during the tenure of Samuel Kingman, a tailor who later became Postmaster. Now known as the Bourdon Building, the building housed the Post Office until 1901 when it moved to the corner of Main Street and Richardson Avenue. During the late 1800s, Kingman's Hall was on one of the upper floors and was used for social parties and assemblies. The third floor was once the armory of the Richardson Light Guard, as well as the A.O.H. Hall and the Red Men's Hall. After the Post Office vacated the building, the bottom floor of the building was altered over the years to accommodate many businesses, including Wilhelmina's Smart Shop, O'Connor's Men's Shop, and Wm. M. Deadman's Market which was on the Albion Street side of the building. Kenwood's Lunch was the occupant of the first floor when this picture was taken on September 21, 1923 just before the razing of the Bessey Livery Stables pictured on the right. Kenwood Lunch advertised that it was an American restaurant with American food and management and encouraged readers to "come and enjoy a real good meal. We solicit your patronage and guarantee satisfaction." The Willard Service Station, the taxi office of Richard Barrett, and the Victor Shoe Shine Parlor, to the right of the Kingman Building were also razed in November 1923 in preparation for the Wakefield Trust Company building.
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Company A, Sixth Regiment of the Richardson Light Guard, was mustered into service on April 6, 1917. Less than 12 hours later, Company A was on its way to Fort Revere in Hull. On August 25th, the company was allowed to return home for a day before being sent to war. A farewell parade was held on Sunday which started at the Armory (now the Americal Civic Center) and ended at the Upper Train Station. According to Wakefield Massachusetts in the World War 1917- 1920, a book started by Emma Florence Eaton (who worked on the project from 1919-1921), and completed in 1935 under a W.P.A. project, more than 900 Wakefield men and women were enrolled in the various branches of the service. A total of 41 gave their lives to the cause, 97 were "gassed" or wounded, 27 received "decorations for valor," and 37 were cited for gallantry in action when the war ended in 1919. Pictured after the company passed through the town during the 1917 farewell parade, thousands of local residents returned to their homes or walked or rode to the train station for the final good-bye. It is interesting to note that the sign in the foreground reminds drivers to "keep to the right. Please observe the law." It is also important to not only note the dress on what was probably a hot August day, but to also note the cars, one of which has the steering wheel on the right.
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The annual Fourth of July celebration, sponsored by the West Side Social Club, featured children's activities and contests, a three-division parade which began at Moulton Playground and ended at the Common, a band concert, and fireworks. The parade, the largest in the events history, stepped off at 2 p.m. on a route that traveled along Albion, Gould, Walnut and Chestnut Streets, North Avenue, Main and Church Streets. Several of the children's activities, including the fishing derby, home run hitting contest, pet "show", and a boys-only bicycle, tricycle and cart parade were held the night before, beginning at 6:30 p.m., followed by a band concert, variety show featuring three vaudeville acts and a "sample" fireworks display. The remaining children's events, including the children's races and doll carriage parade were held on the morning of July 4th, some of which were featured on WBZ-TV's live broadcast from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and on Bob Emery's Big Brother show. The parade floats which "appeared in the line of march" in the afternoon "assembled for a trip before the cameras on Church Street in front of the bandstand and several marching groups also were shown at 11 o'clock." Brian Goss, on the bicycle was the second-place winner in the bicycle parade, which won him a "crest lite." He and his mother, Ruth, are pictured with what may be the other winners who were reported to have been interviewed by Bob Emery on his show.
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According to the photo caption on the back of the photo, "PIRATE HIDEOUT - Shipfitters set the rigging on a pair of pirate boats moored to the wharf on the shore of Pleasure Island's currently calm inland sea." The photo was taken just weeks before the June 22nd public opening of the park. The designers and construction crews were able to turn swampland into the Disney of the East in less than one year, starting earth-moving operations in the Fall of 1958, working through a New England winter and above average rainfall amounts during the 1959 spring and summer. This photo shows portions of the park's main themed areas, Clipper Cove, on the left, and the Western section called Goldpan Gulch, above right. Clipper Cove was designed to represent a New England seaport from the mid-1800s. It incorporated the Pirate Cove and Moby Dick attractions as well as the Wreck of the Hesperus dark ride. The Western section featured the narrow-gauge steam train "Old Smokey" and the Goldpan Gulch Station, the Diamond Lil Saloon, Quannapowitt Publishers Print Shop, the Chisholm Trail dark ride, and an 1800s and Contemporary Hotel exhibit by Hotel Corporation of America. At the top of Clipper Cove (left to right) is the Hotel Exhibit, the dark ride, Print Shop, and Saloon. Facing Clipper Cove at the rear of the Hotel Exhibit was the Sheriff's Office and Jail. Across from this complex was the popular Tilt House, often referred to as the Slanty Shanty. On the left beyond the launch platform for the Pirate Cove attraction was Cap'n Snow's Chowder House, which was still under construction. Several other attractions also opened in the park's first season, some survived for the entire 11 seasons while others were either added or removed, including the park's shops and dining facilities. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of Pleasure Island's 11th and final season. Wakefield hosted the second of three theme parks built across America after Disneyland and although long gone, Edgewater Office Park maintains much of the past landscape and water features enjoyed by the millions of former guests, young and old.
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This building, occupied by the Wakefield Clothing Company in 1923, once numbered as 390 Main Street, was located across from Avon Street. While most prominent buildings in downtown Wakefield were often referred to by either the name of their builders or occupants, this building is not as identifiable. It could have been called the Daland Building in the late 1800s, as it was owned and occupied at the time by the Everett G. Daland Dry Goods Store. The store measured 75' x 20' and provided a "large and fine assortment of dry goods, children's clothing, men's furnishings, hats and various small wares too numerous to mention." It is reported that Everett George Daland, a Wakefield native, opened the dry goods store in 1878 at the age of 18. He opened the store for 23 years and went on to work as a traveling salesman for Simon, Hatch and Whitten Company of Boston, a wholesale men's furnishings company for the next 30 years. The building itself is similar to, and often mistaken for, the Butler block which is located on Main Street across from Albion Street.
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Although there were several houses owned and occupied by members of the Emerson family, this is probably the home of Thomas Emerson, founder of Thomas Emerson & Sons at the corner of Main and Lawrence Streets. According to the Historic Homes and Places and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to the Families of Middlesex County, Massachusetts published in 1906, Emerson was born in 1785 and died in 1871. He and his wife Elizabeth Hartshorn, said to be the sister of Col. James Hartshorn, were the parents of five children: Thomas, Augusta, Sarah, Maria and James. James, the youngest, is the only child listed as being born in the home in 1830. Thomas Emerson was credited with instituting a system of paying wages in cash instead of "barter at the store," once a practice of shoe manufacturers. A Selectman, member of the School Committee, Representative to the General Court and a State Senator, the elder Thomas was one of the "most prominent citizens and business men active in political affairs" with a "charming personality and sterling character," traits carried on by his two sons, Thomas and James, both of whom are credited with growing the business in "volume and prosperity" and continuing his community and civic service. After their father's retirement in 1854, his two sons renamed the company Thomas Emerson's Sons. The younger Thomas was one of the founders of the Wakefield Horticultural and Agricultural Society, and although he was an integral part of Thomas Emerson's Sons, he also served as President of the Mechanic and Agricultural Institution, a bank, for 24 years, and as a trustee of the Wakefield Savings Bank and director of the National Bank, along with many other organizations. James Emerson followed his father's civic sense of duty as Town Treasurer for 28 years. He is credited as being a "leading spirit in the organization" of the Richard [i.e. Richardson] Light Guard, serving as Commander of the company, was the second President of the Wakefield Savings Bank, and was an organizer and charter member of the Wakefield Home for Aged Women (the Boit Home.) He played a "prominent role" in bringing water, electricity and gas to the town, and in acquiring land bordering Lake Quannapowitt for use as a public park. He died in the family home in 1906.
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The building at 29 Water Street, former home to L.B. Evans Son Co. Shoe Manufacturers, was built as a three-story, 60' by 40' building in 1894. Founded in 1841 by Lucius Bolles Evans in a building at the at the rear of a dwelling house at 9 Salem Street, the shoe manufacturing shop moved to 8 Salem Street in 1884. In 1894, Lucius' son, Harvey B. Evans built the new shoemaking factory on the site formerly occupied by the Episcopal Church, employing 80 people.The company was incorporated as the L.B. Evans' Son Company in 1905 by Harvey Evans' sons following his death. A 40' addition and a fourth story were added somewhere around 1904, with many other additions made over the years, bringing the total square footage to 117,000 sq. ft when the final addition was completed in the late 1960s. Once recognized as the oldest shoe manufacturing concern in the United States and the oldest industry in Wakefield, the company and its building were purchased by a Fitchburg Company in 1979 and the company began to be phased out in 1980, eventually closing around 1987. The company was best known for its slippers and casual shoes in its later years. Although it appeared that the Burche Manufacturing Company was located in the L.B. Evans building, the angle of this photograph made it appear that the company's sign was on the building, according to a press statement on the back of the photograph.
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Frederick Tudor, a prominent Boston merchant referred to as the "Ice King of New England" in the early 19th century began harvesting ice from ponds and lakes across Massachusetts beginning in 1805. He harvested ice from both Lake Quannapowitt and Crystal Lake, as well as several other area lakes and ponds, that were shipped to areas as far south as Charleston and New Orleans, and as far as the West Indies. Ice harvesting in Wakefield increased with the creation of the Quannapowitt Railroad Company in 1849 to transport ice from storage to the main railroad and to points beyond. By 1855, 27,000 tons of ice were harvested from both Lake Quannapowitt and Crystal Lake for an estimated value of $13,500, employing 20 men, making the town the fourth largest source of commercial ice in Middlesex County. In its heyday, there were more than three dozen ice houses operating at one time: the 24-ice house Boston Ice Company, the People's Ice Company, the Whipple-Morrill Company, Morrill-Atwood Company, and the Nichols Ice Company, all on Lake Quannapowitt; and three on Crystal Lake: the Philpott houses near the "Greenwood Bridge", a "set of houses" on [sic] at the corner of Crystal Lake Park near the Town nursery, and another on the east shore near the Junction railroad station. The picture shows the workers getting the cut ice into the ice house. According to Alonzo Colson's accounts published in the Wakefield Daily Item in 1947 and 1948, the connecting links between the ice houses and the "ice fields" were called runs, which were two 100-foot platforms of heavy boards, each five feet apart, five feet wide and two feet above the water. The ice cakes would float between them and long chains would go down into the water to pick up the cakes that workers had "poled" along and put on the chains, which were two "flat-faced" link chains five feet apart and seven to eight inches long. A hardwood cross bar connected the two chains which picked up the ice cake from the "submerged big wheels upon which it rolled." The ice was then slid onto iron tracks to the desired storage level.
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Boothby's Specialty Shop began as Boothby's Beehive when Asa and Mabel Boothby purchased The Emerson, a dry goods store owned by Bernice Emerson across the street in the Traders' Block, in 1907. Daily operations were handled by Mabel while Asa worked as a salesman, and later as sales manager, for Wadsworth-Howland Co. The store moved across the street into the Butler Block, then numbered 432-434 Main Street, in 1919 in a store previously occupied by Butler's variety store and, with the addition of more merchandise, became a women's specialty store. The couple purchased the building from the estate of Aaron Butler in 1923 and remodeled it in 1936 by adding a 75' one-story addition in the rear, removing the yarn shop on the second floor and adding four kitchenette apartments. Both Asa and Mabel Boothby were active in the community; he as a Selectman, Chairman of the Salvage Committee during World War II, and as an officer of several professional, civic and religious organizations; and she as Noble Grand of Goodwill Rebekah Lodge, No.22, I.O.O.F, and as an officer of other civic and religious organizations. The business was sold to W.T. Grant Company Manager Leslie Gaquin in 1944, who also purchased in the building in 1946.
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The stately First Baptist Church was destroyed by a seven-alarm fire on October 23, 2018. The church is described in the 250th anniversary publication of 1894, after addressing a fire that destroyed its second house of worship in 1871, as follows: "The people had already felt the need of more ample accommodations, and, with strong hope and courage, secured a lot of land on the corner of Main and Lafayette Streets, where the foundations of worship were laid. This structure, which is no exception to the unwritten law that calls for attractive public buildings in the town, was dedicated (on) Dec. 11, 1872. Built of wood, it belongs to the Romanesque order, with minaret and lofty spire, one hundred and eighty feet from the base. the spacious auditorium was designed for one thousand people".
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Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 2021
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The other half of the Greenwood gathering appearing elsewhere in this calendar features a glimpse at some of the local businesses that exhibited their wares at the circa 1930 gathering in Greenwood. H.S. Sorensen, a local jeweler, is in the center, and on the right is the display of the J. Wallace Grace Hardware Company, a hardware and plumbing store that was located at 14 Albion Street and started in business in the mid-1800s. The store may have been associated with the International Oil Burner display, at right, which touted the new type oil burner that, according to industry publications, "took the place of wood or coal and automatically and silently changes cheap oil into one of the quickest and hottest fires known." It was said to burn 96% air and 4% "cheap oil" and fit in the fire box of any range, stove or furnace. George Archibald is also in this part of the picture, wearing a sweater, knickers and striped socks, standing alone with his left hand touching his face.
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This photograph was taken from the steeple of the Baptist Church, looking southeast. The view shows several prominent buildings and structures, most notably the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Wakefield, at the right, the factory building once referred to as the "Old Rink Building" and former home to the Richardson Light Guard armory, the Lincoln School, and the Heywood-Wakefield Company, formerly the Wakefield Rattan Company, and later the Robie Industrial Park. The photograph was taken before the 1951 police station was built, now part of the Public Safety Building. The 1900 fire station is not pictured but is to the right of the top of the church steeple. Note the homes with barns and the absence of automobiles in the driveways and on the roadways.
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Wakefield's Veteran Firemen's Association appears to have been among the most active of the veteran firemen's organizations in the Commonwealth in the late 1890s. Comprised of "old-time firemen," the members of the association took part in numerous balls, parades, and competitions organized by the New England States Veterans Firemen's League in the 1880s and 1890s. The Veteran Firemen's Association was organized in January 1889 with 45 charter members. Early officers included President W.A. Cutter, Vice President E.H. Walton, Secretary George Weston, Treasurer E.E. Whiton, and Foreman Alexander Flanders. The April 1889 Town Meeting approved the use and custody of the Yale Engine No. 1 to the group, later selling it to them for $1 in November 1891, with the condition that the hand tub be kept in good condition for use at all fires, and "subject to duty whenever required by the Fire Engineers of Wakefield." The engine could not be sold without the consent of the Town and would revert back to the Town when the company disbanded. During one outing in Boston in September 1892, the Wakefield group was among more than 3,000 uniformed members representing 25 companies and 23 engines, some of which were hailed as the "best in the nation." The competitions included engine tests with Wakefield's Yale Engine coming in third with a horizontal stream of 205', 2.75". The Yale, named after noted citizen and benefactor Burrage Yale, was destroyed in a fire at the Central Fire Station in 1899. the association participated in the Town's 250th anniversary celebration in 1894, which may be the occasion for the photograph. Note the Yale name on the belt buckles.
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The Greenwood Branch of the Beebe Town Library opened in October 1904 at the "new" Greenwood School building. According to the 1904 Town Report, the library started as a twice-weekly delivery "by an attendant" to Greenwood residents. By February 1905, 876 books had been circulated and 60 "application" cards had been requested. The Greenwood Branch Library was open on Mondays and Thursdays from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., and in January 1906 its hours were expanded to include Saturday evenings from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. The library branch was so popular that the Saturday hours were increased to 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and a room in the school was eventually dedicated to library operations on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturday, a schedule that remained in place for decades. During the early 1930s, improvements were made to the Greenwood Branch Library under the direction of Librarian Clara Wilson. The 1933 Town Report describes the library rooms as "inviting and homelike and are taking on a real place in community life. Decorations suitable to the various seasons are arranged and there is always some scene in the glass case of interest to both children and grown-ups." In 1962, the library rooms were needed for classrooms, and the branch library was moved to smaller space within the school. The branch closed in September with its books stored in the basement until its new home was finished in "conjunction" with the Greenwood Fire Station. The Greenwood Branch Library officially opened in its new home in the station on May 5, 1963.
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The building of a new brick schoolhouse in Wakefield North Ward was approved at Town Meeting in early 1898 to address crowded conditions in the existing schoolhouse which had required "96 scholars" to attend the Lincoln School. The North Ward was considered to be the area between Main and Salem Streets, west of the Newburyport Branch of the B&M Railroad, and the building was the third new school to open in as many years. After debate, the meeting voted to build a four-room two-story school building at a cost of $12,000 on a 13,000 foot lot at the intersection of Cordis Street and a private way which ran north of Cordis Street, rather than move and repair the existing school building. It was also voted at a subsequent meeting to name the school in memory of Dr. Francis P. Hurd, 'cultivated, refined, and philanthropic citizen' who had bequeathed $2,500 to the Beebe Library. The first and second floors were identical, with a vestibule, corridor, coat rooms and a lavatory, teachers' room, and two classrooms, each measuring 28 ft x 32 feet. In the 1901-1902 school year, the faculty included Principal Eleanor F. Emerson, a graduate of Salem Normal School; Jennie Carter, Millbury High School, grades 1 and 2; Isabel G. Flint, Salem Normal School, grades 3 and 4; and Eva Howlett, Salem Normal School, grades 5 and 6. According to the 1901 and 1902 Town Reports, 44 students were enrolled in grades 1 and 2 in all of 1901, and 50 students enrolled during the first five months of 1902.
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Before the start of the 1962 season, Pleasure Island's managing director, Walter Smith, cleared the land between Baby Animal Land and Indian Village and transformed it into an athletic event complex. According to a press release issued on July 19th, 1962, "Inspired by the President's Physical Fitness Campaign for Youth, Pleasure Island has implemented a Junior Olympics program which is the first kind in the country." The program was run by Peter Rommell of Boston University's athletic staff, and children could "not only watch shows and enjoy rides at the park, but also take part in a painless physical education program." There was no charge for participation in the fitness competition, which was held in the Olympic Stadium "set off by flags of 64 nations." According to a park press release, a member of the "carefully-selected" staff which oversaw the program was Northeastern University student Richard Kelley of Wakefield, who went on to be a long time physical education teacher in Wakefield. Pleasure Island hosted the Junior Olympics during the 1962 and 1963 seasons, with 7,850 children participating in the first season. Boys and girls from 6 to 18 scored points in several different events, including "chin-ups, push-ups, sit-ups, squat thrusts, high jumps, standing broad jumps, deep knee bends, and a 50-yard dash." The high scorers from each day were invited back at the end of the season for the semi-finals and finals. The winners of the final competitions held on September 2nd, 1962, Paul Sweeney, 13, and Leslie Stevenson, 10, traveled to Washington, D.C. with Pleasure Island's Director to meet President John F. Kennedy in January 1963. At the end of the 1963 season, winners Beth McBride, 14, and Charles Pantos, 16, each received a gold medal and a $50 US Savings Bond. The Olympic fields were located on what is now parking lots between buildings 101 and 201 in Edgewater Office Park.
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Wakefield's Crystal Lodge of the Ancient Order of United Workmen (A.O.U.W.) participated in the float division of the July 4th parade in 1922. According to regional news reports, the organization's float entry was "depictive of the order" which is credited with being the first fraternal group that introduced fraternal Insurance to its members, a benefit that was only available to "businessmen and manufacturers." Founded in Pennsylvania in 1868 by John Jordan Upchurch, the A.O.U.W. was established as an organization that would be responsive to the needs of its members while uniting labor and management. Originally intended to serve men in the mechanical trades, the A.O.U.W. opened its membership to other occupations just two years later. The parade was part of a $5,000 celebration organized under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce. More than 50,000 people were reported to have attended the event which began with a Gallo's Band concert and bonfire at midnight the night before at the Greenwood ballfield, and continued through the day with the "street" parade at 10 a.m., a baseball game, sporting events, and another concert by Gallo's Band. The $1,000 fireworks display, and the flying exhibition on parachute drop were postponed due to weather, with the fireworks slated for the next "first pleasant evening." In addition to the floats, the parade, led by Col. Edward J, Gihon, included a military division, 20 fraternal organizations, an industrial division, veterans of three wars, decorated cars and "horribles."
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The Lucius Beebe Steamer No. 1, often referred to as the Silsby Steamer, was Wakefield's first steam and horse-drawn engine. Built by the Silsby Manufacturing Company of New York and purchased by the Town at a cost of $3400 in 1882, the steamer was a replacement for the Yale hand pump engine. The Town had its first look at the Lucius Beebe steamer and its 400 gallon-per-minute capabilities at an exhibition at Carter's Pond on the corner of Main and Crescent Streets that year. The steamer and its hose and supply wagons were first stationed at the fire station on the lower Common, and later moved to a newly built firehouse on Crescent Street in 1894. The horses were housed at the nearby Hathaway Stables. To keep the horses active, they were loaned to various Town departments, including the Highway Department which use the steamer to water its gravel roads during the summer. The Silsby Steamer was replaced by the Amoskeag Steamer in 1908 and placed in reserve service. The steamer was taken out of reserves and given to the Water Department for use at the Broadway pumping station in 1928 "for standby in the event of failure of electric power." In the early 1940s, the steamer remained at the Broadway station "ready to be used to quench fires and for auxiliary water supply." Wakefield was in a severe two-year drought in 1940 and 1941 which caused Crystal Lake to be 81" below the high watermark in 1941. The Silsby steamer was rebuilt and used to pump water from Crystal Lake into the filter. The drought created an expansive shoreline as the picture shows. Note the Junction train station which can be seen in the background.
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Historical references indicate that the Old Smith House was built by the Reverend Samuel Haugh prior to 1662 and stood at Main and Water Streets. Haugh is believed to have "come over" to this country from England with his father after Atherton Haugh in 1634. As the second minister of Reading, now Wakefield, he began preaching in Reading in 1648 and was ordained in 1650. He died in 1662 and left all the houses, land and "quick stock" that he was in possession of within the Town of Reading to his daughters Elizabeth, Sarah and Mary. In addition to the Reading possessions he also owned land and houses in Boston, Cambridge, and Braintree. Elizabeth lived in the house with her husband Capt. John Herbert, a mariner and sea captain who went on to serve as Town Clerk and as a Selectman several times. The house was later occupied by her daughter Mary and husband, Deacon Thomas Nichols. The house was sold by Thomas Nichols to Capt. David Smith. Smith's son Noah lived in the house until his death in 1859. Noah was also a Selectman as well as a justice of the peace, representative and an officer of the calvary [i.e. cavalry]. The house was moved to 15 Lincoln Street in 1868 to make room for the Cyrus Wakefield Town Hall and remained standing until the 1950s. Smith Street was originally the alley that ran behind the Smith house, according to the August 21, 1921 edition of the Wakefield Daily Item, and it later became the street between the Town Hall and the Miller Piano factory. The article also claimed that Smith Street was probably the shortest street in Massachusetts, at just 100 yards in length, and without a single house.
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This undated landscape picture, believed to have been taken around 1930, belongs to Ola Florence Dow Archibald Hatch of Greenwood, the social correspondent for the Wakefield Daily Item and a member of a large family with many local ties. Ola was one of five children of George and Clara Dow, born in 1892; Charlotte (Da)y, born in 1895; Clarence "Click", born 1897; Everett, born in 1900; and Ida (Glidden), born in 1901. Clara was also the social correspondent for the Wakefield Daily Item, a position Ola took over when her mother retired. The photo is two pictures put together; the other is featured on the back inside cover of this calendar. Ola's husband Samuel Archibald worked in the Town Clerk's office and is the tall man standing at the left with his hands in his pockets, while their son George is the sixth boy to the right of the man in the striped suit. Sadly, George died in 1931 of meningitis, and Samuel in 1933 of tuberculosis. Ola married Milan Hatch, a widower who had three sons and a daughter, in 1934. Their daughter, Judy, was born in 1935. Milan also served the Town as a blackout warden during World War II. In addition to the Dow, Hatch, Day and Glidden families, other Wakefield family members included the Forlizzi and Pelletier families. The photo was taken in Greenwood at what may have been the Greenwood ballfield/park off Pitman Avenue, behind the Pitman estate, or the Grove which was located near Forest Street. The Greenwood ballfield was the site of many community events in the 1920s and 1930s, including a midnight bonfire on July 3rd, 1922, which kicked off a massive $50,000 July 4th celebration.
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According to US Census reports, Rev. Robert Woodward Cushman, D.D., a highly respected preacher and teacher throughout the Northeast, lived at the Vernon Street home in 1865 that had once been occupied by Thomas Emerson in 1765, and shoemaker John Sweetser in 1795 and 1812. The Baptist "clergyman" lived in the home with his wife Eliza and their daughter Ella, a teacher. Records indicate that the real estate was valued at $4,000 while his personal wealth was $1,000 indicating that he was a man of wealth. Born in Maine in 1800, Dr. Cushman was orphaned early in life, and at 14, According to US Census reports, Rev. Robert Woodward Cushman, D.D., a highly respected he began working as a cabinetmaker apprentice, watchmaker and jeweler. At the age of 16, "the influence of religious truth awakened him to a new life" and he went "from house to house, exhorting the people to repent." He went on to study under several notable preachers and graduated from Columbian College, now George Washington University. He was ordained as pastor of Poughkeepsie, NY's Baptist Church in 1826, and supplemented his meager $400 per year salary through teaching. His love for teaching and his great religious convictions continued onto Philadelphia where he founded the Cushman's Collegiate Institution for Young Ladies, while continuing his religious studies, and to Boston in 1841 as pastor of a newly founded Bowdoin Square Church. He returned to Washington D.C. where he served as pastor of the E Street Church and founded the French and English Protestant Seminary, a school of "high order" and said to be among "the best in the nation." He was twice nominated as Chaplain for Congress but declined. He returned to Boston in 1853 to establish the Mount Vernon Ladies School at 6 Allston Street. It has been said that, "As a writer, his style is chaste, elegant and terse, and as a speaker he is eloquent and convincing. He has, therefore, been called upon to give sermons and addresses on public occasions, almost without number, - several of which have been published." He published 22 works in 77 publications and was revered and widely read throughout the world.
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Thomas Emerson's Sons, manufacturers of gentleman's dress shoes, was located at the corner of Main Street and Yale Avenue. Born in 1785, founder Thomas Emerson was said to be "obliged from very early years to work at the bench" and is reported to have started his shoemaking in earnest in 1805. According to Lilley Eaton's Genealogical History of the Town of Reading, he formed a partnership with Ebenezer Nelson in 1810 for the manufacture of shoes, which "continued with a fair measure of success" until Nelson felt the calling to become a preacher and the business was amicably dissolved. Emerson was joined by his sons, Thomas, Jr. as a partner in 1837, and James Emerson in 1851 when the company became Thomas Emerson & Sons. The name was changed to Thomas Emerson's Sons, with the retirement of the founder in 1854. Originally located near Lawrence Street, the company moved to Albion Street and then to Yale Avenue/Main Street in 1863, the site formerly occupied by Burrage Yale's tin factory. The addition of the labor-saving McKay sewer required the expansion of the business and the enlargement of the factory. The Thomas Emerson's Sons factory closed in 1902, and the building was razed to make way for the YMCA. In Eaton's book, published in 1874, three years after Emerson's death, he was credited with inaugurating a system of cash payments to "workmen" in place of the customary barter system. "By the frequent introduction of improved machinery and methods, he was able to furnish profitable occupation to large numbers of people."
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The house at the corner of Salem and Pleasant Street is reported to have been built around 1820 by Elias Boardman, around the time of his marriage to Huldah Green, daughter of Reuben Green, a "respectful farmer" who lived on Greenwood Street. According to information submitted to the Massachusetts Historical Commission for the National Register of Historic Places, Elias was an architect, carpenter and builder who had worked on homes in the Beacon Hill section of Boston. Incorporated the open "high-style" typical of that area into his own home, unlike the simpler style found locally. As a result, it was considered to be extravagant and was dubbed open "Boardman's Folly." The submission also notes that "at one time, before indoor plumbing, the house had two owners, each of whom had title to 1/2 the house, 1/2 the yard, 1/2 the well, and 1/2 the back house." The Greek revival-style ell in the back was thought to have been built in the mid-19th century. The street was laid out in 1839 and the road from "Elias Boardman to E.S. Upham" was named Pleasant Street in 1847. The Boardman family was said to have owned the home for more than a century. Elias' grandson Arthur Boardman served as Town Treasurer in the 1920s and 1930s.
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Wakefield Park on the lower common has welcomed generations of Wakefield residents and others who spent many summer afternoons on the shores of Lake Quannapowitt. Catherine Kennedy Fitzgerald and her family were among those who enjoyed such an afternoon sometime around the late 1920s. Catherine and her husband, John F. Fitzgerald, were both born in Ireland and emigrated to the United States separately in the early 1900s. The couple and their five children: Eileen (Black), Rose (Day), John, Edward, and Bernard Fitzgerald, moved to Wakefield in 1924 where they lived on Broadway and later Emerson Street. The family has established deep roots within Wakefield, with several generations still residing in the community.
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"This street railway car traveled to Lynn through the snowy streets of Wakefield during this storm in 1915. The storm may have occurred in December, as the winter of 1915-1916 is recorded as the ninth "snowiest" season in the season city city of Boston, with 76.2 inches of snow. Wakefield was an important street railway center soon after the Wakefield and Stoneham Street Railway Company was established in 1889. The first tracks ran from Wakefield center to Stoneham, connecting Wakefield with the Lynn & Boston road to Melrose and Woburn. In 1893, tracks were laid from Wakefield Town Hall via Water Street through Saugus to the Lynn city line, establishing a direct connection with the city of Lynn." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"This is one of the many photos taken during the 50th wedding anniversary celebration for Dr. Allston Gray Bouvé and Delia Carter Bouvé. The photo session itself is also featured in this calendar. The photographer captured this image using what was probably a field camera, complete with a partial hood." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Methodist Episcopal Church of Wakefield was organized on June 4, 1865 with a membership of 26. According to the Proceedings of the 250th Anniversary of the Ancient Town of Redding, services were held in the Universalist house of worship for the first four years until the congregation purchased Albion Hall at the corner of Albion and Foster Streets. After "several years of prosperity," a lot of land was purchased further west on Albion Street in 1873. Designed by T.B. Samuels of Boston, the Swiss timber constructed building "adapted to the 14th century Gothic outline" was completed and dedicated in February 1874 at an expense of more than $25,000 with a mortgage of half that amount remaining on the property. A parsonage was established in 1883 at 42 Chestnut Street. Through the "earnest efforts" of Rev. Gilbert Osgood and the "friendly offerings of the membership and other societies," the debt was lifted and a grand jubilee was held on April 9, 1886, complete with a mortgage burning ceremony which also featured "biscuits and griddlecakes provided by the Horford Baking Powder Company at no expense to the church." To say they were excellent would be expressing it mildly, according to the Wakefield Citizen & Banner. The 130' spire was struck by lightning three times: 1916, 1917 and 1926. The church's chimney fell victim to the Hurricane of 1938, causing it to crash to the roof, leaving extensive structural damage. The building was razed on October 11, 1938. Services were held in the Universalist Church for a year until a fire caused them to move to the Lafayette Building (now the Town Hall), the Grand Army building on Foster Street, and eventually to the current location on Vernon Street in 1955. Rev. Benjamin G. Seaboyer, appointed pastor in 1918, served in that capacity at the time of the photo and for a total of 15 years, making his the longest ministerial appointment." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Erected in the mid-1870s, the Greenwood Boston & Maine train station was originally planned for a location closer to Forrest Street. There was a contentious debate in 1873, according to the December 20, 1873 Citizen & Banner: "The report of 'leave to withdraw' given the petitioners for a change of location of the Greenwood depot, by our Road Commissioners, we presume will be generally satisfactory. We only hope that now the point is decided the Railroad authorities will begin the erection of a new depot at once. We believe that room enough is obtainable on either side of the track for the depot and trust that no personal preferences will be urged against the common good." The station was eventually located in front of Mr. Locke's Grove, also called Greenwood Grove. According to "A History of Greenwood", written by high school senior Betty Jones in 1939, the area included a "picnic grove with the dancehall, cook house, monkey cage, band stand and an observatory." By 1939, all the buildings had been torn down or burned and the land was owned by Mr. Fell. The station was again the subject of debate when the Atlantic Refinery Company put in an offer to buy the station from Boston & Maine to build a "modern, two-bay filling station" in the late 1950s. That never materialized and the station was moved on January 29, 1959 to the soon-to-be opened Pleasure Island. The station was destroyed by fire in April 1971." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Spanish War Veterans' Hiker Monument was dedicated on Columbus Day, Tuesday, October 12, 1926 as part of the 75th anniversary celebration of the Richardson Light Guard. The day consisted of a morning target shoot at Camp Curtis Guild, a military parade said to be "one of the finest military parades ever held in Greater Boston," the dedication of the monument, an evening parade on the park by a battalion of the 182nd Regt with companies of infantry from Wakefield and other communities, luncheons in halls and church vestries for visiting organizations, a reunion of the 6th Mass. Regt Spanish War veterans, and a banquet at the state armory attended by 400 people. The dedication took place after the parade with the marching organizations on three sides of the Rockery, the Spanish War veterans having the "post of honor at the front and at least 2,000 persons within sight and hearing of the exercises." Col. Edward J. Gihon, former commander of the Richardson Light Guard during the Spanish War, presided over the "impressive exercises." The unveiling of the statue was performed by two Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, Joseph Scott of Cambridge and Anthony Carson of Boston. The Hiker stands on a rock that bears a plaque with the names of the 29 citizens who risked their lives during the war, with the inscription: "This monument erected by the town of Wakefield to commemorate the valor and patriotism of the men of this town who served in the war with Spain, Philippine insurrection, and China relief expedition 1898-1902; dedicated October 12, 1926 under the auspices of Corporal Charles F. Parker, Camp No. 39, United Spanish War Veterans Department of Massachusetts." The foot soldiers of the Spanish American War trekked over rough terrain, earning them the name "hikers." The Hiker monument was created by Boston sculptor Theodora Alice Ruggles Kitson, a well-known sculptor of war memorial statues, whose original statue was unveiled in Minnesota in 1906. There are approximately 50 replicas of the statue at war memorials throughout the country, including Arlington National Cemetery." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Wakefield High School Class of 1917 held its 47th year reunion on Saturday, September 23, 1944 at the Lord Wakefield with 54 (39 classmates and their spouses) in attendance. The evening included a business meeting, reception, dinner, music and entertainment by Mr. & Mrs. Charles Nute and James Morse, members of the Nute Trio. During the business meeting, the class members voted to make a donation to the Heart Fund in memory of a classmate, and another donation to purchase a tree on the Floral Way. Class President G. Leonard Black and his wife, Bertha Hanright Black, of Sarasota, FL and Anne George Cox of Altadena, CA received prizes for traveling the greatest distance. Reunion attendees included: Lillian Anderson Cannery, Mildred Anderson Prince, Leonard Bayrd, Carl Belmore, Class President G. Leonard Black, Bertha Hanright Black, Treasurer Raymond Boardman, Warren Branch, Charles Burke, Gregory Clines, Ada Dadley Ahman, Mary Donegan Creedon, Margaret Douglass McAuliffe, Dr. John Drugan, Esther Dulong Malonson, F. Olive Eager, Ruth Flannigan Cranston, Alice Flannigan Gray, Joseph Fober, Anne George Cox, Dr. Paul Gove, Gladys Grant Barwise, Mary Lally O'Rourke, Dorothy Learned Glidden, Gertrude McFadden Wensell, William MacDonald, Marguerite Mullen Meskell, Mary Murray, Marion Oliver Smith, Clayton Sanford, Helen Powell Sanford, Bella Rattray, Effie Rattray, Vice President William Rattery, Agnes Regan, W. Irving Scott, Margaret Stewart Davison, Nellie Wanamaker Wells, and Helen Webster Fitz." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The home built by Cyrus Wakefield was razed on October 17, 1921 to make way for the new high school on Main Street. An October 18, 1921 Wakefield Daily Item editorial reflected on the once-stately home: "Much has been written and said about the old Wakefield Mansion, and its destruction by building wreckers brings a tinge of sadness to old-time Wakefield people who knew the attractive estate at its best, and who perhaps shared in some of the activities in which the senior Cyrus Wakefield took such an active part of, 70 years ago. In its day, people came here from miles around to see the beautifully kept flowerbeds, the attractive grounds and the imposing mansion. The stately halls of the mansion witnessed many gay and festive occasions when dignitaries from far and wide, and beyond the seas were entertained by Mr. Wakefield. Even up to the time when the Red Cross temporarily occupied the house during the World War, it seemed a great pity to use some of the rooms, for they were in an excellent state of preservation. The 'magic mirror' in the front hall where both young and old were fascinated by its myriad reflection and the numberless nooks and corners about the spacious rooms formed attractive features until the last." In closing, the editorial noted, "...and now the house that long since became historic gives way to a new high school building where children of generations yet to come will know about the mansion only by reading local history or by hearing what their elders may tell them in the line of reminiscences." The 10-acre estate stood on land which now houses the Galvin Middle School." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"In an advertisement and listing in the 1970 edition of the Hotel and Motel Red Book, published by the American Hotel Association Directory Corporation, the Colonial Statler Hilton Inn was listed as a Colonial Hilton in with "180 rooms and suites with a year-round, glass-domed swimming pool, spacious foyer and ballroom to accommodate 500, a health club, gymnasium, coffee shop and cocktail lounge." Rates per night were $16 to $17 for a single, $21 to $22 for a double. Original plans for the Colonial Inn called for the hotel to be built in Lynnfield, adjacent to the Colonial Country Club and its "18-hole golf course, restaurant with ten separate dining rooms, dancing and nightly entertainment." After Lynnfield Town Meeting rejected the plan, grounds for the new "s-curved hotel" was broken in Wakefield in March 1965 and the hotel open to the public on Monday, December 6, 1965. Owner George Page held a "series of dazzling champagne parties" the weekend before for the press, politicians, "businesspeople, and other dignitaries." The ribbon to officially open the hotel was cut by page and Wakefield native Governor John Volpe during the festivities on Sunday. One of the most "interesting" features of the hotel was the "year 'round swimming pool enclosed with a big bubble-top of acrylic" which the hotel boasted would be open in the summer. As a Statler Hilton Hotel, the Colonial was equipped with a Totel, a message and call system that alerted each room that a call was received while the guest was out. In addition to the Colonial Inn, Page, also a Wakefield native, owned the Olde Coach Motor Lodge and restaurant in Nashua, NH, and the Colonial Country Club. He was the president of Seabury, Inc. on Cape Cod and operated the Unicorn Golf Club." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Dr. Allston Gray Bouvé and Delia Carter Bouvé posed for a photograph in honor of their 50th wedding anniversary. The celebration took place at their home at 16 Summit Avenue with their son Alan Bouvé (watching at right), and daughter-in-law Millie Bouvé (on the porch), along with son and daughter-in-law Henry and Edith Bouvé, daughter and son-in-law Stella and Riberot Dutton, and granddaughters Olive and Dorothy Bouvé and Kathryn Dutton. Grandson Howard, a student at Harvard Medical School, could not attend as he was serving in US Army Medical Reserve Corps during World War I. He served from December 17, 1917 to December 11, 1918 and went on to become a "well-known" Boston surgeon. The couple married on June 4, 1868 in Mount Pleasant Church, Roxbury with Reverend C.J. Bowen officiating. They celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary in 1932 at their son Henry's 39 Fairmount Avenue home. Allston Gray Bouvé, D.M.D. was born in 1845 and was a graduate of Harvard Medical School, Class of 1877. He was a clinical instructor as well as an instructor of Operative Dentistry at Harvard's Dental School and a practicing dentist on Tremont Street in Boston for more than 40 years before his retirement in 1918. Dr. Bouvé was a Civil War veteran and was the next to last surviving member of the H.M. Warren Post, G. A. R., Wakefield when he died in 1936 at the age of 90. Delia Carter Baker Bouvé was born in Boston in 1847 and was a descendent of John Baker who served in the Continental Army in the siege of Boston. She was a member of the Faneuil Hall Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and was active in the T.T.O. Club of Wakefield. She preceded Dr. Bouvé in death in 1932." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The annual Memorial Day exercises were held on Memorial Day, Tuesday, May 30th on the Upper Common, now the Veterans' Memorial Common. A procession formed at 2 p.m. on Walton Field near the armory, now the Americal Civic Center, and ended at the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument. According to news reports, the annual tribute attracted far fewer attendees than in previous years due to the Town's tercentenary celebration and dedication of the World War II monument and American Legion's honor roll plaque two days before, on May 28th. The line of march was led by a platoon of police led by Chief John Gates and Motorcycle Officer Morton Griffin, Chief Marshall William Wenzel, chief of staff Ernest Johnson, Col. Edward Connolly, Col. J. Theodore Whitney, World War I veterans, past commanders of the American Legion Cpl. Nelson Post, Board of Selectmen, Red Men's Band of the Wampatuck Tribe (whose three trumpeters played Taps at the ceremony), State Guard unit of the Sixth Company 23rd Infantry, Red Cross truck, Gold Star Mothers and members of Daddie's Club, WHS band, Spanish American War Veterans, Sons of Union Veterans, VFW Post 2106 and Cpl. Nelson Post members and auxiliary, service men on leave or discharge, Middlesex County Cadets, Sea Scouts and Cub Scouts. Federal Court Judge and former Congressman Arthur D. Healey was the speaker. As was customary, flower petals were scattered at the base of the monument by high school "girls" Marjorie Holmes, Ruth White, Jean Geary, Louise Ormsby, Ruth Wells, Mary DeFelice, Jean Hochberg, Ramona Zwicker, Patricia Nardone, Jean Barrett, Betty White and Patricia Millett, all of whom were "in the charge of" Mrs. Grace Martin. From 1868 to 1970 the holiday was held on May 30th. The Uniform Monday Holiday Act changed the holiday to the last Monday of May to increase the number of three-day weekends for federal employees." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"This picture shows not only how Main Street looked in 1908, but also provides a look at some of the buildings from the early 1900s, all of which are now gone. The site on which the second building was erected is thought to be the location of the Town's first post office in 1812. The Wakefield Citizen & Banner was located there during the 1880's and early 1900s, and the building later housed the First National Store in the 1930s." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Dedicated on Saturday afternoon, April 14th, 1923, the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library was referred to in the Wakefield Daily Item as a new building "of which the citizens of Wakefield are justly proud and which for many generations to come they will use profitably and enjoy." Library patrons entered the building through a low vestibule into a larger "delivery room" where the delivery desk was located. Behind the desk was "a large opening showing the several tiers of stacks for the books and inviting the visitor to enter and browse around." The stockroom was designed "in such a manner that the stacks may be extended at a future day should the present capacity prove to be in adequate." On either side of the stockroom were working rooms for the staff, while the second floor held the "lounging room for the staff, complete with kitchenette facilities" and the Trustees room. The ceiling was "richly coffered, while in the center was a skylight to give greater light." To the immediate left and right of the vestibule entrance were two small rooms, one used as a conversation room and the other as a newspaper room. The staircase to the left led to the children's reading room while the small stairs to the right lead to the main reading room with its fireplace and bookcases around the entire room. Above the entrance to the reading room was a medallion of the Crusades. There were 14 smaller medallions in the reading room that were designed and created by Summerville sculptor Bernadette Chippolini, each carefully researched and selected as "the 14 most representative men of letters known to history." The delivery room medallions were the largest, each 42" in diameter. The card catalog was at the bottom of the stairs, complete with a poster indicating how to find a book. The building was expanded with an addition in 1969 and a more extensive addition and renovation was undertaken in the 1990s, concluding with a rededication in March 1998." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The first meeting house of the Baptist Society of the First Parish was built in 1800 on Salem Street "near the resident of the late Sylvanus Clark, No. 37 Salem Street." according to the History of the First Baptist Church in Wakefield, Mass., 1800-1900, the newly founded organization had requested to meet in the "schoolhouse near the meeting house" but the request was denied. An additional request to build their church on common ground was also denied, leading to the purchase of the site on Salem Street and the building of a 38' x 34' "edifice with galleries." In 1820, the meeting house was moved from Salem Street to its new home at the corner of Main and Crescent streets and subsequently enlarge by a 16' addition, a porch and a belfry. The building was destroyed by a fire in December 1835. Just one year later, a new building erected on the same site was dedicated. The building measured 68' x 48' with a conference room in the basement. in 1853, the building was enlarged by 16' and the structure raised, "making provision for a commodious vestry" and a conference room in the basement. The congregation grew and the church space became inadequate. In 1871, a decision was made to build a new church on land across the common. Before work could begin at the new site, an "incendiary fire" destroyed the building on June 21, 1871. Ground was broken for the church's new home six days later, on June 27th. The third home of the Baptist Church was destroyed by fire on October 23, 2018." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Board of Fire Engineers formed a hose company in Greenwood in September 1886 at the request of local residents, "with but little expense to the town, as apparatus was in storage and members served without pay." The 13 men of Greenwood Hose Company No. 3 were led by foreman Joseph Gilman and were equipped with one two-wheeled hose carriage with 1000' of leather hose housed in a private shed on Oak Street near Francis Avenue. The equipment was owned by the Greenwood Library Association. In 1892, the Town approved the first Greenwood station, a 20' x 30' two-story building erected by Isaac Heath on Oak Street at Francis Avenue. The Town went on to accept Greenwood Hose Company No. 3 as a part of the Wakefield Fire Department in April 1900. In 1902, the Town voted to sell its Greenwood fire station and convert the former Greenwood School building, also on Oak Street near Main Street, into a new station at a cost of $746.75. The old station and land were sold for private use. Wakefield's first permanent firefighter, James Goodhue, was hired in 1903 to work at the Greenwood station to tend the horse purchased by the Greenwood Library Association for the horse-drawn hose wagon. In 1924, the department's 1912 Webb pumping engine was moved from the Central Station to the Greenwood station. The station's name was changed from Hose No. 3 to Engine 2. The 1902 Greenwood Hose House was razed in September 1962 and a new wood- joisted masonry building was erected in its place for occupancy by the Fire Department and the Greenwood branch of the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library in 1963. During its construction, firefighters, equipment and the alarm system were housed in a small building and a section of the garage on the property of Classen Bros. Inc., a local Dodge car dealership located at 827 Main Street in Greenwood, later renumbered as 1099 Main Street." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Pictured on a snowy January day in front of the Riberot Dutton home at 7 Avon Street are members of the Dutton, Boothby, McMaster and Smith families. The neighborhood children: Helene Smith (front), George McMaster, Kathryn Dutton, Robert Dutton and David (Dib) Dutton (middle row), and Bradford Boothby (back) may have been playing in the snow that fell during a mid-January storm in 1923. At the time, Bradford Boothby, son of paint dealer and merchant Asa and Mabel Boothby, lived at 19 Chestnut Street, while George McMaster lived at 36 Yale Avenue with his parents, news dealer Lauren McMaster and Helen McMaster. Little background information, including an address, can be found for Helene Smith. Robert and Dib lived at 33 Avon Street with their parents, Dr. Richard Dutton and Ethel Dutton, and their grandparents, Dr. Charles Dutton and Mary Dutton. Robert went on to become Dr. Robert Dutton, a longtime and beloved Wakefield physician who practiced at the family home at 33 Avon Street, where his grandfather and father both practiced. Dib also became a physician, specializing in anesthesiology and general practice for many years in West Ossipee, New Hampshire. Kathryn Dutton, daughter of Riberot and Estella (Bouv
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"In November 2010, Town Meeting voted to fund a feasibility study for a new Galvin Middle School, and the groundbreaking for the new school was held on April 24, 2013. The school opened in September 2014, with a re-dedication held in the Veterans Memorial Auditorium on November 15, 2014. The building's gymnasium, music classrooms and site work were completed in 2015. The Galvin Middle School was completed under the direction of the Permanent Building Committee, which was comprised of the following members: John Encarnacao, Chair; Joseph Bertrand, Secretary; Lisa Butler; Chip Tarbell; James Lapery; Philip Crosscup; Thomas MacKay; Chris Callanan; and Michael Giannattasio."
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Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 2018
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"The Captain Asaph Evens House was located on the north side of Salem Street, near the intersection of Pleasant Street. Local history indicates that the house was built before 1795, probably by Joseph Gould, and that the house is two buildings joined together. The house was owned by Lemuel Sweetser prior to Evans. The son of Paul and Mary (Hart) Sweetser, he was married to Hannah Eaton, the daughter of Lilley and Sarah Eaton. A shoe manufacturer, Lemuel was a 'colonel of cavalry, school committee, justice of the peace, and representative,' who was described as an 'original thinker, well-posted; an effective public speaker; a man of firmness, courage, and probity. In some particulars he was remarkable and peculiar.' Captain Asaph Evans was born in 1805 and married Lucinda Skinner, daughter of wheelwright Thomas Skinner, in 1828. The couple had eight children, all of whom were born between 1831 and 1850. Asaph served as a Captain in the first militia organized in Wakefield, the Reading Infantry Company, which was established in 1644, one year earlier than the Great and General Court order of 1645 that ordered all settlements to keep a military guard. This company disbanded in 1840 when old militia laws were abolished, and a new plan was adopted. Evans served as the company's last captain. Asaph Evans is listed in the 1860 United States census as a laborer. He died in 1881, and his heirs lived in the home for several more years. The house at 19-21 Salem Street is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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"Located on the west side of Main Street, south of Albion Street, Richard Britton - Boots, Shoes and Rubbers was established on November 22, 1875. Britton, who bought the retail business from Nathaniel Clark, was referred to as the leader in the retail boot and shoe business, according to the Handbook of Wakefield, published 1895. Britton was active in the community, serving as a Selectman in 1868, 1869, 1872 and 1873; as South Reading's 11th District Representative to the General Court in 1872 and 1873; and as one of three to complete the Town's history upon the unexpected death of its author Lilley Eaton, in 1872. He was a member of several committees including the five-member committee charged by an April 1871 Town Meeting vote to consider building a new high school to replace the South Reading Academy, now the Lincoln School. The committee of five included Britton, Cyrus Wakefield, Lucius Beebe, Oliver Perkins and George Packard. Town Meeting voted in May 1871 on their recommendation to purchase the old Prentiss property at the northwest corner of Lafayette and Common Streets to build the high school, now the Town Hall. The 1890 List of Taxable Polls and Estates published by the Town shows that Britton owned a home on Yale Avenue and had a reported income of $500. Fred I. Wilkins, proprietor of the Britton Shoe Store became owner of the establishment in the early 1900s. When Main Street was renumbered, the store's address changed to 443 Main Street. The building was later purchased by Charles J. Klapes of the Colonial Spa in 1920."
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"This is a rare glimpse of the Kingman Block, now the Bourdon Block, at the corner of Main and Albion Streets, and of the Ye Barnard Inn on Albion Street. The photograph was taken on October 31, 1923 during the razing of Bessey Livery Stables in preparation for the Wakefield Trust Company building. Willard Service Station, at the left, was also razed in November. Several businesses were also forced to re-locate, including Clifford Mortimer and his lunch cart, the taxi office of Richard Barrett, and the Victor Shoe Shine Parlor. The two large elm trees in the photograph were also taken down. The Kingman Block was built in 1860 by Davis and Bryant during the tenure of postmaster Samuel Kingman, the town's sixth postmaster who was appointed in 1853. When the town changed its name from South Reading in 1868, he was reappointed as Wakefield's first postmaster. He retired from the position in 1873, and has been credited with the first free mail delivery in the community. The Kingman block remained in the Kingman family until it was bought by the Middlesex Traders, a local citizen-based realty investment organization, in June 1895. The post office remained at the Kingman Block until 1901 when it moved to the corner of Main Street an Richardson Avenue. Ye Barnard Inn was also the Albion Inn before it was purchased by Jacob Barnard, co-owner of the Quannapowitt Bowling Alley, in the early 1920s. In 1930, W.M. Brooks Company of Boston altered the structure into a two-story building at a coast of $7,500. The alterations included an office in the front of the second floor and an apartment at the rear. The post office, the former location of the WMGLD office on Albion Street, was built in April 1924 and is not pictured.
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"Located on the west side of Main Street, across from the Greenwood School, the Greenwood Seminary was established around 1855 under Universalist 'influence' by Rev. Windsor B. Wait, who served as principal, his wife Hannah, who served as 'preceptress.' The Greenwood Seminary was referred to in local news accounts as a private school that was ' a fine large structure for its time, and a popular and approved educational institution.' Pupils came form various parts of Massachusetts and other states, and its fame was said to be 'widespread.' The couple had conducted a school in Lexington before taking charge of the Greenwood Seminary. The Greenwood Seminary seemed to be ahead of its time, with furnaces that provided hot and cold water to every story and 'bathing rooms' as part of the accommodations, things that were 'more than luxuries in that period.' Although some historical references indicate that the school was attended by female students, other records show that both female and male students were admitted. The male department had a 'large play room in the basement for wet weather recreation and a reading room on the first floor' while the girls' department had parlors on the first floor and a recreation room on the third floor. Among those who attended the school were Joseph Grundy, who later became the manager of the Fred I. Wilkins shoe store, and Frank Converse of Malden, son of Elisha S. Converse, a well-known manufacturer and the first Mayor of Malden. Tragically, Frank was killed in 1863 while working as a cashier at First Malden Bank where his father was president. It was said to be the first armed robbery of a bank in the United States. After the seminary closed, Dr. Albert A. Day of Boston came to Greenwood and opened a home for inebriates from 1872 to 1874. After it was abandoned as a home for inebriates, the seminary building remained vacant until it was destroyed by fire in 1880."
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"Best known as the Smith & Anthony Stove Company, the original foundry building on the west side of the Boston & Maine Railroad tracks was erected in 1854 by Abner Blanchard, Charles Tarbell, William Stewart and J.F. Dane, under the name of Blanchard, Tarbell & Co. The company prospered and demand for their products was such that it became necessary to increase the capital in 1856. A stock company was formed under the name of Boston & Maine Foundry Company and investors included the founders, as well as Cyrus Wakefield, Sewall Mack and others. The company was profitable until a fire in 1866. Although the new buildings were quickly erected, and 'the foundry and its connections were the most complete in New England,' the company failed and was bought by the Franklin Foundry Company in 1871. In April 1879, the foundry was purchased by the Smith & Anthony Stove Company. William Smith served as president, and E.W. Anthony was treasurer. The company's line of stoves, furnaces and ranges, made under the name and trademark of Hub, 'were known everywhere, and excelled by none.' The company also built a brass foundry and finishing shop to accommodate its growing plumbing and water closet business. The company is said to have made the country's first enameled bathtub. Smith & Anthony Stove Company, which once had a payroll of $3,000 per week, went out of business in 1917. George Gibby of East Boston purchased the Smith & Anthony interests in April 1917 and operated the plant for several years before moving the equipment to East Boston, while maintaining ownership of the building. The building was later occupied by A.C. Purrington for the manufacture of pipes and fittings, and by John F. Swinnerton, Inc. which made pipes, valves, fittings and boilers. Swinnerton's company left in 1937, and the building was torn down in August 1938. In June 1938, the separate Smith & Anthony brass foundry building on the east side of Foundry Street was purchased by the Diamond Tank and Welding Company, which specialized in the manufacture of oil tanks. The company was owned by William A. Hickey of Hickey Coal and Oil Company and sold the tanks to the fuel oil jobbers and other engaged in tank installation."
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"The picture provides a look at Wakefield's past, including homes and stores which were razed during the 1920s through the 1950s. To the left of the photo is the Italianate-style building which housed the Citizen & Banner, and in the center of the photo is the 1895 Richardson Light Guard Armory that was affected by the Cutler Bros. fire in 1911. At the right in the photo stands the house of Edward Mansfield that was torn down to build the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, and further down the street is the old Bessey stable that was razed to make way for the Wakefield Trust Company. The third floor of the Taylor Building and the top of the 1871 Wakefield Town Hall are also visible on the upper left."
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"The advertisement and accompanying photo appeared in the Wakefield Souvenir of the Quarter-Millennial Celebration of the Settlement of Ancient Reading in 1894, and shows the 1834 Town House more than 20 years after it was moved from the Lower Common to the corner of Main and Salem Streets in 1873, and a third story was added. The building was occupied by Stillman J. Putney, a manufacturer of heels, rands and top piercings for footwear. In a synopsis of the business, it was noted that the 'cheapness of footwear' in the 1890s was the result of the manufacturing being divided into specialties. Putney manufactured heels in his factory which was 'fitted up with machinery of the most improved type, driven by an 8-horse power engine.'"
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"Driver Henry Russell, Chief Fred Graham and Tillerman Harry Parker (on the rear tiller) displayed Ladder 1 near the old fire station shortly after its arrival in Wakefield. The Town purchased its first aerial truck in 1928 and put it into service in December. Touted as the area's first aerial, the double-bank 75-foot truck was purchased from the Seagrave Company at a cost of $15,500. According to the 1928 Town Report, 'this machine is of the latest type having several new features which serve to increase the efficiency of same.' It was equipped with a 'water gun having a 3-inch hose,' a 75-foot, two-section wooden ladder with a spring-assist raising mechanism, and 304 feet of ground wooden ladders. The truck had an 80-gallon water tank with 200 feet of 3/4 inch booster hose, and a 75 gallon-per minute pump, as well as a life net, stretcher and an oxygen tank for 'resuscitation work.' The 1928 Seagrave replaced a 1914 Peerless city service type ladder truck that was subsequently sold by the Seagrave Company to Pascoag, Rhode Island for a cost of $1,600. Ladder 1 was taken out of service on June 15, 1954 after it was involved in a collision with Engine 5 at the corner of Pleasant and Lawrence Streets. Both pieces of apparatus were responding to n alarm from box 423 for a fire at 35 Lawrence Street, and both were declared losses. American LaFrance loaned Wakefield a 1932 Mack 85-foot aerial ladder truck that had been previously owned by the Bangor, Main Fire Department. A new American LaFrance 85-foot ladder truck was put into service in May 1955."
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"Lifelong Wakefield resident Louis Pasquale opened Vernon Market at 161 Vernon Street on November 22, 1946. A veteran of the US Navy, Pasquale served in the South Pacific aboard the battleship USS Indiana, and made plans to realize his dream to open his own 'modern' market soon after his discharge. Before joining the Navy, he had gained experience working at Henry's Market in Waltham. Vernon Market was a 'complete' food store with shelves stocked with 'the best brands of meats, groceries, and canned goods.' The store offered delivery and was self-service, with the exception of the meat counter. Customers could also order their groceries over the phone by calling Crystal 0276-R. On its 5th anniversary, local news reports noted that families in the 'four sections of town and Lynnfield' patronized the store in the building that featured the 'latest in lighting and self-service counters.' The Vernon Market continued to operate as a neighborhood store until October 31, 1970 when the Pasquales signed a five-year lease with the Richdale Group. In July 1975, Louis and Nancy Pasquale were given approval to alter the building from a two-family to a four-family dwelling. The space occupied by the store was converted into two three-room apartments."
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"Charles John Klapes, a native of Theologos, a suburb of Sparta, Greece, opened the Colonial Spa on Saturday, August 28, 1920. Charles left his home in Greece in 1906 and was ready to start his new business in 1920. According to his son Alexander in a tribute to his father upon his passing, Charles looked at the property in the middle of winter to see it in its 'least attractive state.' He l;liked what he saw and brought his young wife Aphrodite to Wakefield where they eventually raised their children: John, Michael, Mary, Alexander, Constantine (Charles), and Benjamin. According to the ads which appeared in the Wakefield Daily Item on the two days prior to the opening in 1920, the ice cream parlor and soda fountain includes a 'spacious area in the rear half of the store for the ice cream, tables,' and 'eight tables for the ladies.' The 'Spa' as it was called in the newspaper reports, also carried a large line of candies, tobacco, cigars and cigarettes. The opening was very successful, and 'the new fittings and attractive window displays, with orchestral music in the evening, brought many visits and good patronage.' The Colonial Spa continued solely as an ice cream parlor until the 1930s when a luncheonette was added. In addition to the luncheonette, the Colonial Spa evolved over the years to include a book section, an extensive candy section and a giftware section. The luncheonette closed in 1983. The Colonial Spa remained a family owned business until its closing in December 2000 following the death of Alex Klapes."
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"The Great New England Hurricane of 1938 is reported to be one of the deadliest and most destructive tropical cyclones to impact New England. The storm, estimated to have made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on Long Island on September 21st, moved quickly through New England with the eye of the storm passing over western Massachusetts. The Blue Hill Observatory registered sustained winds of 121 mph and a peak gust of 186 mph, the strongest hurricane-related surface wind ever recorded in the United States. Most were caught unaware of the severity of the storm, due to the unusual speed of the storm and the lack of sophisticated monitoring equipment. In addition to the tens of thousands of homes that were destroyed or damaged by the storm, more than 20,000 electrical poles were toppled and an estimated two billion trees were downed in New York and New England, affecting over 35% of New England's total forest area. In Wakefield, hundreds of trees were uprooted in all areas of the Town, shingles and entire roofs were blown off buildings and homes, including the roof of the Nichols Ice House at the head of Lake Quannapowitt. Windows were blown out at several homes and buildings, including the Central Garage and Taylor Hardware Store, and chimneys were destroyed, including the newly-repaired chimney at the Methodist Church on Albion Street. The damage was so great that the church building was later condemned."
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"Richardson Light Guard, Company A, 6th Regiment departed Wakefield for Fort Devens, and eventually to the battlefields of France, on Sunday morning, August 26, 1917. The Company had been notified in mid-August that their Regiment was among those which would be 'broken up' and combined with other to make 'war strength units.' To boost the morale of the soldiers, Capt. Edward Connolly received permission on August 23rd to take the company to Wakefield for a farewell visit before the 'dreaded changes occurred.' The Public Safety Committee hastily arranged a celebration and sendoff, which were held on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. The company arrived in Wakefield at 4:52 p.m. on Saturday, and its soldiers were back at the State Armory for their sendoff parade at 10:30 a.m. the following day. A 'touching' farewell was given by Father Florence J. Halloran of St. Joseph Church before the short parade to the Upper Station. Lieutenant Colonel John J. McMahon, Captain Connolly's predecessor as Commander of Company A, was the Chief Marshall of the parade. He was joined by Captain S.H. Brooks; Lieutenants Jeremiah Creedon and Edward E. Hickey, both formerly of Company A; Lieutenants F. Manning Hartshorne, Edward O. Proctor, Paul H. Taylor and E. Hazen Walton, all of whom were from Wakefield and had received officers' commissions at Plattsburg. The line of march also included the State Guard Company, led by Lieutenant John H. Downing; the Grand Army Veterans, led by Commander J. Warren Poland; the Spanish War veterans, led by Commander Francis H. Marion; Police Chief James J. Pollard and his 'platoon' of police; and Lurvey's Lynn Cadet Band."
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"'Teenage idol' Ricky Nelson was just 22 years old when he made his first New England appearance at Pleasure Island when it opened its fourth season on Friday, June 22, 1962. According to regional news reports, an estimated 10,000 parents and children attended the park's opening day festivities which included two shows by Nelson, at 2:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. at the outdoor Showbowl. Nelson also performed two shows on Saturday and Sunday. Because of Pleasure Island's popular Showbowl, Nelson was the first celebrity to stay at the Lord Wakefield Hotel which opened for business six months earlier on December 15, 1961. Local newspapers reported that the star's stay at the hotel was a 'fairly well-kept secret,' with Police Chief Merritt Wenzel and 'his men keeping a close watch over the hotel during the weekend to prevent any teenage uprising.' In addition to Ricky Nelson, the Showbowl attracted national and international performers. Pleasure Island's second season, in 1960, opened with the Three Stooges who brought in nearly 20,000 guests during its first week. The park opened with Chuck Connors in 1961, with 57,000 guests during his six-day appearance. Pleasure Island hosted many local personalities such as Rex Trailer, Major Mudd and Wakefield's own Gene Jones with Community Audition shows, as well as national stars including Duke Ellington, Dinah Washington, Dave Brubeck, Gene Krupa, The Four Freshmen, Troy Donahue, Robert Horton, Jimmy Dean, Don Ameche, Joe Ross, Fred Gwynne, Clayton Moore, Lassie, Frank Gorsham, Cesar Romero, Michael Landon, Jerry Mathers, Johnny Crawford, Fess Parker, Dion, and many more. Beyond the Showbowl was the former Greenwood Station, which was dedicated on July 6, 1885 and relocated, restored and renamed the Goldpan Gulch Station for the park's narrow-gauge Pleasure Island and Western Railroad which was owned and operated by Edaville Railroad.
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"Members of Wakefield high School, Class of 1930 attended their 25th anniversary reunion at the University Club in Boston. Among the class members at the head table was Dr. Elizabeth V. Upham (sixth from left), who later became a teacher, administrator and Dean of Girls at Wakefield High School. According to the Debater, the high school yearbook, Elizabeth was an assistant artists on the yearbook staff, a traffic officer, a library assistant, and the Corresponding Secretary of the Inter Nos Club, which was in its second year of existence in 1930. Although the yearbook noted that "Lib" planned to attend an art school or Jackson College, she went on to graduate from Tufts University in 1934 and received her Master's Degree in Education two years later. She started teaching at Wakefield High School in 1936, in a career that spanned more than 40 years. As Dean of Girls, Dr. Upham was the class adviser for the Inter Nos Club for several decades, as well as countless other activities. She went on to become a major benefactor of the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, leaving a substantial portion of her estate in a trust 'to be used for the purchase of books and materials, particularly in history, literature, and the social sciences.' Among others at the reunion, at the table directly in front of Dr. Upham, were John and Giovaninna (Benedetto) Volpe. Jennie, as she was called, was a graduate of the Class of 1930. Both John and Jennie were raised in Wakefield, with John leaving home at an early age and graduating from Malden High School in the mid-1920s. Following her graduation, Jennie was a registered nurse at Winchester Hospital and at Bellevue Hospital in New York. The couple married in 1934. At the time of Jennie's class reunion, John was the Massachusetts Commissioner of Public Works. He went on to serve as the first administrator of the Federal Highway Administration in 1956 and as Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from 1961 to 1963 and again from 1965 to 1969. He served as the US Secretary of Transportation from 1969 to 1973 and was appointed US Ambassador to Italy where he served from 1973 to 1977. Among the other class members who may have been at the reunion were Winnifred Ashenden, Sigmund Szydlowski and Constance Doyle."
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"The H.M. Warren Post No. 12, G.A.R. participated in the 250th anniversary celebration of the settlement and incorporation of the Ancient Town of Redding on Monday, May 28th, a day proclaimed as Settlers Day. Approximately 40 members of the Post were on board the float that held four cannons, one at each corner. The barge was 'appropriately decorated with flags and bunting, in charge of Quartermaster A.D. Merritt.' The Commander was Stephen W. Lufkin and Walter Hunt was the bugler. According to the back of the photograph, the identifications are as follows: '(front row, left to right) Maj. John M. Cate, W.J. Bridges, (unidentified), S.W. Phillips, N. Cowdrey, (next two unidentified), W.J. Mansfield, G.K. Walton, Oliver Walton, G.H.S. Driver, W.O. Giles. (Second row, left to right) John Day, (unidentified), D.P. Rolfe, John Day, (next two unidentified), S.W. Lufkin, Dion Malone, in front with the rifle. Mr. Brownell, standing at right of cannon." The name of John Day is listed twice in the identifications."
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"The South Reading Academy, located on Academy Hill where the Lincoln School was later built, was built around 1828-29 'under the auspices of the Baptist denomination.' The 2-1/2 story wood frame structure was three bays wide with a front-facing gable roof. Its main facade had an entrance centered in a recess that was framed by pilasters and an entablature. The front gable was fully pedimented, with a decorative shingle pattern at its center. According to the Genealogical History of the Town of Reading, Mass., the academy, established in 1829, was intended as an Introductory School to the Theological Seminary at Newton, 'although it was open to others.' The land and buildings were reported to be obtained by private subscriptions of the people of South Reading. While the school flourished for many years, the theological students were 'withheld' and the corporations was without funds, leading to the school being closed and the building returned to its original owners. The building and land were sold to Assistant Principal William Heath and Burrage Yale, who sold them to the Town in 1847 to be used by the newly created high school. The town stopped using it as a school in 1871 when the new high school on Lafayette Street was built. In 1891, it was moved to its present location at 7 Foster Street where it has served as home to a chapter of the Grand Army of the Republic, a Methodist church congregation, and the Fraternal Order of Eagles, among others. It was severely damaged by fire in the 1970s, but was restored to be used as a commercial building. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989."
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"In 1916, the townspeople purchased a lot at the corner of Main and Avon Streets for $16,000. That same year, Junius Beebe, son of Lucius Beebe, donated $60,000 toward the construction of a new library building to be built in memory of his parents, Lucius and Sylenda. Construction on the building was delayed by World War I, and several modifications and land purchases were made before work began and the cornerstone was laid on March 17, 1922. Because building costs rose after the war, Junius Beebe and his family increased their donation to $200,000. The cornerstone was laid in a ceremony at 3 p.m. on a cold and raw Friday afternoon 'in the presence of several hundred people.' School children were dismissed early and church bells were rung throughout the Town as a reminder of the important event. During the ceremony, Building Committee member Harris M. Dolbeare outlined the contents of the copper box which was placed beneath the cornerstone: photographs of Lucius Beebe and Junius Beebe, copies of newspaper articles about the Beebe family, copies of the Boston newspapers and the Wakefield Item, circulars and printed materials regarding the campaign to raise money for the site, photographs of public buildings in Wakefield, and a statement written by committee member Dr. Richard Dutton and read to students the day before the event. Speakers included Committee members Dolbeare and Dutton, and Winfield S. Ripley, Jr., Chairman of the Library Trustees. Lucia Beebe, daughter of Junius Beebe and granddaughter of Lucius Beebe, smoothed over the cement that workers placed on the cornerstone using a silver dowel [i.e. trowel] provided by the contractor, James E. Nelson Company. The engraved dowel [i.e. trowel] was found in a basement on Daniel Road and donated to the library in 2009. The building was dedicated on April 15, 1923."
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"An antique 20-ton locomotive traveled on the back of a truck through downtown Wakefield just two weeks after the Greenwood railroad station made the same trek to Pleasure Island. The Davenport 2--6-0 narrow gauge engine was hauled by flatcar from the bayous of Louisiana and arrived at the B&M siding on the Junction railroad tracks near Broadway in mid-February. The engine was reported to be from the last of the narrow-gauge roads and had been used to haul sugar cane from the fields at Reserve, the largest sugarcane refinery in the United States in the early 20th century. It was believed that the engines was built around 1900. The locomotive was among several Canadian and American locomotives that were part of Pleasure Island's Engine City exhibit, which included the 216-ton 'old No. 3713'. That engine had been brought out of retirement from Fitchburg. According to local news reports, approximately 4,500' of spur track was laid from the B&M's old Newburyport branch to the Pleasure Island site especially for the locomotives to travel over the rails. Pleasure Island, which opened to the public on June 22, 1959 lasted for 11 seasons, closing on Labor Day weekend 1969. Nelson Blount, who owned Edaville Railroad, moved his Engine City exhibit from Pleasure Island to North Walpole, NH in December 1961. From there, the collection went to Bellows Falls, VT which became Steamtown USA. Some of this collection, which started at Pleasure Island, can still be seen at Steamtown national historic site in Scranton, PA."
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"McMasters Store was owned by Lauren L. McMaster, whose occupation was listed as newsdealer and stationer in the 1918 street and telephone directory.. He and his wife, Helen, lived at 36 Yale Avenue. According to an ad in the same directory, the store was a subscription agency which did developing, printing and enlarging, in addition to selling newspapers, periodicals, stationery, souvenir postcards and Dennison's goods. The ad also listed the availability of electric lamps, Columbia Grafonolas and records. Lauren McMaster was born in Wakefield on July 4, 1881, and died on October 10, 1943, as the result of an automobile accident. Following his graduation from Brown University in 1904, he was employed in the wholesale dry goods business and lived in Chelsea until the loss of his home in the great conflagration of 1908. He returned to Wakefield and became associated with the leading news and periodical store, becoming the owner in 1915 where he remained until 1933. He became the manager of the local office of the Western Union Telegraph Company until April 1943, when he became associated with the Malden and Melrose Gas Light Company. McMaster was active in the community, serving on the Board of Selectmen as Chairman in 1921, as an organizer and first president of the Wakefield Chamber of Commerce, and for many years was active in the Rotary Club where he served as President in 1926-1927, and with the Baptist Church and Y.M.C.A. He was active in the Masons and served as Master of the Golden Rule Lodge in 1929, and as District Deputy Grand Master of the Melrose 7th District in 1931 and 1932."
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"The new Town Hall was built on the former Noah Smith lot, at the corner of Main and Water Streets. The land and $30,000 were donated by Cyrus Wakefield in 1868 to build a soldiers' monument or memorial hall to honor South reading citizens who answered the call to arms during the Civil War. Because of his generosity, the Town of South Reading voted in 1868 to change its name to Wakefield. Governor Alexander H. Bullock approved the name change on June 30. A day of celebration was held on the anniversary of American Independence, July 4. The new Town House, referred to as Wakefield Hall, was dedicated on Washington's birthday, Wednesday, February 22, 1871. When completed, it is reported that Cyrus Wakefield had quadrupled his original donation. The dedication was held at 2 p.m. with speeches by Cyrus Wakefield and a host of other notable citizens. After the key to the hall was presented, the ceremony ended and a banquet was held in the upper hall for the 400 guests in attendance. Toasts were given to the President of the United States, Dea. Francis Smith, the State (sic) of Massachusetts, the Merchants of Boston, the Clergy, 'Our Manufacturing Industries,' Dr. Solon Richardson (who gave a gift of $1,000 for the furnishings), the Public Schools, the Farmers of New England, and the State Printer. According to the Wakefield Inaugural and Dedicatory Exercises, in his response to the toast to the farmers, Dr. George B. Loring of Salem 'touched upon the Woman Suffrage question, and as for 'woman's rights', he said, 'I go for them.' Cyrus Wakefield died suddenly, at the age of 62, on October 26, 1873, two and-a-half years after the Town Hall was dedicated."
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"Construction on the addition to the high school started soon after Town Meeting voted to acquire the land south of the school. The school was dedicated on February 22, 1955."
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"The Park Music Pavilion, referred to as the Pagoda, now the Bandstand, was built in 1885 as part of a $10,000 bequest from Cornelius Sweetser which provided money for park purposes. The bandstand 'of unique and elaborate design' is said to have resembled a pavilion in Brighton, England, and had hanging lanterns to illuminate the area. The structure, made of wood and dressed fieldstone, replaced a bandstand that was 'a square, wood platform, breast-high, the under part latticed in,' and could easily be transported from one part of the Common to another. It stood in the middle of the 'bigger end of the Common, near the big flagpole.' Just prior to its demise, the old bandstand stood on the upper Common, opposite Lafayette and Crescent Streets."
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The old Swain house was 'situated on the easterly side' of Lot End Road, now Vernon Street, just north of Lowell Street. Although some reports indicate it was built in 1720, it was most likely built around 1752 as the homestead of Dr. Thomas and Hannah Swain on land first granted to Jeremiah Swain in 1652. Thomas, born in 1705 and died in 1759, was the fourth generation to live on the land. He was the son of Dr. Benjamin Swain (1669-1749), grandson of Major Jeremiah Swain (1643-1710), and great grandson of one of the Town's early settlers, Jeremiah Swain (1615-1658). After Dr. Thomas Swain, the home was occupied by three more generations: his son Dr. Oliver Swain, who was followed by Deacon Oliver Swain and Thomas Swain. All seven generations are buried in the Town's Old Burying Ground. By 1865, the home was owned by Dr. David Batchelder. The Old Swain House, later called the Batchelder House, was destroyed by fire on December 15, 1899."
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"Although it is unclear to local historians when the cannons were placed on the upper Common, now the Veterans' Memorial Common, generations of Wakefield residents have admired, and often climbed on top of the artillery that is on the Common today. The cannon pictured may be the Civil War-era cannon that graced the Common for many years until it was removed for restoration many years ago. The cannon reportedly was never returned to the Common. The two cannons presently on the Common are 1876 Breech-Loading Howitzers which were last refurbished by the Town in 1994."
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Fountain Company No. 3, a volunteer company which was not part of the Fire Department, was organized on August 23, 1875. The hand tub used by the company was built by Increase S. Hill sometime around 1835, and was purchased by Aaron Butler from Salem in 1873. The tub was painted red with a small portrait of the Yale Engine House Fire of 1859 on the side. First housed in a stable in rear of Main Street, opposite Albion Street, the hand tub was moved to Crescent Street, between Water and Lincoln Streets, in 1885. The small building was behind the Henry F. Miller & Sons Piano Company factory, which can be seen in the picture. Fountain No. 3 disbanded around 1888 and was replaced by Volunteer Hose No. 2. Fountain No. 3 hand tub was sold to Reading for $125. The new company used the building to house the Rumsey hand-drawn hose carriage the members had purchased at a cost of $275. It is reported that the building was later moved to Water Street, across from L.B. Evans, where it became home to a cigar store. Fountain No. 3 volunteers included (left to right) William M. Hanley, Benjamin C. Flockton, W.J. Dennett, William E. Parker, Charles H.T. Brown, S.E. Ryder, William L. Block, Albert D. Cate, J,.C. Gould, H.A. Simonds, William E. Cade, Charles Whiting, Irvin E. Phipps, Charles H. Pope, Arthur Skinner and James P. Goodhue."
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"Geneva Joy (Lord) Heath lived at 617 Main Street with her husband, Elroy N. Heath. The couple married on September 29, 1886 and moved into the home soon after. Although there is little information about Geneva other than working as a clerk in the Town Clerk's office in the 1920s, there is a wealth of information about her husband. A native of Springfield, Elroy moved to Wakefield around 1879 and worked in Boston where, according to the 1883 publication Commerce, Manufactures & Resources of Boston, Mass., he was a 'Manufacturer of Heath's Improved Indexes and Letter Files.' He held several patents for his inventions, including two for letter holders and filing systems, which created 'a convenient combined index book and table, by means of which any name or subject may be found with the utmost rapidity.' A bicycle enthusiast and a member of Wakefield's bicycle clubs in the early 1900s, Elroy had two other patents, one which improved the propelling mechanism for bicycles 'and the like', and another which created an improvement for carrying packages and drawings for 'velocipede' riders. According to the patent application, 'My improved package-carrier resembles a hammock, and I have devised hammock-suspending devices by which it may be readily swung from the handle-bar or some other suitable part of the machine.' A velocipede was any of the several early bicycles with pedals on the front wheel. He moved his business from Boston to Room 5 in the Wakefield Block in 1884, and his patented files, indexes and advertising calendars were reported to have a widespread reputation. In addition to his business and hobby, Elroy was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution and was active in the Town as chairman and secretary of the Wakefield Municipal Light Board and as a member of the Finance Committee. The picture of Geneva was most likely taken at the couple's summer home, Idyll Farm in Springfield. Elroy died in 1909, and the farm was sold in 1911."
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"The lakeshore on Main Street was not part of the town's common land before 1885; rather, the southeast corner of Lake Quannapowitt and Main Street was dotted with buildings, such as John Aborn's Shoe Shop, which was said to be between the lakeshore and Main Street, Mrs. Courtney's hand-laundry, several houses, and Wright's Boathouse. The structures were eventually moved as a result of the bequest of Cornelius Sweetser to create public parklands, and the 1882 act of the legislature to allow cities and towns to lay out public parks within their limits. The boathouse, built by Albert J. Wright around 1886, remained on the lakeshore until 1893 when it was moved to a location behind his 228 (now 202) Main Street home. Its removal may have also been prompted by the extension of the street railway line along lakeside, which opened on May 26, 1894. Born in 1838 and educated in Boston, Albert J. Wright 'shipped before the mast' aboard the clipper ship Radiant in the mid-1850s where he sailed to San Francisco, making the passage in 135 days. In his travels he learned the tinsmith's trade in Michigan, and returned to Boston in 1858. He read law in the office of the City Solicitor, attended Harvard Law School, and was admitted to the Bat in 1861 to practice in all the courts of the Commonwealth by Chief Justice Shaw of the Supreme Court. He received a commission in 1863 as paymaster in the United States Navy, and after the Civil War he entered the printing business where he and his partner, under the name of the W@right & Potter Printing Company, became the authorized state printers. He was active in many organization, including the Loyal Legion of the United States of America, the Grand Army of the Republic, the Kearsarge Association if Naval Veterans, the Bostonian Society and the Harvard Law School Association, the Boston Yacht Club, of which he was a charter member, and the Eastern Yacht Club of Marblehead, among others. He also served as a member of the General Committee of the 250th anniversary celebration of the Town in 1894, serving as a member of two subcommittees: Procession and Out-Door Music, and Reception and Entertainment of Guests."
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Organized on October 8, 1909 in Grand Army Hall, the Wahpatuck Tribe 54, Improved Order of Red Men was a popular and welcome sight at parades and celebrations during the 1930s, 40s and 50s, including the annual 4th of July parade. According to the History of Wakefield (Middlesex County) Massachusetts, compiled by William E. Eaton and History Committee in 1944 to celebrate the Town's 300th anniversary, the Wahpatuck Tribe 54 was the largest such chapter in the Commonwealth. The Wahpatuck Tribe 54, Improved Order of Red Men Band was known throughout the East Coast, participating in parades and competitions throughout the region. The original Wahpatuck Tribe 54, Improved Order of Red Men Band split up in the 1950s, according to newspaper reports. Its original drum was discovered in the basement of the Americal Civic Center in 1994 and has since been donated to the Wakefield Historical Society. The Tribe had its headquarters at 33 West Water Street. Descended from the Sons of Liberty, the Improved Order of Red Men is a patriotic fraternity chartered by Congress which had trace its origins back to 1765. According to the national organization, the non-profit-organization is devoted to inspiring a greater love for the United States of America and the principles of American Liberty. After the War of 1812 the name was changed to the Society of Red Men and in 1834 to the Improved Order of Red Men."
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"In the days and weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Wakefield residents rallied together to help by volunteering at the American Red Cross headquarters at the Lincoln School, becoming air raid wardens and joining the medical defense unit as part of the Wakefield Committee on Public Safety, and/or collecting scrap metal, rubber and paper through the Wakefield Salvage Committee. In addition to the Wakefield Municipal Light Department-sponsored (now Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department) school for air raid wardens, hundreds of local residents were trained in civil defense and what to do in case of a 'red alert.' As the men were registering for the draft at the Lafayette Building (now the Town Hall) or enlisting in a branch of the armed forces, local women were trained in first aid, canteen work and motor transport. One such civil defense drill was conducted by the Fire Auxiliary Department on a rainy Sunday in June on Main Street, across from Oak Street, in Greenwood under the watchful eyes of Fire Chief Fred Graham (left) and Firefighter Arthur Goodrich (center). In addition to the local efforts, more than 1,600 Massachusetts women, including approximately 70 from Wakefield, joined and trained with the Massachusetts Defense Corporation under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Committee on Public Safety. The Wakefield Company of the military organization was trained for duty to serve as volunteers in the local Civil Defense agency as air raid wardens, drivers, communications personnel, canteen workers, medics, chemical detection personnel and as emergency fire fighters."
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"According to documented history, Wakefield has always had common lands since the first division of land among the early settlers. A special committee was selected in 1727 to lay out the 'ways and watering places' through the Common, and a vote was taken in 1742 that required that land remain unfenced and that parish land 'never be disposed of for any other use whatsoever, without the consent of every freeholder in the parish.' The trees on the 'upper' Common, now the Veterans' Memorial Common, at the right, were planted in the mid-1800s by a 'band of public spirited residents.' who viewed the opportunity as a 'general neighborhood celebration.' Both the upper and lower Commons were unkempt and uncared for, with water coursing through the center, forming a pool of water referred to as Ken's Pond, named after a blacksmith who had a shop on the west side of the Common. In 1859, the Common was drained and graded and, in 1860, the townspeople accepted a committee report and authorized the fencing of the public Common at an estimated cost of $700. The final cost to erect a fence at the Common was $636.75. On May 1, 1871, the Town voted to purchase land between the 'old Common' and Lake Quannapowitt to extend the Common, and authorized the Town Treasurer to 'hire a sum, not to exceed $19,600 for a 10-year term.' In 1883, the townspeople accepted a $10,000 gift from the will of Cornelius Sweetser which was to be 'used and expended in furnishing and beautifying a public park.' At the left of the picture stood the Third Meeting House of the First Parish, the Town House (both not shown), the brick Yale engine House, and a blacksmith shop on the lower Common."
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"The success of the street railway system led to double-tracking of the rails from downtown Wakefield to Melrose in 1901, and on Albion Street in 1902. According to news reports, the double-tracking on Albion Street was 'a difficult proposition, for many elm trees that had stood for decades had to be removed. As in the case of Main Street it was evident that a busy thoroughfare was no place for the thrifty growth of shade tress.' It went on to state that paved streets, concrete sidewalks, trolley wires, street railway feed lines, telephone wires, etc. were 'not conducive to the growth of such trees. One after another of these old trees have gone down and have yielded to the march of progress.' The Wakefield & Stoneham Street Railway Company was formed in 1889 and received its charter in May 1892. The two-mile route from the Post Office on Main Street at the corner of Albion Street (former Kingman Block) to Farm Hill in Stoneham began operations on August 14, 1892. The system experienced rapid growth, and eventually became a four-direction electric street railway system which enabled riders to travel to Lowell, Lawrence and Haverhill to the north; Malden, Chelsea and Boston to the south; Lynn, Salem, Beverly and Gloucester to the east; and Woburn, Winchester and Medford to the west. The original Wakefield and Stoneham Street Railway Company and other similar companies eventually merged until all became a part of the Boston & Northern Street Railway System, the Bay State Company, and eventually the Eastern Massachusetts Street Railway Company. The line was discontinued on July 6, 1929."
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"Leeds Ice Cream Company was located on the northwest corner of Vernon and Lowell Streets beginning in the early 1930s, soon after the road was widened with the 'permission' of the County Commissioners, and the Town's first traffic signal was installed at the intersection in 1928. The ice cream stand was built on property once occupied by John Sweetser and later by Dr. Robert Cushman. Leeds Ice Cream Company later became Kydd's Ice Cream, stand, a popular stop for many in the 1950s and 1960s. The site is now a gas station."
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"This aerial view of Wakefield, taken sometime around 1936, provides a look at Main Street in the downtown area. Main Street runs horizontally through the center of the photo, and shows several buildings that are no longer standing, including Wakefield High School (later called the Atwell Building) at the bottom right, the old Wakefield Town Hall near the center of the photo, the Miller Piano Factory behind the Town Hall, the Wakefield Building with its top floor, the buildings which housed the Wakefield Rattan Company (later the Robie Industrial Park) on Water Street near the top right of the photo, the stores and homes that stood on Main Street before they were razed during the 1940s, and the Methodist Episcopal Church on Albion Street that was torn down in 1938. The photo also shows the L.B. Evans' Son Co. Shoe factory on Water Street, the railroad that at one time traveled to Peabody and Newburyport, and the lot of land that would eventually house the Post Office next to the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library."
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"Daniel Goss operated a heating and plumbing business at the corner of Main and Mechanic Streets, now Princess Street, until 1885. Goss, along with Oscar Noble of Wakefield applied for a patent on January 22, 1880 for an invention to improve heating stoves, 'utilizing the heat to the greatest possible extent, thereby economizing fuel' which was granted as #225,484 on March 16, 1880. Among those in his employ was George H. Taylor, who joined him in the business just days before the patent was granted. Taylor became a partner with Goss three years later, under the firm name of Daniel Goss & Co. A year later, this partnership was dissolved when Goss moved from the town. Taylor remained in business at the corner of Main and Mechanic Streets, 'doing a large and successful business for himself.' The building was the site of a fire on March 5th, 1907 that was classified as one of the town's major blazes. Soon after, he purchased the Wakefield Block at the corner of Main and Lincoln Streets and the store remained in business until June 1962. In addition to being a business owner, Taylor was a high ranking member of the Richardson Light Guard and was elected as a Major in the 'historically famous' 6th Regiment of Massachusetts Infantry. It was under his command that the Richardson Light Guard held the Number 1 position in the Massachusetts militia and its rifle team was the 'pride of the State' during the 1890s."
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"Planning for a new high school began in earnest in the late 1940s and early 1950s, with several sites and plans considered by the building committee, including the former Town Farm site on Farm Street, filling in a section of Hartshorne's cove on Lake Quannapowitt and building the school on Veterans' Field and Halls Park, and building an addition on land to the south of the existing high school on Main Street. The latter plan was approved by Town Meeting."
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In the early 1950s, the late Wiliam S. Hawkes, publisher of Childlife Magazine, envisioned creating a family recreation center to be named Childlife World, similar to the Mother Goose parks throughout the country, such as StoryLand in North Conway, NH. On July 16, 1955 the amusement park industry would never be the same! Disneyland opened, and investors followed the trend leader. Childlife World became Pleasure Island when Hawkes and Marco Engineering of Los Angeles collaborated with Cabot, Cabot and Forbes to break out 168 acres of wetland from CC&F's Industrial Park along the edge of the new Route 128. Billed as Boston's answer to Disneyland, Pleasure Island opened on June 22, 1959 and was the second of three innovative theme parks built across America to mimic Disneyland. H.P. Hood & Sons (now Hood LLC) was the first company to sign a lease for what was officially an 'outdoor entertainment and merchandising center.' As a lessee, Hood signed a five-year contract with the first year's and fifth year's rent paid in advance, which helped underwrite the cost of the park's construction. H.P. Hood & Sons invested $500,000 in a second mortgage to Pleasure Island, Inc. plus $10,000 per year for its five-year lease. The Hood's 4.5-acre farm included a large red barn and silo, and a farm tractor that would draw a wagon-train down through the farm over a winding road. The trip took guests by sheep, cows, calves and a duck pond, as well as a cow barn, a maple sugar house where syrup was boiled and blacksmith's shop. H.P. Hood & Sons also sponsored the Gay Nineties Ice Cream Parlor and snack stands at the farm, lighthouse, juice bar at Goldpan Gulch, and pushcarts. Pleasure Island went bankrupt after its first season, only to become one of the top grossing parks behind Disneyland in the early 1960s. Hood left after season one and a new petting zoo opened in its place in 1960. In 1961, a giant three-story high 'Bozo the Clown' slide was attached to the silo. The park closed in 1969. A portion of Edgewater Office Park Building 500's parking garage and Colonial Point's parking lot are on the site of the former Hood Farm. Hood LLC's corporate office is located in Lynnfield MA, just one mile from its Pleasure Island Farm.
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Thought to be a Greenwood Sunday School outing, this gathering of children and adults enjoyed a day at Tasker's Grove, which was located at the west end of Linden Avenue, near Crystal Lake. The group included Rufus Kendrick, the large man with the moustache at the right in the photograph. A resident of Greenwood, Kendrick was the founder of the Wakefield Home Fire Protection Association, 'an independent volunteer association for extinguishing fires, working entirely with small apparatus, appliances generally ignored by fire departments, such as buckets, cans, Johnson hand force pumps, garden hoses attached to house faucets, or any appliance which could readily be made use of.' Hundreds of galvanized pails, milk cans, and Johnson pumps were located throughout the town; the first 'getting a stream of water' on a fire was rewarded with $1.00, and the first one to 'give the first still alarm' was rewarded with 25-cents. Kendrick also served as a fire warden and was well informed about trees and flowers, taking great interest in gypsy moths. As a member of the short-lived Wakefield Improvement Society, he planted a row of 52 trees, from 'Mr. Lee's store on Main Street north to the railroad bridge', which he called Soldier's Row in memory of those who served in the Rebellion.
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Owned by Ebenezer Sumner Hopkins, the 'old Hopkins place' was featured in the C. F. Richardson stereoscopic view around 1880. A photographer, Richardson was active in photographic circles, both locally and nationally, serving as president of the Boston Photographic Association in 1881, and as a correspondent for The Philadelphia Photographer, 'an illustrated monthly journal devoted to photography.' In addition to stereoscopic pictures of local churches and landmarks, Richardson also photographed private residents. The 1890 List of Taxable Polls and Estates for the Town of Wakefield lists Ebenezer Hopkins' property as a dwelling house, another house and an 'old home' on Hopkins Street, a shed, stable, two carriages, 15 cows and three horses, and nearly 40 acres of land on and west of Hopkins Street, Brook Street and Prospect Street, listed as orchard, meadow, tillage and pasture. The value of this personal property was listed as $900 and his real estate was valued at $7,000 which required him to pay a tax of $128.40. He was one of 84 Wakefield residents who had a Johnson hand force pump on his property which required him to sign a pledge that he would use it to fight any fire within one-quarter mile. Hopkins was born in South Reading (now Wakefield) in 1816 and died in Derry, NH in 1907. He lived most of his 91 years in Wakefield where he worked as a farmer. He and his wife, Mary Louisa Parker, had seven children. Their sons, Herbert and Joseph, were listed as farmers on the property, in the 1917-1918 street listing.
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The lot of land at the north corner of Main and Crescent Streets was once the location of the Second Baptist Meeting House. Built in 1836 and dedicated on January 20, 1837, the church was destroyed by fire on June 21, 1871. A new church was built on the other side of the Rockery, at the corner of Lafayette and Common Streets in 1873. The site was referred to as the Carter lot after the home of James H. Carter at 8 Park Street, which can be seen in the back center of the photograph. The home was later occupied by Samuel T. Parker. The Crystal Apartments were built soon after the photograph was taken, in 1924, by John S. Griffiths of 15 Chestnut Street. The apartment-house, said at the time to be the largest to be built in Wakefield, contained 21 suites.
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The meat, poultry, pork and fish counter of the First National Store at 447 Main Street was well stocked with what seems to be every cut of meat, type of fish, and fresh fowl that was available at a retail market. Due to the re-numbering of Main Street, the original First National was located to the right of the present-day Colonial Spa when facing the building. A past edition to this historical calendar featured a look at the store's produce section, which began art the far right of this photograph. Meat manager Carl H. Brown and store manager Lloyd F. Curtis moved Store #37 to a new, more 'commodious' location across Main Street on February 1, 1940. Its new location at 456 Main Street (now 404 Main Street) was in the new brick building which replaced the Walton Block. Parking was available in the rear of the building and customer could enter from Mechanic (Princess) or Lincoln Streets as well as from Main Street. The new 'self-service' store was 52' x 120' with wide aisles. The meat and product sections were located to the left of the store, with the dairy at the right and the groceries in the center aisles. The basement contained storage areas and groceries, refrigerated areas for produce and fruits, and all refrigeration. It is interesting to note that the First National Store opened its new 'super-market' on the same day in 1940 as the A&P market at the corner of Main and Centre Streets.
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These Franklin School students were the first to occupy the new school at the corner of Nahant and Traverse Streets. Planning for the new school started two years earlier, in 1900, when Town Meeting voted to study whether an addition to the existing school building on Franklin Street would be enough to address the overcrowded conditions. For the School Committee Report for the year ending January 31, 1900, the committee stated, 'The residents in the Franklin Street district are also asking for better accommodations, and their request is reasonable. They have been patient and long suffering. At the present time, all children above the fourth grade are obliged to attend either the Hamilton or Lincoln schools; the present building is entirely inadequate to the needs of the district.' In April 1901, Town Meeting voted to build a new eight-room school building, and that $30,000 dollars would be raised and appropriated to purchase the land and erect the building. When the new school opened on September 9, 1902, 240 student were in attendance, 30 more than anticipated, with more expected in the following days. According to the School Committee Report for the year ending January 31, 1904, 'For the relief of the new Franklin building, which can be repaired and put into commission again.' The old Franklin School, near the corner of Franklin and Nahant Streets, was eventually demolished.
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The east side of Main Street looking south was blanketed with significant snow in the early 1900s. The photograph shows the shops, houses and commercial buildings, most of which are no longer standing, as well as a street railway car that stopped to pick up passengers near Richardson Avenue. Buildings pictured just beyond the street car in the distance (and moving up Main Street) are the old Richardson Light Guard Armory that was destroyed by fire in 1911, the Hodkins Building, the old Cutler Bros. Grocery & Grain destroyed by fire in 1911, the old Town Hall razed in 1958, the Taylor Building with its fourth floor and Mansard roof intact, the Walton Building razed in the late 1930s, and many houses and small stores.
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"This stereograph was taken from 'the hill south of Prospect Street and east of Fairmount Avenue, looking east.' It appears to have been taken before the building of several icehouse on the shores of Lake Quannapowitt, specifically the icehouse owned by Boston hotel owner J. Reed Whipple and John G. Morrill on the Col. James Hartshorne's meadow in the 1890s. Note the style of house along the lakeshore, as well as the third meetinghouse of the First Parish Congregational Church which was razed in 1890."
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"The Atwell wing of the Galvin Middle School was built following the devastating fire that destroyed the original Willard B. Atwell Building in December 1971. The original Atwell Building was built as the high school in 1923, later becoming the junior high school for grades seven, eight and nine when the 'new' Main Street high school was built in 1955, and eventually returning to its use as part of the high school when the junior high school, now Wakefield Memorial High School, was built in 1960. Following the 1971 fire, high school students in grades nine through 12 attended double sessions on Main Street until the existing high school on Farm Street opened in September 1974, the same time the 'new' Atwell Building opened for grade six students. Junior high school students returned to Main Street that same year, and in 1991, the junior high school was named to honor General John Rogers Galvin. Grade five students began attending classes in the Atwell Building in 1988 to alleviate overcrowding in the elementary schools.
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"There were more than 20 varieties of palm trees, most over 20-feet tall, banana trees and rare species of plants in the garden area of the American Mutual building. Soil and humus were brought in from Florida and the rock gardens were constructed of Florida coral rock formations. An electronically-controlled rain and temperature system simulated tropical conditions at all times. The light court and gardens were designed by the building architect and the garden was created and planted by Mulford and Bert Foster of Orlando, Florida. Mulford was the consulting tropical botanist for the Arnold Arboretum and the Smithsonian Institute."
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"Taken as a stereograph by photographer C.F. Richardson, this picture shows Main Street looking north. In the left of the pictures is the 3rd meetinghouse of the First Parish Congregational Church which was razed in 1890. To the right of the church in the picture is the parish house and the 1834 Town House which stood on the Common until it was moved to the corner of Main and Salem Streets by J.M. Cate in 1873. The Yale Engine house is to the right of the old Town House. The bandstand had not yet been built. Along Main Street, from the center of the picture, is the brick Benjamin Wiley house, the Universalist Church, Day's bake house owned by Hosea L. Day, the Italianate style building which later houses the Citizen and Banner, a market, and Edward Mansfield's grocery store. The pictures also shows Main Street as it looked before the Rockery (1885) and the horse trough were built."
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"The Class of 1928 presented H.V. Esmond's witty farce, "Eliza Comes to Stay" on November 22 and 23. According to reports, both performances were 'well attended by appreciative audiences.' Lead roles were played by Milledge Crouse, the Honorable Sandy Verrall Lucia Buckle, Eliza; Jeannette Learoyd, Lady Elizabeth Pennybroke; Harold Decker, Alexander Stoop-Verrall; Fred Garvin, Herbert; Sandborn Caldwell, Montague Jordan; and Nita Tucker, Vera Lawrence. Other parts were played by Beatrice Seldon, Mrs. Allaway; Viola Hovey, Madeline Marmon; Lester Simpson, Ronnie Trezise; Rita Neagle, Bertha Bates; Helen Salipante, Peg des Jardins; Bessie McLellan, Maggie; Dorothy Ricker, Ethel; Carolyn Woodman, Jenny; Harry Iram and William Bradford, Porters; Staff members included Lawrence Gardiner, business manager; Walter Sherman, stage manager; Rowland Whittet, property manager; Kathryn Dutton, wardrobe mistress; and Hope McCloskey and James Cotter, publicity. Miss Hicks was the coach. Between acts, Emery Marshall sang a solo, Ellen, Madeline and Winifred Ashenden dances, and Boit Brannen played a violin solo. The High School Orchestra, directed by C. Albert Jones, played several 'pleasing numbers.'"
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"Herrick Buick at 472 Main Street was incorporated in 1945 when Fred Herrick, Sr. of Melrose purchase the Wakefield Buick Company and the building in which it was located. Herrick had previously served as Manager of the company for 10 years and had been associated with Buick for more than 28 years. When he purchased the company he became the 'appointed Buick dealer' for Wakefield, Stoneham and Reading. Herrick Buick expanded its services throughout the years, becoming the 'largest volume dealer' in its district. The Buick-built Opel Kadett line was added in 1966. In addition to the showroom for new and used car sales and service on Main Street, Herrick Buick also purchased the Avon Supply Building in 1968 at the corner of Avon Street and North Avenue as an additional showroom. The company also owned a separate automobile and truck body repair shop on Broadway for its expanded service department. Herrick Buick closed on January 31, 1974."
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"The Franklin School was built in 1902 on Nahant Street to replace the wooden schoolhouse at the intersection of Nahant and Franklin Streets. The eight-room brick school, designed by Harland A. Perkins, was built at the northwest corner of Nahant and Traverse Streets on land that the Town purchased along with a portion of an adjoining lot that they 'deemed necessary' for the project. The cost to build the school and purchase the land was $30,000, which the Town voted to pay in sums of $1,500 per year for 20 years. Construction began in 1901 and the school as ready for the first day of school on September 8, 1902. The Town originally appropriated $1,000 to furnish the school, which provided 42 desks and chairs for each of they five rooms they intended to use on opening day, for a total of 210 seats. When approximately 240 students arrived at the school, Superintendent Thompson when 'hustling about the town hunting up surplus seats and desks in other school houses, borrowed more where he could get them and set men to work furnishing a sixth room.' Miss McCormick, a resident of Boston and a teacher at the Greenwood School was telegraphed at her home to take charge of the extra room at the new school. She was able to do so, as the Greenwood School as not yet completed by opening day. The Superintendent and his workers stayed on the job until dark and resumed their work at 5 a.m. to ensure that the sixth classroom was ready for the second day of school. The buildings was enlarged in 1926 which doubled its room capacity."
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"Less than 24-hours before sending the 'boys' of Richardson Light Guard Company A, 6th Regiment to fight in World War I, thousands of residents greeted the Company at the Center Station late in the afternoon on Saturday, August 25th when they arrived by train from Ayer via Boston. A reception was held late that evening in the armory, from 7:30 to 8:30, with dancing from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. Crowds lined Main Street the following morning, August 26th 'well before 10 a.m.' to support the Company as they marched to the Upper Station from the armory. After a short parade down Main Street to the Common and up Chestnut Street, the company 'stood at ease in the drive in the rear of the Upper Station while wives, parents, sisters, brothers, sweethearts and friends bid tearful farewell to the boys in khaki who volunteered to go out and 'do their bit' for the cause of Democracy and to guard the safety and honor of their country. There were more wet eyes than dry eyes in the great crowd that pushed forward at the end of the march for the last leave-taking.' Family members and townspeople bought flags from local merchants which they waved as the train departed the Upper Station on North Avenue."
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"The Boston-based American Mutual Life Insurance Company opened its 'ultra-modern' home office on July 14, 1958. Formerly located at 142 Berkley [i.e. Berkeley] Street in Boston, the company began negotiating with the Town in 1954 to construct its $2 million home office along a 40-acre tract of land on the shores of Lake Quannapowitt. The building, designed by Chester Lindsay Churchill of Boston and New York, was 'strikingly modern in every detail.' Special features, touted by the company in its employee pamphlet, included an employee center, complete with a cafeteria and full kitchen facilities on the lake side of the first floor of the building to provide lunch and 'coffee breaks' for more than 800 people. Other areas included a store, a chapel with a 'massive colored-glass window' from France, an employee lounge overlooking the lake that was furnished with 'modernistic and comfortable furnishings,' an electronic data processing unit off the main lobby, a personnel clinic with a full-time nurse, banking facilities provided by the Wakefield Trust Company where employees could cash their checks, an engineering research center which allowed loss prevention to develop controls, and a complete audio system that broadcast messages to all areas of the building and played music at various times throughout the day. The employees were also able to have routine physicals and check-ups at the clinic. The most impressive features of the building were the glassed-in tropical gardens - two on the first floor that extended up through the first and second floors, and a third on the third floor."
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"Wakefield Park, known as the Common, was the site of sporting, social and musical events on Settlers' Day, May 28th, the second of three consecutive days set aside to celebrate the Town's 250th anniversary. According to the Proceedings of the 250th Anniversary of the Ancient Town of Redding, 'dynamite salutes and the ringing of bells announced to sleepers that Settlers' Day was on...Tents and booths arose as if by magic in the park and vacant lots in the center of town. Fakirs, refreshment vendors and souvenir[sic] were seen and heard on every hand.' The day included a parade and visits to historic sites, as well as a concert on the bandstand at 1:30 p.m. that featured the Salem Cadet Band. The games began at 2 p.m. and included a one-mile race, 100-yard dash, boys' and men's bicycle races, tug-of-war between Wakefield and Veterans' teams, three-mile race, pole vault, three-standing jumps, a boys' doughnut race, running high jump, a dory race, and an event called running hop, step and jump. Most winners received silver cups or other silver articles. Cash prizes of $1 and $2 were awarded to the winners of the doughnut race and the boys' 100-yard dash. The winning team of the tug-of-war contest, the Veterans', won a $20 cash prize. A baseball game was held at 4 p.m., with a rowing regatta at 5 p.m. The Salem Cadet Band gave another 'fine orchestral performance from the Pagoda' beginning at 7 p.m., followed by pyrotechnics at 8:15 p.m. 'Before the delighted eyes of great crowds of witnesses flashed out a dazzling display of every kind, including colored lights, mines, rockets, Roman candles, bombs, shooting stars, and fiery serpents.' The schedule of events included a curfew at 9:30 p.m."
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"The 53' 20-ton, two-masted Newfoundland Swordfish schooner 'George and Freeman' moved from Portland, Maine to its permanent berth at Clipper Cove in Pleasure Island on May 5, 1959. The 80-year -old vessel had sailed with the Grand Banks fishing fleet before the turn of the century and was wrecked off the coast of Cuba. The schooner traveled the final leg of its journey along Route 128 which was a two-lane highway with a grass median strip in the Wakefield-Lynnfield area. The highway was eventually widened to accommodate the increasing number of cars and trucks. In addition to serving as a prop at Pleasure Island for 11 seasons, the 'George and Freeman' appeared in the movie 'Charlie' starring Cliff Robertson and Claire Bloom which was filmed at Pleasure Island during the off-season in 1967. Clipper Cove was a reproduction of a 150-year old New England fishing village, the place from which visitors embarked on two of the parks most popular attractions, the Wreck of the Hesperus and the Moby Dick rides. After entering Pleasure Island, visitors passed through the crescent shaped entrance to Clipper Cove that was outlined with barnacle-crusted anchors. The schooners 'ribs' can still be seen when the water is shallow in the area which was once Pleasure Island's Clipper Cove inner harbor."
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"The Wakefield High School Baseball team held its first practice of the spring season on the park (Common) on April 6, 1916 under the direction of 'new' coach Bob Lane. According to the Wakefield Daily Item, the team made a 'fine showing' during the fall season, but 'with a coach, should make a better on and win the Middlesex League cup.' Team members included captain Eugene Sullivan, Thomas Dignan, Caswell Heustis, Frank Reid, John Kalaher, Warren Branch, Arthur McLeod, George Lane, Christie Barrett, and Maurice Donovan. The team also listed a Law and Clemons, without a first name."
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"The Triplet Souvenir of Wakefield, Reading, and Stoneham, Mass. published in the early 1900s, identifies the greenhouse owned by R.L. Pitman as follows: 'The leading and largest business interest in Wakefield and vicinity representing the florist's line is the Brookside Greenhouses, located in the beautiful suburb of Wakefield called Greenwood. These were built in 1884 and Mr. R.L. Pitman has been the proprietor since the year 1894. The ground covered by the Greenhouses proper embraces about 9,000 square feet, while considerable uncovered acreage is utilized in the business'. Richard Pitman operated the greenhouse on land on the family's estate which was located at 840 Main Street. Richard maintained the greenhouse until his death in 1925. The estate, which was left to a distant relative, fell into disrepair. It was razed in 1945 and the land on which Brookside Greenhouses was located was developed into a 20-house subdivision by Ralph Morel of the Morel Building Trust of Greenwood."
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"Thomas Emerson first started his shoe manufacturing business at Lakeside, just north of Lawrence Street. He moved his operations to Albion Street, east of North Avenue, in 1859. He moved the Thomas Emerson & Sons shoe manufacturing company to Burrage Yale's tin shop at the corner of Yale Avenue and Main Street in 1863. The building was torn down in 1902, and in 1908, the Wakefield Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) broke ground on the land to build its new building. The cornerstone was laid on September 16, 19098 and the building was opened on April 7, 1909. The ceremony for the laying of the cornerstone was 'unusually interesting' with music provided by the Boston & Maine YMCA band and speeches by the YMCA's state secretary Edward W. Hearne and the Honorable James Logan, Mayor of the City of Worcester. After the YMCA Auxiliary presented a donation of $1,000, a copper box was placed beneath the cornerstone. The copper box, which was sealed with solder, included historical sketches of the YMCA and YMCA Auxiliary, a list of contributors, three views of Wakefield, the names of town officials, the names of school committee members and teachers, copies of the April 12, 1906, May 17, 1907, and September 15, 1908 Wakefield Daily Item, a copy of the September 15, 1908 Citizens' Banner, portraits of President Lee and Secretary Conlon, portraits of Hattie Butterfield (first president), Sarah Evans Howard (treasurer), and Adelaide Coburn (first secretary), the program of the festivities, and the names of the members of the YMCA board. Separate openings were held on April 7 and 8, 1909 for the Auxiliary, contributors, high school students and the general public."
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"Wakefield Steam Laundry, established around 1885 by Cox & Cheever, was located on Lincoln Street in the Taylor Building, the former Wakefield Building. Charles H. Cox became the sole owner and later sold the business to Clinton L. Newell. Ernest G. Willard, in the left of the picture with his staff and a 1920-era Ford Model T delivery wagon, bought the business from Newell in August 1909. The laundry, which became known as Wakefield Laundry, occupied a large part of the building for many years, eventually leasing the entire first floor, (with the exception of Taylor Hardware in the front of the building), as well as most of the rear basement and a one-story addition on the north side of the building. Willard was well-known for his attention to detail regarding the business and its equipment, including its fleet of vehicles. A large part of his business involved delivery to Wakefield residents and more than 4,000 customers in 13 area cities and towns. In its early years, the company utilized horse-drawn delivery wagons, later adding a fleet of 'motor trucks' which were meticulously maintained. In 1931, Wakefield Laundry added two light delivery trucks, bringing the number of trucks to seven in keeping with his 'desire to have the neatest-looking laundry delivery service in New England.' During the summer months, Wakefield Laundry continued its services to its vacationing customers by parcel post."
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"This picture of downtown Wakefield was taken on the corner of Chestnut Street looking south on Main Street. The buildings at the left side of the photo were razed in the late 1930s. Taking a look down Main Street, one can see L.L. McMaster newsdealer and stationer, DeCecca Food Shoppe, Boothby's, Smith's Drug Store, Curley Bros. Coal, Young Sign Studio, and other well-known businesses. The top floor of the Wakefield Block, which was removed, is still intact, and the Wakefield Town Hall, dedicated in 1872, is still standing. The cars in front of McMaster's are parallel parked, while others are straight."
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"This photo, part of a stereograph, was taken along the shore of Lake Quannapowitt, looking south toward what appears to be Beebe's Cove. The fence at the left could have been part of the Beebe Estate and its farm, which consisted of flower gardens, melon patches, and substantial corn fields. The family also maintained a herd of approximately 100 milk cows and a number of stable horses. The third home of the First Parish Congregational Church can be seen in the background. Built in 1768, the church building faced west when built, but was turned to face south in 1859. The church building was considered to be too small and in need to repair; in 1887, the church members took the necessary steps to erect a new church on the same site. Farewell services were held on May 24, 1890 and the building was razed soon after."
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Erected in 1881 at a cost of $5,000, the Emmanuel Episcopal Church was located on Water Street near the Center Depot, on the site that later became the L.B. Evans' Son shoe factory. Ground was broken in March 1881, with the first service held in August 1881. The chapel was enlarged in the early 1890s and remodeled into a 'homelike and attractive place of worship'. The interior was 'thoroughly renovated and refurbished' the following year, at an expense of more than $4,000. The new altar was a gift of Mrs. Daniel G. Walton. In the 1890s, the church was considered to be 'one of the prettiest and most convenient churches of its size in this vicinity'. The church was moved to the corner of Main and Bryant Streets through the generosity of Lidia Wright Pearson in 1900."
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"Attendance at movie theaters hit an all-time low in 1951 as people stayed home to watch television. At the urging of theater owners across the country, the movie industry embarked on a public relations campaign to bring people back into the theaters. Using the 50th anniversary of motion pictures as its theme, 240 actors, writers, directors and casting directors were divided into small groups and set out from Hollywood to 28 major cities and their surrounding cities and towns on a tour called Movietime USA. One group arrived in Boston and traveled throughout Greater Boston in a '15-car convoy of new DeSotos. The team, comprised of director Alfred Hitchcock; actors Dorothy Lamour, 18-year-old Debra Paget, Margaret Sheridan and Tom Breen; writer Welles Root; and MGM casting director Billy Grady arrived at Wakefield High School on Main Street. From there, 'the stars formed behind the high school band and drove to the Library where a crowd of 2,500 people were gathered to see their favorite screen personalities'. Greeting them on the steps of the library were Selectman Paul Lazzaro, (who presented Lamour with a bouquet of fall flowers), Herbert K. Noble and Raymond Dower; Town Clerk Charles F. Young; and Helen Carlson of the library staff. Hitchcock presented Miss Carlson and the library with a signed copy of the book, The Thirty-Nine Steps, from which his 1935 hit movie was made. Mistress of ceremonies Lamour introduced the team at the start of the 15-minute ceremony, noting that Wakefield's stop was the best and largest of the tour. Many in the crowd were high school students who were dismissed for an hour to see the celebrities. Newspaper reports noted that the 'high schoolers nearly prevented the departure of Miss Paget as hundreds of boys and girls closed about her car seeking a closer look'".
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"When Pleasure Island opened in June 1959, the main venue for entertainment was the Pepsi-sponsored Diamond Lil' Saloon. When new owners took over the park in 1960 and Pepsi opted out of its sponsorship, the entertainment venue switched to a new amphitheater known as the 'Show Bowl'. The venue attracted national stars, including Chuck Connors who played Lucas McCain in the Rifleman series from 1958 to 1963. According to the August 21, 1961 Billboard Amusement Business Magazine, more than 57,000 patrons paid more than $114,000 to see Connors in his six-day stand at the Show Bowl. Pleasure Island, it said, 'had the biggest week in its history because of good weather and Rifleman Chuck Connors...This broke all existing records for the park and topped the previous record held by the Three Stooges last year.' Television western-themed shows and Pleasure Island were sharing their heydays during this time period. Other cowboy stars, such as Wagon Train's Robert Horten, and Bonanza's Michael Landon performed at the Show Bowl, as did Boston's own Rex Trailer who was a familiar entertainer at Pleasure Island throughout the park's 11 seasons. In addition to playing the Rifleman, the 6'5" Connors, whose real name was Kevin Joseph Aloysius Connors, played basketball for the Boston Celtics and minor league baseball before landing an acting career. Pleasure Island closed forever on Labor Day weekend 1969. At Pleasure Island, children and 'children-at-heart' entered into a world that traditional amusement parks could not provide, where character actors continually put on a show and the entire park was a stage!"
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"This photo, taken from the top of Melvin Street, shows the wooden buildings of the rattan factory established by Cyrus Wakefield. Wakefield, for whom the town was named in 1868, brought his growing enterprise to South Reading in 1855 on land he purchased on Water Street. The site consisted of two mill ponds, one on each side of the road, and a few buildings used for manufacturing purposes. Nearly all the buildings, including the Stout Building pictured to the right of the smokestack, named for prominent citizen and large shareholder Richard S. Stout, were destroyed in the great fire of 1881. The company rebuilt and was said to be 'the largest business of its kind in the world."
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"The Morrill-Atwood Ice Company on Spaulding Street was one of the many ice houses in Wakefield which operated from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century. Owner John Merrill built an ice storage facility in 1878 on Spaulding Street and later joined forces with J. Reed Whipple, a Boston hotel owner, in 1890. They purchased a portion of Hartshorne's Meadow, now Veterans Field, and started supplying ice to Whipple's hotels and to other large users in Boston. Whipple sold his shares to Frank H. Atwood, a partner in Morrill's Spaulding Street ice house, in 1897. Whipple-Morrill exported its ice while Morrill-Atwood sold its ice locally. Atwood remained as the owner of both ice houses following Morrill's death in 1904. He left the wholesale ice business when he sold the Hartshorne Meadow ice houses to the Porter Milton Ice Company in 1919, and eventually sold the Morrill-Atwood company to Albert S. Anderson in 1926. Anderson started an electric ice manufacturing business in 1932 after several bad ice-harvesting years. He sold his business to the Metropolitan Ice Company of Somerville in 1945. Metropolitan eventually razed all the buildings, except one which was leased to Salvatore and Antonio Palumbo, who later purchased the property and operated their wholesale fruit and produce business there until the 1990s. The last remnants of the structure were demolished in 1988."
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"The Town voted at the 1947 Town Meeting to purchase '22,404 square feet of land north of the Central Fire Station at Mechanic (now Princess) and Crescent Streets to Centre Street, and westerly toward Wakefield square and Main Street to the A&P Super Market parking lot and southerly to Mechanic Street' on which to build its new Police headquarters. The Concrete Construction Company of Chelsea was selected as the general contractor and ground was broken on January 17, 1950. Plans also included an 80' street in front of the new building, between Centre and Mechanic Streets, which the Selectmen named Commercial Street just before the department moved into the new, modern facility on November 13, 1950. The department was previously housed in the old Town Hall on Main Street. The Wakefield Police Department and the Chief's secretary, Mrs. Dorothy (McGrail) Hagan, posed for an official photo in front of the new building. Pictured (front row, left to right): Sergeant Walter E. Peterson, Lieutenant George B. DeRoche, Chief John G. Gates, Mrs. Hagan, Sergeant John M. Wenzel, and Motorcycle Officer John E. Martin. (Second row, left to right) Special Officer Morton V. Griffin, Patrolmen Winslow R. Smith, George F. Sheridan, Daniel J. Sullivan, Henry F. Galvin, and James T. McKeon. (Third row, left to right) Patrolmen Thomas Hennessy, Maximilian J. Ramocki, John T. Curran, Raymond J. Beane, and Peter A. Quinn. (Back row, left to right) Patrolmen John L. Clark, Harold J. Maloney, William F. Hovey, John F. Mahoney, and F. Charles Huppprich, Jr."
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"The Wakefield Post, Veterans of Foreign Wars purchased a barn at 6 Eaton Street, once home for 'Farmer' Allen and later to Nathaniel Cutler, owner of Cutler Bros. grocery and grain store. Known as the Cutler Barn, the structure was moved to 357 North Avenue by the VFW where it became its headquarters. Prior to the move, the barn had been relocated to the Lincoln School yard. On July 15, beginning at 4:30 a.m., the structure was placed on a 22-wheel truck, a process that took two hours. The move began at 6:30 a.m. along a route that took it up Main Street to Albion Street to North Avenue, passing by Mike's Bob Shop, at the left of the photo, and Bradley Real Estate, at the right. After a short delay due to traffic on North Avenue, the 'procession' moved to Chestnut Street where overhead wires were removed and tree limbs were removed from a large tree opposite 128 North Avenue to let the structure pass. At 9:35 a.m., the building arrived at its destination, a lot once occupied by Crescent Wet Wash Laundry which had been destroyed by fore a few years earlier. The structure was remodeled into the new home of the Wakefield Post, Veterans of Foreign Wars."
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The railroad marker in front of the Cooper Street Bridge in Greenwood indicated to travelers on the Boston & Maine Railroad that they could travel 60 miles to South Berwick, Maine and 107 miles to Portland, Maine along the Portland (West) Main Line which connected Boston with Lowell and points north. In the early 1900s, the rails carried more than 30 passenger trains in each direction every day. The Cooper Street Bridge in the background was built in 1903 by Joseph Ross, one of Boston's leading builders of wharves and bridges, including the bridge over the Merrimack River in Newburyport. The Town voted to appropriate $3,800 in 1902 to build the bridge to provide safe passage over the busy Boston & Maine right-of-way, primarily for students traveling to the newly enlarged Greenwood School on Main Street. It was one of two proposals voted on by the Town, the other being a spandrel-braced steel arch design with an option to be a six-foot wide pedestrian-only structure. The bridge is an early example of reinforced concrete arch construction 'notable for its substantial size, asymmetrical profile and the use of an unusual type of deformed rod for reinforcement'. It measures 100' long with a span length of 60' and is thicker at the west end by six inches. It was recently reported to be one of only two concrete arch bridges of its age spanning more than 50' still in use in Massachusetts."
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"Charles F. Gilman operated a retail pharmacy at 92 Railroad Street (now North Avenue) opposite the Upper Depot. According to Wakefield, Its Representative Business Men and Points of Interest, Gilman, a native of Maine, started the business in 1891 as successor to H.M. and L.W. Cross. His store was on one floor and measured 35' x 20'. He carried a complete stock of drugs, medicines and chemicals, 'besides toilet articles, cigars and choice confectionery.' The 1894 pubhlication also noted that prescriptions were compounded 'at short notice in a most skillful and painstaking manner' at a price that was uniformly moderate. In addition to pharmaceuticals and other items, Charles F. Gilman also sold bicycles. IN 1896, he also had one of four pay telephone stations in Wakefield where nonsubscribers could use the telephone at a cost of 15 cents per five minute conversation with any other subscriber on the Boston or Suburban Exchanges. The three other pay stations were located at E.A. Wheeler, Car Station in Greenwood; S.E. Ryder, Druggist on Main Street; and at the Town Hall. In 1918, records indicate that Gilman sold photo supplies."
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"The National Conference on Street and Highway Safety published a Manual on Street Traffic Signs, Signals and Markings in 1930 which mandated that concrete street markings be painted white or black. In 1932, the Wakefield DPW's street marking crew, including Leo Gerrior, at right, was responsible for painting center lines, parking spaces, crosswalks, and restricted areas with two coats of paint. Gerrior, of Spring Avenue, a member of the DPW's Highway Department, was chiefly responsible for painting the traffic lines in the business district and 'much-traveled intersections' using the hand-operated equipment. On September 13, 1939, Leo Gerrior died after being struck by a car at the corner of Main and Bryant Streets while helping to prepare the street for tarring and sanding later in the day. Gerrior lived in Wakefield for 17 years and was employed by the DPW for 10 years. Before joining the DPW, he was employed in the machine department at the Heywood-Wakefield Company, and with CF Keyes of Albion Street as a painter. He left his wife and five children. His sixth child, a daughter, was born in February 1940."
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"This photo is from a series of photos taken by Bourdon Studios as part of a Pleasure Island pre-opening publicity campaign in the town's 'business district'. Note the street light, along with the stores that lined Main Street: Nagle's Drugs, Carol Ann's Card & Gift Shoppe, A&P, Santoro's Original Delicatessen, Adrian's Fabrics, and Crystal Fruit Exchange. According to a photo caption which accompanied the photo in the Wakefield Item, the six p[passenger carriage was pulled by a horse owned by Marshall Winkler of Cordis Street, who was also the driver for the publicity campaign. The carriage, which was owned by Pleasure Island, had been restored to be used at the park. The park opened its gates for the first time less than a month later on Saturday afternoon, June 20th. Approximately 4,500 guests and members of the press, radio and television got a special preview of the park at the invitation-only opening day. A special benefit premiere was held the following day, with all proceeds going to the Boys Club of Boston. Pleasure Island was open to the public at 10 a.m. on Monday, June 22, 1959. This year marks the 55th anniversary of its opening. By the sixth season, 50 years ago, it was under its third set of owners, Boston ventures, which operated the park for five seasons. They sold Pleasure Island to Fairbanks Amusements in 1969, closing that same year on Labor Day, after an 11-season run."
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"An engine engaged in shifting empty p[passenger cars on the Salem Branch crashed head-on into an outbound Georgetown line freight engine just below the signal tower at the Junction Station on August 2, 1917. A fireman on the freight train was killed in the accident which occurred shortly after 10:30 p.m. According to news reports, the Salem Branch engine had just passed the crossover to the main line and the freight train was traveling at a 'good rate of speed' when the 'mammoth' engines crashed. The collision sent the freight engine hurtling from the tracks, sending it sideways, and pitching it onto its side beside the inward bound track. It was reported to be 'smashed in half' and 'knocked at right angles'. The box car and the coal cars were also damaged with iron from one of the engines imbedded in the Georgetown box freight cars. The passenger cars on the shifting (Salem Branch) engine remained on the tracks, although the forward car next to the engine was destroyed. The Salem crew jumped to safety before the impact. An Otis Street youth, Harold Anderson, walking home from a dance in Melrose, was among the first rescuers on the scene. Work continued into the next day, with railroad officials moving the debris so other trains could pass through the busy station. The rails below the signal tower where the engines collides were 'twisted like paper' and new iron was laid in the morning. Scores of local residents remained at the scene throughout the day."
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"The Col. James Hartshorne House on Church Street is situated on land first owned by William Hooper, who in 1644 and 1650 bought two parcels of land on which he built his homestead. According to historical records, Hooper sold his land to Mary Hodgman in 1664. A wealthy widow at the age of 24, Mary married Thomas Hodgman and bought Hooper's land and home with her own name on the deed. Sometime between 1664 and 1680, the Hodgmans either moved the original Hooper house across the road or built a new one. They sold the house and land in 1725 to the Widow Patterson who occupied the house for 13 years, until her death in 1738. Her son sold the homestead in two parcels, the first, with a 'small house' to Jonathan Cowdrey in 1757, and the second, across the road to Samuel Poole in 1758. It was Cowdrey who is believed to have added to the house during his 34 years of ownership, as did the next owner, D. John Hart. Dr. Hart, a Revolutionary War surgeon, owned the house from 1792-1802 and used it as an investment, eventually turning it into an inn, called the Lafayette House. The Blue Lodge of Masons also met in a second-floor room during his ownership. Shoemaker Col. James Hartshorne purchased the house in 1803 and lived there until he died in 1870. His second wife, Mary, lived there until 1884. In 1890, J. Reed Whipple and John G. Morrill, bought the house and turned it into a tenement for Morrill-Atwood Ice Company workers. The Town of Wakefield voted at a Special Town Meeting on October 14, 1929 to purchase the home and meadow for $14,999 following a devastating fire that destroyed the ice houses in September. The Town also voted to restore the home as part of Wakefield's participation in the Tercentennial Celebration of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1930. The Col. James Hartshorne House Association was formed in July 1930, and incorporated in 1936 for the purpose of preserving and maintaining the house."
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"The Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department's Mark A. Delory facility at 480 North Avenue opened in June 2013 with a rededication and open house held on September 29th. The facility is named in memory of Mark A. Delory, a member of the Gas Division who lost his life on June 24, 2006. The former garage at the site was named in his memory in 2007. The facility is on the same site as the Citizens' Gas & Light Company which the citizens of Wakefield voted to purchase at Town Meeting in 1893. The Town of Wakefield assumed operation of the plant on August 4, 1894. In 1943, the light department physically expanded its operations with the purchase of 9-11 Albion Street office for its business office which had previously been located in the Town Hall and the Wakefield Savings Bank (now The Savings Bank). In 1951, the Town received permission from Town Meeting to erect a new building for a garage on its North Avenue site to replace the original structure. That building was razed in 2012 to make way for the new building. The business office moved from Albion Street in June 2013. The Mark A. Delory facility now houses all WMGLD operations."
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The original Wiley's Boathouse was located at the end of Spaulding Street in 1872, facing west in Hartshorne's cove. In 1887, Will Wiley built another boathouse at the end of Lake Avenue right on the shores of Lake Quannapowitt. This single-story boathouse was used by casual boating enthusiasts as well as members of the Quannapowitt Yacht Club who had their own pier at the Spaulding Street boathouse."
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"The Hodgdon Building, located on the east side of Main Street just south of Water Street, was built at the same time as the new Wakefield High School (former Atwell Building) and the time of the extensive enlargement of Barry's Garage at the corner of Main and Armory Streets. To accommodate the new growth in the immediate area, Main Street was significantly widened during that time period."
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"Wakefield High School's Atwell Building on Main Street was gutted by a multi-million dollar fire which was first noticed by a passing call firefighter at 8:23 p.m. on Sunday, December 12, 1971. Flames were discovered on the first floor of the building in a north wall partition opposite the office of Superintendent of Schools, Dr. George MacArthur. It was believed the fire started in a classroom on the second floor above the accounting section of the school system's central office which adjoined the Superintendent's office. It traveled westerly through the floor partitions, over the area of the boys' lockers and into the auditorium through the ventilating ducts. Firefighters from 19 communities fought the fire throughout the night and into the early morning hours. The flames spread throughout the building, following air ducts and hollow passages until firefighters opened several ventilation holes in the roof to stop the lateral movement of the fire. The fire broke through the roof after midnight. Thousands of local residents came to the scene after being alerted to the fire by a news bulletin on a Boston TV station. Many students joined teachers, coaches and school officials in retrieving musical instruments and uniforms, sports equipment, audio-visual equipment and business machines which were in the back of the building. When the fire was finally out 20 hours later, 30 firefighters had been overcome by the acrid smoke and two more had been injured. The building was condemned the next day by the Building Inspector and a representative from the Massachusetts Department of Public Safety. A professional company from Arlington was hired to remove anything that was salvageable. Wakefield High School students attended double sessions in the high school's adjacent Memorial Building from 7 a.m. to 12 noon, and 12 noon to 5 p.m. This led to a 'modified' open study concept since no classrooms were available to be used as study rooms. Lockers were shared by two students and underclassmen were limited in their participation in varsity sports. The 1923 high school building was razed and the site where the school stood is now the Galvin Middle School parking lot."
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"The Abraham Sweetser house, at left, was the first home of Cyrus Wakefield. The house was built in the early 1800s by Sweetser himself, probably on land owned by his father, Paul Sweetser, a man who the Providence Rhode Island Journal said was 'the first to engage in the business of bringing ladies fine shoes from Boston to Providence.' The elder Sweetser was a 'considerable orchardist; he raised abundantly the best apples that were raised in the town. He owned a part of 'Walk Hill', a ridge of land then extending from-the-river, by the late Leonard Wiley's, southerly on Main Street, and easterly on Nahant Street, and all along its base, where, owned by Mr. Sweetser, was a continuous row of apple trees, which bore choice fruit, among which was a plentiful supply of the old 'Ben' apple.' The house was typical of the large, well-built dwellings of the period, with wide stairways, a large fireplace and brick ovens. Abraham was a shoemaker as were many of his neighbors, many of whom ran 'one-man shoe factories' in their homes. The house was razed in 1922 to make way for an addition to the garage. The Joseph Hughes garage was built around 1909 by Hughes who owned a small repair shop on Center Street. The garage, which measured 42' x 75' was determined to be inadequate when David Barry purchased it in 1919. It was Barry who razed the house and was responsible for building the tapestry-brick structure in 1922. Several more additions were added beginning in 1925. In later years it was home to W.T. Walker Oldsmobile, Sylvania's Semiconductor Division, and Verizon. The structure was recently razed to make way for CVS."
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"The Leonard Wiley House, at the corner of Water and Crescent Streets was built somewhere around 1765. According to Lilley Eaton's Genealogical History of the Town of Reading, Mass. the farm land was originally owned by early settler Benjamin Poole, Esq. and later by his nephew, Jonathan Poole. Jonathan Poole's son-in-law Nathaniel Wiley inherited the farm and later passed it on to his son, Leonard. Leonard Wiley was born in 1791, one of eight children of Nathaniel and Sally (Poole) Wiley. He died in 1872. The farm was occupied by his heirs until the house was moved to 35 Bartley Street to make room for the Crescent House."
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"The Ancient Order of Hibernians, Division 26, was organized on August 1, 1868 as the Hibernian Aid Society with a membership of 33. Timothy Hurley was the first president. The organization became affiliated with the A.O.H., the oldest and largest Irish Catholic organization in the United States, on March 4, 1876. The Hibernians were among the many fraternal and civic organizations that participated in the 250th anniversary procession on Monday, May 28, 1894. The 85 members marched in the 1st Division of the procession which started on Main Street near the Wakefield residence, (now the corner of Main and Armory Street) up to Sweetser, Pleasant, Park, Main, Yale Avenue, Railroad (now North Avenue), West Chestnut, Park Avenue, Dell Avenue, Converse, Gould, Albion, Railroad, Chestnut to Main, where they passed in review before the Governor and other guests opposite the Town Hall on Main Street, at the corner of Water Street. Locally, the Hibernians were instrumental in the early growth of St. Joseph's Church. The members bought the buildings at the corner of Albion and Foster Streets in 1924, renovated it, and officially dedicated it on September 10th. It was said to be one of the largest and most successful fraternal gatherings ever held in Wakefield."
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"Believed to be the wedding party of Wakefield residents James Walter Dulong and Sylvia Anne Amiro, this photo may have been take by Wakefield historian, painter and photographer Joseph Payro. Payro was known for experimenting with different papers and developing techniques when printing his photos. The back of this photo contains the notation: 'Monox Bromide 15 ticks by the kitchen clock, 24" from the big lamp'. An additional notation indicates that the paper was 'four years old before being printed.' Although the Wakefield Town report of 1917 noted the marriage of James and Sylvia, there is no mention of them in the 1917 list of residents."
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"The 25-member company, formerly Fountain Engine 3, was reorganized as Volunteer Hose 2 on September 4, 1888. Shortly after reorganization, the members purchased a Rumsey four-wheel hand-drawn hose carriage by subscription at a cost of $275. The volunteer company, which for many years was an 'efficient, independent company', became a part of the Wakefield Dire Department following a Town Meeting vote in March 1892. Volunteer Hose 2 participated in many parades, including the dedication of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in June 1902. The processions consisted of four divisions: the GAR post of Wakefield and vicinity; military; Wakefield High School cadets; and the fire department led by Chief William E. Cade which consisted of the Steamer Hose Company; the Hook & Ladder Company; Volunteer Hose 2; the Carter Hose Company and the Greenwood Hose Company. The parade route started on Richardson Avenue (across from the former Town Hall), and traveled along Main Street to Chestnut, Railroad (now North Avenue), Yale, Main, Crescent, Eaton, Pleasant, Salem, Main to Sweetser, where the divisions counter matched [i.e. marched?] to Salem Street. The participants were reviewed by Governor Crane as they passed by the pagoda (bandstand)."
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"Wakefield High School pupils. teachers, staff and administrators walked through the downtown from their former school on Lafayette Street (now Town Hall) to their new school on Main Street, on Jun 4, 1923. The parade was led by the Superintendent of Schools Willard B. Atwell, Principal Charles J. Peterson, Sgt. Ernest Munroe, and Miss Irene Laughton of the office staff, followed by the high school battalion drum corps. The senior class was next in line, followed by the junior, sophomore and freshman classes who walked four-by-four to the school. The parade route was lined with students from the elementary schools, with the exception of the Greenwood and Montrose Schools. When they arrived at the new high school, the pupils wen to the rooms assigned to them and then assembled in the auditorium where Principal Peterson explained the rules and regulations and read the new orders students were to follow. Following recess and lunch, the students were dismissed for the day, with 'lessons' beginning the following day. The 'new' high school was located on Main Street where the Cyrus Wakefield estate once stood and was built at a cost of $450,000. The original high school building was destroyed by fire in December 1971. The site is now the Galvin Middle School parking lot."
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"Once the site of the Town's fist church and meeting house, the land at the corner of Main and Chestnut Streets was also home to another landmark, Bessey Stable, until the structure was razed to make way for the Wakefield Trust Company. building. The property was purchased in August 1921 by Charles W. Hodgdon, the owner and manager of the Wakefield Theatre, with the intention of building a new playhouse. After the project was abandoned, the land was purchased by the Wakefield Trust Company. When the stable was torn down, local reports noted, 'The old stable has been a landmark for many years and marks another of the important changes of Main Street where an old wooden building ill be replaced by a modern structure.'"
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"The Unitarian Universalist Church, the oldest existing religious building in Wakefield, had its beginnings on April 29, 1813, when seven South Reading men met at the Elm Street home of Col. Amos Boardman, a prominent local businessman and Revolutionary War Veteran. Joining him as founding members of the Universal Society in South Reading were Joseph Eaton, a grocer; John Rayner, a baker and Keeper of the Pound; Charles Emerson, and inventor and manufacturer Benjamin Goldthwait, a cobbler; Joshua Burnham, a clergyman; and Thomas Melborn, who is only referred to as being married to Joshua Burnham's sister. Meetings were held at members' homes or at the schoolhouse until they accumulated enough members and resources to build a Universalist Church. In 1839, the Universalist Society purchased a lot of land from John Rayner's widow, Mary, on the County Road, now Main Street, at the spot where the road divided. The Greek Revival-style building with its triangular pediment and four classical columns was dedicated on November 21, 1839. The original building was moved back 50 feet in 1859 and was raised, with the front portion of the church and steeple added. The style of the building remained unchanged into the 20th Century, with some interior and exterior alterations brought on by several fires in adjacent buildings. Major alterations occurred in 2008 when the church spire was removed due to serious structural issues throughout the steeple. The organization, founded as the Universalist Society and later as the First Universalist Society of Wakefield, became the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Wakefield when the two denominations merged in 1961. The church will celebrate its bicentennial year with festivities and a capital campaign to repair the steeple."
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The First National Store at 432 Main Street was one of eight markets that served the Town in 1934, the others being Reid's Market, 77 Albion Street; Railroad Market, across from the upper railroad station; City Hall Market, 6 Water Street; Sperbers Market, 14 Water Street (which advertised that it sold full-strength beer and wine); Quality Grocers, 87-89 Albion Street; McCarthy's Market, 412 Main Street, Wakefield Fish Market, 3 Mechanic Street; and Orde's Fish Market, 109A Albion Street. First National, known by its acronym Finast and 'The First National', was incorporated as the Ginter Company in 1917. It changed its name to First National Stores, Inc. in 1925 when it was consolidated with the John T. Connor Company and O'Keeffe's, Inc. Finast was a retail supermarket brand that existed in the northeastern United States until being absorbed by Edwards and its Dutch parent Royal Ahold in the mid-1990s. Finast was originally based in Somerville, prior to its change to the Edwards name. The base was then moved to Windsor Locks, Connecticut.
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"The Main Street store, E.E. Gray Company, was one of 25 branch stores of the E.E. Gray Importers, Wholesale and Provision Dealers of Boston located throughout Greater Boston and Massachusetts. The company also had three Boston stores, on Hanover, Blackstone and Union Streets. The company was established by Elmer E. Gray in 1885 at the age of 23. Within four years, he had built up a large trade and reputation as a commission merchant in butter, cheese, eggs, and live and dressed poultry, and supplied goods to dealers, restaurants, hotel[s] and families. He received his supplies directly from the producers and was able to sell them at the lowest market prices. According to Illustrated Boston, the Metropolis of New England, 'this representative and progressive house was established by Mr. Gray, who has built up a large trade and through his extensive connections controls a large business. Consignments of choice creamery and dairy butter, cheese and fresh eggs are received daily, and also live and dressed poultry. Promptitude and quick sales form the policy upon which the business is conducted and the stock is always choice and fresh. The premises are of ample dimensions for the requirements of the business and a force of clerks are kept constantly employed. Liberal advances are made on consignments and in all matters pertaining to this special line of trade Mr. Gray is prepared to transact business in a manner satisfactory to all concerned.' By 1915, his stores were selling kitchen items, including galvanized iron watering or sprinkling pot[s], children's aluminum mugs, window and door screens, and gardening supplies. In 1927, company officers organized a new corporation to acquire the necessary funds to extend and enlarge the business of the E.E. Gray Company. The company filed for bankruptcy in December 1930."
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"C.H. Curtis, 'caterer and dealer in plain and fancy crackers, ice cream, bread, confectionery, canned goods, etc.' operated his bakery at 430 Main Street. The business was established in 1888 and was regarded in the Representative Business Men of Wakefield 1894 publication as 'one of the most reliable enterprises of the kind in Wakefield, and those who have made a practice of dealing with this establishment speak of the even excellence of the goods offered, and the uniform courtesy extended to every customer.' The bakery consisted of a 50' x 10' building and a 35' x 20' bakehouse, and employed five skilled assistants. According to the publication, Mr. Curtis operated a large wholesale and retail business, specializing in 'weddings, parties, balls, and church fairs.'"
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"Now known as Veterans' Memorial Common, Wakefield's Upper Common was once the original public land created by the Town's early settlers in 1741. The Soldiers and Sailors Civil War Monument, at the right of the photo, was erected in 1902 as a gift from Harriett Flint. At its dedication on June 17, 1902, it was described as, 'The monument, aside from its own beauty, makes a striking picture with its background of rich green foliage and the blue waters of the lake beyond. It stands in the center of a triangle of lofty elms. Immediately in front, a bed of brilliant hued flowers gives a touch of color to the scene'"
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"The upper Common, pictured shortly after the dedication of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument which occurred in 1902. Before the Town received a bequest from Cornelius Sweetser of $10,000 which stipulated that the money be used to improve a public park, the common as we know it was a bit run down, with debris from a nearby tin shop littering the area and a ditch running through the upper Common. The Town agreed to match the donation in 1883 and the common was transformed by the park commissioners. The end result was the draining and regrading of the Upper Common and the addition of new fences. In 1990, the Common District, referred to as the land between Lake Quannapowitt, Main Street, Common Street, Church Street, and Lake Avenue, was added to the National Register of Historic places. The Upper Common was officially named as the Veterans' Memorial Common in 2011."
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"Wakefield's upper and lower Commons are visible in the circa 1905 panoramic photo. It is interesting to note that the road forks, with the left side leading to Salem Street and the right side leading to Pearl Street."
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"The Henry F. Miller Piano Factory was one of three imposing buildings in the downtown area that were built in the 1870s. The building, located behind the Town Hall at Water and Main Streets, was the factory for the company's Boston, Philadelphia and Cincinnati showrooms. The company was established in Boston by Henry F. Miller in 1863. A musician, Miller was described as an inventive genius with great skills as a 'mechanician'. He was joined in the business by his five sons who moved the factory into the stately building in 1884. The company continued under the direction of Henry F. Miller, Jr. and his brothers after his father's death in 1884, and Henry F. Miller & Sons continued to produce high quality pianos made by master craftsmen until a decline in demand caused the company to discontinue its own piano line in the late 1920s. The company became a part of the Continental Piano Company. The Miller Piano Factory building was sold to William T. Curley, Sr. in 1930 and houses various businesses over the next 30 years, including a furniture store, several shoe manufacturers, and an antique store. The building was razed in 1960 to make way for the Surety Bank and Trust Company building."
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"The Wakefield National Bank, later the Wakefield Trust Company, purchased the Hannah S. Brown land at the northwest corner of Main and Chestnut Streets in the early 1900s, and erected the building in 1902. The bank, incorporated as the South reading Mechanical and Agricultural Institution in 1833, shared the building with the Wakefield Savings Bank, now The Savings Bank, from 1902 to 1924, when the Trust Company moved into its new building across Chestnut Street. the building on the corner of Avon Street was known as the Flanery Building, and later as the Odd Fellows Building. Erected in the late 1890s, a fire gutted the interior of the building in January 1997. The building was renovated and restored by The Savings Bank, which now occupies the building. The Mansfield, estate, now the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, is pictured at the right."
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"The Wakefield Fire Department replaced its 1894 Abbot-Downing hose wagon with a 1906 American LaFrance combination chemical and hose wagon it purchased at a cost of $1,450. The horse-drawn wagon carried two 30-gallon chemical tanks and 1,900 feet of hose. During the eight years it was in service, the American LaFrance responded to several major fires, including the great Chelsea fire which destroyed nearly a quarter of the city in 1908, and the February 1909 fire that destroyed the First Parish Congregational Church. Other major fires included the 1907 fire at George Taylor's store at Main and Princess Streets, and the Cutler Brothers Grocery and Grain Store fire in 1911 at the corner of Main and Water Streets that destroyed several other businesses and buildings in the area. The Fire Department started adding motorized equipment in 1908 when it converted a second-hand touring car into a hose wagon, effectively ending its use of hand-drawn equipment. Additional motorized pieces of equipment were added, and by 1912, the American LaFrance combination chemical and hose wagon was reassigned to the Greenwood station. A Peerless chemical and hose wagon replaced the 1906 apparatus in 1914. The department's horses were no longer needed and were given to the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department and the Department of Public Works."
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"Wakefield dedicated its new high school 140 years ago, on the site of the former Parson Prentice House - the third parsonage in the First Parish - on October 10, 1872. The new school replaced the South Reading Academy, which was located on the site of the Lincoln School. The school was built just one year after the commodious Town Hall at the corner of Main and Water Streets (1871), and four years after the Town changed its name from South Reading to Wakefield (1868). A six-room addition was added in 1900, and the building remained in use as the high school until 1923 when a new school opened on Main Street. Renamed the Lafayette School, the building housed the Town's eighth grade until 1936. In 1937, the building was remodeled as part of a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project, and its distinctive Italianate features were removed, with the wood replaced by brick. The Lafayette Building was used for municipal and veterans' purposes until a fire at the 1871 Town Hall in December 1950 rendered that building inhabitable [i.e.uninhabitable]. In April 1951, Town Meeting voted to move Town equipment and records to the Lafayette Building. In subsequent years, Town Meeting voters voted against repairing or restoring the vacant Main Street Town Hall, and voted to move all Town offices to Lafayette Street. The old Town Hall was razed in October 1958. The Lafayette Building, now the William J. Lee Memorial Town Hall, has undergone renovations since the 1950s, including a major accessibility renovation in 1998."
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"In 1952, Town Meeting unanimously voted to purchase, or take by right of eminent domain, five parcels of land and their structures to enable the Town to build a new senior high school on Main Street, adjacent to the high school. The cost of the five parcels was reported to be $67,500. The owners were listed as Mildred Hawkes, Marjorie Cook, John Marshall, Jennie Willey, and Edna Brown. One house was later moved to the corner of Park Avenue and Prospect Street. The 1952 meeting lasted over three hours, with several votes taken during the evening. One article that was soundly defeated was to put an addition on the existing building to the west. Another defeated article included the building of a senior high school at the site of the Town Farm, (the current location of Wakefield High School). The 940 voters also voted to establish a 6-3-3 (elementary-junior high school- high school) school system. Initial plans also included the junior high school moving into the former high school building, later named the Willard B. Atwell School. The total to build a new school, with the purchase of the land, was said to be $2,130,500. The new high school opened in 1955 and is now the Galvin Middle School, with the exception of the Atwell wing of the school."
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"The Princess Theatre on Mechanic Street, now Princess Street, opened in 1912 in a building previously used for storage, and, at one time, had housed the Thomas E. Stapleton mattress factory. The theatre was owned and managed by Charles W. Hodgdon, who was also the manager-owner of the Wakefield Theatre on Main Street. The Princess Theatre underwent a major renovation in 1938, with the addition of a 'modernistic' main entrance (the previous entrance became the exit), a spacious circular-shaped lobby (with a 'light, airy dome slightly over 20' high'), lounging smoking and reception rooms for men and women (the men's and ladies' rooms were similar although the ladies' room was furnished more 'luxuriously'), wider seats, built-in aisle lights with dimmers in every second row of seats (which ended the ushers' need for flashlights), a spacious room for ushers, a ticket booth, an 'attractive' candy counter, an electrically-cooled drinking fountain at the foot of the balcony stairs, and wider, larger balcony staircases to make the accent [i.e. ascent] easier for older patrons. The theater was closed during World War II for lack of employees, but reopened in 1945. The Princess Theatre continued to operate until the 1950s. The building was later used for storage by Parke Snows, and was sold to C. Harry Olson, as part of a three-property deal, for nearly $50,000 in 1958. The building was occupied by various businesses, including the Nearly New Thrift Shop, until 1971 when it was razed."
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"Flatlock Operators at Harvard Knitting Mills used Flatlock machines which created a 'very strong, soft almost flat seam no thicker than the fabric itself'. The seam, patented on March 31, 1908 and introduced to the trade in 1913, was made in one 'operation' at a very high speed. The company touted its 'Harvard Mills (hand-finished) Underwear' with it's 'flat-lock single thickness seam' in national advertisements, with a disclaimer at the bottom stating that if a dealer didn't carry 'Harvard Mills', they undoubtedly carried the company's Merode brand, in the same attractive styles and p[rice. Established by Charles N. Winship and Elizabeth E. Boit in Cambridgeport, MA as Winship-Boit Company in 1888, the company moved to Wakefield's Taylor Building in 1889. Due to the success of their Merode hand-finished knit underwear, the company bought land at Albion and Foundry Streets in 1897, and a three-story building, with basement, was built on the land. The company continued to grow rapidly, with six major additions from 1901 to 1921. The popularity of knit undergarments started to decline in the late 1920s, and by the mid 1930s, parts of the buildings were rented out to other companies. Parts of the complex were sold, and in 1955, the main mill was sold."
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"The downtown area of Wakefield was transformed in the late 1930s and early 1940s, with the razing of houses and brick buildings. The Gould Block, on the northern corner of Main and Centre Streets, was razed in the late 1930s and, like most of the older buildings, replaced with a one or two story 'modern' building that housed a variety of new and established businesses. The Cheney Block on the southern corner of Main and Centre Streets was home to Wakefield's first jewelry store, Cheney's, which also served as a periodical and newsstand. Mr. McMasters, who was well known for his newsstand, eventually bought the business. After the buildings within the block were razed, new one-story structures were built to house Nagle's Drug Store, Friend's Bakery, the Atlantic and Pacific store, and Russell's Electric. Boothby's (at the far right) remained intact while buildings on either side were razed and rebuilt."
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"Local residents gathered along Main Street to watch the Little League parade, which traveled from the Common to the Little League Field behind the former St. Florence Chapel on Del Carmine Street, off Water Street. It is interesting to note that the former Walton Block in the center of the photograph was occupied by the Post Office during the expansion of its current building at the corner of Main Street and Yale Avenue which began in 1970. After weather-related delays, the addition was completed and the Post Office moved from its temporary location in the First National Supermarket in late 1971."
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"The Town of Wakefield was among the most active communities that worked with the CWA (Civil Works Administration, which was established in 1933 by the New Deal during the Great Depression to create manual labor jobs for millions of unemployed during the winter, until it ended in March 1934); and the WPA (Works Progress Administration, the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency which employed millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads). As a result, several road and sewer projects were undertaken throughout the Town, including the relaying of water mains which employed 393 men, and the 'dressing up of the Town' at all the entrances into the community, with new curbing. Additional projects included adding cement sidewalks and widening streets. These may have been local contractors, public works employees, or WPA works involved in the operation that used the tractor engine and hoist to operate the dragline."
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"An arsonist set a number of devastating fires in the early 1970s, including the 10.5 acre Robie Industrial Park fire on Saturday, February 5, 1972. The Water Street complex was once home to Cyrus Wakefield's Rattan Company, and later, the Heywood-Wakefield Company. The site is now occupied by Shaw's supermarket. Firefighters first encountered heavy smoke in the basement of the Continental Chemical Company, and within minutes, flames fully engulfed the four-story structure. A catwalk which connected the building to another helped spread the fire, as did an underground tunnel between two of the buildings. Five of the seven buildings were completely destroyed. The evening blaze was reported to be the worst 'disaster' in the Town's history, with more than 500 firefighters from 40 communities first reported to be battling the wind-driven flames which quickly spread from building to building. Reports also said that aid came from 'as far as Brockton, Concord (New Hampshire), and Worcester'. Because of high winds and freezing temperatures, the water used to fight the fire turned to ice which coated the streets, hoses, couplings, hydrants and the firefighters. The fire continued to smolder the next day, and crews from the Department of Public Works scraped ice from the pavement in the complex, as well as Water and New Salem Streets. They worked with fire and police to thaw the couplings and hydrants and removed the frozen hoses to the Greenwood Fire Station. Initial reports indicated that approximately 1,000 people would be unemployed because of the fire, and losses would total $15 million. These figures were quickly downgraded to approximately 150 to 150 unemployed and the loss set at $2.5 million."
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"Lake Quannapowitt, the center of recreational activities in Wakefield, drew scores of local youth to its shores during the winter months for skating and pick-up hockey games. Although winter 1969 was cold, the ice remained unsafe well into January, with Safety Officer Max Ramocki issuing a caution to residents of unsafe conditions. Despite several below-freezing days, the Lake was partially open in early 1969. This unusual pattern led to much speculation, and it was determined that the first theories - that vegetation controlling chemicals were responsible, and that the American Mutual building at the head of the Lake caused air currents - were not the case; rather, the winds that accompanied the cold temperatures caused the water to remain in motion. At the time, it was common for alerts to be issued by the Town about skating conditions and for parents to call the Police of Fire Department to see if the Lake was safe. The Department of Public Works was also called in many times to plow sections of the Lake near the boat ramp at Veterans' Field, for skaters."
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"The Wakefield Real Estate and Building Association was listed as the owner of several properties in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The company owned the land between Chestnut and Murray Streets which was purchased for $15,000 by the Boston & Maine Railroad in 1888 to build a new station. The B&M started building its commodious structure in 1990; it was completed, and opened in 1890. In the background is North Avenue, formerly Railroad Avenue. It is interested to note the horse and buggies in front of the businesses and the Bank Building, near the center of the photo."
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"Bickford's Saw Mill was located on Vernon Street at the Lynnfield line."
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"Town Meeting voted in 1952 to build a new high school on Main Street next to the high school built in 1923. Wakefield Memorial High School opened in 1955 and was named to honor all those killed on the battlefield since the Civil War. The former high school, the Willard B. Atwell School, housed grades seven, eight and nine until the junior high school on Farm Street opened in December 1960 for grades seven and eight. The Willard B. Atwell building, which became part of the high school, was destroyed by fire in December 1971. Double sessions were held at Wakefield High School until a new high school was built on Farm Street in 1974. Wakefield Memorial High School was moved to Farm Street, and the junior high school, now the Galvin Middle School, moved to Main Street."
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"Ira Atkinson owned Atkinson's grocery and grain store located in the 1890s at 470 Main Street. According to an advertisement in the publication Representative Business Men of Wakefield, published in the late 1890s, Ira Atkinson opened the store in 1874. It also noted that the store was one of the 'oldest and most complete of its kind in Wakefield', and that Atkinson had three assistants. Atkinson dealt in 'groceries of all kinds, flour and grain, choice teas, coffees, spices, etc.', and was 'in a position to supply these commodities in any desired quantity and bottom prices to both large and small buyers.' The store occupied a space of 100' x 25' with a storeroom that enabled Atkinson to carry a large and complete stock of the items mentioned, 'together with others of minor importance.' The ad also boasted that Atkinson guaranteed everything he sold and 'always paid once hundred cents on the dollar'. Among the items sold was Butterine a name for margarine that was most often made from animal fat such as pork lard or beef tallow. When first introduced in England in 1869, it was called butterine until the late 1880s. The use of the word 'butterine' continued longer in America. Note the wooden barrels and scales throughout the store, as well as the grinder."
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"The Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department has operated from the North Avenue (formerly Railroad Avenue) plant, overlooking Lake Quannapowitt, since the town purchased the Citizens Gas and Light Company for $180,000 in 1894. The purchase included the land and buildings, as well as the equipment. The buildings also included a house for the Superintendent, as well as the barn. The site has undergone physical changes over the years, including repairs and additions to the building, the addition - and later the dismantling - of a gas holder, and the complete replacement of the original buildings on the site in 1951. The WMGLD expects to consolidate all operations at the North Avenue site in the next few years."
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"It is reported that the first Young Men's Christian Association in the United States was founded in 1851 by a group of evangelicals from several Boston churches who modeled it on the original YMCA established in London in 1844. This new organization offered a safe gathering place, opportunities for socializing, bible study classes and prayer meetings to young men who flocked to the cities during the industrial revolution. During the late 1870s and early 1880s, the Y's first physical education instructor, Robert J. Roberts, created the first fitness movement in American through his new exercise program for 'bodybuilding', a phrase he coined. Classes utilized exercise drills, wooden dumbbells, 'Indian Clubs', and heavy medicine balls, eventually leading to the introduction of basketball in at [sic] the Y's Springfield College in 1891, volleyball at the Holyoke YMCA in 1895, and racquetball in 1950. Roberts went on to start the Leaders Corps in 1884 to select and train physical education instructors. The YMCA's famous inverted red triangle symbolized the unity of 'body, mind, spirit.' The letters, YMCA across the logo, were added after 1917. The Wakefield YMCA was established on February 12, 1902. After the Emerson Shoe factory ceased operations in the early 1900s, the organization purchased the site at the corner of Main Street and Yale Avenue. The cornerstone was laid on September 16, 1908 and the building opened on April 7, 1909."
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"Charles Perkins sits atop the railroad bridge built to accommodate the South Reading Branch Railroad. The bridge was reported to have been built around 1854, although the charter for the railroad was granted to a group of 'promoters' in 1848. The group received permission to build a line from South Reading (Wakefield) to South Danvers (Peabody). The line started at the Wakefield Junction station on the Boston and Maine line, crossing over to the Centre [i.e. Center] Station on Water Street, and through the woods to what is now Salem Street, and into Lynnfield. The line opened in 1850 and provided a new, more direct and competitive route into Boston for those South Danvers passengers who rode the Eastern Railroad into East Boston and took a ferry into Boston. Eastern subsequently bought the line the following year, with the B&M taking it over in 1884. In 1869, eight daily passenger trains passed over the bridge. There were seven daily trains in 1893 and nine in 1919. Passenger service ended in 1926. A short portion of the railroad right of way near Montrose became part of Route 128."
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"What was to be a state-funded rebuilding of Main Street from the Rockery to Greenwood, and the removal of the streetcar rails in 1949, led to the laying of a new drainage system down the middle of Main Street. Crews discovered an old natural drainage system covered with capstone when a specialized trench digger began taking out the old rails. The Commonwealth stepped in and ordered that new 18" and 20" reinforced concrete pipes replace the existing drain in the downtown area. The street was to be open in both directions during the rebuilding, with work limited to the center of the wide street. The extensive work led to traffic being rerouted and one-way traffic from Albion Street southward. Temperatures during the rebuilding project soared into the 90s with no rain. As a result, the town's water levels were low. When the time came to 'puddle' the ditch, the water pumped from the old fire cistern below the ground at Main and Avon Street was not enough, leading the town to think creatively by running 2,500' of hose from the Lake, beginning at the the cement platform at the foot of Spaulding Street, across from the Common to the ditch on Main Street."
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"The country's first Independence Day celebration took place on July 4, 1777, and by the early 1800s, the traditions of parades, picnics, and fireworks were established as the way to celebrate. The Town of Wakefield has celebrated with activities centered on the Common or more than a century. Wakefield's early celebrations were generally scattered throughout the neighborhoods until the 1880s when townspeople could gather on the newly developed Common for part of the day to listen to band concerts on the 'pagoda', which was erected in 1885, play games and cast their rowboats and canoes off one of the many docks that lined the shores. The Common was beautified by funds bequeathed to the town by Cornelius Sweetser in 1883. Improvements included the bandstand/pagoda, grading, new gravel, concrete walks, and malls, new fences, drainage, and the addition of the rockery. Within three years of this photo, the third meetinghouse of the First Parish Congregational Church, in the center of the photo, was razed, in 1890, and rebuilt."
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"The Perkins block at the south corner of Main and Albion Streets was once owned by Capt. John Perkins of Lynnfield Centre. At the time of the Civil War, the southern portion of the building was removed to the corner of North Avenue and Avon Street, making room for the building at the left of the picture which once houses the Crystal Spa, Wilkinson Shoe and later, the Colonial Spa. Beasley's Variety Store, a kitchen furnishing and general variety store, was once of several businesses located in the building. Owner George Beasley of Reading relocated his store to North Avenue before 1940, making way for the First National market and grocery store, one of the first 'chain' stores in the area. Bonney & Dutton's 'Old Corner Drug Store' was first established in 1847 by Dr. Joseph D. Mansfield, a well-known practicing physician, and William H. Willis, on Main Street, opposite Avon Street. Dr. Mansfield purchased Willis' share of the business in 1855 and moved to Main and Albion Streets. At the time, the drug store was reported to be only the second such business between Boston and Haverhill, the other being in Malden. Josiah S. Bonney became a partner in 1885, and bought out Dr. Mansfield in 1892. He was the sole proprietor until pharmacist Riberot Dutton became a partner in 1906. He owned the store until his retirement in 1940. The upper floors were occupied by many businesses, including the photography studio of Charles F. Richardson whose work graces many old postcards and photos still in circulation. Others included photographer A.C. Saunders, the dental offices of Dr. Charles Magoon, and the Wakefield Bulletin. The Perkins Building was razed in late 1940."
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"The Bear Hill Golf Club was established in 1900, with the clubhouse built on Bear Hill, near the Reading line. Work on the clubhouse started in January 1901. It was designed by architects Hartwell, Richardson & Driver, who was an 'enthusiastic' club member, and built by Feindel & Brockbank. The club held a 'formal informal' dedication of the clubhouse in mid-April 1901, complete with a scratch tournament and a chafing dish supper. Club membership was limited to 100. The 1901 clubhouse on Hopkins Street was built with ample room for its 100 members and friends. The building measured 15' wide with an 8' ell, and 46' long, with a piazza (porch) that measured 10'6" wide and ran the entire length of the building. The 'open rustic' 7' x 4' deep fireplace was a unique feature of the building, as was the eyebrow window on the roof. By 1913, the club was said to be among the most active in town, with 125 members and a long waiting list. The men, it was noted, had the 2132-yard golf course to themselves, but many of the ladies took part in the tennis matches on the club's two courts. Everyone enjoyed 'the luncheon and regular Saturday evening supper at which the attendance was seldom less than 100.' To better accommodate its members, the club voted to move the club and purchase an additional lot of land, at the present site, in 1913."
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"This photograph was probably taken somewhere in the vicinity of Fairmount Avenue in the early 1900s. Although it is interesting to note the various architectural styles of the houses, it is even more interesting to note the buildings which grace the skyline, all of which are no longer standing. At the upper right of the picture stands St. Joseph's Church on Albion Street. In the center of the skyline is the spire of the Methodist Episcopal Church on Albion Street, east of the railroad tracks. Dedicated in 1874, the Methodist Church was built of Swiss timber construction adapted to 14th Century Gothic outline. The 130' spire was struck by lightning three times; in 1916, 1917 and 1926. The church's chimney crashed through the roof during the Hurricane of 1928, doing enough damage to weaken the structure of the building. The church building was condemned and razed on October 11, 1938. Just to the left of the Methodist Church in the picture was the Town Hall at the corner of Main and Water Streets. Built with funding from Cyrus Wakefield, and dedicated in 1871, the Town Hall served the community until a fire in the building in December 1950 left it unoccupied. The building was razed in October 1958. In the upper left is a billowing smoke stack at the Heywood Brothers & Wakefield Company rattan factory on Water Street. Founded by Cyrus Wakefield, the rattan factory relocated to South Reading (Wakefield) in 1855 on the Mill Rover. The Wakefield Rattan Company prospered over the years, eventually ceasing operations as the Heywood-Wakefield Company in 1930. A major fire destroyed all but three of the original buildings in 1972."
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"Built on land once occupied by the Solon Richardson mansion, the Richardson Building was home to Wakefield's Post Office from 1902 until 1924. As was the custom during the 1800s and early 1900s, the Richardson house was moved from its site facing Main Street to another locations at the corner of Richardson Avenue and Foster Street when the family's extensive land holdings were developed in the early 1900s. Erected in 1901, and occupied in early 1902, the building was home to several stores and businesses in addition to the post office. In announcing the building, Solon Richardson said the the building would be made of brick with a frontage of 138' on Main Street and 130' in the rear. It was originally designed to accommodate seven stores on the first floor, and 17 offices on the second floor. The building was constructed so that another two or three floors could be added in the future. The 1,100' post office was located in the corner storefront at Main Street and Richardson Avenue. With the introduction of rural free delivery of the mail during the late 1890s, the post office was busy, with mail carriers added frequently. A schedule published in the newspaper in 1901 indicated when areas could expect their mail delivery and the hours of the post office; on most days the post office was open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., with Sunday hours. In addition to handling the mail, longtime Postmaster Stanley Dearborn and his staff were directed by Postmaster General Hitchcock in 1911 to establish a postal savings bank in the Wakefield Office. According to written accounts, the chief purpose of the postal savings bank was to 'keep money earner by foreigners in the country and in circulation'. It was also noted that the 'foreigners had little confidence in the banks, but repose great trust in anything directed by the government and cities and towns.' The post office outgrew the building and moved to a new facility, now the WMGLD business office, in 1924."
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"The stately St. Joseph's Church was erected in several stages, beginning with the purchase of land on Albion Street in 1852 and concluding with the dedication of the church in 1890. According to a souvenir booklet published in 1890, Father Thomas H. Shahan of Malden purchased land on Albion Street in 1851 and built a church 100' from the railroad tracks, facing Albion Street. As the Catholic population grew, especially with the development of the rattan industry, South Reading was a mission of several parishes, including those located in Malden, Woburn, and Stoneham. It was in 1868, as a parish of Stoneham, that a lot of 30,000' of land on Albion Street was purchased, and a chapel, transept and the first nave section built at the corner of Albion and Murray Streets in 1870. In 1873, the church became a parochial dignity and 19,000' of land at the junction of Albion and Gould Streets was purchased from the Beebe family. Another lot was purchased on Murray Street in 1876 and the old church, which was built in 1851, was moved, becoming the Lyceum Hall, later used for many years as the church hall. The new church was moved further down Albion Street and turned to face the railroad. A rectory (at the left in the picture) was built at the corner of Murray and Albion Streets sometime around 1885. Between 1888 and when the church was dedicated on November 9, 1890, a basement was added to the new church, the nave was completed, lengthening the church by 75', the cruciform was built and crowned with a spire, and the cornerstone was laid in September 1889. Additional land was purchased in 1891 and 1892. The church was destroyed by fire on March 24, 1977. The present St, Joseph's Church was dedicated on June 27, 1890."
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"Taken on Cowdrey Hill on Prospect Street, this circa 1910 photo captures the ice cutting operations probably conducted by the Peoples Ice Company, which had six ice houses at Hall's Park at the upper left, opposite the WMGLD plant on North Avenue, and the Whipple & Morrill ice houses (later Porter-Milton) at the right in the photo, built on Hartshorne's Meadow. According to former historian Ruth Woodbury in a presentation to the Historical Society in the 1950s, more than $100,000 worth of ice was shipped out of town annually. Built in 1890 through a partnership between ice dealer John G. Morrill and Boston hotel owner J. Reed Whipple, the Whipple & Morrill ice-houses shipped much of its ice to Whipple's hotels: the Parker House, Young's and the Touraine. The photo also shows the WMGLD barn. In the foreground are houses along Prospect Street. Note the structures in the rear of the houses, which were probably outhouses."
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"Referred to as the 'Central Park' in the Descriptive Sketch of Wakefield, published in 1894, the Common was described as follows: 'The Central Park is most appropriately named, for it begins in the very heart of the town and extends along the eastern shore of Lake Quannapowitt for almost a mile. Of this beautiful sheet of water Mr. Sylvester Baxter has written 'Wakefield's lake, cherished and beautiful, plays an unusually important part in the life of the place. There is bathing in its waters, boating, canoeing and sailing on its surface in the summer; skating and ice-boating in the winter, besides band concerts, promenading and driving on its shores. The view up the lake deserves to rank among the notable park scenes in the country. There is a vista of something over a mile of sparkling blue water to the northward, where white-sailed yachts skim like swallows over the surface, and rowboats, and canoes glide gracefully about."
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Plaza Jazz is an annual program that runs throughout the summer months. Each week, on Thursdays from 6-8 pm, various musicians play a concert on the Main St. Plaza at the front of the library. Upwards of 70 people attend each event, every Thursday.
The band in this photo is The Adria Smith Trio.
Adria Smith has been playing professional jazz piano on the North Shore for 16 years since her Berklee days. The Adria Smith Trio, with Zach Bridges on bass, and Tony Bender on drums plays jazz standards from funky to original compositions.
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Plaza Jazz is an annual program that runs throughout the summer months. Each week, on Thursdays from 6-8 pm, various musicians play a concert on the Main St. Plaza at the front of the library. Upwards of 70 people attend each event, every Thursday.
The band in this photo is The Bengerstobal Trio.
The Bengerstobal String Trio, which plays world music, is composed of Bengisu Gokce on violin and vocals, Gerson Eguiguren on viola and vocals, and Cristobal Cruz Garcia on cello and vocals.
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"Lucius Beebe,immortalized in Wakefield history by the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, was active in the town, both politically and personally, for the 32 years he resided in the community. Born in Hebron, Connecticut on March 2, 1810, Lucius Beebe set off at the age of 15 to seek his fortune in his uncle's flannel factory. The factory soon folded and he later went to work as an apprentice at the Yantic Factory in Norwich, Connecticut. At the age of 18, he took charge of one of the departments, a position he held until he and his four brothers opened a store in New Orleans, shipping goods from the New England area for sale at the store. Business was brisk in all sorts of commodities and, after a short time, the brothers opened an office in Boston for the sale of cotton and for the purchase of merchandise for the New Orleans store. He eventually setlled in Cambridge in 1844 and later moved to Melrose in 1851. In 1852 he settled in South Reading on the eastern shores of Lake Quannapowitt at the estate on Main Street known as the Beebe Farm. It was there that he and his wife Sylenda settled to raise their growing family of 12 children, nine of which survived to reach adulthood. At this time, he was a highly respected businessman in Boston, New York, and New Orleans. He immediately settled into his adoptive town, working in various organizations and holding several offices in the town. He was a Trustee for the public library from the time of its formation in 1856. In 1868 the library was renamed Beebe Town Library of Wakefield in his honor, as he was a major contributor, both in terms of financial contributions and his influence in its support. He was a member of the School Board, serving as its Chairman for several of those years. He was a Selectman and served as Trustee of the Wakefield Savings Bank, President of the National Bank of South Reading, President of the Real Estate and Building Association and served as a Justice of the Peace. Mr. Beebe was Chairman of the Hamilton School Building Committee and was a Co; Captions: 1. The Lucius Beebe Memorial Library in 1929. -- 2. Lucius Beebe was one of several influential Wakefield citizens on the Board of Directors of the South Reading Bank. (Standing left to right) Cyrus Wakefield and George O. Carpenter. (Seated, left to right) Samuel Gardner, Lucius Beebe, Thomas Emerson, Lilley Eaton, and Edward Mansfield.
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"The new Woodville School building opened its doors on September 8, 1920 on an extension of the 'old' lot, immediately to the rear of the former school building. The school was built in the center of the grounds which were reported to be between two to three acres. Its first principal was George E. Hayes of Marlboro, a graduate of Bridgewater Normal School. He also took 'special courses' at Boston University. The exterior of the building was made of red brick and granite trim, with three entrances. The porches were equipped with wrought-iron gates that were closed when school was not in session. The building was 'thoroughly modern' in every aspect, with electricity throughout, and more light in the school than in any other building in town. There were six classrooms to hold approximately 250 students in seven grades. One of the most attractive features and 'valuable provisions' of the building was the assembly hall to the right of the main entrance that was intended to host community/neighborhood activities. It had a spacious stage, portable footlights, connections for a stereopticon, and a trap door in the ceiling for a moving picture machine. The first floor contained the assembly hall, kitchen suite, principal's office, three classrooms, and lavatories the second floor held three classrooms, a library for reference and reading, a storeroom for books and supplies, an 'attractive' teachers' room, and an emergency room. A section of the roof was lower than the general roof to allow for the creation of an 'open air' classroom for children whose 'health indicated the need for this type of classroom.' The basement housed the modern furnace room, coal bins, lavatories for boys and girls, and separate playrooms for boys and girls, accessible from the outside, independent of the entrances to the buildings. After the passage of Proposition 2 1/2, the Woodville School was closed in the early 1980s, later opening as an alternative high school. The Woodville was rebuilt and opened as an elementary school in
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"The Woodville Chapel on Farm Street was dedicated on February 16, 1896 under the auspices of the Massachusetts Baptist Sunday School Association. The 24' x 30' building had a seating capacity of 'little more' than 125 people. During the dedication ceremonies, the chapel was completely filled with an 'interested' congregation, many of whom were from out of town. The two-hour afternoon ceremony included singing by a Wakefield male quartet, the presentation of keys to Stephen Moore, President of the Massachusetts Baptist Society Sunday School Association, and remarks from invited local officials. A 'social' service was held later that evening, with singing and a 'brief address'. The Woodville chapel closed in 1939 and is now a private home." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Winship Mansion, also known as the Winship estate, was home to Charles Newell Winship, who along with Elizabeth E. Boit formed a partnership under the firm name of Winship, Boit & Company. In 1888, the two established the Harvard Knitting Mills in Cambridgeport, relocating to Wakefield's Taylor Block in 1889, and later to Albion Street. A native of Needham, Charles Winship lived on Pleasant Street before building the spacious home on Jordan Avenue in the early 1900s. The estate overlooked much of the town, particularly the Harvard Knitting Mills. In 1922, he purchased 12 acres of surrounding land which he developed. The development, comprised of Newell Road, Walter Avenue and Fox Road, was known at the time as Winship Manor. After his death in 1946, his family sold the 9.1 acre estate to the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth in early 1947. The estate was used as a convent which housed more than 40 Sisters of Nazareth. An academy was later built on the convent grounds. The convent and its grounds were sold in 1978 to a developer who built single family residences." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Wakefield is fortunate to have another 'Mr. Wakefield,' a man who has played an active role in the town throughout the 20th century. William J. Lee, one of Wakefield's most prominent citizens has earned a reputation as both a successful lawyer and a friend to the community. A resident of Wakefield since the age of three, Attorney Lee attended the Warren and Hamilton Schools and graduated from Wakefield High School in 1919. He earned his baccalaureate degree from Fordham University and graduated from Boston University School of Law in 1930. After graduation he was admitted to the Massachusetts and Federal bars. In 1942, Mr. Lee graduated from the Naval Training School in Dartmouth and was commissioned a Lieutenant Commander in the Naval Reserve. He subsequently served aboard the USS Lexington in the Pacific Theatre of Operations. After returning to civilian life and Wakefield, Attorney Lee became actively involved in the community, serving as a member of the School Committee and later as Chairman. He was also a Trustee of the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, Town Moderator and Town Counsel. His involvement was not limited to elected office - he was one of the original founders of the Citizens' Scholarship Foundation in Wakefield and served as an active member of the Wakefield Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Chamber of Commerce, the West Side Social Club, St. Joseph's Church, the Wakefield Trust Company, the Wakefield Saving Bank and the First District Eastern Middlesex Bar Association. Throughout the years he was honored by numerous organizations for his unselfish contributions to Wakefield. William J. Lee passed away on October 24, 1988. Prior to her death in 1985 at the age of 82, many townspeople, young and old alike, were fortunate to hear the history of Reading, South Reading and Wakefield from Ruth Woodbury, Wakefield's Honorary Town Historian. A descendant of five of the town's first settlers, Miss Woodbury was well known for her knowledge of Wakefield history. She was a frequent lecturer and guest speaker at various schools, clubs and organizational meetings over the years and was an active member of the Wakefield Historical Society, holding several offices in the organization. In addition to her involvement in the Historical Society, she was a member of the Wakefield Planning Board for 29 years, the Wakefield Garden Club and the Hartshorne House Association. She was a member of numerous town committees including the Hall Park Commitee, a salary study commitee under the School Committee, the Elementary School Building Committee and the School Building Needs Survey Committee. To honor her years of service to the community, the Board of Selectmen appointed Miss Woodbury the Honorary Town Historian in 1976 during the nation's bicentennial celebration. The 1974 Annual Report was also dedicated to Miss Woodbury in recognition of her outstanding talent and service to the town." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Owned by Fred I. Wilkins, Wilkins Shoe Store was located at 443 Main Street at the site of the homestead of Samuel Wiley, and one of three parts of the Quannpowitt House later moved to the corner of Avon Street and North Avenue. Prior to Wilkins, the building had been owned by Greeley Merrill and Richard Britton. Wilkins was proprietor of the Britton Shoe Store before he became owner of the establishment in the early 1900s. A sign on the right side of the building notes 'Established in 1875.' Newspaper advertisements of 1910 proclaimed '40 years - Home of Good Shoes.' The building was later purchased by Charles J. Klapes of the Colonial Spa. Fred I. Wilkins placed the fund-raising clock for the Melrose Hospital Association during its $100,000 inter-city fundraising campaign in 1912 to build a new 75-bed hospital at the corner of Lebanon and Porter Streets in that city. A vigorous nine-day fundraising campaign that began on March 23, 1912 raised over $126,243. The hospital moved into its new home in May 1913. Wakefield's efforts to build its own hospital began with the creation of the Wakefield Hospital Association in 1929. Lloyd Thayer and Junius Beebe purchased a 12-acre tract of land on Hopkins Street from Bear Hill Associates with the intention of working with Reading (which had a $150,000 grant to build a hospital) to erect two 30-unit hospital buildings on the site, half in Reading, half in Wakefield. After several public meetings, definite plans for the hospital never materialized." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Wiley's Boathouse was built at the end of Spaulding Street in 1872, facing west in Hartshorne's cove. Many years later, in 1887, Will Wiley built another boathouse at the end of Lake Avenue right on the shores of Lake Quannapowitt. This single-story boathouse was used by casual boating enthusiasts as well as members of the Quannapowitt Yacht Club who had their own pier at the Spaulding Street boathouse. In 1912, Will Wiley added a second story dance hall. Although it is reported that Will died during the construction of the second story, his widow took over the business and turned it into one of the area's most popular dancing spots. Wiley's Boathouse became Hill's Boathouse, when Gertrude and Harold Hill bought it in 1923. Throughout the years, Hill's remained among the most popular dance halls. The property was purchased by the Town of Wakefield after a Town Meeting vote in October 1963. The boathouse was razed in August 1964." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Under the direction of Adjt. G.H.S. Driver, the Grand Army Veterans marched in a welcome home parade for returning veterans of the World War. An estimated 10-15,000 people 'paid loyal and heartfelt thanks to the sturdy lads who served from the town.' The Monday afternoon parade featured over 500 veterans among the ranks of 4,000 men, women and children who stepped off promptly at 2 p.m. The parade route traveled from the armory on Main Street to Chestnut Street to North Avenue, to Yale Ave to Main at the Rockery, up Park Street to Pleasant Street to Salem Street to the bandstand. The school children joined the parade on Yale Avenue at Main Street. It was the biggest and best parade Wakefield ever saw and was said to far surpass any other welcome home processions in larger cities. Following the parade and ceremony, a banquet for veterans and invited guests was held at the armory. Following the banquet, the Princess Theatre provided entertainment for veterans only who were treated to six vaudeville acts and Charlie Chaplin and Fatty Arbuckle moving pictures. A ball for veterans and ladies was held the following evening." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Veterans of the Grand Army celebrated with more than 10,000 townspeople as they paid tribute to the soldiers of World War I during the Welcome Home Day festivities. The town was resplendent in its decorations with all public buildings 'bright with the national colors in streamers and festoons.' A parade to honor the WWI veterans was held with more than 4000 men, women and children joining in the line of march. The marching units were comprised of veterans, the semi-military, war-work, fraternal organizations and school children. Uniformed organizations were in full regalia. The Grand Army veterans were considered to be the 'most impressive feature of the parade, aside from the service men themselves.' Under the leadership of Adjt. G.H.S. Driver, many of these veterans 'marched sturdily over the route...other members who were unable to march rode in automobiles.' A ceremony was held on the Common, followed by a banquet at the armory." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"This picture, taken sometime around 1901, shows the L.B. Evans Son shoe factory (at left), Ira Atkinson's grocery store, the Cutler Bros.' grocery and grain store (at the center of the picture) and the Miller Piano Factory (at right). The street railway tracks are also visible. L.B. Evans Son shoe-making business moved from Salem Street to Water Street in 1894, requiring the relocation of the Episcopal Church building. In its place, Harvey B. Evans built a three-story building near the Center Depot which employed approximately 100 men and women. There were many additions and renovations made to the building over the years, the last one being in 1968. Business eventually slowed in the 1890s , leading to its closing in 1987. The Henry F. Miller & Sons Piano Company moved to Wakefield from Washington Street in Boston in 1884 into a building behind the old Town Hall. The factory building was built by Cyrus Wakefield in the early 1870s. The company manufactured its pianos in Wakefield from 1884 to 1932 the pianos were sold in 'warerooms' in Boston, Philadelphia and Cincinnati. The impressive brick building was razed in 1960 to make way for the Surety Bank and Trust Company. Ira Atkinson's Grocery Store was located at 470 Main Street in 1894, according to the Business History of Wakefield. It was founded in 1874 and supplied 'groceries of all kinds, flour and grain, choice teas, coffee and spices, etc.' The Cutler Bros.' grocery and grain store was established by Nathaniel and David Cutler in the Wakefield Block on Main Street in 1876. It was called 'one of the finest and best equipped modern grocery stores in this part of Massachusetts.' Business was so good that the brothers purchased a lot of land on the southwest corner of Main and Water Street in 1891 where they built a three-story building with a floor area of 28,000 sq. ft. The building was destroyed by fire in 1911." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"This view of Water Street from Cyrus Street looking west toward Wakefield Square shows the construction of the building at the corner of Columbia Road. According to the 1913 Town Report, Wakefield was growing rapidly with new construction throughout the Town. As a result, Town Meeting voted to create the position of Building Inspector on May 5, 1913. The Building Inspector reported two building permits issued from July 16 to December 1, 1914. The number of permits issued in 1915 increased to 53 by year's end. To accommodate the new construction and the increasing number of customers, the gas and light department was also busy, installing a gas main along Water Street to Farm Street, as well as the side streets. The street railway also traveled along Water Street from the car barns and power house at the intersection of Valley and Melvin Streets. The WMGLD was also working with the street railway to make the pole lines safer and more stable. This resulted in all utilities sharing the poles." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"In March and April, 1927, Town Meeting voted to build a water filtration plant at Crystal Lake. The project began on July 5th, 1927 with A.P. Rounds of Stoneham winning the contract with his low bid of $104,406. In all, 11 contractors submitted bids, the highest being $191,321. The project was so significant that tours were conducted throughout the first week, during the day, night and on the weekend when it was completed in February, 1928. The gates were open on February 9th, 1928, marking the completion of the project. The two filtered water basins had a capacity of 404,972 gallons. Water from Crystal Lake was taken in through pipes to a 10" main, to the low-lift pumping apparatus, then pumped from the station to the aerators. The two aerators were 5' high, 44' long and 28' wide, with 70, 2" pipes with brass nozzles, each of which contained 27 small holes through which water poured in a thin mist. Newspaper reports indicated that contact with the air 'tends to purify the water and relieve it of any unpleasant vegetable odor, which people in some sections of town believed they experienced in years gone by, especially during the warm summer months.' The water was pumped from the lake to the aerators and filters by the two low-lift pumps, and to the mains by the two high-lift pumps. Each of the station's pumps was capable of pumping 2.5 million gallons of water every 24-hours, or around 1,750 gallons every minute. The filter beds had a foundation of 7" of course [sic] ground stone, 2" of screened gravel, and topped with 3" of pure white, specially selected beach sand. Engineers from Weston & Sampson found the 3,500 tons of sand in 40' of water off Plum Island and Ipswich. The sand was transported from off Plum Island to Boston in barges, where it traveled by rail and truck to the station. The short stretch of beach directly in front of the station was eliminated and replaced with a seawall, the materials for which were taken from pavements on Water Street, near the Heywood Wakefield plant and in Greenwood near the Greenwood School. A 646,000 gallon standpipe was erected on Harts Hill, linked to the station by a 16" main which in turn joined a 12" main at the corner of Main and Green Streets. A second 550,000-gallon standpipe with a 12" cement-lined main linked the station to Stoneham. Both had the same water levels, rising and falling at the same speed and frequency." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Wakefield Chamber of Commerce and several other local organizations sponsored a Water Carnival on Lake Quannpowitt which attracted 20,000 to 30,000 spectators. Crowds lined the shores of the lake and many others sat comfortably in cars along Main Street to watch the events which began with swimming races at 1:30 p.m. and ended with fireworks and the singing of 'Auld Lang Syne' at 10:30 p.m. The weather was ideal for a day at the Lake, although the sailboat races were postponed due to a lack of a 'sufficient' breeze. The day's schedule also included a diving exhibition, a canoe tilting contest, exhibitions by the Riverview Canoe Club and the Sea Scouts, a twilight regatta, a war canoe race (with six five-man canoes), a concert by St. Joseph's Band and the grand community chorus, the selection of a carnival queen, an illuminated diving exhibition by the Boston Swimming Club, a float parade, and an aerial fireworks display which was set off from a diving raft in the lake. The Veterans of Foreign Wars also sponsored a Carnival Ball at the ballroom. Among the highlights of the carnival was the entrance of the Wakefield Red Men who marched in full uniform down Main Street to the common, paddled their canoes down the lake, and performed a war dance near their teepee which was erected on the shore." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Warren School was built in 1895, one of six schools built in Wakefield between 1883 and 1902 to accommodate the increasing number of new residents and their children. Previously, the school children attended one of four district schools which were approved by the school committee in 1844: the West Ward School (on Prospect Street), the North Ward School (on Cordis Street), the East Ward School (on Salem Street near Lowell Street) and the South Ward School (in Greenwood, south of the Meriam Street bridge). The Hamilton School (now the site of a parking lot on Albion Street at Lake Street) was built in 1883, followed soon after by the Lincoln School (1892), Warren (1895), Greenwood (1896), Hurd (1899), and Franklin (1902). Three other schools were built within the next two decades: Montrose (1918), Woodville (1920) and St. Joseph's (1924). The Warren School was named in honor of Horace M. Warren, a resident who served with the Richardson Light Guard (and later with the 20th Regiment) in the Civil War. He was wounded in the Battle of Ball's Bluff and went on to serve in the siege of Port Hudson, later succumbing to injuries sustained in a battle outside Pittsburgh. On the day of his funeral, local stores were closed, school was suspended and flags were flown at half-staff. In 1867, the GAR post was named in his honor. His dedication to his country was remembered nearly 30 years later when Town Meeting members rejected the School Committee's recommended name for the school (Highland) and voted instead to name the new school as the H.M. Warren School." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The French-roof house, once owned by the Honorable Daniel G. Walton and the Honorable Thomas Winship, was offered for sale in October 1914. Arthur G. Walton, who had purchased the interest of the Winship and Walton heirs, planned to keep the land to build a one-story, seven-business brick block on the site. He entered into an agreement with contractor/real estate agent William Prescott to sell only the house, which was to be removed by the new owners. The Selectmen intervened and decided it was impractical to move the house to any of the three sites selected by the potential owners on North Avenue and West Water Street, 26 Chestnut Street, or 70 Elm Street. The eventual buyer, Selectman Nathaniel Cutler, and his son Fred moved the house in sections to the fomer site of the North Avenue ball field. The site for the new stores was excavated by contractor Charles Doyle who removed the soil to fill in low land owned by Arthur Walton on Gould Street. The building plans included a store on the corner, four stores on North Avenue, and two on Chestnut Street. The new building was helping make North Avenue 'quite the business thoroughfare' and was in keeping with the growth of the town." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"Walsh's Diner was located at the corner of Main and West Water Streets, on what is now the parking lot of Eastern Bank. It opened in the Fall of 1936, and remained in operation until June, 1950 when a larger diner was built on the back of the site, facing Main Street. Walsh's Dinner [i.e. Diner] was sold by Joseph Walsh to the Gillis family who moved the diner to Newburyport, where it became Gillis' Diner. It remained open until it was destroyed by fire in the mid-1960's. Wakefield residents frequented the diner 'for a bite that's right, day or night'." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Volunteer Hose Company participated in the 250th Anniversary Parade as part of the Third Division. They were joined in the division by the Eighth Regiment Band of Salem Marshal Levi Flanders and staff the Steamer Lucius Beebe, No. 1 and hose wagon Washington Hook and Ladder (with apparatus), Carter Hose Company, Melrose, Drum, Fife and Bugle Corps, Greenwood Hose Company Wakefield Veteran Firemen's Association and the old Yale engine, as well as Chief Engineers from several surrounding communities. The parade participants posed for this picture 'a day or two later.' Among the members of the Volunteer Hose Company were: (front row, left to right) Billy Hamilton, Fred Simonds and Elmo Hines. (second row, left to right) Harry Simonds, Charles Pope, Frank Cade, Al Cate, Ben Flockton, Bob Boyd, Billy Hanley, and Andy Parker. (third row, left to right) Van Wagner, Charles Hanscam, Ernest Heywood, Byron Foster, Lee Tupper, Frank Godfrey, Alstead Brownwell, and Bob Singer. (fourth row, left to right) Toby Porter, John Brewer, Arthur Abbott, Charles Parker, Crozier Latimer and Arthur LaMonte. Six-year-old Fred Simonds had the honor of riding on the hose carriage during the parade." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Since the mid-1800s, Wakefield has been a residential suburb within commuting distance to Boston. In 1845 when the Boston & Maine railroad completed its Boston to Wilmington line, the community and its appeal grew by leaps and bounds. Because of its proximity to Boston, Wakefield has attracted a mix of industry and new citizens throughout the past century. One of Wakefield's major contributions came from the rattan and reed industry founded by Cyrus Wakefield. As a young boy, Mr. Wakefield found he could turn the useless rattan thrown overboard by stevedores into useful products for everyday use. He began making furniture, mats, floor coverings, baling cloth and baskets from the rattan. As the interest in his products grew, Mr. Wakefield purchased homes and land in the center of South Reading and later bought a mill site on the Mill River. The railroad itself brought a number of industries to the town. Ice houses were opened on the banks of Lake Quannapowitt and ice from the lake was shipped to Boston on the trains. Foundries were opened along the railroad line and the shoe industry, an important part of Wakefield's rich history, played an enormous role in the community's population growth. Other larger industries included a knitting mill and a piano factory. When these industries closed shop, other companies moved into town. The buildings vacated when the rattan industry stopped production were quickly occupied by other industries. New industries also cropped up in the mid 1990s when Rte. 128, now known as Technology Highway, was created. Today, corporate headquarters for major industries are located throughout the town, and scores of commuters travel in and out of the community each day. Wakefield has become a vital asset in the Commonwealth's economy." -- Text from calendar.;Captions: 1. The bandstand in Wakefield Park, better known as the Common. -- 2. The Wakefield Rockery.
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"The citizens of Wakefield voted in 1893 to purchase the land, buildings and equipment of the Citizen's Gas and Light Company. The company was the predecessor of the Wakefield Municipal Light Department." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 1993
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Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 1995
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"This view of the town of Wakefield was taken from Curve Street in 1894. Among the landmarks and buildings which can be seen are the Col. James Hartshorne House on Church Street, First Baptist Church, Unitarian Universalist Church, Lincoln School, the Wakefield Rattan Company chimney, the Wakefield Town Hall, and the Methodist Church (which was then located on Albion Street.)" -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Wakefield has always had 'common lands' since the first division of land among the early settlers. A special committee was selected to lay out the 'ways and watering places' through the Common in 1727, and a vote was taken in 1741 that required that land remain unfenced and that parish land 'never be disposed of for any other use whatsoever, without the consent of every freeholder in the parish.' The Town made a large purchase of land between the 'old Common' and Lake Quannapowitt in 1871, and, in 1883, the towsnpeople accepted a $10,000 gift from the will of Cornelius Sweetser which was to be 'used and expended in furnishing and beautifying a public park.' A Board of Park Commissioners was selected in 1884, and under their supervision, two lots of land were purchased, the park was graded, new concrete sidewalks were added, a mall was laid out, and a new music pavilion 'of unique and elaborate design' was constructed. In the background of the picture (from left) stands the Third Meeting House of the First Parish (razed in 1890), icehouses and private homes, the Park Music Pavilion (referred to as the Pagoda, now the Bandstand, built in 1885), and the Church Street Fire Engine House that was in use on the lower Common until 1891." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"When the Wakefield Trust Company building at the corner of Main and Chestnut Streets was dedicated in December 1924, it was heralded as having all the modern conveniences, including vaults and electric protective systems. More than 5,000 people marveled at the 'architectural beauty' of the rooms and offices as they toured the bank building during the Saturday afternoon and evening open house. Cigars were in abundance for the men while more than 1,000 rosebuds were given to the women. Organized as a State Bank in 1854, the bank became the National Bank of South Reading in 1865, and the Wakefield National Bank in 1902, the same year that the bank built a building on the opposite corner with the Wakefield Savings Bank, (now The Savings Bank). The bank became the Wakefield Trust Company in 1916." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"The first Reading Board of Selectmen was created in 1647, consisting of seven men who were assigned the task of overseeing the settlement and creating the modified, democratic government of the 1600s. The first Reading Board consisted of: Robert Dunton (1647, 1649) Francis Smith (1647, 1649) William Cowdrey (1647 to 1680, excluding 1659 and 1661) Thomas Marshall (1647-1652 and 1654) Henry Felch (1647-1648 and 1651) William Martin (1647-1848 and 1651) Richard Walker (1647-1650 and 1653). It was these first Selectmen who were charged with running the Town Meeting, a meeting which, if not attended by all the men, would punish and fine all those who did not attend. Meetings were held in the early morning, unlike those of today, which are held at night. In 1812, the town of Reading was officially divided and the area now known as Wakefield took the name of South Reading. The first Board of Selectmen for the town of South Reading included: James Gould (1812) Benjamin Badger (1812, 1814) and John Gould (1812-1820). It was during this time that the differences between the First parish (Wakefield) and the Second and Third Parishes could no longer be resolved and a division was approved after 168 years of unity. In 1868 the town of South Reading, whose citizens were contemplating changing their name, decided to honor one of its most influential and active citizens, Cyrus Wakefield, by changing its name to the town of Wakefield. The change was made on July 4th, 1868 and overseeing the change were Selectmen James Oliver, James P. Mansfield, and Richard Britton. Throughout its history as Reading, South Reading and Wakefield, the town has been ably served by hundreds of men and women who have been selected or elected to the Board of Selectmen. Among its ranks have been several generations of Cowdreys, Eatons, Hartshornes, Flints, Parkers and Emersons and individuals like Lucius Beebe. The position of Town Clerk is the oldest of town-elected offices. The first Town Clerk was William Cowdrey who was elected in 1644 an;Captions: 1. The 1902 Board of Selectmen: (left to right) John Maloney Col. E.J. Gihon George M. Tompson E.K. Bowser, Esq. Thomas O'COnnell Charles E. Walton, Clerk and Albert Flint, Town Treasurer. -- 2. The 1949 Board of Selectmen and associated town officers: (standing, left to right) Harry Marshall, John Preston, Harry Denning, Police Chief John Gates, and Charles Cox. (seated, left to right) Burt Whitcomb, William Lindsay, Raymond Dower, Philip Flanders, and William Dill.
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"Cyrus Wakefield, for whom the Town is named, generously donated land and money to build a Town Hall and a fitting monument to South Reading soldiers. Because of his generosity and his service to the community, the Town changed its name from South Reading to Wakefield on July 4th, 1868. The Town Hall was completed and deeded to the Town on February 22, 1871. It was described in 1885 as 'ranking first in beauty, as well as in seating and stage accommodations. The seating capacity is 1164 divided as follows: floor 704, and galleries, 460. Memorial Hall, situated in the northeast corner of the same building, on the first floor, is handsomely and appropriately furnished. This hall contains marble tablets, encased in a black walnut finish, on which are inscribed the names of those honored soldiers of Wakefield who died victims of the Great Rebellion.' As pictured in 1893, the Town Hall was adorned with flags and buntings on the 25th anniversary of the changing of the Town's name, as were most public buildings. The Town Hall was demolished in 1958 after a fire occurred in December, 1950." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"In 1867, Cyrus Wakefield presented a donation of $30,000 and a building lot to the town to build a soldiers memorial hall. As a result, the Wakefield Town Hall was built at the corner of Main and Water Streets and was officially dedicated on February 22, 1871. The Town Hall was destroyed by fire and was subsequently razed in 1958." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"During the 1930's, there were a number of movies for Wakefield residents to see, and two theaters from which to choose - the Wakefield Theatre at the corner of Main and West Water Streets, and the Princess Theatre on Princess Street. The Wakefield Theatre Building was built in 1915 and was originally referred to as the Appleton Building after the builder, H.A. Appleton. In 1916, the Wakefield Theatre opened its doors for business and boasted of having the first cushioned seats in town. Charles W. Hodgdon, owner of the Princess Theatre, was also owner of the Wakefield Theatre. The marquee on the front of the building was added, with lights, in March 1930. Several new movies were introduced each week, and matinees for children were available until 5 p.m. Children under 12 who arrived before 1:30 p.m. paid a $.10 admission fee. Matinee prices were $.25 for adults and $.15 for children evening prices were $.35 for adults and $.25 for children accompanied by their parents. Continuous performances ran from 1:30 to 10:30 p.m. In addition to the theatre, the building was occupied by A.C. Verge Real Estate and Insurance, W.T. Grant, Thom McCann, Cataldo's Pharmacy, and Schreider's Apparel Shop (on the corner, at left). The second floor offices were occupied by several organizations and businesses over the years, including the American Legion, Spanish War Veterans and, in the 1940s, the John Hancock Life Insurance Company. The building was plagued by several fires throughout the years, including one on March 25, 1971, which gutted the second floor offices." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The 1915 Appleton Building (named for the builder H.A. Appleton of Boston) housed the Wakefield Theatre, W.T. Grant Co. department store, Cataldos Pharmacy and Thom McAn shoe store. W.T. Grant moved into the building in August 1929 in a storefront previously occupied by three stores. A number of offices, business establishments, the Appleton Hall, and the social rooms of the American Legion and the Spanish War Veterans were located on the second floor. The Wakefield Theatre opened for business in January 1916 in the building owned by Samual Singer. Within 14 months, Princess Theatre owner Charles W. Hodgdon leased the Wakefield Theatre and remained as the owner for decades. The Wakefield Theatre Block had many fires throughout the years, the last one destroying the building in 1972. The Town Hall, at the right of the photo, was razed in October 1958." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"For over 50 years, the Wakefield Theatre provided hours and hours of entertainment to Wakefield area residents and their family members, long before VCRs were ever imagined. Nestled in the Appleton Building (named for the builder H.A. Appleton of Boston) at the corner of Main and West Water Streets, the Wakefield Theatre was the principal feature when the block was built in 1915 and became the second movie house in the town. The building itself was owned by Samuel Singer of Boston and Brookline, one of the town's largest real estate holders. Throughout the years, the Wakefield Theatre Block, as it became known, was the home to many businesses and stores: W.T. Grant, Schreider's Apparel Shop, Crystal Market, Princess Beauty Shop, Thom McAns, Cataldo Pharmacy, Diskay Department Store, the offices of James J. Curley, Nute's Dry Goods Store, the Shoe Horn and was the headquarters of the Corp. Harry Nelson American Legion Post. Several others came and went over the years. The Wakefield Theatre was the only enterprise to stay in business from the time it was built in 1915 until the building was razed in 1972. The theatre did, however, change to the Wakefield Cinema when it was sold in 1967 by longtime owner Charles W. Hodgdon. Hodgdon was Wakefield's 'movie man', having owned both the Wakefield and Princess Theatres. The Wakefield Cinema was officially closed in August 1972 and 'The Concert for Bangladesh' had the honor of being the last film to be played at the theatre." -- Text from calendar.;Captions: 1. 1931 movie goers were treated to a Silvia Sidney and Robert Cogan movie, while the bottom marquee heralds an upcoming Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. movie. -- 2. In 1940 the trolley tracks were gone and the cars were a little sportier, but the Wakefield Theatre still remained. -- 3. This pre-1930 photo of the Wakefield Theatre shows the building without the marquee. -- 4. Today the Appleton Building is long gone but the Wakefield Theatre has been memorialized in the name 'The Olde Theatre Block.'
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"Downtown Wakefield is illuminated for the Christmas holidays in this photo taken sometime in the early 1940s. The one-story building at the left of the photo was built in 1939, and the building on the same block, near the center of the photo, was built soon after. This latter building housed Smith's Drug Store and the Cubby Hole (Stationery). Further down the street another one-story building was built around the same time at the site of the old Walton (Odd Fellows) Building." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 1989
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"Wakefield Square as it looked in 1904, complete with an electric street railway. The picture was taken facing South from Chestnut Street." -- Text from calendar.
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"The bank building on the northwest corner of Main and Chestnut Streets was built in 1902 by both the Wakefield Savings Bank and the Wakefield National Bank. The site was formerly the John Raynor homestead which was built in 1775 and eventually torn down to make way for a new home for Daniel Norcross. The house was destroyed by fire in 1857, and eventually the land was occupied by Mrs. Hannah S. Brown. The First National Bank bought the land in 1900. Both banks occupied the building until 1924. The Wakefield National Bank, incorporated as the South Reading Mechanical and Agricultural Institution in 1833, was organized as a state bank, the South Reading Bank, in 1854. It was reorganized as the National Bank of South Reading in 1865 and changed its name to the Wakefield National Bank in 1902 and to the Wakefield Trust Company in 1916. The bank moved to the adjacent corner of Main and Chestnut Streets in 1924 when a new building was completed under the direction of President Junius Beebe. The Wakefield Savings Bank, now The Savings Bank, received its charter from the Commonwealth on May 26, 1869. Cyrus Wakefield was elected as the bank's first president and its offices were shared with the Wakefield Real Estate & Building Association in the Brown Building. The bank later moved to the Wakefield Block (the Taylor Building) and the Flannery Block (the Odd Fellows Building) until the new building was erecetd in 1902. In 1924 when the Wakefield Trust Company moved across Chestnut Street, the Wakefield Savings Bank acquired the whole building and shared its space with the Wakefield Municipal Light Department. The building underwent extensive renovations in 1939." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"As part of the $10,000 bequest from Cornelius Sweetser and an additional $10,000 raised by townspeople, a parks beautification program was instituted which resulted in the Bandstand, the Common as we know it, and the Rockery. A parks commission was also elected by Town Meeting in 1883 to oversee the project. Now one of Wakefield's most notable landmarks, the Rockery was originally the subject of much ridicule when it was first proposed in 1883 and erected in 1884. The original idea for the grotto-like structure came from Park Commissioner Captain James H. Carter, a neighbor of the site. It was his idea to pile the large rocks into a pyramid, surrounded by ivy, shrubbery and a fountain which cascaded into the basin below. A stately elm tree stood on the Rockery in front of the basin. In 1909, the Historical Society and private subscribers erected a tablet at the front of the Rockery, facing the downtown area. This tablet was moved in 1926 when the Rockery was redesigned to accommodate the Hiker Monument and the three stairs which lead to the Spanish War monument. The tablet is now behind the Rockery, facing the upper Common." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Local resident John Roberto established the Wakefield Redskins semi-professional football team in 1961 as part of the New England Football Conference which included teams from Quincy, Haverhill, Lynn and Framingham. A contest to name the club was held in July 1961 with several entrants submitting the winning name. Prizes included a season pass to the five home games and a gift certificate to Steve's Deli. Although the team was initially denied the use of Walton Field, General Manager Roberto eventually received approval to rent the field for home games. During its first year, the team was coached by Saugus High School Athletic Director, John 'Tex' Scarborough of Lynn. The games attracted crowds of up to 1,100 fans, with an admission price of $1 for adults and 50 cents for children. Team expenses included the rental of lights for the field, payment for the officials, cost of footballs, and a stipend for opposing teams. In 1962, Wakefield High School teacher, Dom DiGiammarino, coached the Redskins. The opening game against Whitman was 'Kids Pony Night,' It was reported that 2,500 children attended the game with 1,000 paying adults. Although attendance during the season was estimated to be 2,200 per game, gate receipts indicated there were many fence-hoppers among them. The Wakefield Redskins ended the 1962 season with a 3-3-0 conference record. Although 20 players reported for practice at Nasella field in the summer of 1963 and a Redskins Boosters Club was in place, the team was disbanded. Wakefield's other semi-professional sports team is the Merchants, established in 1962 as part of the Carling Intercity League by Field Manager Les DeMarco and General Manager Larry McShane." -- Text from calendar.
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"This postcard depicts workers leaving the 11-plus acre factory of the Wakefield Rattan Company, also known as the Heywood Brothers and Wakefield Company, and later , the Heywood-Wakefield Company. After the 1881 fire, the factory was quickly rebuilt, this time using brick instead of wood. In 1894, there were five main four-story brick buildings, as well as boiler, bleach, dye, office and pump houses a paint shop and a supply room three frame storehouses iron and frame storehouses lumber sheds two yarn houses a frame cold air dry house coal shed a barn and a shed, bringing the total number of factory buildings on the grounds to more than 30. By 1906, the company had grown to over 1,000 workers and was responsible for the influx of workers who eventually settled in Wakefield. The business began to slow down before and after the depression, leading to the dismantling and moving of the company to Gardner in the early 1930s. The buildings were rented to smaller industries, eventually returning the area to an active industrial center. The 11-acre property was sold to Rapid Furniture Company owner Abram B. Fox in May, 1945. A major fire destroyed seven large buildings and damaged several more in 1972 in what was then the Robie Industrial Park." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Wakefield Post Office has been a central part of the community for nearly 200 years, operating in a number of locations until its permanent home was dedicated in 1937. The first mail was brought to Wakefield by private individuals who traveled to the Charlestown Toll House and returned to South Reading where they left the mail in a central location for distribution. The first home of the Wakefield Post Office was established in 1812 on Main Street with John Rayner serving as the first Postmaster. The building, which was on the opposite corner of the present Post Office, sufficed until 1854 when the Postmaster Samuel Kingman built a new post office on the corner of Main and Albion Streets (now known as the Bourdon Block). During his term as Postmaster, Kingman was responsible for the first mail delivery - each Sunday he would stand outside various churches and hand the mail to the recipients. As the town grew, so too, did the needs of her residents. The Post Office was moved to the brick building at the corner of Main and Richardson Streets, then to the building where the Wakefield Municipal Light Department is located, and finally to the current building at Main Street and Yale Avenue. During that time rural free delivery was introduced in 1900 while parcel post was introduced in 1912 with two mail deliveries made daily. The current headquarters at the corner of Main Street and Yale Avenue was the former site of the John W. White Estate (the Burrage Yale Mansion). The building was officially dedicated on January 27, 1937 with a reception sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce." -- Text from calendar.;Captions: 1. The John E. White Estate (Burrage Yale Mansion) in 1934. It is interesting to note that this was also the home of Burrage Yale, the first Postmaster recognized in Washington, D.C. It was Yale who built the original portion of the house. -- 2. The Wakefield Post Office in October, 1936 prior to its official opening. -- 3. The Wakefield Post Office today.
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"The citizens of the Town of Wakefield established the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department in 1894. In 1905, the Wakefield Municipal Light Plant had 206 electric consumers, an increase of 16 over the previous year, and 834 gas consumers, a gain of 116 consumers. According to the Annual Report for the year ending January 31, 1906 sales of gas and electricity increased more during the year than any other year, and because of the increased demand, a decision was made to provide electric current during the day. Since the department was unable to generate a constant supply of current, a contract was signed with Malden Electric Company to install lines to the plant on North Avenue. From there, the extra 'juice' was distributed over the regular lines to the consumer." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"The Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department sold gas and electrical appliances for many years. In 1918, there were 2538 gas customers and 1,235 electric customers. The following year, there were 100 additional gas customers (2638) and 159 additional electric customers (1394). By 1919, the WMGLD had an office at the Town Hall in addition to its North Avenue plant." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"Before the Wakefield Municipal Light Department, the Citizens' Gas Light Company of Reading, Wakefield and Stoneham, a private company, supplied gas and eventually electricity to the residents from its generating station on North Avenue. Established in 1860, with a capital of $93,000, its gas house and works were located in Wakefield with pipes leading into Reading and Stoneham. In 1868 it was manufacturing 4,000,000 cubic feet of illuminating gas which sold for approximately $20,000. It was 1882 when Edison discovered electricity in his Pearl Street generating station in New York City and within a few years towns like Wakefield were illuminating their downtown areas with incandescent and arc lamps. The Citizens' Gas Light Company continued to provide services to the community until 1894. In 1891, the General Court made it possible for all towns to operate their own municipal light plants, a move many Wakefield residents approved. In 1893, the citizens voted to purchase the plant, land and manufacturing equipment with a bond of $180,000. On August 4, 1894, the town officially assumed operation of the plant with all customers owning a part of the department. To govern the newly formed municipal light plant, a Board of Commissioners was established to oversee the operation. Silas W. Flint, an active member of the community, was selected as one of the first three members of the Board, serving as Chairman during the first year. The first Manager of the MLD was Charles S. Spaulding who served as Manager from 1894 to 1899 and again from 1919 to 1921. He was followed by Charles E. White (1899-1907), Albert B. Morton (1907-1912), Sidney L. Cole (1912-1918), C.W. Whiting (1921-1922), Samuel H. Brooks (1922-1942), James M. Whitehead (1942-1951), Michael Collins (1951-1976), and William Wallace (1976-present). Michael Collins served as Manager of the MLD from 1951-1976, the longest period of time of any MLD Manager. Active in the Department only after his appointment as Manager, he nonetheless served the town well for 25;Captions: 1. Wakefield Municipal Light Department Manager Michael Collins served the MLD from 1951 to 1976. -- 2. The MLD Gas House on North Avenue in 1909.
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"The Town of Wakefield purchased the holdings of the Citizens Gas and Light Company, including the land, buildings and equipment, on Railroad Street, now North Avenue, in 1894. In 1908, 14 years after taking over the company's operations, the light plant was losing money by generating electric current on 'old and worn machinery' in inadequate facilities. Although the 'gas-producing branch' was in good financial shape, it was in need of a new tank since the existing holder's capacity was far too small. The Light Board asked Town Meeting for $72,000 to 'rebuild and rehabilitate' the plant, putting it in first class condition. Voters decided to elect a nine-member committee to research the matter, including whether electric current could be produced by a neighboring city or town at a less expensive cost per kilowatt-hour. The next year, 1909, was a year of reconstruction, reorganization and repair as a result of the Town meeting directive. New switchboards, generators ad transformers were added to the electric side, a new gas holder, with a capacity of 100,000 cubic feet, was added to the gas department, as was a new retort house. The department also entered intoa two-year agreement to purchase its day current from the Town of Reading. The Light Plant office was moved offsite, to the 'old court room' at the Town Hall, in 1909, because of the increasing business at the plant. The gas holder was dismantled in 1943, and a new plant was erected at the site in 1951." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"The Town of Wakefield's municipal gas and light plant has operated from this location on Railroad Avenue (now North Avenue) since the community purchased the land, plant and manufacturing operations from the Citizens' Gas and Light Company in 1894. Gas was manufactured and stored in a gas holder at the facility until December 11, 1926 when the community began receiving gas from the Malden and Melrose Gas Light Company. This decision was reached by Town Meeting after 21 months of study and a series of close votes. During World War II, a Wakefield Salvage Committee was created after Governor Saltonstall asked each motorist to turn in old license plates and each community to begin collecting scrap metal, paper and rubber to supplement the raw materials needed for defense. Through a town drive in 1942, Wakefield residents collected 50 tons of scrap metal at the DPW yard. The following year, the MGLD dismantled the huge gray gasometer which had not been in use since 1926, and turned in more than 78 tons of metal for war salvage. Town Meeting voted in the early 1950's to erect a new building at the North Avenue site to replace the original structures. This involved the removal of all buildings. More than 40 tons of buried iron and steel were also removed when the buildings were dismantled. The following year, 1952, natural gas replaced manufactured gas, and in 1993, the Wakefield MGLD began fueling some of its converted vehicles with compressed natural gas at the North Avenue station." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Wakefield Mothers' Club was established in 1915 when a group of Wakefield mothers met at the home of Mrs. Carl Snow and voted to organize a mothers club for the purpose of 'awakening a deeper sense of responsibility and to help their children develop mentally, morally and physically to their fullest extent.' Since resources for women were limited in 1915, the original 10 members also felt the need to awaken a deeper sense of themselves as women and bring about conditions to make new friendships. Mrs. Snow and Mrs. Edwin Bonney served as the first presidents of the club. The members met every Wednesday afternoon and paid an annual dues of 25 cents. One of the first projects the club achieved was a kindergarten at the YMCA. Through the years membership increased and the club members began to become involved in several projects. Numerous contributions were made to the war effort and the club lent their services and talents to many organizations including knitting and sewing afghans for Children's Hospital, sewing petticoats for the children of Morgan Memorial in 1919, making baskets for the Town Farm and performing many services for the elderly. In 1923, The Wakefield Mothers' Club successfully sponsored a Town Meeting article which imposed a 9 p.m. curfew for children under 16 years of age. The townspeople also voted to impose a fine on the parents after three offenses. In the early 1940s the members began holding their meetings during the evening hours and the club broadened its scope by adding different types of programs and topics to its agenda. The club members have continued their commitment to the children and the elderly throughout the years, establishing a $100 grant in 1955 to a 'deserving Wakefield girl for further education at a recognized school or college.' A permanent scholarship through the Citizens' Scholarship Foundation was established in 1981. For several years the club members have distributed holiday fruit baskets to selected Wakefield seniors and have sponsored a Valentine tea for the residents of local nursing homes. Today the club meets on the fourth Monday of each month between September and May and maintains a colorful agenda. New members are always welcome. The group holds lectures on diverse topics, craft activities, community service meetings, as well as other varied and enjoyable activities. The Wakefield Mothers' Club continues to provide a service to the community by distributing holiday baskets and visiting the elderly. The Club also donated the 'Welcome to Wakefield' sign at the Wakefield Common in 1984 and provided funds for the swingset at the Spaulding Street playground. In 1988 the Club started a holiday door decoration contest for the community." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Cyrus Wakefield, the man for whom the town was named in 1868, built the imposing house, known as the Wakefield Mansion, in 1863. The mansion was built next to the first house Cyrus and Eliza purchased in South Reading in 1851 'lying a short distance from the business center of town,' where the Americal Civic Center now stands. He later erected a 'splendid residence' with a barn in the rear, a gazebo, orchards, canals, greenhouses, and a summerhouse, which can be seen in the picture. For over 50 years, the Wakefield Mansion and estate was known as a 'showplace of the suburbs.' After Cyrus Wakefield's death in 1873, his widow remained in the house until her death in 1877. Since the couple had no children, the estate was left to their newphew Cyrus Wakefield II, who left the estate to his three children upon his death in 1888. In 1913, after 'protracted discussion and much acrimonious dispute' in town meetings, the town voted to buy the mansion and its property for the future home of the high school from George Wakefield for $25,000. The mansion fell into disrepair and was razed by the City Building Wrecking Company of Charlestown in the early 1920s, with some of the materials used in the new high school. The high school was built on what is now the Galvin Middle School parking lot. The new school opened on June 4, 1923." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"The mansion of the late Cyrus Wakefield, at the site of the present Junior High and Atwell Schools, was decorated on July 1, 1893, to mark the 25th anniversary of the town's name change from South Reading to Wakefield." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Town of Wakefield assumed operation of the Citizens' Gas and Light Company on August 4, 1894. At that time, there were 84 electric and 169 gas customers, 42 miles of electric wires and 600 poles in the town, but no street lights. The town was able to purchase the private company, its plant, land and manufacturing equipment after a vote at Town Meeting in 1893. This vote was the result of a law enacted by the Massachusetts Legislature in 1891 which allowed cities and towns to operate their own municipal light plants. At the time of the vote in 1893, a $180,000 bond issue was approved for the purchase and a Municipal Light Board, made up of three members, was established. State approval came soon after. In the early days of operation, the Wakefield Municipal Light Department did not operate electric current during the daylight hours. Only in the event of an emergency would the MLD start its generator during the day." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Wakefield in 1882 - Wakefield has grown tremendously during the past century as shown by this artist's rendering. Enormous changes have taken place - the Wakefield Junior High School athletic field was once the Wakefield estate pond a train ran through the town from the city of Salem and Pleasant Street ended at the intersection of Salem Street." -- Text from calendar.
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"On January 17, 1890, 26 individuals encouraged their fellow residents to join with them in forming an historical society to 'not only rescue from oblivion what we may of ancient records, documents, portraits, implements, relics, and the tradition of the elders, but also to gather to ourselves such lessons of import as the past may teach the present.' Among those who sought to form such an organization were Franklin Poole, Edward Mansfield, Charles A. Perkins, James F. Emerson, Chester W. Eaton, Rev. W.H. Williams, Edwin Sweetser, Everett G. Daland, Harry Foster, Will Everett Eaton, John Rayner, Edwin Sawyer, Frances E. Carlton, Fred W. Young, Thomas J. Skinner, Samuel K. Hamilton, Henry H. Savage, George E. Ricker, A.S. Atherton, Edwin C. Miller, W.D. Deadman, A.A. Mansfield, C.F. Hartshorne, Charles A. Magoon, William F. Young, and Aaron Foster. After several meetings, the Wakefield Historical Society was formally organized on February 20, 1890 with 35 members. The first officers of the Society were Chester W. Eaton, President Edward Mansfield and Theodore Balch, Vice Presidents Fred W. Young, Recording Secretary Charles F. Mansfield, Treasurer and Charles A. Perkins, Curator. During the early years and throughout the Society's 100 year history, members have collected various mementos, photographs, books, portraits, relics, and writings for the museum. The Society museum has had several homes over the years including the old Wakefield Town Hall, the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, and its present home in the Americal Civic Center. The museum is open by appointment only and contains a unique collection of Wakefield's history. Today the Wakefield Historical Society membership is as dedicated to the purpose of preserving the past as were the original 35 members. The Society meets five times annually at the Americal Civic Center and boasts a membership of over 100." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 1990
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"Wakefield High School's Main Street facility was dedicated on Sunday, June 3, 1923 with an 'informal' ceremony at 2 p.m. and an open house and tour of the building from 2:30 to 6 p.m. Nearly 500 people were in attendance. Dr. Payson Smith, the State Commissioner of Education, the principle speaker, was joined on the 'broad stage' of the auditorium by Chairman of the Building Committee John J. Round, Superintendent of Schools Willard B. Atwell, Principal Charles J. Peterson, School Committee Chairman J. Lowe McMahon, building architect Frank I. Cooper, C.H. Cunningham (head of the construction company which built the school building), and two former teachers, Melvin Hill and Mary E. Wentworth. The two teachers were present at the previous high school dedication (the Lafayette Building - now the Town Hall) in 1872. To build the new high school, the Town of Wakefield voted to buy the Cyrus Wakefield estate on Main Street (built in 1851) in 1913. Plans were drawn up in 1916 and in 1919, the Town voted a bond issue of $450,000. The Building Committee began their work in 1921, and after 81 meetings, their work was complete. The architect noted at the dedication that the school exceeded the standards set by the National Education Association which required 50% of the floor area of the school to be devoted to the purposes of education. The dedication of the new high school occurred just a few weeks after the dedication of the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library. The school was officially opened the next day, June 4th. The day started with students and teachers parading down Main Street from the Lafayette Building to the new school. Grammar school students (with the exception of Montrose and Greenwood) were dismissed for the occasion and lined the east side of Main Street, from the Rockery to the school. Later referred to as the Atwell Building of Wakefield Memorial High School, the building remained in use until it was destroyed by fire on December 12, 1971. The high school was built on what is now the parking lot for th
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"After a disappointing 1926 season, which, according to the Wakefield Town Report was not particularly successful because of the choice of plays, Coach Homer Shellenberger put the following team on the field, (front row, from left to right) G. Buckle, M. Ball, G. Churchill, C. Wilkinson, E. Marshall, C. Melanson, S. Szydlowski, D. Winkler and F. Minardi. (Middle row, left to right) Coach Homer Shellenberger, D. Dutton, R. Hayes, B. Colpitts, W. Walsh, H. Galvin, E. Messer, Manager L. Gardner. (Back row, left to right) J. Climo, W. Allyn, F. Newman, T. Duggan, D. Snowden, and A. Hovey. Coach Shellenberger was inducted posthumously into the first Wakefield High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 1991. He also was coach of the baseball team. " -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Now known as the William J. Lee Memorial Town Hall, the Lafayette Building was built in the early 1870's after townspeople agreed that a new high school was needed to replace the existing one on Crescent Street. The site selected, on the northwest corner of Lafayette and Common Streets, was the former site of the Parson Prentice house, built in 1740, the third parsonage in the First Parish. A 'fine, commodious high school edifice' was built and dedicated on October 10, 1872 'with becoming dignity and general approval. The building was conceded to be the best in the state.' In 1913, the Town of Wakefield voted to buy the estate of Cyrus Wakefield on Main Street for the new high school which was dedicated in 1921 and opened in 1923. All eighth grade students, with the exception of the Greenwood School, were transferred to the Lafayette School in 1923. The school was closed in 1931 and the remaining students were moved to the new high school where they attended the afternoon session. The building was remodeled in the late 1930's to house town officials and veteran's organizations. The Lafayette Building became the official Town Hall in 1962." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Although mention of a hockey team at Wakefield High School can be traced to 1913, it was not fully recognized as a sport until the 1937-38 school year. Hockey at WHS got off to a slow start, eventually being dropped in 1919. A group of Greenwood boys were interested in starting a team, and in 1930 recruited Mr. Heavens to be the faculty manager. Edmund Dagnino, former WHS star and player in the Boston Hockey Club, was recruited as coach. In its early years, the hockey team practiced and played games on Lake Quannapowitt, limiting the number of games which could be played each year. In 1940, WHS joined the Eastern Massachusetts Hockey League and remained in that league until joining the Middlesex League. Longtime coach Charles Kirk won his first Middlesex League championship in 1961, and reclaimed it in 1964. The WHS hockey team has captured the Middlesex League crown several times, including in 1980 with a 16-0 record, and most recently in 1989 when the team record stood at 19-0-1 (overall 20-2-1)." -- Text from calendar.
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"Wakefield High School pupils, teachers, staff and administrators moved from their former school on Lafayette Street (now Town Hall) to their new home on Main Street next to the state Armory on June 4, 1923. The move, which took the form of a parade, was led by Superintendent of School Willard B. Atwell, Principal Charles J. Peterson, Sgt. Ernest Munroe, and Miss Irene Laughton of the office staff. The drum corps of the high school battalion followed the staff in the line of march. All high school classes marched in order, beginning with the senior class led by Class President Roger Seabury, who later became the WMGLD Electric Superintendent. The seniors were followed in line of march by juniors, sophomores, freshmen and their teachers. The street was lined with students from the Greenwood and Montrose grammar schools, as well as many automobiles and their owners. When they arrived at the new high school, the pupils went to the rooms assigned to them and then assembled in the auditorium where Principal Peterson explained the rules and regulations and read the new orders students were to follow. Following recess and lunch, the students were dismissed for the day, with 'lessons' beginning the following day. The 'new' high school was located on Main Street where the Cyrus Wakefield estate once stood. The original high school building was destroyed by fire in December 1973. The site is now the Galvin Middle School parking lot." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Class of 1900, was said (at the time) to have been the class with the greatest number of graduates from Wakefield High School. Of the 39 graduates, 21 successfully completed the Classical Course, and 18 completed the English Course. The graduation exercises were held on Thursday evening, June 28th at the Town Hall. The class motto was Pas a Pas (Step by Step), the class song was music from 'Martha', and a disputation 'Resolved that the Navy of the United States Should be Increased' was led by Owen Long Burdett (affirmative) and William Barron Rogers (negative). The salutatory and essay 'Is Higher Education of Advantage to Women?' was presented by Mary Gertrude Hickey, with the essays and valedictory, 'The Golden Age' presented by Anna Carter Mansfield. In the 1900 Town Report, School Superintendent U.G. Wheeler said: 'The high school occupies a more advanced position then ever before. The graduate of the school to-day (sic) has a better education than the college graduate of less than 100 years ago, and in our town it stands, as it should, at the head of our school system the goal of which the pupils of the lower grades are working and the number belonging to the high school shows that a good proportion of them attain their object and avail themselves of its privileges.'" -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The town's annual report for the year ending January 31, 1899 noted that there were 50 teachers and more than 1,500 students throughout the school system. Of that total, seven teachers, including the principal and 196 students were at the high school. According to the report, the staff included Principal Charles H. Howe, First Assistant Helen W. Poor, and teachers Jennette S. Wendell, Emilie E. Emerson, Jessie D. Pierson, Clara A. Barnes, and Mabel P. Wall. The eighth person in the picture may be janitor George Russell. The report also indicated that there were 20 graduates nine who studied the English course of study and 11 who studied the Classical course of study. It was estimated that the high school enrollment would increase to 225 students the following year." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"Members of the Wakefield High School Drum Corps were most likely a part of the Wakefield High School Cadets. Due to the large number of young men who participated in this battalion, two Companies were formed: Company A and Company B. Officers are the young men in the front, differentiated by their uniforms (covered buttons) and swords. The Wakefield High School Cadets had its beginnings in 1885 when the group entered the Second Massachusetts School Regiment, forming a battalion with the Reading and Andover Cadets. Among its activities were annual prize drills, exhibition drills and officers' parties where 'many out-of-town officers and cadets enjoyed their hospitality.' They also escorted the Grand Army Post each May, and on the day of a big baseball game, the Drum Corps escorted the opposing team from the street railway to the Common, where the games were played. Crowded conditions at the high school in 1931 meant the end of the Cadets, although it was reinstituted during World War II, and required of all young men in the junior and senior classes." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Among the highlights of the three-day 250th anniversary celebration was the Settler's Day celebration on Monday, May 28, 1894. The day's activities included a procession that included four divisions of marchers, bands, and floats. A float containing 'young ladies of Wakefield High School' was part of the procession's second division. Dressed in white, the ladies represented the 13 original colonies and the 44 states that were in the union at the time. Also on the float was Miss Grace Carlton as the Goddess of Liberty, along with Miss Mitchell, Peace Miss Nellie Temple, Plenty Miss Grace S. White, Education and Miss Black, Justice. It was also reported that the four seasons were represented, as was Columbia." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The first military drills were introduced in October, 1885, when the 'boys of Wakefield High School' formed a military company and entered into the Second Massachusetts Regiment. Together with the cadets from Reading and Andover, the group formed a battalion. Local military men served as drillmasters and in later years, officers of the United States regular Army acted as instructors. For several years, the companies which made up the Wakefield Battalion held spring prize drills in the Town Hall and later on the park (common). Military drills were abolished in 1931, due to the crowded conditions at the high school and the overcrowding of the program. With the entrance of the United States in World War II, military training was thought to be of value to the young men entering the service. The program was resumed and required of all boys in the junior and senior classes.' -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Basketball was first introduced to Wakefield High School in the early 1920's. The 1929-1930 basketball team was referred to as the 'most successful one since basketball was introduced to the school. With only three veterans returning to the quintet, the first team players fought a stiff schedule to obtain the enviable record of winning 13 of 16 games, one loss being the undefeated alumni team of 1927.' The team played against Newton, Everett, Lexington, Winchester, Stoneham, Reading, Melrose and Belmont. Coached by Homer Shellenberger, first-team players were Berg and Robinson, forwards Richardson, center Climo and Gersinovitch, guards. A second team, nicknamed the 'Blunderbusses' by the first- team, included Dinan and Davis, forwards Seavey, center and Atwell and Fairbanks, guards. At the end of the regular season, Wakefield and Stoneham tied for the honor of Middlesex Champions, requiring a post-season game to determine the winner. Wakefield won after a 'hard fought game in which it showed its superiority in every department of basketball.' This was the second consecutive year the team won the league title. Coach Shellenberger also coached several other sports at Wakefield High School, including baseball and hockey. He was one of the first inductees into the WHS Hall of Fame in 1991. Throughout the years, the WHS boys' basketball team has won several league and division titles. In 1997, the team captured the state Division II title, in a 74-66 win over St. Bernard's of Fitchburg." -- Text from calendar.
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"Baseball was a popular sport in Wakefield at the turn of the century, thanks to the efforts of the 1900 Wakefield High School Baseball Club. The team shared the Suburban League championship with Melrose and had quite a record, defeating more than 20 strong teams from the Boston area. During their season, the boys were accompanied by the WHS drum corps as they traveled through the square on the electric cars. Visiting teams were often met by the drum corps and escorted from the electric car in the square to the park. Today's baseball players and fans alike will note the striking difference in equipment and uniforms. Players wore shoes with metal cleats, a wire catcher's mask, quilted uniforms with laces and small hand gloves." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Town of Wakefield is fortunate to have two fire stations to service the needs of the community, one in close proximity to Wakefield Square, the other in the Greenwood section of town. The central station was located near the Wakefield Common on Church Street until the official opening of a new station in 1891 at the corner of Crescent and Mechanic Streets. T he station house was formerly the Academy Hill Center School (circa 1853) which was moved from its location a few hundred yards away on the current site of the Lincoln School House. Bricks from the Church Street station were used for the foundation and the total cost of renovating and moving the former school building was $6000. The station house was in operation until the Hathaway Fire of October 23, 1899. A new station was built shortly thereafter in 1900 by Roger Howard of Wakefield at a cost of $14,554. The station was officially opened on December 22, 1900. As the town grew, so did the Fire Department. In 1902 the original Greenwood Fire Station was built, recycled from the former Greenwood School. The original structure was built in 1847 and was located on the East side of Main Street, just south of Meriam Street. The building was later moved to Oak Street in 1858 at a cost of $450. The schoolhouse was converted in 1902 to Greenwood Engine 2 Station and remained in operation until it was torn down in 1962. The existing Greenwood Fire Station was opened on Monday, May 6, 1962 and also housed the Greenwood Branch of the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library." -- Text from calendar.;Captions: 1. The Greenwood Station today. -- 2. The Central Fire Station today. The addition on the right was built in 1975. -- 3. The Central Fire Station in 1894 during the 250th anniversary celebration of the town. At the time, the station housed the Silsby Steamer 'Lucius Beebe No. 1', supply and hose wagons for the steamer and Abbott Downing Ladder Truck. -- 4. The Greenwood Fire Station in 1931 was the former Greenwood School. It was converted to the Greenwood Engine 2 Station in 1902 and was in operation until 1962.
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"1914 Peerless Chemical and Hose Wagon (Greenwood Hose 3) 1914 Peerless Squad Wagon 1914 Peerless Ladder Truck. In September, 1914, three new pieces of motor-driven fire apparatus were delivered to Wakefield from the Peerless Motor Company of New England at a cost of $6,445.16. With extra equipment and painting, the total cost was $7,392.69. The 1914 Peerless city-service ladder truck was the first apparatus to arrive in Wakefield on Sunday, September 12. Thirty minutes after its arrival, it responded to Box 112 for a fire which heavily damaged a dwelling on Forest Road. The new ladder truck was placed in service on Monday, September 14, as Ladder 1, the Town's first motor-driven ladder truck. The three ton truck had a four cylinder gasoline engine and carried nine ladders with lengths from 15 feet to 65 feet in a single bank. The new ladder truck replaced the horse drawn 1892 Abbot-Downing ladder truck which was discarded. On Friday, September 18, a 1914 Peerless chemical and hose wagon was placed in service as Greenwood Hose Co. 3, replacing the horse-drawn 1906 American LaFrance combination wagon, formerly of the Steamer Hose Co., which was placed in reserve at the Greenwood Fire Station. The four cylinder gasoline engine wagon carried 1000 feet of 2 1/2 inch hose and was the first motor-driven apparatus in Greenwood. On Tuesday, September 22, a 1914 Peerless squad wagon arrived and was immediately placed into service. The six cylinder gasoline engine wagon had a long bench seat in the rear for personnel to ride and was designed to tow the 1907 Amoskeag steamer when needed. With the 1912 Webb pumping engine, all apparatus at the Crescent Street headquarters was motorized. Only Montrose Hose Co. 4 remained horse-drawn. As a result of the arrival of the motor-driven apparatus, the entire team of six horses (one pair from Greenwood and two pairs from the central fire station) were transferred to the MLD and the highway department." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"On March 28, 1927, a special committee was appointed by Town Moderator Theodore Eaton to study the feasibility of a filtration plant at Crystal Lake to eliminate bacteria and organic matter (algae) from the water. A report was presented to the Town on April 23, 1927, after four weeks of consultation of records, conferences with recognized authorities and investigation of various information which concluded that odors, objectionable taste (of chlorine) and suspended matter could be eliminated though the use of a slow-sand filtration plant. The report recommended that such a plant be constructed and maintained by the Water and Sewerage Board, as well as a storage basin for filtered water (with a capacity of 250,000 gallons), all at a proposed cost of $145,000. To provide this additional capacity, the report also recommended the construction of a new standpipe or storage reservoir (with a capacity of 500,000 gallons) at Harts Hill or at a similar elevation as the engineers deemed suitable. This recommended method was also favored by the Board's engineering firm, Weston and Sampson. The contract for the filtration plant was awarded in July, 1927, to A.P. Rounds of Stoneham. The filtration system was in use by February, 1928." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Purchased from the Seagrave Fire Apparatus Co. of Ohio at a cost of $9,500, this sedan-style pumping engine was first shipped by railroad to New Orleans to the International Fire Chief's convention. After the convention, where it received considerable attention from Fire Chiefs from around the world, the engine arrived in Cambridge on October 7th. Before it was put into service on October 27, 1938, a four-hour Underwriters pump test was conducted at the Wakefield Water Department pumping station at Crystal Lake. This 750 GPM pumping engine had a 100 gallon water tank." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"During the late 1800's Wakefield residents were able to get their news from a wide variety of newspapers. Prior to the founding of the Wakefield Daily Item on May 7, 1894 by Fred W. Young, Wakefield residents read the South Reading Department of the Middlesex Journal (1854), Wakefield Banner (1868) later known as the Wakefield Citizen (1872), the Wakefield Advocate (1872), the Wakefield Citizen and Banner (1874), the Bulletin (1881), and the Record (1886). After the establishment of the Wakefield Daily Item, the Citizen and Banner launched two more newspapers, The Wakefield Evening News in September, 1894, which remained in operation for one month, and the Wakefield Daily Banner in 1899. In March, 1900, Mr. Young sold the Wakefield Daily Item to Alstead W. Brownell, a printer in the Wakefield Block (now the Taylor Building). A few days later, in April, Mr. Brownell sold the newspaper and the printing business to Citizen and Banner reporter Harris M. Dolbeare who started his career in 1888 while still in high school. Shortly after acquiring the Wakefield Daily Item and Item Press, he also purchased the Daily Banner in 1900 and Wakefield Citizen and banner (a weekly publication) in June, 1911. One year later, in 1912, the Wakefield Daily Item and Item Press moved from the Taylor Building to its new home at the corner of Albion and Foster Street, making it one of the first small-town daily newspapers in New England to build its own newspaper plant. An addition was built in 1935 on the site of the former Atherton grocery/Champagne furniture store. The Wakefield Daily Item and Item Press were incorporated under Massachusetts laws under the name of Wakefield Item Company on January 1, 1923." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Wakefield Council #104, Knights of Columbus, celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1994. It was on September 16, 1894 that John William Smith, along with William H. Butler, met with Wakefield men who they felt would be interested in starting a local K of C Council. The organization was founded 12 years earlier on the guiding ideals of charity, unity, fraternity, and patriotism. The meeting was held in the Connell & Curley Block building on Main Street in a room used by the St. Joseph's Christian Total Abstinence Society. One week later, 20 men passed a K of C examination and Council #104 was established the next Sunday. On September 30 and October 7, 1894, the first and second degrees were conducted in ceremonies which took place in the Odd Fellows Building in the Walton Building on Main Street. John W. Smith was elected as the first Grand Knight. During the past century, the Council has held its meeting in the Traders Building, Walton Building, Richardson Building, and in the Odd Fellows Hall in the Walton Block which was torn down to make room for the First National Supermarket in 1941. The Council moved to the Hibernian Hall on Foster Street and in 1945, the membership purchased the Council's first permanent home at 15 Foster Street. The current headquarters at 570 North Avenue was dedicated on April 27, 1963." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 1990
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Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 1989
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"Beginning in 1871, the Town began to repurchase some land it had previously sold between Church Street and Lake Quannapowitt. Improvements were made each year through enlargements and beautification of the area, assisted by the will of Cornelius Sweetser, who bequeathed $10,000 to 'extend in furnishing and beautifying a public park.' Land gradually came into the hands of the town through transfers and sales. By the turn of the 20th century, the land was being used as a park where Wakefield High School baseball teams played their games. The Wiley Boathouse (seen at right in the photo) offered rowboats, sailboats and canoes to Wakefield residents for many years. A dance hall was added in 1912 to the second floor of the boathouse where the big name bands played." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Wakefield Common as it appeared near the end of the 19th Century. The icehouse is at the left of the picture. In the 'Handbook of Wakefield - a strangers' guide and residents' manual' written by Will E. Eaton and published in 1885, the 'park' was described as follows: 'If there is any one thing of which Wakefield may justly feel proud, it is her fine Park. The special features, aside from the artistic manner in which it is laid out, the careful manner in which it is tended, and its very central location, are its noble trees and the scenery afforded by the adjoining lake and distant views of forest and hills. Seats are conveniently located under the shade trees, and serve as enjoyable resting places for thousands during the year.'" -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The lower common, near the bandstand, has always attracted scores of people who enjoy the shores of Lake Quannpowitt. While still a source of pleasure for recreational and leisurely pursuits, the common at one time was the site of High School baseball games, and attracted spectators to water carnivals and speedboat races. In this circa 1947 photo, note the trees, the benches and the docks." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Wakefield as a community began in 1639 when a small group of Lynn (also known as Linn) residents petitioned the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony for an inland plantation at the 'head of their bounds.' Permission was granted a short time later and in 1644 Lynn (Linn) Village was incorporated as the Town of Reading (Redding). Twenty-nine men and their families moved themselves and their belongings over the terrain and settled in Wakefield. These pioneers adopted a modified democratic government in 1647. The land holdings increased when the General Court gave the settlers 2 square miles of land in 1651. (Today, this additional land encompasses most of North Reading). As the number of settlers increased, political differences between the community's segments also grew during the next century. These differences did not inhibit the community from unanimously adopting the colonists' cause during the Revolutionary War and accepting the Declaration of Independence which they pledged to 'adhere to its sentiments, and stand by it to the last with their lives and their fortunes.' The long-standing political differences centered around a conflict between the Democratic Republicans (Wakefield - the First Parish) and the Federalists (North Reading - the Second Parish and the present day Reading - the Third Parish). On a mutual vote, the Second and Third Parishes voted to send a Federalist representative to the General Court, leaving Wakefield without representation. The differences could no longer be resolved and in 1812, the citizens of Wakefield split from the town of Reading and obtained a charter. Wakefield was now known as South Reading. South Reading continued to grow and in 1868 the town of South Reading changed its name to 'Wakefield' in honor of Cyrus Wakefield, the man who is credited with changing the course of Wakefield's history. It was Mr. Wakefield who brought the rattan industry, and its enormous profits, into the community. As a gift to the community, Mr. Wakefield donated the money;Caption: This photograph was taken from the top balcony of the old Town Hall and shows a northerly view of the downtown area. Prominent buildings include (from left) the Ira Wiley House (now the Olde Theatre Block) the Perkins Block on the South corner of Albion Street the Kingman Block on the north corner of Albion Street the Emerson Shoe Factory (now the Y.M.C.A.) the Baptist Chrch (erected in 1871) the Lafayette School (the old high school, erected in 1872) the old Congregational Church (at the end of Main St.) and the Universalist Church to the right.
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"Wakefield was a bustling center of transportation in the late 1800's and early 1900's because of the Wakefield & Stoneham Street Railway Company. What began as a two-mile route from the Wakefield Post Office (on Albion Street) to the junction of Main and Elm Streets in Stoneham, eventually became a four-direction electric street railway system which residents could ride to Lowell, Lawrence and Haverhill to the north Malden, Chelsea and Boston to the south Lynn, Salem, Beverly and Gloucester to the east and Woburn, Winchester and Medford to the west. Planning for Wakefield's street railway system was started by Col. Charles F. Woodward. The street railway company was formed in 1889, before anyone realized the need for such a system. He was instrumental in securing a charter for the company in May, 1892, and before long, 'strong capitalists' became interested in the project. In the summer of 1892, tracks were laid along Albion Street to Elm Street, Stoneham and the first car was run over this line on August 14, 1892. Tracks were laid from the center of Wakefield, down Main Street to the Melrose line, and in the fall of 1893, tracks were laid from Wakefield Town Hall (at the corner of Main and Water Streets) through Saugus to the Lynn line. This route was opened in April, 1894. After much opposition, the Wakefield & Stoneham Street Railway Company extnded its line from Wakefield center, via Main and Lowell Streets, to Reading Center, in May, 1894. All these routes were extended within these communities. The railway met with such success that double tracks were added in the early 1900's. By 1918, however, the automobile was responsible for the demise of the street railway. The Reading route was discontinued in 1918, with the Lynn line following in 1920, and Stoneham by 1929. All street railway routes were out of operation by May, 1931. " -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Crews on the Wakefield and Stoneham Street Railway were responsible for removing the snow from the tracks to keep them clear while the Town cleared the sidewalks. The 'rolling stock' of the Wakefield and Stoneham Street Railway Company was said to be of the latest and best equipment. The cars were heated by electricity during the winter months, a fact that the riding public was said to 'fully appreciate.' Chartered in May 1892, the street railway attracted several 'strong capitalists' in its early years. By the summer of 1892, tracks were laid from the Post Office (at the corner of Albion Street) along Albion Street to the junction of Main and Elm Streets in Stoneham. The first car traveled the route on Auguust 14, 1892. The route was soon extended to Stoneham's Central Square. In November, tracks were laid from downtown Wakefield to the Melrose line, extending to Franklin Street in that city by the spring. Both the Stoneham and Melrose extensions resulted in connections with the Lynn and Boston Railway. In the fall of 1893, tracks were laid from the Town Hall, at the corner of Water Street, through Saugus to Lynn." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Volunteer Hose 2, under Captain A.D. Cate and Lieutenant B.C. Flockton, was among the many fire companies that participated in the Third Division of the 250th Anniversary parade. Led by the Eighth Regiment Band of Salem, the fire company division included Chief Engineer Levi Flanders and two assistants, one steamer with 12 men, a hook and ladder with 15 men, two hose companies with 10 men each, one chemical company with six men, and the volunteer hose company of Greenwood. The Reading and North Reading Fire Departments, along with Chief Engineers from five surrounding towns, also participated. The 25-member company, formerly Fountain Engine 3, reorganized as Volunteer Hose 2 on September 4, 1888. Shortly after reorganization, the members purchased a Rumsey four-wheeled hand-drawn hose carriage by subscription at a cost of $275. The volunteer company, which for many years was an 'efficient, independent company,' became a part of the Wakefield Fire Department following a Town Meeting vote in March 1892." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"This picture was taken from Cowdrey's Hill, probably from Fairmount Avenue. Cowdrey's Hill, in the Prospect Street area, was named for the area in which William Cowdrey, one of the Town's first inhabitants, settled. The picture shows the rear of the Atwell and Emerson houses. According to the 1886 street listing, John B. Atwell lived at 1 Prospect Street where his property included a dwelling house, two shops and two to three acres of land. James Emerson lived on Prospect Street, west of Cedar Street. His property included two cows, a dwelling house valued at $1000, a barn, and eight acres of land on Prospect Street, with an additional one-acre of land on West Cedar Street, a three-acre meadow on Elm Street and 12 acres of woodland on Nahant Street. Emerson, the second son of shoe manufacturer Thomas Emerson, was active in town affairs, serving as town treasurer for 25 years, president of the Wakefield Savings Bank, director of the National Bank of South Reading and was active in organizing the Richardson Light Guard." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"The fourth meeting house of the First Parish Congregational Church was dedicated in 1892, and was known as one of the finest north of Boston. The style was a simple harmonious development of Byzantine-Romanesque form and color. The church was in the form of an L with the main body of the church extended north and south, while the Sunday School rooms, library, class rooms and ladies' parlor were located in the west wing. The main room of the church measured 71' x 91' with pews that could seat 750 people and a gallery in the south that could accommodate an additional 100 to 150 people. The Sunday School room measured 40' x 60' and could be added to the main room by sliding the sashes, further increasing the seating capacity by 400. This may have been the area referred to as the Vestry in the photograph. The church building was destroyed by fire in February 1909. The fifth meeting house of the First Parish Congregational Church was dedicated in February 1912." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"The Wakefield Board of Trade successfully circulated a petition in 1888 that requested that the Boston and Maine Railroad build a new depot on the west side of the tracks to replace the 'decrepit' wooden depot on the east side of the tracks. As early as 1886, the Citizen and Banner called for a new station 'for the safety of the patrons on the road and to do away with the present unsatisfactory and uncomfortable minutes spent in waiting on the "other side of the track" in the warm, cold, or damp and disagreeable weather.' In addition, the newspaper noted that it had become the adopted principle of the B&M management to locate depots on the west side of the track in suburban towns and cities, citing that Melrose was moving its station to the west as well. In August 1888, B&M Railroad Company agreed to the petition. The company also agreed to purchase an 82,140 square foot vacant lot of land between Chestnut and Murray Streets from the Wakefield Real Estate and Building Association, at a cost not to exceed 19 cents a square foot. B&M also agreed to buy a strip of land from St. Joseph's Church, not to exceed 25 cents a square foot, and to build a street 50 feet wide from Albion to Chestnut Streets. In return for erecting a 'commodious' station of brick and stone, the Town was required to buy a 13,720 square foot strip of land on the east side of the old station for a price equal to the average price the B&M paid for its land. The Town agreed to those terms in October 1888. Built of 'first-quality' dark red-face brick laid in English Venetian red mortar at a cost of $12,000, the station was 73 feet in length by 27 feet in width with two ornamental chimneys and a 9 feet wide veranda surrounding the station. The interior included a waiting room 25 feet by 50 feet, with a 12 feet by 14 feet ticket office in the center and four entrances, two on each side, with a monogrammed B&M inserted into the transom over each entrance. The windows were filled with the finest German glass. The depot was set back 12 to 14 feet from the tracks to allow sufficient room to increase the number of tracks from two to four at some time in the future. The station opened on Sunday, July 27th, 1890 with the ticket office opening on Monday at 3:00 p.m. The old depot remained in use as a baggage and freight storage facility until it was sold to Enos Wiley who moved it to his farm on Water Street." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"During the early 1900s, the Ladies' Society of the Universalist Church held a May Festival at the Town Hall for boys and girls, complete with costumes and 'original and fancy dances' arranged by Miss Rose Byrne of Roxbury. The 1910 May Festival featured 175 children who participated in such skits as 'The Police and the Nursemaid,' the 'Old Fashioned Garden,' 'Mistress Mary,' 'Jack-in-the-Pulpit' and the 'Gardener.' The 1911 May Festival featured 150 children and an unusually large audience. The entertainment included eight fancy dances and May Day specialties, including a May pole as well as 'Morning, Noon and Night,' 'Witches,' 'Violets Dance Poem,' 'French Maids and Bell Boys,' 'Indian Novelette,' 'Good Night and Living Flag.' Several well-known Wakefield residents participated in the May Festival when they were children, including Laurence Young and former Town Historian Ruth Woodbury." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"Frank A. and Mary Louise Tredinnick may well be remembered as two of Wakefield's most active and community-minded citizens. Both Mr. and Mrs. Tredinnick were actively involved in nearly every aspect of the town and its organizations for over 50 years. Frank A. Tredinnick, the son of John and Barbara (Smith) Tredinnick, was a native and lifelong resident of Wakefield. Mr. Tredinnick served as Wakefield's Building Inspector for 15 years until his retirement in 1965. He was elected to the Board of Assessors in 1952 and served as Chairman and Secretary for several years. He was Executive Secretary of the Wakefield Industrial Development Commission and was active in many community organizations including the Hurd School PTA. His active involvement in Wakefield led him to become active in several state and regional committees including membership in the New England Building Officials' Conference, Massachusetts Building Commissioners and Inspectors Association and the Massachusetts Assessors Association. He was President of the Middlesex County Assessors' Association as well as a member of the Executive Board. Mr. Tredinnick served as an assessor and compliance inspector for the Veterans' Administration. A veteran of World War I, Mr. Tredinnick served with the Combat Engineers and received a Purple Heart. He passed away in 1967 at the age of 71. Mary Louise Tredinnick was born in Lynn in 1892, the daughter of William and Mary Emma Hutchinson. Her family moved to Wakefield in 1914. She served as a member of the Wakefield School Committee for 18 years, from 1936 to 1954 and was the first woman to serve as Chairman. As a member of the committee, she was primarily responsible for the Wakefield High School (now the Jr. High School) building as well as the Dolbeare and Walton School. She was a member and President of several organziations including the Kosmos Club, the Wakefield Garden Club, Arts and Crafts Society, Visiting Nurse Association, the Monday Club, the Wakefield Mothers' Club, the Hurd School PTA, the Mary Franham Bliss Society and the First Parish Federation of Women's Clubs (the predecessor of the Women's Guild). Mrs. Tredinnick was the chairman of the Women's Division of the Melrose-Wakefield Hospital Development Program in 1961 and spearheaded the house-to-house campaign for pledges and contributions for a major building project. She was an active member of the Cancer Control Committee, the Speakers' Bureau of the United War Effort during World War II, the New England Genealogical Society and was an officer and member of the Col. James Hartshorne House Association. Mrs. Tredinnick was a member of the Court of Honor for the Massachusetts Mother of the Year in 1946 and was honored as the West Side Social Club's Citizen of the Year in 1958. A gifted writer and an avid student of music, poetry and dramatics, Mrs. Tredinnick was the author of the Tercentenary Hymn of the First Parish in 1944. She was a weekly contributor of poems to the Boston Herald and authored a book of poems as well as an essay 'The Only Book' to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the printing of the Bible. The essay was reprinted widely throughout the country and in college textbooks. Mrs. Tredinnick passed away in April 1964." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Train travel to and from Boston was a necessary method of transportation in the mid-1800's and early 1900's. In 1840, the Boston and Maine Railroad built a service from Boston to Wilmington which began operating the following year. Eventually, Wakefield was on the main line from Boston to Portland, with 31 inbound and 34 outbound trips running daily. At one time, Wakefield served as an important railroad junction with three active stations and two flag stations. The present train station was built in 1890. The old depot was moved to the junction on North Avenue and was used as a freight office." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"In December, 1929, William T. Curley, Sr., owner of the Traders' Block, leased a portion of the building to the J.J. Newberry Company of New York for a period of 21 years, beginning in March, 1930. Formerly occupied by the Adams Company dry goods store and Kelsey Drug Store until January, 1930, the Traders' Block was remodeled and extended a distance of 50 feet in the rear, westward toward Foster Street. This was the second time in 10 years that the building was remodeled, the first time to benefit the Adams Company and adjacent Boothby's Specialty Shop. The site of the Traders' Block was occupied by a house which was moved back to make room for the block when it was erected in 1897 by the Middlesex Traders, a local realty investment organization of citizens of that day. The house was torn down with the 1930 remodeling for J.J. Newberry. A narrow building next to the block, now site of the Colonial Spa, was formerly owned by the Street Railway System office and Britton's Shoe Store, the Town's leading shoe store of that period. The Newberry Company operated '5/10/25 stores' which were described as a combination of the style of the W.T. Grant Company chain of dry goods store, and the Woolworth Five-and-Ten-Cent stores simply by the 'character of the goods carried.'" -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"In 1916, a 'new' sport, track athletics, was introduced at Wakefield High School. The team slowly lost momentum, and after many years of inactivity, the indoor track team was reintroduced to WHS in 1961, competing in the Essex County League. By 1962 the team had a 7-0 record, and by 1964 had captured three league titles. The team joined the Middlesex League during the 1964-1965 school year, the first year under Coach James Duff. They won the league title that year with a 6-0-1 record. In 1966-1967, the indoor track team won the Class B State Championship. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, competition was so fierce in the league that WHS lost the league championship to Lexington by one point, in 1969. Coach Duff was also named coach of the outdoor track team during the 1964-1965 school year. In 1979, Coach Martin Callahan started a girls track team which competed in the North Shore League. They moved to the Middlesex League in 1980, taking the league crown in their first year of competition." -- Text from calendar.
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"Walter Walsh, proprietor of Town Taxi which was located at the corner of Main and Mechanic (Princess) Streets, found that he didn't have enough gasoline coupons to keep all his motor-driven taxis on the road all the time. Faced with the possibility that gasoline for taxicabs would be cut-off altogether during World War II, Walsh purchased a 'smart stepping horse' and an old-time depot carriage to carry his customers. The horse-drawn carriage was used to supplement his fleet of automobiles, but it was reported that many Wakefield patrons passed up the opportunity to ride in the cars when offered a choice. The carriage was an enclosed four-wheeler, allowing the two passengers to remain dry in the event of inclement weather." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Wakefield Town Hall, dedicated on February 22, 1871, was the result of a community's desire to honor its citizens who answered the call to arms during the Civil War. Four years earlier, in 1867, a Soldiers Monument Association was formed to build a suitable monument or hall for that purpose. In January, 1868, the association reported to Town Meeting that Cyrus Wakefield had offered to donate a parcel of land, known as the Noah Smith lot, on Main Street at Water Street for the new Town Hall which would house an appropriate soldiers' memorial. In addition, he also pledged a sum of $30,000 or more, to build the structure which would also have a lecture hall for town meetings, and a room for the town's library. Solon Richardson also pledged $1,000 for furnishings. As a result of Cyrus Wakefield's generosity, the Town of South Reading became the Town of Wakefield in 1868. The Town Hall remained a vital part of Wakefield until a fire occurred on December 13, 1950. Some offices located in the structure were moved to the present day Town Hall, then the Lafayette Building, where they were to be temporarily located. Committees, Town Meeting voters, and Town officials discussed the renovation, as well as the razing of the structure which was still intact. Town Meeting accepted the recommendation to raze the Town Hall in March, 1958. At the same time, the Parking Committee recommended the site for use as a parking lot. The stately Town Hall was razed on October 20, 1958." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Town Farm, also referred to at different times as the Town Almshouse, Town Infirmary, and Town Home, was located on Farm Street where Wakefield High School now stands. Shortly after Farm Street was accepted as a street in 1853, the Town Infirmary was built at a cost of $3766. In 1861, an out building was erected to house the 'insane inmates' at a cost of $174. During that same year, 224 'tramps' received care. By 1888, those numbers had increased to 1094 and a 'lock-up' in the Town Hall was used to house the tramps in 1889. According to reports, the Town Farm cared for more than 2,300 tramps in 1898. As a result, the 'Poor Department' built a tramp house in the rear of the Wakefield Block (Taylor Building), where they were given a night's lodging and breakfast for which they were required to saw a certain amount of wood before leaving in the morning. The Town Farm was enlarged several times over the years. A major fire on March 6, 1902 destroyed one of the new additions, with the main building saved by the fire department. At the start of World War I in 1917, the Board of Selectmen offered several acres of land at the Town Farm as its contribution to the nationwide movement to utilize all available ground for agricultural purposes. Over 100 local residents applied to use the land for farming. During the early 1920s, the Town Farm became a working farm, with a 'pig business, dairy business, poultry business, slaughterhouse and farm' on the 50-acre site, 12 acres of which were cultivated. The Town also entered into the garbage collection business to feed the pigs. In 1933, Town Meeting voted to discontinue the farm business, instead opting to 'provide adequate and proper care of the needy...and pay more attention to the infirmary.' This meant selling the livestock and farm equipment, but not the hay and manure which would be used for the garden. Town meeting also voted to get out of the garbage collection business, and against selling or leasing the easterly side of Farm and Nahant Street, excluding 'the premises retained for public welfare purposes.' An ERA project enlarged the dining room in 1935, and in 1940, the Town Report noted that 'here are gathered dependents not otherwise provided for. The purpose and effort of the Board and those in charge is to make it as real a home as possible.' At that time, there were 12 permanent residents and 12 residents who lived there during a portion of the year. The Town Home was closed somewhere around 1950. A special Town Meeting voted to maintain ownership of the land in 1955. In 1956, control of the home was transferred to the School Department and test borings were made to make a high school athletic field. In December 1960, the land housed the new Wakefield Junior High School, now Wakefield High School." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The horse and buggy, the automobile and the electric street railway were prominent at the time this undated photograph was taken. The Wakefield & Stoneham Street Railway Company was organized in 1889, and chartered in May, 1892. The first tracks were laid in the summer of 1892, from the post office to the junction of Main and Elm Streets in Stoneham, a distance of about two miles. The first car made its run on August 14, 1892. Shortly thereafter, the Stoneham line was extended to Central Square in Stoneham, where connections were made with the Lynn and Boston Road to Melrose and Woburn. Tracks were later added to provide electric rail service from Wakefield center to Melrose, Wakefield Park on the West Side of town, Montrose, Lynn via Saugus, and Reading center. Electric rail service was slowly discontinued from 1919 to the early 1930's, when the trolley lines gave way to bus service." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The period from 1850 to 1900 was an important time in the history of the town. South Reading became Wakefield, the town purchased the gas and electric works to form the Municipal Light Deparment, and the rattan and shoe industries were at their peak, bringing hundreds of new residents into the community. It was during this time of community growth that the Honorable Thomas Winship began his close association with Wakefield. A native of South Reading, (born in 1826), Winship attended local schools and worked as a clerk in the grocery store of Gardner and Hartshorn. He later worked as a bookkeeper in the Boston wholesale grocery store of Richardson & Hartshorn. In 1855 he became associateed with the Blackstone Bank in Boston where he gained his enormous financial knowledge as a paying teller. Upon the death of Lilley Eaton, Mr. Winship was appointed cashier of the National Bank of South Reading and treasurer of the South Reading Mechanical and Agricultural Institution. Considered an authority in finance and business transactions, he was sought after by the townspeople for their financial dealings. Because of this, he was named Treasurer of several organizations including the Citizens' Gas Light Company. He served as a member of the School Committee, a Trustee of the Beebe Town Library for over 20 years, and represented the town in the Legislature in 1876 and 1877 and the Senate in 1881 and 1882. Mr. Winship was an original Corporator of the Wakefield Savings Bank, serving as a member of the Board of Trustees. He was also one of the original stockholders of the Wakefield Water Company. Thomas Winship was also instrumental in changing the town's name to Wakefield and in the dedication of the Town Hall. He was a staunch friend and member of the Richardson Light Guard and an active member of the Masonic fraternity. Because of his involvement in the state Republican party, Winship was known throughout the Commonwealth for being a gentleman of broad intelligence, excellent judgement and sparkling wit. Born in Boston on; Caption: Wakefield Square in 1865 was mainly a residential area.
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"Decorated for the Town's 250th anniversary celebration, the Thomas Emerson's Sons Shoe Manufacturers was located where the Wakefield and Reading YMCA building now stands. Manufacturers of gentleman's dress shoes, the company had its offices on Summer Street in Boston, with its factory in Wakefield. The '1894 Business History of Wakefield' reported that the company was founded in 1805 by Thomas Emerson, and was the oldest shoe manufacturing establishment in the United States. Thomas Emerson was joined by his sons, Thomas 'the second,' as a partner in 1837, and James Emerson in 1851, at which time the name was changed to 'Thomas Emerson & Son.' Another name change, to Thomas Emerson's Sons, came into effect with the retirement of the founder in 1854. The addition of 'labor-saving machinery' necessitated the expansion of the business and its move from Albion Street to the Yale Avenue/Main Street site in 1863. The Thomas Emerson's Sons factory closed in 1902. The factory building was razed to make way for the YMCA." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Pictured in the office of the shoe manufactory of Thomas Emerson's Sons at the corner of Main Street and Yale Avenue are (from left) Harry Foster, James Emerson, Miss Carrie Wallace, E. Eugene Emerson and an unidentified gentleman in the derby hat. The company was established by Thomas Emerson in 1805, and was recognized as the oldest and 'one of the most honorable houses in the trade.' By the early 1890s, Thomas' son Thomas, Jr. was 'full of years' and was no longer running the company. He was succeeded by his brother James, who joined the company in 1851, and his own son, Edward Eugene, who joined the company in 1866. Both men were active in the community, with James serving as town treasurer for 25 years and commander of the Richardson Light Guard, and Eugene serving as a bank director and an active member and clerk of the Congregational Church of the First Parish. Thomas Emerson's Sons was a leader of 'fine footwear' and 'practically established the styles' of the day. They were the first shoe manufacturer to successfully operate a McKay 'sewer' stitching machine and were instrumental in introducing many new varieties of leather." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"Thomas Emerson was one of Wakefield's most respected citizens. Born in Reading (now Wakefield) on October 2, 1785, he was descended from a Puritan ancestry. Due to his family's limited means, he was not well educated, yet he rose above this obstacle and eventually became one of the most prominent members of the community. In 1810 he formed a successful partnership with Ebenezer Nelson for the manufacture of shoes. The partnership lasted a short time and eventually Mr. Emerson as sole owner increased the business until it was one of the most successful in the community. The factory was located on the present site of the Wakefield YMCA and produced men's shoes. Mr. Emerson was the first manufacturer in the town to inaugurate a system of cash payments to his workers in place of the previous barter system. He frequently purchased new machinery and introduced new methods for the profit of his workers. Mr. Emerson was kind and sympathetic to the poor and was a contributor to many philanthropic and missionary enterprises. In 1825 he sold his farm and surrounding buildings to the town for the sum of $3,275 to establish the Town Almshouse. He was instrumental in the formation of the South Reading Mechanical & Agricultural Institution in 1833 which was located at the corner of North Avenue and Albion Street and served as both Vice President and President. In 1844 he was elected President of the South Reading Bank, a position he held until his death. He was very well liked and was appointed to nearly every town office by his fellow citizens. He was also chosen to represent South Reading in the Legislature for eight years and served as Senator for two years. Mr. Emerson was an active member of the Congregational Church. Mr. Emerson died on November 29, 1871." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"During the first half of the last century, Lake Quannapowitt hosted regattas, motorboat and sailboat races, and other events both in the water and along the shore. The Lake was equipped with a wharf that served as a platform for the judges, members of the press and event/race committee members. In addition to launching boats during races and special events, the wharf was where boats were launched on warm summer days. According to published reports looking back at the era, 'sailboats, canoes, and row boats lined the water along the wharf...Wakefiedl residents enjoyed the serenity of boating and the cooling breezes of the lake.' The Wiley Boathouse is at the right, before the second story dance hall was added in 1912." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"The history of the First Parish Congregational Church is woven into the history of the Town of Wakefield. The first house of worship was erected by the citizens of Reading on the westerly side of Main Street near Albion Street. In 1689, a more 'attractive and commodious meeting house' was erected near the present church. This structure sufficed until a third more spacious edifice was built in 1768. This third structure faced west when built and had a tall spire which was blown down in the 'great gale' of 1815. The interior of the structure was completely remodeled in 1838 and again in 1859 when the structure was considered to be 'too small and inconvenient for the growing needs of society.' The building was turned around to face the south the old steeple was taken down and a new and graceful spire erected 'commodious' apartments were provided and furnished for evening meetings, Sunday school, ladies' parlor and kitchen and the interior was greatly changed and modernized. As time went on, the sanctuary was considered too small and its accommodations too limited. A look into remodeling revealed 'conditions of weakness and decay from turret to foundation.' It became evident that extensive and costly repairs would be necessary to make the church suitable, safe and modern. On December 29, 1887, the church members took preliminary steps to erect a new church upon the site of the old one, the entire cost of which was to be defrayed by voluntary subscriptions. It was necessary to obtain additional land which was subsequently secured from the old burial-yard and the open land lying northerly of Church Street by unanimous vote of the town of Wakefield. At the same time, the parish released to the town its rights to adjoining land and received permission from county and municipal officials to widen Church Street in front of the church. Impressive farewell services were held in the sanctuary on May 24, 1890 and the third structure was demolished soon after. The cornerstone for the fourth structure was laid "The history of the First Parish Congregational Church is woven into the history of the Town of Wakefield. The first house of worship was erected by the citizens of Reading on the westerly side of Main Street near Albion Street. In 1689, a more 'attractive and commodious meeting house' was erected near the present church. This structure sufficed until a third more spacious edifice was built in 1768. This third structure faced west when built and had a tall spire which was blown down in the 'great gale' of 1815. The interior of the structure was completely remodeled in 1838 and again in 1859 when the structure was considered to be 'too small and inconvenient for the growing needs of society.' The building was turned around to face the south; the old steeple was taken down and a new and graceful spire erected; 'commodious' apartments were provided and furnished for evening meetings, Sunday school, ladies' parlor and kitchen; and the interior was greatly changed and modernized. As time went on, the sanctuary was considered too small and its accommodations too limited. A look into remodeling revealed 'conditions of weakness and decay from turret to foundation.' It became evident that extensive and costly repairs would be necessary to make the church suitable, safe and modern. On December 29, 1887, the church members took preliminary steps to erect a new church upon the site of the old one, the entire cost of which was to be defrayed by voluntary subscriptions. It was necessary to obtain additional land which was subsequently secured from the old burial-yard and the open land lying northerly of Church Street by unanimous vote of the town of Wakefield. At the same time, the parish released to the town its rights to adjoining land and received permission from county and municipal officials to widen Church Street in front of the church. Impressive farewell services were held in the sanctuary on May 24, 1890 and the third structure was demolished soon after. The cornerstone for the fourth structure was laid October 11, 1890 at the southesterly corner of the tower." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Printed weekly in the newspaper, the Motorist's Corner featured local garages, gas (filling) stations and automobile dealers that offered specials such as American Gasolene & Oil Company's lubrication and top painting combination job advertised at $1.00. The column also included motor car tips for owners, such as why and how to clean the cooling system, how radiator ornaments change the appearance of the car, how to detect if gas has entered the crankcase, how washing dust off a car is sometimes better than wiping it off with a dry cloth, and why the best tires should be on the rear wheels. Hokie's Garage, a longtime fixture in Wakefield, is still in business as the Woodville Service on Water Street. Established in Montrose around 1926 by Maurice 'Hokie' Lenfest, the business moved to the community garages at the corner of Lincoln and Mechanic (Princess) Streets in 1928. The business moved to the rear of 85 Albion Street in 1931, and, in 1936, Lenfest bought the Kirk Brothers' grain store at 62 North Avenue at the corner of North Avenue and Armory Street. Hokie closed his business in 1956 and became associate with his son Paul at Woodville Service." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"Lake Quannapowitt and all its beauty has been the source of recreation for several generations of Wakefield residents. The bandstand was the scene of many concerts and the lake and her shore provided endless hours of swimming, sunbathing and boating. In 1872, Albert S. Wiley captured the spirit of the lake and established a boat house at the end of Spaulding Street. His son Will soon joined him and together they built a larger, more modern boat house, complete with a large wharf. This building stood facing West in Hartshorne's Cove, but was later turned to the North and used for several years as the Bath House. In 1887, Will Wiley erected the new boat house which stood at the end of Lake Avenue, directly on the shores of Lake Quannapowitt. For several years after, Wakefield residents enjoyed the serenity of the lake with numerous sail boats, row boats and canoes lining the wharf. A dance hall was added in 1912 where several big name bands performed. After the death of Will Wiley, his widow sub-let the ballroom to local promoters, namely Kimball's and Cubberley's, and the hall soon became the recreational facility for servicemen stationed at Camp Curtis Guild during World War I. The boat house and dance hall were sold to Harold and Gertrude Hill in 1923. The Hills opened the dance hall to flower shows, exhibitions, and special events sponsored by local organizations. The Hills owned the boat house until 1963 when it was purchased by the Town. The property became a Town-owned beach and later a playground for children. Recently the Wakefield Center Neighborhood Association built a new playground for the children which was dedicated in 1987." -- Text from calendar.;Captions: 1. Wiley's Boat House was originally located at the end of Spaulding Street. In this photo, taken in 1890, the boat house and its long wharf faces West near Hartshorne's Cove. The building was later turned North and used as the bath house. -- 2. The second 'more modern' Wiley's Boat House was built in the late 1880s at the end of Lake Avenue. A dance hall was added on the second floor in 1912 and the building was purchased by the Hill family in 1923. -- 3. The site of the Wiley Boat House and its successor the Hill Boat House, is now the home of a Town-owned beach and playground. The Bath House can be seen at right.
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"Local resident Ernie Payro, son of Joseph Payro, took this photo of the 'Big Freight' with its 100 cars, in July 1930. It was taken during a time when Boston and Maine Railroad was celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of the railroad and during the same month that the legendary 'Flying Yankee' first took to the rails on its express runs from Boston to Portland, Maine. According to reports, the largest of the Boston and Maine freight trains was a huge 4000 class, weighing 337 tons, with a rate of 3400 horsepower. It was said to carry 18,000 gallons of water and 24 tons of coal." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"In April 1894, the armory in the Rink Building at 390 Main Street, was deemed unfit for use by state building inspectors, and Company A, also known as the Richardson Light Guard, was ordered to remove all state property from the building. On May 1, 1894, Town Meeting voted to appropriate $12,000 to build a new Armory. Shortly thereafter, a lot of land was purchased next to the Cutler Bros. grocery and grain store at the corner of Main and Water Streets, just south of Town Hall. To help furnish the building, the company held an event on December 19, 1894 that 'cleared' $100. The new armory was designed, built, painted and decorated by members of Company A. The new armory was dedicated on February 15, 1895 in a ceremony that was called 'a notable event' with 'many distinguished military guests' present. The evening included a banquet at 4:30 p.m., followed by a concert and grand ball attended by 100 couples. Just 16 years later, Company A was without a home again when fire partially destroyed the armory after lightning struck wires at the corner of Water and Main Streets on July 6, 1911, igniting the Cutler Bros. store and, eventually, the armory. The building was later rebuilt, with the former drill hall becoming the new home of Robert Godfrey and Jacob Barnard's Quannapowitt Bowling Alley, and the front of the building remodeled into storefronts. The company's final armory, now the Americal Civic Center, was dedicated in January 1913, and was built across the street from its former home, on the north corner of the Cyrus Wakefield estate." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"With its cornerstone laid in place on September 8, 1889, St. Joseph's Church was dedicated on November 9, 1890. This center altar, one of three, was resplendent in white and gold and was created under the watchful eye of Father J. E. Millerick, according to written reports. Its beauty and 'striking features of its beautiful interior' remained unchanged until a fire on March 24, 1977 destroyed the church building. Crews from 16 communities battled the wind-swept fire which began during the mid-morning hours. Newspaper accounts of the day reported that the fire probably began behind the altar. A new church was dedicated on June 27, 1980 at the same location at the corners of Albion, Tuttle and Murray Streets." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Italian-American Citizens' Club hosted a testimonial dinner for past president Felix Pasqualino in honor of his appointment as Postmaster of Wakefield. The banquet was attended by members and associate members at the club's headquarters above Paine's Clothing store (now Brother's Restaurant.) Head table guests included Selectman V. Richard Fazio, club president Virgil F. Cambareri, Rev. Theodore DeLuca, J. Henry Morgan and David T. Barry. The banquet committee included Salvatore Lazzaro, Sr., Fernando Proira, Salvatore LoFaro, Santo Savo, and Rocco Giaquinta. Mr. Pasqualino's appointment was announced by Congressman William Connery on January 15, 1934 and his confirmation was finalized by the United States Senate on February 10. According to the Italian News of Boston, Mr. Pasqualino was the youngest person in charge of a First Class Post Office in New England." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Taylor's Hardware advertised Blackout Curtains in preparation for the first town-wide test blackout on Sunday, March 15th, 1942 between 10 p.m. and 10:20 p.m. The test was conducted by the Wakefield Committee on Public Safety to comply with the Air Raid and Blackout Regulations of Executive Order 3, issued by Governor Leverett Saltonstall on January 8th. These orders were issued following the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. The orders required occupants of 'premises or parts of premises, public or private' to extinguish all lights or darken the premises so that no light was visible from the outside. All private signs, storefronts and other public lighting displays were to be extinguished at 10 p.m., and owners or tenants of factories, churches, municipal buildings, stores and office buildings were to provide watches during the blackout. This work was to be done without compensation, as it was the 'duty of defense.' Dog owners were advised to keep their animals inside or restrained during the blackout so they would not become nervous and attack the numerous air-raid wardens who were on patrol. Several similar tests were administered during the year. The blackout regulations were lifted in 1944." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"Although a bath house was located on Spaulding Street for many years, swimmers flocked to other parts of Lake Quannapowitt to beat the summer heat. The head of the lake was a popular spot, with swimmers flocking to the area often referred to as Boulevard Beach. Other popular swimming areas included the area of Beacon Street where the Girl Scouts conducted their swimming classes. Swimming in Lake Quannapowitt was once such a popular pastime that the bath house had extended hours during heat waves. In the late 1940s, the Town Planning Board called attention to the 'conditions' at the head of the lake, referring the matter to the Metropolitan District Commission. It was the Board's intention to eventually build an additional bath house for swimmers. Eventually, the Town established another supervised swimming area at Col. Connelly Park." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"The block on Albion Street known as the Stringer Block was occupied by the John T. Stringer Funeral Parlor, a firm which was established in 1911. In September, 1930, Stringer opened and formally dedicated a new funeral home. An open house was held from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the public was invited to 'inspect the establishment and complete line of modern equipment' which made it 'one of the most up-to-date and fully equipped funeral homes of its kind.' The announcement of the grand opening also boasted of the installation of the 'latest' type of oil burner. Mr. Stringer's office was centrally located and the chapel, which accommodated 85 people 'seated', was at the rear of the building. The chapel addition had been 'stuccoed' in harmony with the finish of the funeral home. The chapel itself was determined to be a 'most welcome innovation...extremely useful when restricted space, inconvenient location or other sicknesses in the family' made it impractical to conduct the funeral from a private home. Mr. Stringer was also an insurance salesman and was very active in the Town of Wakefield. He was a member of the Expansion Board and served as the President of the Business Men for five years, among other endeavors." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The rattan industry was established by Cyrus Wakefield sometime in the 1830s or 1840s. In 1855, Cyrus Wakefield, a resident of the Town of South Reading, brought his growing enterprise to South Reading. He purchased property on Water Street, 'a short distance east of the Center Depot,' which consisted of two mill ponds, one on each side of the road, and a few small buildings which had been used for various manufacturing purposes. The Stout Building, a cane a rattan shop, was named after Richard S. Stout, one of Wakefield's foremost citizens and a large stockholder in the company. He was the superintendent of this department, a position which was later held by his son, George H. Stout. The building was destroyed in the great fire of 1881, which destroyed all original buildings, with the exception of a large, long wooden building near the Vernon Street side of the property. Damage was estimated to be $190,000 and the company went on to rebuild, eventially becoming the largest rattan business in the nation." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"When viewed through a stereoscope or special glasses, two superimposed stereoscopic pictures create a two [i.e three] dimensional effect. The third home of the First Parish Congregational Church was built in 1768, facing west at the site of its current home adjacent to the lower common. It was turned to face south in 1859 with its interior enlarged and modernized. By the 1880s, the church was said to be in need of extensive repairs. A farewell service was held in May 1890 and the building was razed soon after." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The steamer, Minnie Maria, was built by Augustus Taylor, who 'had Mr. Moody do the actual work on the steamer,' according to the diary of Capt. James F. Emerson. The steamer was launched on Lake Quannapowitt on June 10, 1871. In 1874, a 30' canal was started through Reading Meadow to take Reading residents aboard, but was later abandoned. The steamer was drawn out of the lake on November 26, 1874, and, on May 24, 1876, the steamer was drawn to Spy Pond in Arlington by ten horses. The Minnie Maria was destroyed by fire in February 1878. In the photograph, the Minnie Maria was opposite 'the Carpenter's house - to the left of the steamer was Mrs. Courtney's laundry,' according to an entry in the diary." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Called an 'architectural ornament' to the town, the State Armory was built of brick and limestone, with artificial stone and granite trimmings in colonial design. It was built to be different in appearance from other armories in Massachusetts and was planned to be less severe in outward appearance. The armory was dedicated on January 15, 1913. According to printed reports, 'The entire building fronts 77 feet, four inches on Main Street, and is 148 feet deep.' The drill shed at 109 feet long was a full 20 feet longer and 17 feet wider than its predecessor that was destroyed by fire in 1910. It was also noted that 'four handsome columns add to the imposing character of the front of the headhouse, and the approach is by a fine granolithic walk.' Inside the main public entrance, a bronze tablet was placed bearing the date the armory was built, along with the names of the governor, adjutant governor, members of the armory commission and advisory member, Capt. McMahon. The armory was built on the north corner of the Cyrus Wakefield estate, seen at the left of the picture, before Armory Street was graded later that year. In 1922, the knoll and driveway in front of the armory and new high school was cut away, Main Street was widened, anbd the curve on the street was eliminated. In 1923, the retaining wall in front of the armory was moved forward to align the armory lot and wall with the high school lot. This enabled the town to lay a straight sidewalk." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Wakefield's Town Hall (pictured decorated for a Masonic party) was located at the corner of Main Street and Water Street. The gift of the land and money for the building was presented to the Town in 1868 by Cyrus and Eliza A. Wakefield. The deed for the land and building read 'a building designed for a Town House and for municipal purposes but also with the desire and intent that such portions thereof as are adapted thereto, shall be, from time to time, devoted to use for patriotic, charitable, scientific, military, literary, aesthetic, educational, moral and religious purposes, and for meetings, lectures and addresses promotive thereof - as a free and unrestricted gift to the town.' Two portraits were hung at the left and right of the stage one of George Washington and one of Cyrus Wakefield. The Washington portrait was presented in 1872 as a gift to express the townspeople's gratitude to Cyrus Wakefield for his generosity. The portrait, painted by South Reading native Thomas Badger, was a copy of an original painted by Gilbert Stuart in 1796 which was said to have been in the Carlton House in London. After raising the necessary funds, the townspeople also commissioned a portrait of Cyrus Wakefield which was completed in 1783 by Thomas H. Badger, son of Thomas. The paintings were restored and repaired in 1929. A fire in the Town Hall occurred on December 13, 1950. The building was razed on October 20, 1958." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"St. Joseph's Parochial School was built under the guidance of Father Florence J. Halloran. In addition to overseeing the building of the school, he was responsible for a mission chapel built in Lynnfield in 1922 the Chapel of the Most Blessed Sacrament (1928) and the Santissima Maria del Carmine Society chapel on Water Street, a mission of St. Joseph's Church. A new parish was formed in 1947, named in memory of Father Florence Halloran who passed away on March 26, 1947. St. Joseph's School opened on September 9th, 1925 with 92 students in the first and second grades. The school was staffed by two teachers and a music teacher, all Sisters in the Order of St. Joseph. A grade was added each year. The building had 11 classrooms, six which were occupied when the school year began in 1929. The building was described as 'architecturally beautiful...the structure is of waterstruck brick with trimmings of cast stone at the entrance and at the pinnacles.'" -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Prior to July 1851, South Reading Catholics were accustomed to traveling to Lynn to attend Mass, and sick calls were attended from St. Mary's Church in Boston. The first Catholic Mass in South Reading was heard at the Junction home of Malachy Kenney with 'between 200 and 300' people in attendance, most coming from surrounding communities. The following day, using $600 collected at the Mass for the purpose of securing a church lot, Rev. Thomas H. Shahan purchased a 150' x 80' piece of land on Albion Street. While work on the church was in progress, Mass was celebrated once a month, usually in a private home, although it was officiated twice in the town hall. The first church stood 100' from the railroad tracks and faced Albion Street. With the increase in the number of Catholics, additional land was purchased for a new church building which was dedicated on November 9, 1890. Constructed of wood, with a tall spire surmounted by a gilded cross, the church could seat about 1200 people, including the space in the two galleries of the main body and in the easterly gallery where the organ was located. There were three altars, the central one resplendent with white and gold memorial windows (the gift of individuals and societies) stained glass windows massive pillars and ornate decorations of fresco work. St. Joseph's Church was destroyed by a general alarm fire in March, 1977. A new church building was dedicated with a Mass on June 27, 1980." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"St. Joseph's Church celebrated its 100th anniversary with a week-long celebration which began on Tuesday, October 5th, 1954 with a 'monster whist party' at the church hall, and ended on October 12th with a high votive Mass on Wakefield Common in the morning and a banquet and dance at the State Armory in the evening. Over 1,000 people attended the Mass, and 585 attended the banquet. The Auxiliary Bishop of the Boston Archdiocese, His Excellency, the Most Reverend Eric F. MacKenzie presided at the Mass, with Pastor and celebrant, Reverend Frederick Deasy. The procession onto the Common was led by the 4th degree Knights of Columbus, and the 100-member Nazareth Academy Girls' Choir performed that duty. The banquet and dance, under the direction of the committee led by Walter Slocumb, was held at the State Armory (now the Civic Center). Guests received a souvenir booklet which included information about the parish, including photographs, and a list of the names of the 22 men who became priests, and the 33 women who joined a religious order. The guests were entertained by Joseph McDonald who sang 'You'll Never Walk Alone' and 'Little Things Mean a Lot.' Following dinner, dancing music was provided upstairs by Jack Hennessy's eight-piece orchestra, and color movies of parish events played in the downstairs room." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"During the early days, when Wakefield was still called South Reading, Catholics in this 1500-resident community did not have a church of their own. When they wanted to congregate for worship, they travelled to Lynn. Some years later, several members of the Catholic community approached a priest from Salem who agreed to say Mass in Wakefield. The first Mass was attended by only a few Wakefield families, with over 200 people attending from the surrounding towns. The money received from this Mass was enough to buy a 150' by 80' parcel of land on Albion Street. A chapel was built on this land in 1852 and was dedicated as the Church of St. Mary's on August 18, 1854. The town of Wakefield grew tremendously over the next two decades and necessitated additional space for worship. In 1870, plans were drawn to build a church to seat 800 people and the original church was moved to Murray Street and became known as Lyceum Hall, and later as St. Joseph's Hall. In November, 1871 the new church opened with a front entrance on Albion Street. The Church of St. Mary's, which was previously considered a mission, became a full parish and was renamed St. Joseph's Church in 1873. A rectory was later built on the corner of Gould and Albion Streets. Every family in the parish was required to rent pew space for a period of three months. The church became too small and additional land was purchased. Over a period of 16 years, the church was moved closer to the railroad tracks, the nave was extended, the spire was erected, the entrance was changed to Tuttle Street, and a basement was added. The new church, officially dedicated in November 1890, cost $30,000 and had a seating capacity of 1200. The church was the victim of two fires. The first occurred on September 20, 1963 with substantial water damage, while the second completely gutted the church on March 24, 1977. Parishioners attended Mass at the Wakefield Jr. High School until the church was rebuilt and dedicated on June 27, 1980. Today the church is in the same locati;Captions: 1. The church prior to the 1977 fire. -- 2. St. Joseph's Church in 1860. The front entrance was located on Albion Street -- 3. St. Joseph's Church boasts a modern, elliptical shape.
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"An estimated crowd of 20,000 people attended the first outboard motor race ever held on Lake Quannapowitt. The race was also the first of its kind to be held on inland waters in this region and attracted 45 entrants who participated in one of six events each event included a first heat, second heat and the finals. The Class E race determined the 'fastest boat.' The race was conducted by the Expansion Board as a sporting event for Wakefieldians and 'to bring visitors to the town, put the town on the map and stamp Wakefield as up to date.' While scores of people lined the shores of the lake, the balcony of Harold J. Hill's Wakefield Boat House was reserved for guests, with the wharf open only to the committee, officials and the press. According to published reports, 'the Common itself and the boathouse never saw such extensive smoking among women folk. Girls and women of all ages could be seen contentedly puffing away at their cigarettes." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Spanish War veterans marched in the Welcome Home Day parade 'in force, the men who followed the Civil War veterans as their country's defenders...they marched together for the last time, these heroic men whom the entire town delighted to honor, a khaki host that made a picture that will remain in the memories of those who beheld them for many a day. The line of march was lined with a tremendous crowd on foot and in automobiles and these applauded heartily as the heroes passed by.' The parade was held to honor the returning veterans of World War I. The Richardson Light Guard was called to action when the United States declared War on Spain on April 26, 1898. The 6th Regiment, of which Company A of the Richardson Light Guard was a member, was the first regiment to offer its services as a volunteer regiment. The men left town on May 6, 1898 under Captain Edward J. Gihon and were mustered into United States service on May 12, 1898 as Company A, 6th Massachusetts Volunteers. The men traveled to Virginia and South Carolina and boarded the Yale to the battlefront in Cuba, Guantanamo and finally Puerto Rico. They were the first United States Regiment to land there. The Regiment returned to Wakefield later that year. The veterans formed the Corp. Charles F. Parker Camp 39, United States Spanish War Veterans organization in 1909 with principles of freedom, patriotism and humanity. On October 12, 1926, the Spanish War Veterans' Hiker Monument was dedicated at the Rockery in honor of the men who served in the war." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Atwell High School, built in the early 1920's, was the site of the former Cyrus Wakefield estate. At the rear of the school was a tennis court, football field and baseball diamond. The Wakefield Theatre was opened in 1916 in the Appleton Building by Charles W. Hodgdon, owner of the Premier Theatre (later the Princess Theatre) on Mechanic (Princess) Street. The theatre closed in 1972. L.B. Evans' Son Co. Shoe Manufacturer building was built in 1893 with additions in 1903, 1911 and 1920. The building and the company were sold in 1979. The Elizabeth E. Boit Home for Women was established in 1894 and is located at 5 Bennett Street (far left, near the center of the photo.) Additional information about the Boit Home is provided elsewhere. The Henry F. Miller Piano Company moved to Wakefield in 1884 to a six-story building behind the former Town Hall at the corner of Water and Smith Streets. The company manufactured pianos at the site until 1929 and relocated back to Boston in 1932. Wakefield Town Hall was built during the late 1860's after Cyrus Wakefield presented the town with a donation of $30,000 and a building lot in 1867 for the purpose of erecting a soldiers memorial hall. The town hall was dedicated on February 22, 1871. The building was destroyed by fire and was subsequently razed in 1958." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"This photo was probably taken when a Tydol dirigible, formerly used by the US Navy, flew over the area in August 1948. The blimp was east of Wakefield when the pilot changed his course to the northwest to fly over the north ward and the head of the lake, along its shoreline and over the common where it circled back and left the area. The blimp was in the area for three weeks and was operated by the Tide Water Associated Oil Company to advertise 'Flying A Gasoline' with its slogan 'A Whale of a Deal.' The 254' blimp featured a 200' animated whale on one side that was made up of 4,500 light bulbs. The whale 'swam' in an ocean of 2,000 light bulbs, flapped its tail and spouted water. There were a total of 11,500 lights attached to both sides of the blimp. During the day, the blimp's advertisement featured painted signs that measured 37' high by 178' long. Prominently featured in the forefront of the photo is Hills Boathouse, which was razed in 1964 part of the former Morrill-Atwood Ice Company (then the Metropolitan Ice Company), razed in 1960 and the bathhouse, built in 1940 and moved to the Forest Glade Cemetery in 1994." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"Members of the Sons of Italy, Lodge 359, were among the representatives of fraternal groups that participated in the annual Fourth of July Parade sponsored by a special committee of the Chamber of Commerce. The two mile parade began at 10 a.m. and was held despite threatening skies that later postponed the highly anticipated $1,000 fireworks display. The parade divisions included military, fraternal, industrial, automobile, and horribles. Musical accompaniment was provided by Gallo's Band, Teel's Band, Waltham Watch Company Band, Chapman's Band, St. Joseph's Band, and the Wakefield Fife and Drum Corps. In addition to the Sons of Italy, fraternal organizations included the Holy Mary del Carmine Society, The Moose, Knights of Pythias, Odd Fellows, Hibernians, Eagles, and the Elks, all of whom wore 'special effects.' The Italian societies turned out in large numbers, wearing regalia and carrying banners. The money for the 1922 parade was raised by popular subscription. Because there were showers in the early morning, the parade committee was able to collect $1,000 in insurance, even though the parade went on as planned. The Executive Committee of the 4th of July parade committee of 1922 voted in May 1930 to give the surplus money to the Tercentenary committee and 4th of July parade committee of 1930." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"As part of the 250th Anniversary of the 'Settlement and Incorporation of the old Town of Redding', a procession through several streets began on Main Street and traveled up Sweetser Street to Pleasant, Park, Main, Yale Avenue, Railroad (North Avenue), Chestnut, Park Avenue, Dell Avenue, Converse, Gould, Albion, Railroad, Chestnut to Main Street where the procession passed in review before Governor Frederic T. Greenhalge. The procession included dignitaries from throughout Massachusetts, followed by four divisions of marchers, barges and wagons. Among the participants were more than 1,000 school children, occupying 30 barges, and local tradesmen and businesspeople. The extensive list of participants does not mention the group pictured. A letter to the editor in the Wakefield Daily Item a few days later mentions the lack of recognition for the Town's Indian heritage. Just 15 years later, Wakefield's Wahpatuck Tribe 54, Improved Order of Red Men received its charter and eventually became the largest tribe of Red Men in the state. The name originated from Chief Wahpatuck, Sachem of the Massachusetts Indians, who was killed in 1669 while on a raid against the Mohawks. With a membership of over 250 in 1944, the Red Men had what members referred to as their wigwam at 33 West Water street." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Santoro's Cafe (as spelled by the establishment) at 502-504 Main Street in 'lower' Wakefield Square, opened in mid-1934 as a 'clean and orderly establishment,' a place where a man could bring his wife, sweetheart, or sister. In January, 1935, proprietor Michael Santoro took over the adjoining store, made it a 'neat, clean and attractive' annex with 12 cozy booths, one of which was big enough to accommodate 10 to 15 people. This annex was reserved solely for ladies, and was decorated in a tropical theme with soft colored lights, palm trees, beautiful wall paintings, a smooth dance floor and a melodious three piece orchestra. The caf??, which opened just one year after the repeal of Prohibition, advertised that all drinks were properly mixed by an expert bartender and all liquor regulations were observed." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"Located at the northern end of Lake Quannapowitt, Rosson's Quannapowitt Picnic Grove and Boat Livery may have been a stop along the Wakefield and Stoneham Street Railway system's Lakeside Route. Moxie, first sold as a soft drink in 1884, was prominently featured on the front of the building. Moxie outsold Coca-Cola until the 1920s. In 1910, the Town was taking action to buy most of the land at the north end of the Lake, from Rosson's Grove to the Boston Ice House, and to use funding from the Metropolitan Park Service parks program. In October 1910, Town representatives and the Park Service 'tramped through the marshes at Rosson's Grove' to contemplate the validity of making a road connecting North Avenue and Main Street." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"According to Town of Wakefield Polls and Estate Tax records of the 1890s, Rosson's Boat Livery was located at 19 Lowell Street at the head of the Lake. Although the 20-acre lakefront property was referred to as the Charles P. Rosson estate, the taxes were assessed to Emma Rosson. In 1895, the Rosson property included a dwelling house, 20 acres of land, 25 horses, cows and swine, barns and a shed. By 1899, the property list also included a boathouse and a shop. The boathouse and picnic grove hosted many community events including fireworks and a dance on July 3rd, 1900 to celebrate Independence Day. Canoes and rowboats were also 'at the disposal of the patrons.' An advertisement of the same time noted that C.P. Rosson's Quannapowitt Grove was open to the public for pleasure and picnic parties with boats and canoes for rent or sale. Also referred to as Rosson's Quannapowitt Picnic Grove, the property was near the Reading Citizens Ice House owned by E.E. Nichols and Son of Reading, an ice company that sold ice only to Reading residents. The icehouse was reported to be located where Col. Connelly Park now stands." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Richardson Light Guard marched to the home of the late Dr. Solon Richardson in full dress, which may have been prior to the 'mammoth military pageant' in Boston to honor President Rutherford B. Hayes on June 26, 1877. The Richardson home at the corner of Main and Richardson Avenue was built in 1817 and immediately occupied by Dr. Nathan Richardson and his family, including his son Solon, who was instrumental in the founding of the Richardson Light Guard. The house faced Main Street and had extensive land between Main Street and North Avenue. The land was divided during the late 1890s and the house was moved to the corner of Foster Street and Richardson Avenue. Following the death of Solon Richardson, Jr., the house was sold and was purchased by the jeweler, H.S. Sorenson. It was also home to the Colonial Inn. The Richardson Building, a commercial building, was erected on the original site of the house on Main Street in 1901." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"According to published reports, the town was to receive more than $42,000 in Chapter 90 funds from the state's Highway Department to rebuild and resurface Main Street, from the Common south to the Greenwood School. To enable the work to be done at one time, the town 'put up' an additional $10,000 for the work, and the state agreed to give the 1949 and 1950 Chapter 90 fund allotments at one time. The project was estimated to cost $52,000. Work on the section from the Common to Water Street was done by S. Rotondi & Sons. The company used a 60-ton digger to rip up the old trolley car rails that were buried under the old macadam. After being ripped out of the old paving, the rails were piled on the side of the center excavation and removed by S. Casper & Sons, the 'junk dealers' who were awarded the $12 per ton bid. The works also included putting in granite capstones to cover a center drain that ran down the middle of Main Street, and the removal of two fire cisterns in front of the library and Lane's Drug Store. The cisterns were used to hold water for fighting fires before the town had its own water system. The broken macadam, gravel and old paving blocks were used to fill in the old skating rink at Hall's Park." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"Thousands of Wakefield residents, business owners and their employees turned out for the welcome parade for the boys of the Richardson Light Guard Company A who returned home from training in Ayer on Saturday, August 25, 1917. Less than 24 hours later, the soldiers were on their way back to Ayer where they would soon be off to war. After their arrival at the Center Station on Water Street was heralded by the 'old Military call on the fire alarm,' Company A disembarked from the train on the factory field side and formed in line with the Special Committee on Public Safety. Led by the committee president Charles E. Walton and a platoon of police under the Chief Pollard as escort, the parade was greeted by cheering crowds as they marched up Water Street to the square, up Main Street to Avon Street, where they turned and proceeded to the Armory. They disbanded only to return to the State Armory for an informal reception for the soldiers and their 'lady friends' later that evening. The following day, 'long before 10 a.m.,' crowds again began to gather in Wakefield square for the 10:30 a.m. sendoff parade which left from the Armory and proceeded to the Common, down Chestnut Street and to the Upper Station where the 'wives, parents, sisters, brothers, sweethearts and friends bid tearful farewell to the boys in khaki.' The expenses associated with bringing Company A to Wakefield and entertaining them was borne by the members of the Fine Members Association of the Richardson Light Guard, an association comprised of civilians who each paid annual membership dues of $3. The association decided to fund the reception rather than hold its annual banquet." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The rattan industry, brought to South Reading by Cyrus Wakefield, was more than just a manufacturing operation. It is the reason Wakefield is what it is today. Founded by Mr. Wakefield in 1856, the Wakefield Rattan Company was at one time the largest employer and taxpayer in the town and was the reason why so many workers moved to South Reading. The employees of the plant were required to work a 55 hour week during the company's most productive period. This, however, was changed in 1917 to a 50 hour week, or 9 hours per day. The Wakefield Rattan Company factory was located on 11 acres on the north side of Water Street and earned a reputation for its rattan furniture, railroad car seats, trolley car and bus seats, baby carriages, cocoa mats and matting. The Wakefield Rattan Company was absorbed by the Heywood Brothers of Gardner in 1897 and subsequently became known as the Heywood-Wakefield Company. The industry remained strong until 1931 when changes in the economy and furniture styles resulted in the dismantling of the Wakefield plant and consolidation of the operation into the Gardner plant. What could have been dealt a fatal blow to the town was averted when the Heywood-Wakefield Company had the foresight to rent portions of the buildings to small companies and industries. The result was a thriving industrial establishment with several smaller and diversified industries, many of whom flourished during World War II. The industrial complex was the victim of fire, once as the Heywood-Wakefield Company in 1881, the other as the Robie Industrial Park in 1972. The industrial park now houses several businesses and is relatively small compared to the once thriving hub of the town." -- Text from calendar.
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"The first mention of a Quannapowitt Yacht Club appeared in a news article in April 1895, which stated that a group of men gathered at the home of Will H. Wiley to organize the club, elect officers, and adopt a constitution. Its purpose 'shall be the promotion of rowing, canoeing, and sailing and the encouragement of sociability among its members.' Anticipating great interest in the club, membership was offered at a fee of $2.00 and was limited to 100 people. Little mention is made of the yacht club from the early 1900s to 1912 when another reorganization meeting was held, again at Mr. Wiley's home. With a fee of $5.00 and no annual dues for the first year, the Quannapowitt Yacht Club revised the former yacht club constitution and bylaws on May 17, 1912. The club had three classes of boats with a cup awarded in each class after a seven-race series. Interest in sailing on Lake Quannapowitt fluctuated during the next two decades, with renewed interest in 1931, and again in 1936. On April 26, 1936, a reorganization meeting was held at Hill's Boathouse and a charter was written, modeled after the Boston Yacht Club charter. The club's red, white and blue triangular shaped pennant was adopted in 1938. In 1940, a new charter was written and the Quannapowitt Yacht Club was incorporated. Although plans for a permanent home for the club were initiated in 1942, it wasn't until spring 1947 that club members towed their floats from Hill's Boathouse to a site 'near the old Boston Ice Houses,' on property owned by club member Wendell Vidito. The club subsequently purchased the 9000 sq. ft. property on Linda Road for the sum of $1100 and a 12' x 20' club house was built near the beach. It was built so that it could be moved or added to in future years. On Memorial Day, 1948, after the members dug the foundation by hand, the clubhouse was moved to a concrete foundation on a hill. Additional land was purchased in 1953, and in 1961 the present clubhouse was built, with a porch added in 1971." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'On
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"The Purrington Power Sprayer was built in Wakefield by E.I. Purrington, Machinist, in his shop on Centre Street (near Main Street.) The sprayer was used for pest control and tree spraying, as well as for the spraying of gypsy moths. The machine was horse-drawn, with the driver seated at the top. The machine was used not only in Wakefield, but in area communities by individuals who were hired to spray. In addition to the Power Sprayer, Mr. Purrington's newspaper advertisement showed he was a 'jack-of-all-trades': 'automobiles, gas engines and machinery, bought, sold and repaired, pattern and model making, machine work of all kinds in wood or metal.' He also built many homes in Wakefield." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"For more than three decades, there was substantial discussion and debate regarding domestic water supply to the town of Wakefield. In 1872, a group of concerned citizens petitioned the legislature to charter the Quannapowitt Water Company to give the provate company the right to take water from Quannapowitt and Crystal Lakes with the tributary waters which flow into them. The bill was hastened by the fact that the cities of Lynn and Boston had made preliminary examinations of the lakes for the purpose of adding them to their own water supplies. The town of Stoneham challenged the bill, and it was later amended to include the neighboring town. After several years of inactivity, Wakefield residents authorized a contract in 1882 with the company for 60 hydrants at $50 each per year, for a total of ten years. The same arrangement was made with Stoneham in 1883. In April 1883, a contract was signed with a Springfield company to build the water works and lay pipes in the two towns. Work progressed quickly, and the company began supplying water to the town from Crystal Lake on December 1, 1883. The works consisted of a pumping station with two large pumps capable of pumping three million gallons in 24 hours, a boiler house, pipe factory, coal shed, stable, superintendent's house and a large iron standpipe (with a capacity of 563,000 gallons) which was built on the highest point in Stoneham. In 1883, the company changed its name to Wakefield Water Company and on December 2, 1903, the town aquired the company and all its rights, pipes, hydrants, plant and equipment through an act of the legislature." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Proctor family moved to the Town of Wakefield from Maine when Edward Everett Proctor took a job with the newly created Municipal Light Department. The family took up residence on the western part of Chestnut Street. Among family members pictured in the buggy: (back row) Edith Proctor (who later married Henry Miller of the Henry F. Miller & Sons Piano Company), Hattie Proctor and Grace Otis Proctor. (Front row): Arthur Proctor, Edward Otis Proctor (who later served as Assistant Attorney General under Massachusetts Governor Paul Dever) and Edward Everett Proctor." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Princess Theatre opened for business on Mechanic Street (later Princess Street) on October 5, 1912 under the ownership of Charles W. Hodgdon. The building was previously used for storage and once housed a mattress factory owned by Thomas E. Staples. Using equipment he purchased from the owners of the former Premier Theatre, Hodgdon began operations and by 1914, the Princess theatre was showing moving pictures as well as presenting 'drama.' During that time, state law required five minutes of music or vaudeville for every 20 minutes of film to avoid a harmful effect on the eyes from the flicker of the film (so-called for the jerky film sequences). It is reported that W.C. Field [i.e. Fields] and Fred Allen appeared at the Princess on their way to stardom. Hodgdon leased the Wakefield Theatre in 1916, keeping it open throughout the year while closing the Princess Theatre during the summer. Since theatres could not have commercial showings on Sunday, several local organizations, civic groups and other associations were given special permits to sponsor one Sunday movie each year. On March 14, 1930, Wakefield residents voted 1225-1173 to allow commercial showings on Sunday, with each program to be approved weekly by the Board of Selectmen. A blanket approval was granted on February 6, 1934. In 1938, the Princess Theatre underwent a complete remodeling and modernization, making it one of the most beautiful and finest theaters in the area. The Theatre reopened in October, 1938, with 'Letter of Introduction' starring Edgar Bergen, Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd. The Princess Theatre was closed for a short time during World War II due to 'lack of employees' only to reopen six weeks after the end of the war. At the time, a two-feature move cost $.35 per ticket. The Princess Theatre was air conditioned in 1946 and Cinemascope was added in 1955. The Theatre was razed in June 1971 to make way for the Princess Plaza, a three-story professional office building." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"More than 150 people were turned away from the 8 p.m. showing of 'The Last Days of Pompeii' the 'longest and best-ever' film presented at the Princess Theatre. All but the first two rows of seats on the floor of the 1000 seat theatre were taken during the afternoon showing. Many in the audience had never been in the theatre, and most had never seen anything but the 'ordinary run of motion pictures.' According to an article in the next day's paper, the audience had 'their eyes opened to the real greatness of the photo-play industry. Especially thrilling were the scenes showing the chariot races, the lion's den and, capping the climax of all, the realistic eruption of Vesuvius and the mad flight of the inhabitants.' The performance of Boston's Tremont Temple soloist Mme. Wilhelmina Wright Calvert was said to be 'superfluous'." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"Before the town's first post office opened in 1812 on Main Street, private citizens returning from the Charlestown Toll House delivered mail to a central location. In 1854, Postman Samuel Kingman built a new post office at the corner of Main and Albion Streets. It was Kingman who introduced mail delivery to the community when he stood outside various churches on Sunday to deliver mail to the intended recipients. Rural free delivery was introduced to the United States in the 1890s as an experiment to deliver mail to farmers and others living outside urban areas, and parcel post became law in 1912 with service beginning in January 1913. The mail truck in the picture encouraged savings while the Postman made his rounds. In 1910, an Act of Congress established a postal savings system in post offices designed to encourage savings, especially for immigrants who were accustomed to saving at post offices in their native countries, and to furnish more convenient depositories for working people, since many post offices were open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., six days a week. By 1929, $153 million was on deposit, reaching $1.2 billion during the 1930s. Savings jumped again during World War II, peaking in 1947 at almost $3.4 billion." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"After more than 20 years in the Richardson Building on Main Street, the Post Office moved to a new home at 9 Albion Street, between the Kingman and Caldwell Buildings, in 1924. When the Post Office opened for business on April 1, 1924, customers had to walk around the temporary shelter at the front of the building while construction workers finished the second floor. The Wakefield Item noted that the two-story brick structure 'presents a business-like compact and neat appearance from the outside with a revolving, four-sided door in the center. It is flanked on either side by mullioned windows.' The new building provided 2,000 square feet of working space, while the old quarters had 1,100 square feet of space. The lobby measured 26' x 13.5' with parcel post and general delivery windows to the right 'almost in front of the door'. An emergency general delivery and stamp window was located around the corner, open only in 'times of rush, such as Christmas. The call boxes of more approved types than the ones in the old building' were located to the left. Behind the window partitions were the rooms used by the carriers to sort the mail. At the rear of the building was the loading room and the platform, the entrance for which was from Chestnut Street. It was noted that the entrance would be available when the 'bank building is completed.' The carrier could wheel his routing cart beyond the swinging doors to the platform. The basement, 'known in the postal parlance as the swing room,' contained the carriers' lockers and equipment, as well as lavatories and a washroom, which were not quite fully installed in time for the opening. The Post Office occupied the building until January, 1937. The Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department bought the building in 1943." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Post Office was among the many public and private buildings and homes which were decorated for the Town's 250th anniversary celebration in 1894. The building was draped in the national colors, with a large portrait of George Washington at the center of the building's facade with the words 'Welcome' placed above the entrance. The 'stately building' was built in 1860 by Davis and Bryant under the guidance of postmaster Samuel Kingman. A tailor by trade, Kingman was a member of the Board of Selectmen and was the town's representative to the Massachusetts Legislature. Although a member of the democratic party, the town's minority party, his election in 1850 was attributed to to a coalition of the 'Free Soil Party' with the anti-slavery element of the democratic party. He was also a lieutenant in the Richardson Light Guard and a commander of a military company, the Washington Rifle Grays. He was appointed as South Reading's sixth postmaster in 1853 and, when the town changed its name in 1868, he was reappointed as Wakefield's first postmaster. He retired from the position in 1873, and has been credited for the first free mail delivery in the community. The Kingman block remained in the Kingman family until it was bought by the Middlesex Traders, a local citizen-based realty investment organization, in June 1895. The building housed the post office until 1901 when it moved to the corner of Main Street and Richardson Avenue. It has also been home to the Richardson Light Guard, the Ancient Order of Hibernian Hall and the Red Men's Hall." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The 1935 Wakefield Police Department had 13 regular officers patrolling the streets of Wakefield under Chief James J. Pollard. The force included the chief, two sergeants and ten patrolmen. To effectively protect the citizens of Wakefield, their annual operating budget for that year was $35,000. Today, over 50 years later, there are 12 commanding officers and 35 patrolmen on the Wakefield Police Department. John G. Gates and George B. DeRoche were the first Sergeants appointed to the Wakefield Police Department. Sgt. DeRoche was then promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, making him the first Wakefield police officer to attain the rank. Today, the 12 commanding officers include 1 Chief, 4 Lieutenants, and 7 Sergeants." -- Text from calendar.;Captions: 1. The 1940 Wakefield Police Department - (front row, left to right) James F. Hartnett, John A. Peterson, Sgt. Merritt Wenzel, Lieut. George B. DeRoche, Chief John G. Gates, Sgt. Walter E. Peterson, James A. McFadden, Joseph A. Preston, Eugene McDonnell. (second row, left to right) Joseph Fazio, Eugene Hathaway, John J. Mahoney, Peter Quinn, Harold Maloney, Morton B. Griffin, Winslow Smith, William Jack, Charles Sullivan. (third row, left to right) John E. Martin, Raymond J. Beane, Edwin M. Rowe, George Sheridan, Ernest J. McWhinnie. -- 2. Wakefield's first ambulance. -- 3. Wakefield Police officers Edwin Poland, left, and Jim McFadden.
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"Pleasure Island, 'New England's biggest family amusement center" opened on June 22, 1959. The 80-acre site was located off Route 128, adjacent to what is now Audubon Road (formerly Pleasure Island Road). Formerly swampland, the area was converted into a 'dramatic and colorful entertainment park' in a record four months. In addition to the dredging, pile driving and installation of utilities, engineers created an inland sea four feet deep which accommodated a variety of sea creatures. This included the famous fiberglass and steel Moby Dick which was created by a special effects studio in Hollywood. Attractions also included the Strange House, Pirates Cove, Wreck of the Hesperus, The Chisholm Trail, the Old Smokey Line (with a restored Greenwood B&M Station), panning for gold at Goldpan Gulch, and the Diamond Lil gay-nineties show at the saloon. The park also included an 'authentic' 150-year-old New England whaling village and a western frontier town. According to published reports, several sites were initially reviewed, but the Wakefield Industrial Park was selected because of the amount of acreage under water, its proximity to Routes 1 and 128 and other major highways, and its potential to attract industry to the area. The opening weekend featured a press-only party attended by 5,000 invited guests on Saturday, and a charity benefit which attracted another 2,000 people on Sunday. More than 13,000 people were turned away during the weekend after radio and TV announcements erroneously reported the general public opening. Pleasure Island employed 400 people when it opened. The park closed in 1969." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"This year marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of Pleasure Island. In this picture, a pirate boat heads toward Pirate's Cove, complete with its tree house, fort and pirate, as the Pleasure Island and Western Railroad train makes its way to the old Greenwood train station. The train was operated and run by Edaville Railroad. Pleasure Island was billed as Boston's equivalent of Disneyland. Bill Hawkes, president of ChildLife Magazine, and executives at Cabot, Cabot & Forbes, oversaw the project. Hawkes met with C.V. Wood, the first general manager and Vice President of Disneyland, and was said to have agreed to collaborate with Hawkes to build a Disneyland of the East. The company hired many former Disney employees to work on the project. In October, 1958, Pleasure Island, Inc. announced its plans to build a $4 million family amusement center in Wakefield. Pleasure Island opened on June 22, 1959." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"Dubbed by its owners in the late 1950s as the 'Disneyland of the East Coast', Pleasure Island was a fantasyland for children of all ages. Although it was in operation for less than a decade, thousands of local youngsters and their parents passed through the gates to ride on 'Old Smokey', the Pleasure Island and Western Raildroad and spend the day watching the shows and riding the amusements - over and over again! For the price of admission ($2.25 plus tax for 'grown-ups' and $1.75 plus tax for children under 12), everyone could take rides on the Wreck of the Hesperus, Continental Carousel, Moby Dick Hunt, the Skyscraper Slide, the antique cars in the Horseless Carriage Land, Pirate Cove Adventure, and see the shows throughout the day at the Show Bowl, Magic Land, the Chisholm Trail, and Indian Village. Children could also pet the animals at Baby Animal Land, Monkey Island, and even take a burro ride through 'the Old West.' There was something for everyone at Pleasure Island - food pavilions, shopping areas for souvenirs, and big name entertainment at the Show Bowl. Many youngsters had the opportunity to see Ricky Nelson, the Lone Ranger, Rin Tin Tin and Lassie, to name only a few. Today the site where Pleasure Island once stood is now home to several office complexes. The area is dotted with an apartment complex and several industrial and commercial buildings." -- Text from calendar.
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"Known for many years as 'Brookside,' the Pitman Estate was located at 840 Main Street in Greenwood across from Cooper Street. The house was owned by Lawrence J. Pitman who was for many years associated with his father, Ezekiel Pitman, in the merchant tailoring business in Boston's Dock Square. Although a critical illness forced Lawrence to retire from active business at the age of 35, he recovered and lived to the age of 89. Mrs. Pitman was the former Euphronia J. Whittemore, a resident of Greenwood sicne the age of 14. 'Brookside' was said to have one of the largest and finest private residences with some of the most attractive grounds in Wakefield. His son, Richard, operated the Brookside Greenhouses in Greenwood until he died in 1925. After Lawrence's death in November 1925 at Woodland Rest, a private hospital on Linden Avenue, the estate was left to a distant relative and was said to be in a state of disrepair when it was razed in 1945. The land was developed into a 20-house subdivision by Ralph Morel of the Morel Building Trust of Greenwood." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Although there was a Pine Street off Cedar Hill (Fairmount) Avenue in 1875, this Pine Street may have been in the village of Greenwood, off Pitman Avenue. According to the Wakefield Street List of 1910, many Pine Street property owners were listed as residents of other communities, including Charlestown and Boston, and several homes were listed as having New Hampshire owners. The majority of Greenwood Village was deeply wooded, with many streets, or lanes, the width of an oxen cart. Like other sections of Wakefield, the population of Greenwood rose significantly after 1845 when the railroad began operating through town. Verbal history records note that there were 20 families in Greenwood in 1862 in 1895, there were said to be 601. Maps of the period show roads without names." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"Located in the Perkins Block at the south corner of Main and Albion Streets, Bonney & Dutton's Old Corner Drug Store was owned by Riberot Dutton until 1940 when it was purchased by clerks Albert LeBlanc and George H. Logan. At the same time, plans were made to demolish the 3 1/2 story wooden building to construct a modern one-story business block by the building's new owners: Crystal Realty Corp. Part of the property which faced Main Street was not affected when the remainder of the building was razed because that part of the building had been completely altered and rebuilt with fireproof materials as a single store by the First National Stores. The upper stories were not used for commercial purposes for many years, the last occupant being the photographic studio of A.C. Saunders on the third floor. The second floor was used used for storage and laboratory purposes by Bonney & Dutton. During construction, Bonney & Dutton's drug store was open for business at 14-18 Albion Street, the former site of the Spero Bros. furniture store. The Charlie Chin Hand Laundry occupied a one-story ell in the back of the Drug Store, but relocated at 20 Albion Street before the building was razed. When the building was completed, the drug store occupied the former laundry space. The building later housed the Ames Rexall Drug Store until that store was destroyed by fire in March, 1974. Plans for the modern office building now at the corner of Main and Albion Streets were started in July, 1974." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Appropriately titled 'Peaceful Main Street,' this photograph shows downtown Wakefield as it looked in 1898. The photo was probably taken from the top floors of the Perkins building at the south corner of Albion and Main Streets." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Built somewhere between 1875 and 1888, this home operated as a boarding house in 1893. The house was purchased in the fall of 1895 by a committee of five who represented the Wakefield Home for Aged Women, and organization that received its charter in April 1894. The first annual meeting of the Wakefield Home for Aged Women was held in Union Hall in the spring of 1895. The meeting was attended by a large number of members of the corporation who heard from the officers that in one year, their treasury had grown to $6,108.92. Action was also taken regarding an offer made by Dr. Charles Jordan on a lot of land on Converse Street, 'as a suitable location for the Home.' Although the generosity of the offer was noted as 'highly appreciated,' the members thought it best not to accept it. Later that year, the Town of Wakefield accepted Dr. Jordan's offer for the lot of land on January 18, 1896, and built the Warren SChool in 1897. A special meeting of the corporation was held on September 5, 1895. A vote was taken to open the home within months, and a committee was selected 'with full power to buy or hire an estate.' The committee included Mrs. Joseph Morton, Miss E.E. Boit, Mrs. T.J. Skinner, Mrs. E.A. Carlisle, and Mrs. Maria H. Murdock. On February 1, 1896, all four applicants had been approved by the managers, and the first residents moved into the Wakefield Home for Aged Women on February 8, 1896. A dedication ceremony was held on February 17, 1896" -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"This panorama of downtown Wakefield was taken from the Harts Hill fire tower in 1949. The steel tower, perched 40' above the summit of Harts Hill was erected in the spring of 1913. Wakefield's ownership of the Harts Hill area, said to be named for Dr. John Hart, occurred in 1901 when the Town of Wakefield voted to take title of the 23 acres, with the stipulation that it be 'forever kept open as a public park and reservation.' The Town also voted to purchase the Flint estate at a cost of $5000 with the Metropolitan Commission offering an additional $5000. Eight 'public-minded' citizens purchased and gave to the Town eight properties and one acre not included in the Town's original purchase. In 1924, Park Commissioners voted to keep the playground at Harts Hill." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"During the 1920s and 1930s, Route 128 consisted of a series of streets which formed a circumferential route from Hull to Gloucester. Wakefield's Route 128 ran along Albion Street, North Avenue, Water Street, Vernon Street, New Salem Street, and Salem Street where it connected to Lynnfield. The idea for a 'circumferential highway' that would connect radial routes around Boston came from Massachusetts Department of Public Works Commissioner William F. Callahan in 1934. Because of the Depression, he could do little more than create a patchwork of existing roadways. A change in administration in 1939 left the project uncompleted in Danvers, until Callahan was reappointed as a DPW Commissioner in 1949. The project was re-christened as the Yankee Division Highway. The Federal Highway Act of 1944 paid for half the cost of the new MA 128, while state and local governments paid the rest. In its original design, the highway was to have four 12-foot lanes (two in each direction) separated by a 24-foot wide grassy median. In 1951, Massachusetts DPW completed a 22.5 mile stretch of MA 128 from Wellesley (MA 9) to Lynnfield (US Route 1 and MA 129). The new section connected the Lynnfield to Danvers section which was built in the late 1930s. The route was extended to the north from Danvers to Gloucester in 1953, and to the south from Wellesley to Dedham in 1955. The highway extended to the Braintree-split, connecting it to the Southeast Expressway in 1958, and to the Rockport rotary in 1959. By the time it was completed, the Yankee Division Highway was said to have cost $63 million in construction and right-of-way expenses. The job was awarded in seven sections. Callahan traced the roadways through farms, fields and wetlands to avoid the center of town. The official opening of the highway featured ribbon-cutting ceremonies in Waltham, Burlington, Woburn and at the Main Street overpass in Wakefield with Governor Paul A. Dever, Highway Commissioner Callahan, and Traffic Engineer Edgar Copell. A dinner for 800 state officials, members of the legislature, contactors [sic], town and city officials, and others was held at the Suntaug Inn, Lynnfield." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"In the autumn of 1875, Nathaniel Everett Cutler and his brother, David C. Cutler, leased a portion of the lower floor of the Wakefield Building for their 'modern' grocery and grain business. Cutler Brothers opened for business in April, 1876, and subsequently earned a reputation for being 'the finest and best equipped modern grocery store in this part of Massachusetts.' Among the products sold at Cutler Brothers were hay, grain, seeds, paint, oils, crockery, hardware and fertilizer. By 1891, business was so extensive that additional space was required. Nathaniel Cutler, the sole owner of the business at the time, purchased a lot of land on the southeast corner of Main and Water Streets. He erected a three story building with a floor area of 28,000 sq. ft., into which he moved his grocery and grain business. Cutler Brothers Grain Mill & Elevator was destroyed by fire after being struck by lightning on July 6, 1911." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Wakefield's first Old Home Week was sponsored by the Wakefield Chamber of Commerce during the week of August 12, 1934. Activities included special church services, a flag raising ceremony, exhibits by the Historical Society and the Arts and Crafts Society, a products and mercantile show, sporting events, a water carnival on Lake Quannapowitt, band concerts and an historical pageant. As a Wakefield holiday, factories and stores were asked by the Chamber of Commerce to close at 12 noon on Wednesday. All factories which closed at noon blew their whistles for two minutes to indicate the opening of Wakefield Holiday at Walton Field. Between 5,000 and 7,000 people attended the day's events which included 45 exhibit booths staffed by local merchants and manufacturers, and a host of field events. More than 600 children and adults participated in athletic events which included an adult horse shoe competition, track and field championships (50 yard dash, 220 yard dash, 360 yard dash, shot put, running broad jump), hose coupling contest, push ball contest, the 'official welcome home of P.R. Osperity', baseball (Wakefield A.A. vs. Twilight League), Drum Corps Prize Competition, Indian Corn Dance, and the presentation of cash awards which ranged from $15 to ten $1 awards." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Patrolman Joseph Preston was a member of the permanent force of the Wakefield Police Department for 37 years. Although he was first appointed as a permanent officer by the Board of Selectmen on June 12, 1913, Patrolman Preston had been a member of the force for many years prior to that. He had the distinction of being Wakefield's first motorcycle officer in 1914, driving a Harley Davidson motorcycle rented from Albion Street dealer Charles Martin. Joe Preston was one of 12 children. In 1921, his brother James, also a member of the Wakefield Police Department, was the first Wakefield officer killed in the line of duty. His brother, John Preston, served as Town Counsel and was one of the town officials who attended Joe's retirement party at the Town Lyne House in November 1943. In a letter to Joe upon his retirement, the Selectmen noted: 'No black marks are on your record in all the years of your service, and your fairness and impartiality towards all whom you came in contact with speaks for itself.'" - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"The first 'regular' post office in Wakefield was established in 1812 in a small building on Main Street. John Rayner served as the town's first Postmaster. In 1852, or soon after his appointment, Postmaster Samuel Kingman built a new home for the post office at the corner of Main and Albion Street, now known as Bourdon's Block. According to Wakefield history, Postmaster Kingman also initiated the first 'free delivery' of mail in town. Each Sunday morning he went to the post office and took some mail to various sections of town. There he waited for the churchgoers and presented them with the mail he carried in his hat. The post office was later moved to the corner of Main and Richardson Streets, to the building at 9 Albion Street (now home of the Wakefield Municipal Light Department), and to its present home at the corner of Main Street and Yale Avenue." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"This three-story structure was built at the corner of Avon and Main Streets in 1895 for John Flanley, a prominent furniture dealer and real estate owner. The building, 'one of the largest and best blocks in town,' was built in the Italian Renaissance style and was originally trapezoidal in shape to fit on the lot. The Souhegan Lodge No. 38, Independent Order of Odd Fellows purchased the building on February 9, 1918 from Flanley's family, with a dedication held on June 25, 1918. At the time, the land and building were assessed at $20,000. From the date of purchase until the dedication, the Odd Fellows made extensive changes and improvements to the third floor to 'make the hall and anterooms suitable for fraternal purposes.' The second floor remained in use as office space, while the first floor was occupied by stores. The Odd Fellow's purchase of the building was the culmination of several years of plans 'extending over a period of years to acquire larger and more modern quarters.' Ten years earlier, the organization bought the 'old John Henry Eaton estate on Albion Street, next to the former Atherton grocery', but later decided it was unsuited to their uses. The lodge was instituted in 1844, with objectives of good fellowship and benefits to members and their families. The Odd Fellows building suffered extensive damage in a January 24, 1997 fire. It was subsequently purchased, rebuilt and restored by The Savings Bank." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The building which housed the J.W. Poland Co. dry goods store (in the corner) and Quannapowitt Club (on the second floor) was decorated for the Town's 250th anniversary celebration. Known as the Gould Block, the building 'appeared in tasteful and brilliant array, under direction of the occupants.' In addition to a parade, other anniversary events included a concert by the Salem Cadet Band at the 'pagoda,' games and sporting events at the common, 'historical, literary and memorial exercises' attended by ticket holders at the Town Hall, a fireworks display near the southerly shores of Lake Quannapowitt, and the exhibition of historic articles and relics at the Guild Hall in the Wakefield Block." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Taken in 1898, this photograph of Railroad Avenue (now North Avenue) depicts what much of the area across from the railroad station looked like until the 1940's. Pictured, from left to right, the old Walton homestead, George L. Teague's store, the Gilman Drug Store (subsequently Nat Eaton's Drug Store), and the Thorndike Market. The stores were decorated for the departure of the Co. A, 6th Regiment which left Wakefield for the Spanish American War. The flag was raised in May, 1898. It was reported that before the flag was raised, a dummy of Spanish General Weyler was 'pulled to the peak and blasted to pieces with shotguns and revolvers using live ammunition.'" -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Wakefield Municipal Light Department, as it is known today, was formed as a result of a vote of Wakefield citizens at the Annual Town Meeting on August 1, 1894. Because of their dissatisfaction with the Citizens' Gas & Light Company of Reading, South Reading and Stoneham, the citizens voted to purchase the plant, land and all the manufacturing equipment of the firm at a cost of $180,000. At the time of its founding, 18 people were employed by the MLD and the three member Board required to oversee the operation was established. The MLD's progress continued throughout the next three decades and in 1923, an influx of 446 customers brought the total number of electric meters in town to 2,800, compared to the 10,000 meters in use today. Prior to the 1950s, electric current was only generated during the evening hours and the only appliances used in homes throughout the town were irons and fans. Streetlights were extinguished each night at 1 a.m. due primarily to the cost of generating electricity. The MLD, at the time, paid 1.9 cents per kilowatt hour, it was delivered at a cost of 5.6 cents and sold to the customer at 12 cents. But progress soon came to town and Wakefield became the first suburban community in New England to leave its lights on throughout the night. In the mid-1960s there were 8,533 electric meters in use. The cost of generating the electricity was considerably lower than the pre-1950 prices: the electricity cost the MLD 1.23 cents, it was delivered at a cost of 2.1 cents, and sold to the customer at 2.3 cents with a low step residential rate of 1.4 cents (net). Today, 54 men and women are employed by the MLD." -- Text from calendar.;Captions: 1. Christmas lights adorn downtown Wakefield in 1940. -- 2. The Wakefield MLD crew, 1920.
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"Located on Salem Street between Walton Street and Wiley Street (now Montrose Avenue), the Montrose Station served patrons of the Salem Branch of the Boston and Maine Railroad, first built as the South Reading Branch Railroad. Maps indicate that the tracks ran behind the rattan factory and Newhall Court where it crossed Montrose Avenue near the Salem Street end. The station was located in the area across from what is now Audubon Road. In 1848, a group of investors received a charter to build a railroad from South Reading (now Wakefield) to South Danvers (now Peabody). From there, the South Reading Branch had obtained rights to use two miles of track owned by the Essex Railroad to reach Salem. This South Reading to Salem route officially opened in mid-1850, taking business away from the larger Eastern Railroad which offered service from Salem through Lynn to East Boston, requiring passengers to take a ferry into Boston. The South Reading Branch enabled passengers to disembark at the Centre or Junction Stations in South Reading to take the Boston and Maine Railroad directly into Boston. Intense rivalry between Eastern and B&M led to Eastern's purchase of the majority of the South Reading Branch Railroad stock in 1851. The legislature subsequently required Eastern Railroad to buy all the stock and run a certain number of trains each day for many years, mostly at a financial loss. The competition between Eastern and B&M resulted in each line constructing branch lines to raid each other's markets, eventually leading to Eastern's bankruptcy in 1875 and B&M's lease of the entire Eastern system by the mid-1880s. The railroad from Wakefield Junction to Peabody made little sense because it paralleled the Newburyport line, which also traveled through Wakefield, and riders preferred cars and street railways to the train. The Lynnfield Community Bus Line also traveled through Montrose, as it continued to do until the 1970s. By 1925, only 60 passengers rode the trains daily, leading to the B&M's petition to abandon the line. Permission to abandon the line was granted by the Interstate Commerce Commission in November 1925. The last train arrived in Salem at 6:38 p.m. on Saturday, January 2, 1926. The tracks were removed in 1927." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Montrose Chapel was located on the south side of Salem Street near the intersection of Lowell Street. Local history reports that the extreme easterly portion of Wakefield realized the importance of having religious services within its own area. As a result, meetings of a 'religious nature' were held in the schoolhouse and were conducted by various laymen from nearby churches. A 'union Sunday School' was started in 1873, gaining the attention of the YMCA who supported the school, as did other laymen from town churches. A 'society of ladies' was formed in 1877 with the building of a chapel in mind. A chapel society was created in 1881, and four years later, $1400 had been raised for this purpose. A lot of land was deeded to the society by Mr. and Mrs. Henry Stowell, with the stipulation that it be used as a place of worship for Evangelical Christians. The debt-free chapel was dedicated on April 28, 1886, thanks to a number of outside donations. he chapel held Sunday school and services which were conducted by members of different denominations. The Montrose Chapel also housed the Montrose Branch of the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library from 1946 to 1981. It is now a private residence." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Wakefield was home to several thriving industries during the mid to late 1800s, one of which was the manufacturing plant for the Henry F. Miller Piano Company of Boston. The building which housed the Miller Piano Company was built in the early 1870s, the same time the Taylor Building at the corner of Lincoln and Main Streets and the former Town Hall (razed in 1958) were built. The piano company moved into the building at Water and Smith Streets in 1884 and manufactured pianos for its Boston showroom until 1929. Because of the decline in piano use after World War I, the company was forced to discontinue the piano line and later produced a high quality line of furniture. The building was purchased by William T. Curley, Sr. in 1930 and remained in the family for several years. After the Miller Piano Company moved from Wakefield, the building housed several businesses including an antique shop, furniture stores, several shoe manufacturing concerns and was eventually used for storage. The building was razed in June 1960 to make way for the Surety Bank and Trust Company. The site is now occupied by the local branch of BayBank Middlesex." -- Text from calendar.;Captions: 1. The company ceased manufacturing pianos for the Boston showroom in 1929. The building was still standing in 1940, but housed several ither businesses until it was razed to make way for the Surety Bank and Trust Company. -- 2. Today, the land is occupied by BayBank Middlesex.
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"The 'bob' was a blunt haircut for women that was level with the bottom of the ears all around the head. The bob, made popular in the 1920s, was a dramatic change from the long feminine hairstyles usually worn by women during the Gibson-girl era of the early 1900s. The haircut was so popular that hairdressers found it necessary to embrace the style after losing customers to barbers. According to the Washington Post, bobbed hair started a new industry, referred to as the beauty industry. The number of 'hairdressing shops' in the United States increased from 5,000 in 1920 to more than 21,000 established shops and several thousand more 'transient' shops in 1924. After they became more skilled and comfortable with the bob, hairdressers introduced more sophisticated cuts, including the waved and shingled styles popular in the 1930s. Mike's Bob Shop claimed to be among the first in the area to introduce the 'new styles in hair-dressing.' Bobbing led to other hairdressing adornments, including the invention of the bobbie pin." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"Cycling was a popular sport in the late 1800's, as seen by this photograph taken at 617 Main Street. It appears that most of the members of the Middlesex Cycle Club rode three-wheel cycles and tandems (a bicycle built for two). Through the 1890's, bicycles sold for an average of $100 to $125, causing many people throughout the country to save their money to buy one. This prompted one desperate hat maker to try to persuade Congress to pass a law requiring every bicycle owner to buy at least two felt hats a year. The bicyle provided a form of recreation that men and women could enjoy together." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The landscape of Albion Street was quite different when the Methodist Episcopal Church occupied a site on the street, east of the railroad tracks. Organized on June 4, 1865 with a membership of 26, the congregation held services in the vestry of the Universalist Church on Main Street until the Albion Hall (at the corner of Albion and Foster Streets) was purchased in 1870. After three years of continued growth, a new site was purchased further west on Albion Street in 1873. The building was completed and dedicated in February of the following year at an expense of $25,000. According to published accounts, the church edifice occupied a 'prominent and central' position on Albion Street. From one corner rose a 'graceful spire 130 feet. A vestry provides room for the Sunday school and social meetings. It is the home of a prosperous and growing religious body, recognized in the community as earnest and aggressive in the support of moral and religious movements.' Other reports indicate that the vestry and kitchen were 'below stairs' and the building itself was of Swiss timber construction adapted to 14th Century Gothic outline. The steeple was struck by lightning three times: 1916, 1917 and again in 1926. During the Hurricane of September 21, 1938, the church's newly rebuilt chimney crashed through the roof's east corner and fell inside, damaging part of the auditorium and balcony. The estimated $3000 damage did enough harm to structurally weaken the building, resulting in the building being condemned and subsequently torn down by the Mystic Building Wrecking Co. on October 11, 1938. The church conducted an auction of bricks from the church chimney to finance the campaign for funds to rebuild the church." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"This house on Meriam Street in Greenwood was the home of John Kidney Ferris, left, his second wife Sara (Duchess) Ferris, standing next to him, and his daughter Eleanor Hutchinson Ferris, third from right. Eleanor later married into the Greene family. A larger dwelling which was built by a Capt. Newcomb occupied the site until it was destroyed by fire. The house was later rebuilt by Mr. Ferris." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Wakefield residents were awakened on Settlers' Day by dynamite salutes and the ringing of bells. Soon after, the streets of Wakefield were filled with carriages, bicycles, horsemen and a moving 'throng' of men, women and children in gala costumes, all of whom waited for the parade, the first event of the day. The line of march for the grand procession was taken up near the Wakefield residence on Main Street (site of the Atwell School and Junior High School complex). The Governor of Massachusetts, Frederic T. Greenhalge, attended the celebration and participated in the procession as it traveled along the parade route: Main Street to Sweetser, Pleasant, Park, Main, Yale Avenue, Railroad, West Chestnut, Park Avenue, Dell Avenue, Converse, Gould, Albion, Railroad, Chestnut to Main Street. The parade participants, many of whom either rode in a carriage or on a float, passed in review before the Governor and other invited guests opposite the Town Hall on Main Street. Parade participants included civic and fraternal organizations, school groups (including 25 barges containing 1200 school children), volunteer hose companies and fire departments, and merchants. Municipal and state officials, invited guests and military groups preceded the five divisions. Forty members of the H.M. Warren Post 12, under the direction of Commander Stephen W. Lufkin, rode on horseback with bugler Walter Hunt. The remaining participants rode on the float with Quartermaster A.D. Merritt. The float contained a cannon at each corner and was appropriately decorated with flags and bunting." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"A map of Wakefield, produced in 1889, shows the streets of Wakefield, some of which have changed names during the past century. North Avenue was once Railroad Avenue, and Princess Street was Mechanic Street. In 1880, the population of Wakefield was 5,547. In 1890, the population jumped to 6,982 and by 1900, the census numbered 9,260. The total value of real estate in 1889 was $3,823,400 ($1,390,825 land and $2,432,575 buildings). The value of real estate and machinery of corporations was $731,050. The Town Report of 1889 noted that there were a total of 2,693 taxpayers in Wakefield: 1,489 of whom paid taxes on property, and 1,204 of whom only paid a poll-tax. Poll taxes of $2 were paid by a total of 1,945 Wakefield residents in 1889." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The 1875 map of Wakefield features large estates, streets and landmarks, as well as railroads and town boundaries. Several of the streets have been renamed since 1875, including Brown Street (now Spring), Wiley Street (now Montrose Avenue), and Railroad Street (now North Avenue). There was a Pine Street off Cedar Hill Avenue (now Fairmount Avenue), a Spring Street off Water Street, and a Charles Street off Chestnut Street. The map also features the Newburyport and South Reading Railroad lines and their stations." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Two Wakefield men attained international prominence during their lifetimes as two of the most famous rifle shots in the world. Major James H. Keough and Captain George W. Chesley both won countless trophies and achieved world records for their proficiency with rifles. Major James H. Keough was born in Southbridge in 1864 and later moved to Wakefield. In 1888 he joined the Richardson Light Guard, Wakeield's military company and served through the Spanish-American War as a quartermaster and musician. He was later commissioned as a captain and was recalled to active duty in World War I. During this time he served as an instructor in rifle practice at Camp Perry. His achievements in rifle shooting span a period of over 40 years. Some of his most distinguished accomplishments include high man of the US team which won the international rifle match in England in 1903 high man of the US team which won a similar match in 1912 in Canada member, captain and coach of the Massachusetts state rifle team from the mid 1890s to 1912 holder of many world records including two at a New Jersey rifle range in 1908 and 1910 which gave the national championship to the Sixth Massachusetts Infantry of which Old Company A of Wakefield was a member a world record of 499 out of a possible 500 at 600 yards in England in 1910 in a match among American, English and Australian teams. At the age of 74 he made a perfect score at 200 yards enabling his team to win a Spanish War Veteran's championship of New England. Major Keough won hundreds of trophies over the years, several of which were donated to the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library. He also donated $2500 to the library for the purchase of books and magazines pertaining to rifles and rifle shooting. He was the owner and operator of the Crescent House prior to his death in 1946. Born in Providence, Rhode Island in 1873, George W. Chesley and his family moved to Wakefield in 1874. Captain Chesley joined the Richardson Light Guard and served during the Spanish-American War and World War I. During the World War he was captain in the ordnance department and an instructor in rifle camps throughout the country. He was highly regarded by his comrades in the Richardson Light Guard for his disposition as well as his rifle skills. He won numerous trophies in state, New England and national tournaments as a member of the Massachusetts Militia and the Connecticut National Guard. He, along with Major Keough, had the distinction of winning more trophies and breaking more records than any other men who served in the Massachusetts Militia. Captain Chesley's countless achievements include breaking the world's record at 1200 yards; making 45 of 50 bullseyes in 1909; making 25 consecutive bullseyes at 1000 yards in the New England shoot in 1909; scoring 224 of a possible 225 at 800 yards in 1913 as a member of the Winchester Arms Company of Connecticut; and a consistent winner in the New England Military Rifle Association tournament in which the best shots in New England competed, winning more than a half dozen of the individual matches each year. He passed away in 1923 at his 637 Main Street home." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Suell Winn House, at the corner of Elm and Winn Streets, was built around 1813 on the site of the homesteads of Capt. Richard Walker and Ebenezer Damon. Walker, one of Reading's first settlers, was the soldier and surveyor of the original settlers and the captain of the first training band. Born in 1610, Walker was allotted 200 acres by a 1638 grant by the General Court and was one of 32 settlers listed in the land map of 1647. Damon was reported to have built his home before 1775. The extensive land holdings of Samuel Winn were divided by the railroad in 1844. Winn was killed while crossing the railroad tracks near his home following a Town Meeting where he voiced his opinion about the need for a safeguard at the crossing. The home was later owned by Town Historian, Edwin Purrington, and his family." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The new 1934 automobiles which were featured in the General Motors Exhibit in Boston paraded through downtown Wakefield as part of the promotional activities prior to the show. To encourage the sale of the new car models, exhibits were held in large cities throughout the country including New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Detroit, and Chicago. The Boston exhibit was held at the Boston Garden from June 4th through June 11th. According to newspaper reports, General Motors planned to produce a record 100,000 'units' in 1934, up from the 38,000 automobiles produced the previous year. The exhibit which traveled through Wakefield must have attracted considerable attention, as evidenced by the students who watched from the windows of Wakefield High School, at left." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 1990
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Photo courtesy of the Payro family and Louis Picardi.;"Lucius Beebe, author of 'Boston and the Boston Legend' and 'High Iron', a book about railroads, penned an article for the 1939 issue of 'House and Garden'. In this article, he spoke fondly about the history of the Beebe farm and the Town of Wakefield. He described Wakefield as 'twelve miles north of the Boston Stone on the western division of the Boston and Maine Railroad. (In 1840,) it was a rural community with its squire on the hill, its horse trough in the public square, its Main Street, Railroad Street and Mechanics Street, its common surrounded by various approved Protestant churches, its bandstand where the Richardson Light Guard's band achieved approximate harmony two evenings a week in the summer and its Lake Quannapowitt dotted with modest pleasure craft.'" -- The same area is now the Rockery. -- Text from calendar.
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"This street scene on Main Street was photographed near Chestnut Street. The buildings, at right, include a fish market, the Kingman Block, and the Perkins Block. The Perkins Block housed the Old Corner Drug Store, which was established in 1845 by Dr. Joseph Mansfield and William Willis. Josiah Bonney became a partner with Dr. Mansfield in 1885, eventually becoming the sole owner, and the store was known as Bonney's Drug Store, with its slogan, as noted on the sign, "The Best is as Good as Any." Riberot Dutton, a former clerk, joined him as an owner in 1906, and the name was changed to Bonney & Dutton." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"The east side of Main Street near the Rockery has housed many businesses and residences since the mid-1800s, as well as the Universalist Church, now the Unitarian-Universalist Church. In 1858, this section of Main Street included the Eben Wiley house (pictured at the left of the church), Henry Knowles Dry Goods Store (with the Town's first dentist, Dr. Cogswell, occupying an office on the second floor), a grocery/dry goods store that later burnt down when the Old Yale Pumper was at a muster, and Edward Mansfield's dry goods store. In 1916, the area looked much the same as it did in 1858, although the Universalist Church had been moved back, the four massive pillars removed, and a steeple and a front portion added. A new chain store, Gavin Bros. Store, opened its fifth store at what was 390 Main Street in 1916, and offered prompt delivery by auto truck. Gavin Bros. ads boasted that all stores were stocked from large orders bought at the lowest wholesale prices. On Wednesday, August 2, 1916, over 500 people traveled by electric street railroad to attend the 7th annual Merchants and Business Men's Association's outing at Salem Willows. Activities included field sports for men, a baseball game which pitted firemen vs. traders, bowling matches, band concerts, dancing, theatre and roller-skating. The streetcars returned at 6 p.m. The majority of Wakefield's downtown merchants, including McMaster, Thayer, Verge, Boothby, Taylor, Hodgdon, Dolbeare, Curley and Bowser were instrumental in planning the outing. The newspaper was not published that day." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Located at 591 Main Street in the Junction area of Wakefield, the Curley Brothers fuel and grain company started operations in a building near the Wakefield Junction Railway Station, subsequently moving to enlarged quarters when increased patronage and sales necessitated a change. The company became incorporated in January, 1939 as Curley Grain and Fuel Company. The business was owned by William T. Curley, Sr. owner of several significant parcels of real estate in the area, inlcuding the Miller Piano building, Traders Block, Curley Block (Main and Mechanic Streets), Eastern Mass. Street Railway Company car barns on Water Street, Hathaway Stables, as well as several residential properties. Curley Brothers Grain and Fuel Company manufactured Crystal poultry, rabbit, dairy and horse feed, and Crystal dog food, as well as ground corn, wheat, oats and barley. The company also handled building supplies, shingles, roofing paper and paints in addition to 'Williams Oil-O-Matic' America's leading oil burner. To round out their diverse product line, Curley's also sold New England coke, Blue coal, cement, flour, and fuel oils. The building had several fires throughout the years including one in 1947 which destroyed the coal sheds, and another in 1957 which affected the grain elevator. The last fire occurred in 1969 when a general alarm blaze began in a sub shop which was located in the center of the two-story section of the wooden building." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"This photograph looks south toward downtown, capturing a piece of the lower Common and Lake Quannapowitt. The unpaved road leads toward Salem Street. Pictured on the Common is the bandstand, erected in 1885 and the brick firehouse that was moved from the Common in 1891." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"Proposed in 1883 and built in 1884, the Rockery was erected as part of the $10,000 bequest from Cornelius Sweetser and through private donations. A Parks Commission was created by the Town to oversee the project which included the laying out of the common and the building of the bandstand. The grotto-like structure, with its pyramid of rocks surrounded by ivy, shrubbery and a fountain, was proposed by Parks Commissioner James H. Carter. An attempt to remove the Rockery failed in 1898. The tablet at the front of the Rockery was donated by 'one hundred of the townspeople' in 1909. The watering trough was erected in 1892 and was removed in 1921. The YMCA, at left, was built in 1908 at the site of the former home of Burrage Yale and the Thomas Emerson & Sons Shoe Manufacturers." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 1996
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"In 1916, 1,200 Wakefield residents contributed a total of $12,000 to buy the land to build a new public library. Soon after, Junius Beebe donated an additional $60,000 to build the library in memory of his father, Lucius Beebe. According to the 1917 Town Report, the Library Building Committee and Mr. Beebe decided to postpone the project due to the unsettled conditions in the business world and the high cost of building materials. The money was put into the Wakefield Trust Company. Other members of the Beebe family made generous donations to the fund by the time the building was erected, it was said that the fund had risen to more than $200,000. Progress was made in 1919 when Town Meeting voted to accept the deeds of Edward Mansfield and the Cushing family, both of which were already in the name of building committee treasurer Arthur Evans, and Mrs. Hickok. John White deeded an additional tract of land at 361 Main Street, at the north of the lot, to the Town in 1921. His lot was later used for the Post Office. The project was delayed again, until 1921 when the building committee selected its architects, Cram & Ferguson, and work began. It appears that the committee wanted to save on demolition costs the sign on the building read: 'This building is being torn down by New Eng. Contracting Company, building wreckers. All materials offered for sale on the premises.' The cornerstone for the new building was laid on March 17, 1922. The new library was dedicated on April 15, 1923." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"The opening of the new Route 128 in 1951 led to the development and relocation of businesses along the highway, including the Boston-based American Mutual Life Insurance Company. Formerly located at 142 Berkley Street in Boston, the company began negotiating with the Town in 1954 to construct its $2 million home office along the shores of Lake Quannapowitt. The company opened its new building in October 1958 with more than 1,000 employees. The home office served four regional offices which were located in Los Angeles, California White Plains, New York New York, New York and Upper Darby, New York along with 90 branch offices scattered throughout the country. In 1958, the Mail and Communications Room was staffed by (from left) Communications Supervisor Eileen Tillman, Mailroom Supervisor Phil Sheehan, unknown gentleman, John Neiss, Sterling Chapman, Jack Callahan, John Frazier, and Paul Sheridan." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"After more than 50 years at the Wakefield Town Hall at the corner of Main and Water Streets, the library moved to a new home in April, 1923. The town's first official library was established in 1856 at the old Town House on the Common. Soon after the Town Hall was built, the library was moved and renamed the 'Beebe Public Library' after a $500 donation from Library Board Chairman Lucius Beebe. In 1916, $12,000 was raised by local residents, many of whom were children, to purchase the land at Avon and Main Streets. Junius Beebe subsequently donated the funds to build a new library in his parent's memory. Construction on the library was delayed until the end of World War I. An addition to the original building was completed in September, 1969." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"At one time, Wakefield had six railroad stations, servicing the three branches of the Boston & Maine Railroad: the Main line, the Salem branch, and the Danvers-Newburyport branch. The Lowell Street station accommodated the latter branch. The extension of the Boston and Maine Railroad from Wilmington to Boston in 1845, placed the Town of Wakefield on the main line, eventually leading to an increase in population and status as an important railroad center. The later construction of the Danvers-Newburyport Railroad and the South Reading Branch (the Salem Branch) through Wakefield brought residents closer to other parts of the state and New England. In 1894, the three branches of the railroad attracted over 1,500 riders to and from Boston each day. Forty trains passed through Wakefield daily. Usage dropped off in the early 1920's, and in 1924, there were 20 incoming and outgoing trips daily. This lead [sic] to an announcement in December, 1924 that the Boston & Maine would abandon 76 miles of 'unprofitable tracks, 30 of which were in Massachusetts.' Service from Wakefield Center station (Water Street) to Newburyport and beyond was targeted. The railroad company blamed the 'unprofitable mileage' on the fact that 'the system is a combination of many small roads constructed years ago' and 'the rapid development of the motor bus and motor truck and the extensive program of highway construction and improvement.' Service continued, and in September, 1925, the railroad company made another announcement that the Danvers-Newburyport line would be curtailed to one trip each way through Wakefield. At the time, the line had an operating loss of $106,000 annually. Opposition from other communities mounted and an agreement was made that two trips on the Danvers-Newburyport branch would be kept, leaving Newburyport at 6 a.m. and 7:02 a.m. (reaching Wakefield at 7:14 and 8:21 a.m.) and leaving Boston at 4:49 p.m. and 5:28 p.m. The only stops between Wakefield Center and Newburyport were in Georgetown and Topsfield. Several stations were closed along the way, including the Lowell Street and Lynnfield stations. B & M Transportation Company provided busses [sic] from Lynnfield to the Lowell Street station to Center Station to the present upper station. The passenger stations were retained for shelter purposes only." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Wakefield residents and business people tried to get back to business following a January 31 - February 1st snow storm which dropped 14.3 inches of snow on the town. It had the distinction of being listed as one of the 'Great Storms of the Past', according to records from 1888 to 1935. In 1898, the street car companies plowed their tracks, and the Town plowed only the sidewalks. The streets were not plowed until the early 1920s. The street railway in Wakefield began operations in 1892 as the Wakefield and Stoneham Street Railway, from Wakefield Square to Farm Hill, Stoneham. The system expanded rapidly with lines to Melrose, Lynn, and Reading, eventually allowing travel by street railway to Lowell, Lawrence and Peabody. Its demise began in late 1918 when conditions deteriorated to the point where the lines were deemed unsafe. The original line was discontinued in 1929 and buses played a prominent role in transporting people to neighboring communities and beyond." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"These students appear to be in the first grade. The Lincoln School, now the site of congregate housing, was built in 1892." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Lincoln School on Crescent Street was built in 1892 and was one of four schools built from 1883 to 1902. The Town Report of the year ending January 31, 1893, stated that 'according to Section 46 of Chapter 43 of the Constitution of the State, every town not divided into school districts shall provide and maintain a sufficient number of school houses, properly finished and conveniently located for the accommodation of all children therein entitled to attend the public schools.' Section 4 of Chapter 46 added that 'every child must be in school for at least 20 weeks of the year, from the time he is 8 until he reaches the age of 14.' When the Lincoln School opened at the beginning of the 1892-1893 school year, several changes were made to the 'Centre' schools: the Centre First Grammar School was transferrred from the third story of the high school building (it was determined that the third floor was not a suitable place for young children), and the Hamilton First Grammar School students moved from the Hamilton School to the new school (to relieve crowded conditions). The school was built on Academy Hill, with the two schoolhouses on the site moved to the west side of the lot. Town Meeting appropriated $50,000 in March 1891 and ground was broken in April. An additional $8,000 was approved in March 1892 for furnishings and to grade, fence, and improve the grounds and sidewalks. A vote was also taken at the meeting to name it the Lincoln School. When it opened, the school had 10 school rooms, two 'good' recitation rooms, a teachers' room and several minor rooms. It was noted that the building 'though plain, presents an imposing appearance, being well-proportioned and finely situated. It will be a credit to the town and to the architects, Messrs. Wait and Cutter.'" - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"Erected by Lilley Eaton in 1804, this house at the corner of Main and Salem Streets was said to be by far 'the most imposing dwelling in the village and occupied a position which was then accounted the centre of population and business for the South Parish.' A shoe manufacturer until his early 30's, Lilley Eaton opened a country store in his home which he operated until his death in 1822. For three of those years, from 1809 to 1812, it was operated by T & A Evans. In 1813, Lilley Eaton opened the first temperance grocery ever kept in the town. As a 'pillar of the Baptist Church and Society' he furnished for many years, free of charge, a room in his house for the society to use for their religious, social and conference meetings. An unfinished hall on the third floor was used on Sabbath evenings and was known in the family as the Meeting Chamber. The house was also known as the 'Pilgrims' Hotel' because it was a 'general resort' of traveling clergymen, and other brethren and sisters of faith. His son, Hon. Lilley Eaton, was born in 1802. He went on to be instrumental in the town, serving as Selectman for 25 years, a member of the school board for nearly as long, Town Clerk for 20 years, Representative for seven years, Senator for two years, Justice of the Peace for 38 years, and a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1853. He was instrumental in establishing the Mechanic and Agricultural Institution. The house was torn down in 1913. " -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"In 1856, the residents of South Reading voted at the annual town meeting to establish the town's first official library. With an annual budget of $300 for both the purchase of books and the librarian's salary, the library's first 'home' was in the old Town House at the head of the Common. During the first six months in operation, 4135 books were borrowed by the town's 3000 residents. Then in 1868, the library was moved to the newly erected Town Hall at the corner of Water and Main Streets. After a generous donation of $500 from Library Board Chairman Lucius Beebe, the library was renamed the 'Beebe Public Library.' By 1909, the library was lending over 50,000 books per year. As a result, in 1916, over 1200 residents, many of whom were school children, raised $12,000 to buy a parcel of land at the corner of Avon and Main Streets to erect a new library. During the Christmas holidays that same year, Junius Beebe donated the funds necessary to erect a new library in his parents' memory. Construction on the library was delayed until the end of World War I and on March 17, 1922, the cornerstone for the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library was laid in place. The library was officially opened on April 16, 1923 and during the first year of operation the library lent nearly 115,000 books. In 1964, the library had again outgrown its quarters. The Board of Trustees requested and received an appropriation from the town's funds to finance the construction of an addition to the original building. On September 14, 1969, the addition was opened to the public. T oday the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library is an educational, cultural, and recreational resource for Wakefield residents of all ages. Residents may use over 80,000 books, records, and cassettes in the library's collection and have access to 400,000 more items through the computerized North of Boston Library Exchange (NOBLE). During 1985, over 180,000 items were lent to community residents. In addition to traditional library services, the library offers story hours, s;Captions: 1. The Lucius Beebe Memorial Library in its early stages. -- 2. Laying the cornerstone of the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library on March 17, 1922. -- 3. Library's Youth Room.
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"Lane's Drug Store was located in the new business block at the corner of Albion and Main Streets during the early 1940s. The store was similar to today's drug stores that sell health and beauty products such as Vaseline and rubbing alcohol, along with sundry items like beach balls and ice trays. Formerly Bonney & Dutton, the drug store was razed and a new building erected in 1940 by its new owners, LeBlanc and Logan. The new Bonney & Dutton Drug Store opened in March 1941, only to be bought at auction by Himmel Drug of Lynn and Salem in January 1942. Lane's Drug bought the business in March 1944, with Ames Drug becoming the new owner in 1957." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"This 1912 Model T Roadster is parked on Main Street near the Fitz residence at Lakeside. The car may have been owned by Dr. Joseph Heath, a resident and physician whose automobiles were frequently photographed in Wakefield, or to the Purrington family who also owned one of the town's first automobiles. The Fitz residence was built somewhere around 1894 by Peter S. Roberts, a retired Boston merchant, on the site that was once occupied by the home of John White, Sr., and Mary Eaton (White) Aborn. That house was moved to Aborn Avenue. After Roberts' death, his mansion was sold to David Slade, a spice manufacturer. Slade's daughter, Adeline F. Fitz, sold it to the Wakefield Lodge, No. 1276, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, in May 1914. It served as the Elks Home until 1956." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Lakeside Cemetery Chapel on North Avenue was built in the late 1930's, and, according to its architect, it was designed to be a 'beautiful and dignified' setting for funeral services. It was located on the 'spacious lawn, east of the new driveway, set back 100 feet from the highway.' Of English Gothic style with a slate roof, the chapel's exterior walls are granite faced in warm shades of color 'and laid in a coursed random pattern, together with dressed stone trim and stone tracery windows.' The building was designed to accommodate 100 people in pews with a wide center aisle. When built, the front of the chapel contained an altar which had a carved reredos (an overhanging shelf) with a gold banded blue velour curtain. A 'triple Gothic stone tracery window' filled with leaded glass was placed above the altar. An area for the organ was to the right of the chancel, separated by an open tracery screen, and to its right was a separate area for the family, away from the main chapel. Intricate details also graced the interior walls which were of gray buff brick, trimmed with dressed stone, and oak dado, paneling and floors. The floors in the vestibule were of heather brown quarry tile. Specially designed wrought iron lighting fixtures and hardware were located throughout the building, and the plumbing, heating and electrical systems were all 'modern.' Architectural reports of the time indicated that the 'chapel will meet a long-felt need and will be of increasing use and pride to Wakefield people for many years to come.' The rear of the building housed the cemetery superintendent's office." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"It's hard to imagine Lake Quannapowitt without the office complexes and homes which dot the landscape. Yet it wasn't that long ago that the Beebe family home was one of the few homes on the lake's shore. The Beebe Farm was built in 1810 as one of the last works of Samuel McIntire of Salem. Originally built as a gentleman's farm, the house was purchased by Lucius Beebe, a prominent businessman who founded Lucius Beebe & Sons Leather Merchants (Boston), Lucius Beebe & Sons Lumber (Boston) and Lucius Beebe & Sons Cotton (New Orleans). The Beebe Farm boasted old-fashioned flower and vegetable gardens, along with over 100 milking cows, stable horses, truck gardens and acres of woodland. Today Beebe's Cove remains one of the most picturesque areas in Wakefield. The landscape of Lake Quannapowitt was altered in the mid-1950s with the construction of the American Mutual Liability Insurance Company. Officially dedicated in October 1958, American Mutual was designed by Chester Churchill and was warmly accepted by both townspeople and town officials. When it opened, the company employed closed to 1000 people. The building and its land was purchased in 1987 by the Beal Company who plans to redesign and rebuild the property." -- Text from calendar.;Captions: 1. Beebe's Cove today. -- 2. Beebe's Cove was named for the Beebe Farm, the only home in the vicinity for a number of years. A lone car rides along Main Street in the cove area in 1900. -- 3. Lake Quannapowitt has always provided hours of entertainment for local residents, as pictured in this 1930 photograph. Pre-American Mutual, residents were afforded an ample view of the Lake's shore. -- 4. Lake Quannapowitt has still retained its beauty throughout the years. American Mutual Liability Company provides a backdrop.
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"Wakefield Town Meeting voted on April 3, 1871 to consider building a new high school to replace the South Reading Academy (site of the current Lincoln School) which had outgrown its usefulness. This task was assigned to a committee of five: Cyrus Wakefield, Lucius Beebe, Oliver Perkins, Richard Britton and George Packard. in May, Town meeting voted to purchase the old Prentiss property at the northwest corner of Lafayette and Common Streets. The property was once home to Rev. Caleb Prentiss, the seventh minister of the First Parish Congregational Church, who served from 1769 to 1803. The Prentiss house was moved to Traverse Street before the high school's groundbreaking in October 1871. The house fell victim to several fires over the years, and was eventually gutted by a fire. The high school was completed at a reported cost of $59,700 and was dedicated on October 10, 1872 in a ceremony presided over by J.S. Eaton, Esq. In his report to the Town in early 1873, School Committee Chairman Charles R. Bliss noted that the 'building, though larger than present needs require, will doubtless be none too large for our necessities in the future.' In 1900, the Town appropriated $15,000 to enlarge the school. The addition of 'six cheerful and commodious rooms to the old school building' was designed by Harland A. Perkins, an 1896 graduate of the school, and was completed at a cost of $12,000. The building remained as the high school until 1923 when a new school was built on Main Street. The building housed all eighth grade students, with the exception of the Greenwood students. It was renamed the Lafayette Builing and later referred to as the Junior High School. When the eighth graders returned to their neighborhood schools in 1936, control of the Lafayette building was transferred to the general use of the Town. The building was remodeled for municipal and veterans purposes in 1937 as part of a WPA project." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Wakefield Lodge of Elks dedicated its 'handsome new home at Lakeside' on May 20, 1914. The festivities were attended by approximately 200 Wakefield and out-of-town members of the order. The festivities were led by Ex-mayor Charles Barton of Melrose, deputy grand exalted ruler of the district. Following the dedication ceremonies, the visiting officers were entertained on the third floor of the home, while the members and other guests retreated to the large stable which was later to become a lodge room. The Elks' Home was formerly the Fitz residence. The organization had its home on Main Street until 1956." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Lucius Bolles Evans began making shoes in 1831 at the early age of 12. He started his own shoemaking business in 1841 in a building at the rear of a dwelling house at 9 Salem Street. At the time, cutting and finishing were performed in the shoemaking shops the shoes were stitched and made into shoes in the kitchens of employees scattered throughout the town. Lucius' son, Harvey B. Evans, joined the business in February 1881, just three months before his father's death. The first factory was built across the street, at 8 Salem Street, in 1884. The company, L.B. Evans' Son, moved to Water Street in 1894, at the site of the Episcopal Church which had moved to its present location at the corner of Main and Bryant Streets. Harvey Evans' sons incorporated the company as L.B. Evans' Son Company in June 1905 following their father's death the previous March. The 12,800 sq. ft. factory was enlarged in 1904 (to 46,400 sq. ft.), and again in 1914 (to 67,400 sq. ft.). There were many more additions to the building over the years, the last in 1968, which brought the total square footage to 117,000 sq. ft. The company was best known for its slippers and casual shoes. L.B. Evans was sold in 1979 to the Anwalt Corporation of Fitchburg. Operations a the Wakefield plant began to be phased out in 1980, eventually closing in 1987." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Early Wakefield was known as an industrial community, linked to the city of Boston by the Boston and Maine Railroad. One of the industries that flourished in the late 1800s and into the mid 1900s was the L.B. Evans Son Co. Shoe Manufacturers which was in operation until the early 1980s. The L.B. Evans Building was built in 1893, although the Evans family began making footwear in 1805 at home shops located throughout the town. The first real 'factory' was on Salem Street at the home built by Lucius Bolles Evans for his bride and was officially established in 1841. The Water Street factory built in 1893 measured 60' by 40', was three stories in height and employed 80 people. A 40' addition and a fourth story were added in 1903 with further additions made in 1911 and 1920. The company was once recognized as the oldest shoe manufacturing concern in the United States and the oldest industry in Wakefield. The company and its building was purchased by a Fitchburg Company in 1979 and the company slowly phased out its operation. Today the site is the home of Warner Cable Communications and the Wakefield Technology Center, an office complex with an underground garage." -- Text from calendar.;Captions: 1. The L.B. Evans' Son Company in 1933 was employed to thousands of Wakefield and Wakefield area residents. The company manufactured a complete line of shoes and men's slippers. -- 2. The site is now an office complex and has been thoroughly modernized.
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"Although the Wakefield Rattan Company was best known for first manufacturing rattan into skirt reeds and baskets, and later into cane for chair seats, chairs, car seats, cradles, flower stands and a host of other diverse items, the company also made rugs at the Water Street site. When Cyrus Wakefield bought the land on Water Street in 1855, just east of the Center Train Depot, the site consisted of a few small buildings, including Green's grist mill, and two mill ponds. The company continued to grow over the next two decades, factory buildings were added, and the Wakefield Rattan Company was organized in 1873, just a few months before Wakefield's sudden death. At the time of his death, the manufactories and storehouses covered an area of 10 acres of flooring, and more than 1,000 men and women were employed. Although the company lost many of its original buildings in a fire on March 12, 1881, the rebuilding was swift and the company continued to thrive. There were five main four-story brick factory buildings. Building number four was used exclusively for the weaving of rugs and mats, and for storing of dyestuffs. There were approximately 30 factory buildings on the 11-acre site during its heyday. the company merged with Heywood Brothers and Company and the Heywood and Morrill Rattan Company in 1897 and became known as the Heywood-Wakefield Company." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"Mr. Daley, foreman, and three of his workers, stand amid the 12-foot high cornstalks in the Beebe cornfield. It was reported that the corn grown on the farm was a perennial prize winner at the annual Reading-Wakefield Fair. Built in 1810, the Beebe farmhouse was designed as a 'gentleman's estate' for a member of the Forrester family of Salem. The house was purchased by Lucius Beebe in 1852. The farm, with its vegetable and flower gardens, milking cows and horses, flourished in the late 1800's and early 1900's under Junius Beebe's supervision. The eighth son of Lucius and Sylenda (Morris) Beebe, he was the first of their children to 'come into the world beneath the roof of the new homestead.' It was Junius who added considerably to the estate's acreage and increased its productivity." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Wakefield Junction Railroad Station, the smaller of the two buildings, was, at one time, one of six train stations in town that serviced the Boston and Maine Railroad. The station was located near the intersection of Main Street and Railroad Avenue (North Avenue) and serviced riders on the Boston and Maine Portland Division. The tracks to the left led to the Upper Station where riders could travel all the way to Portland, Maine, while the ones to the right led to the Centre Station on Water Street where travelers could travel to Peabody and Salem via the South Reading Branch, or Danvers via the Newburyport Branch. According to published reports, the station was remodeled into a house that was located 'on the east side of Main Street on the town (north) side of Franklin Street.' The larger of the two buildings was the old locomotive house of the Boston and Maine and South Reading branch. It was later torn down." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"This gentleman was captured by the photographer in 1889, under the South Reading town banner which was originally carried in the July 4th, 1844, birthday celebration. The banner reads, 'Protection to our manufacturers - razor straps (strops) - shoe tools - bitters - boots - shoes - tin ware.' The musket and powder horn were originally carried in the Revolutionary War, while it is claimed that the tin lantern was one of the lanterns which hung at the Old North Church on the night of April 18, 1775, for Paul Revere's signal to 'Ride and spread the alarm through every Middlesex village and farm.' The present Wakefield town seal was adopted in 1878." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Wakefield's history has been captured by many individuals over the years, one of whom was Joseph C. Payro of 17 Curtis Street. Mr. Payro was well informed on the history of Wakefield and sought to capture the town's history through the paintbrush and the camera lens. Although not a native of Wakefield, he was a resident for over 70 years. He grew to love the community and became a student of its past. As a member of the Wakefield Historical Society, he created oil paintings of old buildings and landmarks, many of which are no longer standing, to preserve for future generations. He painted his pictures with photograph-like attention, paying close attention to detail. Mr. Payro was employed as a reed worker for the Heywood-Wakefield Company and took many photographs of the company products which now serve as a historical reference source. Following Mr. Payro's death in 1953 his family donated several of his paintings to the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library's permanent art collection. Mr. Payro's family and family friend Louis Picardi have been generous contributors of photographs for this calendar." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"John J. Round was one of Wakefield's foremost benefactors and leading citizens and was primarily responsible for the Crystal Lake area as we know it today. Born in East Boston on September 30, 1872, Mr. Round moved to Wakefield in 1878 and was a resident of 627 Main Street for many years until moving to 7 Francis Avenue. Mr. Round is best known for his generous donations of land to preserve the beauty of the community. He was also active in local affairs, serving as a member and former Chairman of the Board of Selectmen, Chairman of the Building Committee for the Atwell Junior High School, Trustee of the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, President of the Wakefield Club, President of the Wakefield Improvement Association, and a director of the Wakefield Trust Company. He was also active on many boards and committees through the years. He presented several gifts to the community over the years including thousands of trees which he donated to beautify the town and protect the watershed around Crystal Lake. 10,000 trees were donated for the west shore of Crystal Lake on land which he bought and deeded to the town, 3,000 trees for the Mapleway Playground on abandoned land which he also bought and gave to the town, trees around Main Street and the Junction station on land which he eventually bought and gave to the town, pine trees at the foot of Crystal Lake, trees to replace those lost in Greenwood during the hurricane of 1938, and two large elms which were lost when the present Junior High School was built. Mr. Round also donated several additional acres of land around Crystal Lake which prevented encroachment of residential property and preserved the natural beauty of the lake. He was responsible for the wide width of Main Street south of Water Street after having convinced the town to move a retaining wall in front of the armory (now the Americal Civic Center) back nearly 20 feet. He also built the retaining wall which graces the front of the park which bears his name. In 1953, the community immortalized Mr. Round by dedicating the former Harts Hill Reservation in his name. Mr. Round passed away in April, 1958." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"A general alarm fire early on Sunday morning, December 4th caused an estimated $50,000 damage to the J.J. Newberry Store in the Trader's Block on Main Street. Firefighters were joined by crews from Melrose, Stoneham and Reading in battling the stubborn fire, which 'lacked the spectacular features of a general alarm fire.' Reserveman Harold Maloney discovered smoke coming from the freight elevator on the sidewalk in front of the Main Street store just after 4 a.m. The fire started in the basement, causing smoke damage to several adjoining businesses, including the J.B. Blood Co., and Bud's Apparel Shop, as well as the businesses on the second floor: Scott Bullard Taxi quarters, Bernice Fitzgerald Dancing Studio, Delphina Beauty Shop, and the law office of Christopher Dinan. More than 20 firefighters were overcome by fumes from the celluloid novelties and cellpohane wrappings which had just arrived for the Christmas season. During the early hours of the fire, an estimated 3,000 spectators 'packed' the east side of Main Street to watch the firefighters. By daybreak, less than 500 remained." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"The Ira Wiley House was located on the west side of Main Street at the site of the present Traders' Block. The house was moved further back on the lot shortly after the photo was taken, to accommodate the Traders' Block which was built for the Middlesex Traders in 1897. The Ira Wiley House was operated as a boarding house where residents could 'board by the day or week.' It was conveniently located next to the Wakefield & Stoneham Street Railway Company office and waiting room. It is reported that the family was active in business, with a relative of Ira Wiley the proprietor of a shoe store at the corner of Main and Mechanic Street. The house was razed in 1930, when the Traders' Block was remodeled and enlarged for the J.J. Newbury Co. store." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Although the building at the right rear of the photograph remains standing, the building which housed Roche's Hardware/Houseware and the adjoining one which housed First National Stores and Beasley's Variety Store were torn down. The site was the location of a gas station before it was occupied by the present business. The South Reading Mechanic and Agricultural Institution, incorporated in 1833, and the South Reading Bank, organized in 1854, both occupied the second floor of the building at left. Everett W. Eaton opened a grocery store in 1864 where he conducted business for nearly 50 years. Roche's Hardware/Houseware later occupied the site and remained there for several years. The store's window displays advertised radio supplies, sporting goods and cutlery, while Beasley's Variety Store advertised its many wares in the local newspapers. One such advertisement offered sleds, skis and childrens' snow shovels." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Wakefield was hit by the tail-end of a southern hurricane during the early evening hours of Wednesday, September 21, 1938. Although the day's hard-driving rain stopped shortly after 5 p.m., the high winds picked up and battered the town, causing substantial damage and downed trees until 7 p.m. Gales were reported to be 90-100 miles per hour. During the two hours of fierce winds, several hundred trees, many over 200 years old, were uprooted and blown down, blocking streets and causing damage to homes and businesses. Town officials and workers, joined by WPA forces, worked throughout the night to clear trees from the roads. They succeeded in opening nearly all roads by 8 a.m. the following day. Three streets remained closed until the afternoon hours. Those streets were Lafayette, Bartley and Orchard Streets. This elm in front of 29 Lafayette Street, the home of William E. Jones, 'toppled over, coming to rest on the roof of the home.' Crews using hand saws climbed into the tree to remove the tree, one limb at a time. The damage also included many downed electrical wires which were repaired by the MLD. School children were given the day off by School Superintendent Willard B. Atwell because of the large number of fallen wires." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Joe Hughes, center, and mechanic 'Bucky' Bartlett, second from right, at Hughes Garage, which was built around 1910, before Armory Street existed. Hughes, reported to be the first person in Wakefield to own a car, also owned the Town's first garage and automobile agency. In 1909, he petitioned the Selectmen for a permit to establish a 42' x 75' garage at 503 Main Street because his repair shop on Center Street was 'wholly inadequate.' He also wanted to give the town 'an up-to-date garage.' He owned the garage until 1920 when it was purchased by David Barry. Barry's Garage was enlarged in 1922 with a new building erected on land south of the garage and to the rear, which necessitated the purchase and razing of the Abram Sweetser house. This enlargement occurred at the same time that Main Street was to be widened and a curve in the road straightened to accommodate the high school (present Galvin Middle School), and shortly after Armory Street was extended to Main Street. The new garage was built of tapestry brick, the same used in the high school and the armory (present Civic Center). It was built to hold 125 pleasure cars for storage, repair facilities and a raised showroom on Armory Street to display the latest models of the Buick line of automobiles. A 50' x 98' addition was added at a cost of $15,000 in 1925. A 'granolithic' sidewalk along Armory Street to the rear of the building was also constructed. Business for the Barrys increased and they built similar facilities in other towns, eventually getting out of the business in early February, 1932. The property was sold to Boston automobile dealer, J.W. Walker. The Barrys moved their business across the street at 510 Main Street two weeks later as Barry's Motor Parts." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Howlett's Mill was one of many mills located on the 13-mile long Saugus River, beginning at Lake Quannapowitt. The river passes through Wakefield, Lynnfield, Saugus and Lynn and was a vital part of the economy for centuries. The river, with its eight tributaries, was instrumental in fish harvesting and was the source of water power for the Saugus Iron Works, as well as many grist mills, chocolate mills, wool and flannel mills, and a tannery that were established aloing the river. The first saw mill in Wakefield was built by John Poole on the west side of Vernon Street. The mill site was later given to the town by Harriett Potter, along with the mill rights, in 1924." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"Howard Johnson's ice cream stand and restaurant opened for business and restaurant opened for business on June 14, 1936, at the head of Lake Quannapowitt. The popular roadside 'stand' was built by Pasquale DeCristofaro (formerly of Wakefield) on the site of the former Wes Parker clam stand when that eatery moved across the street. On opening day, area residents flocked to the restaurant in droves, creating traffic jams for the five Wakefield policemen who were on duty for the opening. When the restaurant closed at 10 p.m. that evening, more than 900 chicken dinners, 1,150 gallons of ice cream, and 4,500 frankfurters (their specialty) were served throughout the 11 hours. The restaurant closed in October, 1954, and enjoyed a 'good reputation' for many years. After Howard Johnson's, the site was occupied by the Lakeside Villa and Lanai Island." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Wakefield Fire Department purchased its first horse-drawn ladder truck from the Abbot-Downing Company of Concord, New Hampshire in 1892, replacing an 1871 hand-drawn ladder truck. The new truck was placed into service on July 4, 1893 with its predecessor loaned to the Wakefield Rattan Company. The horse-drawn ladder truck is shown without its ladders at a fire at the factory on May 4, 1900. The 'Washington Hook and Ladder,' a double-ladder bank, city-service truck, was used by the Hook and Ladder Company No.1. The horse-drawn truck was spared from the Hathaway Stable Fire that destroyed 18 buildings including the Central Fire Station in October 23, 1899, along with its fire alarm system, 1852 Jeffers hand tub, and 1895 supply wagon. It was among the first inhabitants of the new brick Central Fire Station on Crescent Street when it opened on December 22, 1900. The 1892 Abbot-Downing ladder truck was replaced in September, 1914 by a Peerless city-service type ladder truck." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Holy Mary del Carmine Society chapel and meeting-house at 94 Water Street was officially dedicated on August 8, 1923. The chapel was built by the Santissima Maria del Carmine Society to enable Catholic Italians to practice their faith in their own neighborhood. St. Joseph's Band and members of the building committee led a parade to the chapel. The exercises were opened by Nicola Pirro, chairman of the dedication committee, who 'spoke to the society members in their native tongue, emphasizing the importance of continuing the co-operative spirit that made the building possible.' He also 'appealed to the public in general to avail itself of the other use of the building in any manner which tended toward the uplifting, educating, and Americanizing of their fellow countrymen.' Guest speakers included Rev. John F. Meheran who represented Rev. Florence J. Halloran, pastor of St. Joseph's parish Selectman Charles F. Young Attorney Christopher Dinan, who acted as legal advisor to the society Major Samuel Brooks Police Chief James J. Pollard John MacGillvray Edward B. Kelly Patrick McLaughlin and John T. Stringer. Following the speeches, a reception was held in the basement with selections played by St. Joseph's Band. 'Mary SS del Carmine Society March,' composed for the occasion by bandleader Michael Sibelli with words by Nicola Pierra, was played for the first time at the dedication. Local electrical contractor Joseph W. McInnis supervised the building construction. The building was constructed of concrete blocks 'about 40 feet x 60 feet' with an upper hall used on Sundays for religious services. The hall could seat 300 with a lower hall of the same size that was used as a meeting place. The title to the building and land was transferred to the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Boston. On April 24, 1947, as the Catholic population grew, the mission chapel of St. Joseph Parish became a part of St. Florence Parish, named in honor of Rev. Florence Halloran. On May 22, 1959, a 5.9-acre parcel was purchased on Butler Avenue. The first Mass in the new church building was celebrated on Christmas Eve, 1960." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Ed Hitchcock, right, owner of the E.S. Hitchcock Bicyle Shop, joins an unidentified employee in his 34 Albion Street shop. Located at the corner of Albion and Foster Streets, the shop also sold automoble tires and other supplies. In 1919, Wakefield automobile owners could buy a 30 x 3 1/2 non-skid Firestone tire for $17, and a 30 x 3 1/2 non-skid Fisk or Ajax for $18. All tires came with a 6000 mile guarantee." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"In 1872, Albert S. Wiley established a one-story boathouse at the end of Spaulding Street to accommodate the many boaters who enjoyed sailing, rowing and canoeing on Lake Quannapowitt. In 1887, the Wiley's [sic] erected a new, one-story boathouse at the end of Lake Street. The building received a second story in 1912, which housed a dance hall and soda fountain, frequented by servicemen stationed at Camp Curtis Guild during World War I. The boathouse was sold to the Hill Family in 1923. The Hills were provided with an inventory of their purchase: 80 public canoes, 43 private canoes (with 4 in the shop), 21 public rowboats, three private rowboats, one sailboat, one power boat, one private power boat, 109 rugs (for the canoes), 84 cushions, 153 pillows, 83 paddles, and 57 oars. The boathouse did a 'thriving business for several years, prior to the widespread use of the automobile, summer camps, vacation trips, the upsurge of the summer resort business and other forms of recreational and time consuming competition.' In addition to the boat facilities, the building housed the Quannapowitt Yacht Club for several years. When sold to the Town in 1963, the property was referred to as 'a large two-story wooden structure...the first floor of which is occupied by the storage, sale and rental of canoes and boating equipment, a sales and display room, a luncheonette counter in the southeast corner, a service shop for outboard motors and motorboats the second floor being used in its entirety for public dancing and ballroom purposes.' The boathouse was taken down shortly after the Town's purchase. To the right of the boathouse stood the Morrill-Atwood Ice Company." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Hiker Monument and Rockery, a memorial to the men who fought in the Spanish-American War, was dedicated at the rockery on Columbus Day, October 12, 1926. The monument was erected after a Town Meeting vote in the spring of 1926 to appropriate $5,000 to honor the veterans. Theodore [i.e. Theo Alice Ruggles] Kitson's Hiker was typical of the 'infantry men.' of 1898. The Town celebration included a parade and the dedication, rifle contests at Camp Curtis Guild, a reunion of Spanish-American War Veterans of Company A and the 'Old Sixth Regiment,' a banquet celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Richardson Light Guard, and an evening parade on the Common, featuring battalions of infantry for the review of the Spanish War veterans. The event was said to be the biggest celebration since the Town's 250th anniversary festivities in 1894. The parade stepped off at 2 p.m. from the Armory, traveling a route that took the marchers along Main Street to Chestnut Street, North Avenue, Avon Street, Main Street, Park Street, Pleasant Street, White Avenue, to Lakeside to the monument via Main Street. Over 2,000 people attended the dedication. The evening parade on the common featured the 182nd Infantry, Company E of Wakefield, Company F of Waltham, Company G of Woburn, and Company M of Everett. The anniversary banquet at the Armory was attended by 400 guests and was the largest gathering since the dedication of the Armory in 1913." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Highway Department was one of several public works-related departments that operated independently of one another. In 1812, there were three Surveyors of Highways and by the end of the 1800s, the Town was separated into sections, with one person responsible for repairs and maintenance of the streets in each section. By the early 1900s, the work was overseen by the Superintendent of Streets. A metal building, manufactured and erected in 1928 by the Wakefield Garage Manufacturing Company, was located at the rear of the highway lot on North Avenue and used for storage purposes. In 1930, the wagon shed at the yard was converted into a six-stall garage, and the lantern room at the end of the wagon shed was made into an office. The second floor of the barn was altered with an office built in the front part of the building and a stock and tool room in the back. On June 12, 1950 a special election was held to elect the first Board of Public Works, a board created by an Act of the Massachusetts Legislature which stated that a 'Board of Public Works was to officially take over the operations, duties and obligations of the Moth and Tree, Park and Cemetery, Water and Sewer, and Highway Departments, as well as all Town buildings under the supervision of the Selectmen, the care of the dumps, and the collection of garbage' by September 1, 1950. An Engineering Department was also created. The members of the first Board of Public Works, R. Francis Shea, R. Lee Lillie, and Richard J. Volpe met each week to familiarize themselves with the duties of each division and to hire a Director, Joseph H. DeFeo of Winthrop." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Getting around Wakefield is a relatively easy task for approximately 25,000 vehicles in town. Passable roads and highways in harsh weather have become commonplace, often taken for granted. Wakefield residents at the turn of the century were not as lucky as the 24,149 residents today. The method of transportation in the early 1900s was the horse and buggy which was forced to travel on unplowed roadways in the winter and muddy roads during the spring thaw. If left unattended, the roads were deeply rutted, often causing carriage wheels to break and horses to stumble. The Wakefield Highway Department in the early 1900s used a coal-fired steam roller on watered-down roads to smooth the roads for easier travel. When the first automobile arrived in Wakefield the care of the roads became a top priority. Wakefield was fortunate to have paved roads by 1911. Today the Department of Public Works Highway Department is responsible for the 96 miles of roadway in Wakefield. A fleet of 32 trucks tend to the roads in all seasons, plowing, sanding and salting in the cold months and updating, paving and repairing during the warm months. During a typical Wakefield winter, 2000-3000 tons of sand and salt are used to tend the roadway." -- Text from calendar.;Caption: In this photograph taken in the mid-1930s, members of the Wakefield Water Department thaw a drain on the corner of Main Street and Richardson Avenue. The department is now a division within the Wakefield Department of Public Works.
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"Hathaway's Stable on Mechanic Street (now Princess Street) featured this six-horse barge, 'The Queen of the Turf.' The barges were rented from a livery stable and were used as a charter bus. The original Hathaway Stable was destroyed by fire on October 23, 1899. In 1900, the 'city stable,' owned by George H. Hathaway and managed by Otis M. Cutler boasted a 'new fire proof, steel clad stable acknowledged to be a model.'" -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"By 1925, the historic Hathaway Stable was in a 'dilapidated' state, contrary to the once thriving business operated by George H. Hathaway in the mid-1890s as a 'Livery, Sale and Boarding Stable' which also provided hacks and carriages to meet all trains, as well as transportation for parties, weddings and funerals. The carriages and horses were also used to move furniture. The stable was rebuilt after a devastating fire in October 1899. It fell into disrepair again when a portion of the roof collapsed under the weight of snow in February 1920 following a severe storm. Damage was set at $15,000 and the building was never fully repaired. The building was purchased by William Curley in November 1920. Firefighters eventually shored up the walls to make the building safe for the 'children who used the building as a playground' and for the Wakefield Fife and Drum Corp who leased a portion of the building for its rehearsals. Although the Selectmen requested that the building be removed in September 1923, it was still standing in 1925." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"The Hathaway Stable fire on October 21, 1899, destroyed 13 buildings, including the horse stables, the wooden central fire station, two blacksmith shops and several houses. Thirty-nine horses perished in the fire. The stables were located on Mechanic Street (now Princess Street). The area now houses the fire and police stations, an office complex, and several businesses and homes." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Winship, Boit & Co., proprietors of Harvard Knitting Mills, moved its ladies' jersey underwear manufacturing business from Cambridge to the third floor of the Wakefield Block (later the Taylor Building) on Main Street in 1889. Established in 1888 by Dudley Hosiery Mill and Allston Mill co-workers, Charles N. Winship and Elizabeth E. Boit , the business outgrew its 2,000 sq. ft. factory. In 1897, the company purchased 14,000 feet of land at the corner of Albion and Foundry Streets. The main building was occupied in January 1898 and had three floors and a basement, with two towers at each end. Business was brisk, with six additions built from 1901 to 1921. At one time, the company employed more than 850 people and had over 250,000 square feet of floor space. Winship, Boit & Co. itself was progressive. In 1917, the company instituted a maternity leave for its female employees, and in 1920, the company attracted national attention when it started a profit-sharing plan for employees. Both Mr. Winship and Miss Boit lived in Wakefield and were among the town's leading citizens - he served as a member of the school committee and as a founder of the town's chapter of the red Cross, while she was the founder of the Elizabeth E. Boit Home for Aged Women." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"During the 345 year history of Wakefield, the Hartshorne name has been one which has also been associated with community involvement. One of the first settlers, Thomas Hartshorne was a tailor by trade and was an active member of the community, serving as a Selectman in 1661 and 1667 during the early years of Reading. Col. James Hartshorne, a resident of the home now known as the Col. James Hartshorne House on Church Street, was another Hartshorne who was involved in the community. He was emplyed in the shoe manufacturing industry, but was most famous for his role as a Commander in the town militia. In 1797, Col. Hartshorne entered the calvery [i.e. cavalry] and distinguished himself as a leader among his fellow men. He purchased the Lafayette House (later known as the Hartshorne House) in 1803 where he resided until his death in 1870. He served as a Selectman in 1840 and 1841. Col. Hartshorne's son, Charles F. Hartshorne, continued his father's military heorics, serving in the Civil War and returning to serve his community as Town Clerk. He served as Town Clerk from 1872 to 1911, a record 39 years. Since the position of Town Clerk was an unpaid one, Charles was also involved in an insurance business which he conducted from the Town Clerk's Office. Following his death in 1911, the position of Town Clerk was held by his son Frederic S. Hartshorne until 1939. Frederic was already involved in his father's business, having joined the company in 1892. When he assumed the role as Town Clerk, he continued to conduct business from the office until he moved the growing insurance firm to Chestnut Street in 1939. He, too was involved in the community, serving as a member of the Board of Assessors and serving as Superintendent of the Sewer Department. The community involvement continued with Frederic's son, Frederic Manning Hartshorne, who was a Senior Engineer for the town. His son Joseph, who passed away in 1958, was also involved in the community, having served as a Call Fireman and as a member of the Municipal Light Dep;Caption: Frederic S. Hartshorne, left and Charles F. Hartshorne, right in 1904.
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"The Col. James Hartshorne House was built around 1681 on Church Street, the only road from Reading Common (now Wakefield Common) and the Square. The one 'small house' named in the original deed probably contained the southwesterly corner rooms, downstairs and up. In 1681, the house was owned by Thomas Hodgman who may have built the house on land purchased by his wife Mary from William Hooper in 1664. In 1725, the house was sold to the widow Paterson, who left it to her son. He sold it in 1757 to Jonathan Cowdrey who may have enlarged the home to a 'saltbox' with two rooms in the front center section with a sloping roof over the kitchen in the back. A barn and another building, most likely a smith shop, were added to the property during this time. Dr. John Hart purchased the house in 1792 and again enlarged the house to inlude two large rooms near the Old Cemetery, and removed the east wall to make a lodge room for the Mount Moriah Lodge of Freemasons. He may have also raised the sloped roof to make a room over the kitchen. Under Dr. Hart's ownership, the house was rented and used as an inn named for General Lafayette. Two owners followed Dr. Hart, but they only owned the house for six months before selling it to James Hartshorne, Jr. in 1803. (The house was still known as the Lafayette House for many years to follow). Col. Hartshorne and his first wife, Abigail Coggin purchased the house in 1803 and the Colonel resided there until his death in 1870. Active in local affairs, he was a Wakefield Selectman and served as the Town Treasurer for 15 years. His second wife Mary continued to live in the home with her daughter Mary and her husband John Rayner who later sold the house to J. Reed Whipple of Boston and John G. Morrill of Wakefield who later joined with Frank H. Atwood in forming the Morrill-Atwood Ice Company. The property was purchased as a location from which ice from Lake Quannapowitt would be shipped to Boston customers over the Boston & Maine railroad tracks. The owners were primarily interested in the;Captions: 1. The hearth at the Col. James Hartshorne House. -- 2. The Col. James Hartshorne House in 1930 shortly after it was purchased by the Town of Wakefield. -- 3. Sometime during the 1930s these Wakefield women reenacted the early days of the Hartshorne House in full costume.
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"The state's Forestry Department erected a 40-foot forest fire watch tower on the summit of Harts Hill in the spring of 1913 to replace a similar tower on Bear Hill. The four-cornered steel framed tower was supported by four strong steel posts firmly cemented into the ledge at the summit of the hill. The lookout was another seven to eight feet higher, bringing the total height of the structure to nearly 50 feet, or 285 feet above sea level. The forest fire watch tower had glass windows on all four sides that provided an unobstructed view for several miles in all directions, 'as far as the western part of the state and the southern part of New Hampshire.' The first watchman was Henry Fay, the firefighter with the longest years of service. He was selected for the job, and paid, by the state Forestry Department. His equipment consisted of powerful glasses, a chart of the country 'round about,' a range finder and a telephone number (512-M). If he spotted a fire, he called the nearest fire department or fire warden. It was reported that he would be able to see a fire 10 to 15 miles away, and when he 'gained complete familiarity with his apparatus, could place it as close as 100 to 200 feet.' The Town voted in 1912 to pay $350 for public access to the tower. An iron stairway at the northwest corner was built so that ladies would not be 'inconvenienced.' On May 1913, over 400 people took advantage of the public opening." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Hamilton School, built in 1884, was located at the southeasterly corner of Albion and Lake Street. On March 12, 1883, the Town of Wakefield voted at Town Meeting to appoint a committee to research the 'purchase of land and the erection of a school house.' Members of the committee included Lucius Beebe, chairman William N. Tyler, Secretary Thomas Winship Samuel K. Hamilton E.E. Emerson and A.W. Brownell. The Committee reported back to Town Meeting on May 7, 1883, with a recommendation to purchase a 14,566 foot parcel of land from Lucius Beebe at a cost of $1820.75, and to build a four room school house at an approximate cost of $8000. By May 14, 1883, the committee had met with five architects and 13 builders. It was recommended that the town utilze the services of architect R. Pote Wait, Esq., and builders David Perkins and Dennis Greaney. It was also reported that the cost of the project would be approximately $15,000. The Town Meeting also voted to name the school after Samuel K. Hamilton, Town Moderator and Chairman of the School Committee. The Hamilton School opened in April 1884, and housed 200 students from the overcrowded West Ward, Franklin and Center Schools. The students who attended lived in the 'vicinity and west of the Junction,' and 'west of the railroad and south of West Chestnut Street.' When school opened in the Fall with children from another added to the rolls, the Hamilton School was noted as having 'excellent accomodations for four schools and 200 scholars and is arranged and adapted to the needs of that neighborhood in an admirable manner, and is in itself, an ornament and credit to the Town.' The Hamilton School was closed in the 1930's due to declining enrollment." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Described as an ornament and credit to the Town, the Hamilton School was first occupied by students in 1884. The school alleviated some of the overcrowding of schools, but the Town was still faced with a shortage of primary school space even after the Town's first brick school house was built. As a result, other schools were built in 1892 (Lincoln), 1895 (Warren), 1896 (Greenwood), 1899 (Hurd), 1902 (Franklin), 1918 (Montrose), 1920 (Woodville), and 1924 (St. Joseph's). Plans for the four-room Hamilton school house began in earnest in March, 1883, when Town Meeting voted to appoint a five-member committee to research the purchase of land for the erection of a school house. The committee's report to build a school house for an approximate cost of $15,000 was approved by Town Meeting in May, 1883, with reconsideration of the vote denied at the June Town Meeting. At the same time, Town Meeting voted to move ahead with plans to buy land owned by Lucius Beebe and to name the new school house the 'Hamilton School Building' in honor of Samual K. Hamilton, Esq., Chairman of the School Committee. In addition to the School Committee, Samuel Hamilton also served as a member of the Board of Selectmen, Chairman of the Board of Library Trustees, Town Moderator, Town Counsel, and President of the Wakefield Water Company. He was a member of the Town's General Committee for the 250th celebration, as well as the celebration's sub-committee for Invitations Historical, Literary and Musical Exercises and for the study of a joint celebration between the towns of Wakefield, Reading and North Reading. His political aspirations led him to run unsuccessfully for Middlesex County District Attorney in 1883. The Hamilton School only served the Town until 1933, when enrollment numbers declined. The building was torn down to make room for a parking lot for Transitron (now Harvard Mills)." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Wakefield's residential sections include the West Side, near the Warren School and past the 'Park Gates' (at lower left of photo). In a tribute to Wakefield's businesses published in the 1890s the following is an excerpt of what was said about the residential community. 'As regards the advantages offered by Wakefield as a Home Town" it may be truthfully said that this community will make a most favorable showing as a result of the most thorough investigation that could possibly be made. Of Wakefield it has been said: 'She stands ready every day in the year to extend a cordial welcome and invitation to good men and women, of every name and race, to cast their lot within her borders, and help make her more and more a centre of intelligence, virtue and enterprise, a place of beauty, a city of homes.''And that is just what the Wakefield os the future will be, - a city of homes. Every year it is becoming more generally appreciated that a great mercantile and manufacturing city is not a fit place for a real home, and that the advantages of a town like Wakefield as a place of residence are so many and important that no family that is in a position to utilize them can afford to neglect to do so. So the future of Wakefield will be a veritable city of homes, and by both the number and character of her population will be entitled to a leading position among the prosperous and influential communities of the old Bay State.'" -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Gus' Home Bakery and Wakefield Home Cooking Annex was located in the Walton Block on North Avenue in 1915. The appeal of clean, sanitary food came at the same time Wakefield children participated in a Hygienic Club." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"The early beginnings of the Greenwood Union Church can be traced through historical records to the mid-1850's when the Sunday School was organized under the leadership of Henry Degan. The founders met in the unoccupied room of the Greenwood School house (also referred to as the old Hose House). After the First Congregational Society of Greenwood was organized in 1873, the members immediately began planning for a building of their own. When the school department needed their meeting room, they set out to find land, subsequently purchasing a lot of land from the Joseph Eaton estate on Oak Street. The foundation was laid in November, 1884, and the street floor of the building was in use by 1885. The upper floors were not completed until 1895, with a dedication held on February 27, 1895. The Greenwood Union Church was organized on November 19, 1903. In 1907, a one-story addition provided classrooms and a two-story addition provided a 'parlor' for the Ladies' Aid society. Extensive remodeling and another addition, which extended the building 22' closer to Oak Street, began in 1920. The front of the sanctuary became the side and the new front was back to the hill. The dedication was held on April 16, 1922. In 1944, a Parish House Fund was established which resulted in the purchase of the neighboring Willard Eaton property in 1952. In January, 1956, the church secured the corner lot at Oak and Main Street for further expansion, and the cornerstone of the new building was laid on September 25, 1960. The dedication took place in March, 1961." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Greenwood Union Church has undergone many changes and additions since its first foundation was built in 1884. This church was actually established in 1873 as the 'First Congregational Society of Greenwood', an organization without a denomination. Several members of the 'village' had been meeting since 1856 in the upstairs of the Greenwood School building. The School Department needed the room and in 1883 the congregation purchased a lot near the Joseph Eaton estate on Oak Street. The foundation was laid in 1884 and the first floor was completed in 1885. The upper floor of the structure was completed in 1895 and the dedication took place shortly thereafter. In 1903 the church was formed with the financial affairs and the property being the responsibility of the First Congregational Society while the Greenwood Union Church was responsible for religious services. The church was established after a survey was taken among the congregation as to the demonination preferred. A one-story addition was built in 1907 after the church membership had expanded and an extensive remodeling and expansion was undertaken in 1920. At that time, the building was expanded closer to Oak Street. In 1935, the congregation voted to unite the First Congregational Society and the church into one organization - known today as the Greenwood Union Church. Further expansion was necessary, and in 1946 the congregation voted to purchase additional land on the East side of the church. In 1952 the church purchased the adjacent Willard Eaton property and built the Parish House in 1953. The church further expanded in 1956 after the purchase of the corner lot and the dedication of the new addition was held in 1961." -- Text from calendar.;Captions: 1. The First Congregational Society of Greenwood, which later became the Greenwood Union Church, in 1899. -- 2. The Greenwood Union Church, prominently located in the Greenwood section.
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"Greenwood Station was one of six stations in the Town at the height of railroad usage. Built after the first train came through the Town in the mid 1840s, the Greenwood Station was located near the rear of Greenwood's first business block and in front of Mr. Locke's Greenwood Grove, a popular attraction for Boston residents who summered in the area. After the Greenwood Station was abandoned by the Boston and Maine Railroad, the Atlantic Refining Company announced plans to build a modern two-bay filling station in October 1958. Those plans were short-lived as the Selectmen granted permission to Cabot, Cabot and Forbes to move the 24-foot wide, 52-foot long, and 30-foot high building in early 1959. The Greenwood Station was moved to Pleasure Island where it was restored and painted and 'perched proudly' on a hill overlooking Goldpan Gulch. The station was destroyed by a spectacular fire that also destroyed Pleasure Island's Diamond Lil Saloon on April 1, 1971." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Teams of seventh grade boys, representing one team from each of the six Wakefield public grammar schools (Lincoln, Hurd, Franklin, Woodville, Warren and Greenwood), competed in the annual grammar school baseball tournament during May and June, 1930. Arranged by Wakefield High School coach Homer Shellenberger and sponsored by the Wakefield Lodge of Elks, the scheduled games were played on the Common, Harts Hill, High School (Walton Field), and Franklin School fields. The teams played two games each week for six weeks with a championship game played at the end of June. The championship game featured a close match between Franklin and Greenwood, eventually leading to a 5 to 4 win by Greenwood. Several 'clever' and 'pretty' plays were executed by both teams, keeping the outcome of the game uncertain until the last player was retired." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"In his report to the Town for the year ending January 31, 1896, School Superintendent Charles E. Hussey noted that Greenwood students above the sixth grade had to 'come to the center of town to go on with their proper classes. For children to be away from home from 8 o'clock a.m. to 5 p.m., every school day to travel two miles, to eat a cold lunch in a school-room, constitutes, I believe, a genuine grievance, and the objections to such a necessity are substantial.' At the March 24, 1896 Town Meeting, committee members A.H. Thayer, William F. Young, H.W. Walton, William H. Lee, C.E. Hussey, William G. Strong, and Daniel Evans submitted a report recommending that a four-room brick and slate school house be built by H.J. Preston at a cost of $16,500. The report was accepted and the new Greenwood schoolhouse was occupied that autumn under the direction of its Principal, Miss S.E. Wilkins, a teacher for grades seven and eight. The two-story building contained four rooms and was built on a Main Street Town-owned lot. The building was situated to allow expansion to the east 'when necessary.' All the rooms had southern exposure with the stairs and corridors to the north. The teachers' room was on the first floor, with the classrooms on the second floor. The basement contained the 'sanitary arrangements of the dry cremating system.' The plans originally called for a unique design for the chimney which incorporated a clock tower which was to be provided by the citizens of Greenwood. In 1910, the year when bubbling drinking fountains were added to all school buildings, the Town report indicated that registration at the Greenwood School was larger than usual, with the eighth and ninth grades confined to one room 'by necessity, owing to the larger regsitration in the other grades.' According to the report, there were '54 students in one room where there should be 42.'" -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Greenwood was originally a part of Charlestown and 'Maldon' during the 1600s. Since it was mandatory for all men to attend church and participate in military drills, the men petitioned the Legislature to allow the village to become a part of Redding somewhere around 1727 because it was difficult to pass through the narrow Indian trails to the 'sea' during the winter months and spring thaw. Greenwood remained a remote area and farming village until 1844 when the Boston to Wilmington railroad began passing through the town. By 1883, the population increased and a new church, the Greenwood Union Church, was built. A commercial building was also built across the street to accommodate the needs of the new residents and businesses. Near the rear of the building, behind the Greenwood Station, was Mr. Locke's Greenwood Grove that was a popular attraction for Boston residents who summered in the area, with its picnic grove, a dance hall, cook house, monkey cage, band stand, and an observatory. This business block at the corner of Main and Greenwood Streets housed several businesses, including the Economy Grocery Store. The white Wonder Bread delivery truck is pictured at the right, as is a personal automobile and a horse and delivery wagon." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Thought to be built somewhere around the 1750s, the Green house on Main Street was owned by Isaac Green in 1846. According to the Town of Wakefield finance records of 1846, Isaac Green was paid $38.33 for land to be used by the South Schoolhouse. According to 1876 Polls and Estate Tax records, Isaac owned two dwelling houses, a barn, shed, three to four acres of land, and another parcel of land measuring ten acres, all on Main Street. By 1890, the records indicate that Isaac E. Green owned one-acre with buildings, six acres of woodland, and one dwelling house. Some verbal history records, taken in the 1930s, indicate that some people believed that Greenwood might have been named after the Green family, an important family in the village. These records also indicate that William, David, Samuel, Howard and Thomas Green were important in the village and William Green was among the men who petitioned the General Court in the 1720s to let 10 families become residents of Redding rather than Maldon [sic] (a separate village of Charlestown.) These records also report that Greenwood may have been named by a train conductor for its 'large and beautiful woods.'"-- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Members of the Horace M. Warren Post No. 12 of the G.A.R., 'ex-soldiers of the War of 1861-1865' often met at the group's 'corner' of the hall on Foster Street. The building, once part of the old South Reading Academy, was dedicated on December 29, 1892. The H.M. Warren Post was chartered on August 16, 1867, and was named in memory of Horace M. Warren, a member of the Richardson Light Guard's Company B, 5th Regiment at Bull Run and the 20th Regiment at Ball's Bluff where he was severly wounded. He went on to serve as 1st Lieutenant in Company E, 50th Regiment (Richardson Light Guard) in the Port Hudson, LA campaign, and 'in the Wilderness under Grant, and at Cold Harbor, Petersburg, VA.' He was later named Adjutant and Major in the 59th Regiment, Veteran's Infantry. He was mortally wounded on the Weldon Railroad Battlefield in August, 1864. The first meeting of the Post was presided over by William Tyler, Provisional District Commander of Section No 6. and formal organizer of the post. The officers were installed by Grand Commander Austin S. Cushman of the Department of Massachusetts at South Reading." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Gould Block, also referred to as the Walton Block, was one of the many downtown buildings razed during the 1930's to make way for the 'modern' structures which exist today. Formerly owned by Arthur Gould Walton, the block was one of several properties owned by Walton, the man for whom Walton field is named. Following his death in 1937, Walton's heirs sold or auctioned all his properties. When sold in 1938, the block housed McCarthy's Market, John Jeffrey & Sons package store, Western Union Telegraph Company agent L.L. McMaster, and Lucas Jewelry. The Quannapowitt Club which occupied the second floor of the building for 45 years was also displaced by the sale and eventually took up residence in the Hodgdon Building in quarters formerly occupied by Wahpatuck Tribe of Red Men on Main Street, near Water Street. The Gould Block was razed in late December, 1938 to make way for a two story, 58' x 112' building with 'terra cotta front on Main Street and 40' on Centre Street with modern brick sides extending along the remainder of the Centre Street side.' According to published reports, the building was thought to be 'the most modern in this vicinity, with a rounded glass corner at Centre and main Streets, insulation, and all-concealed radiation.' The first floor of the northern half of the building on Main Street was occupied by the Economy Stores, a self-service super market. The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company occupied most of the top floor, with the exception of two professional offices on the northern side." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Barbers Jim Giuliano, Concetto Giuliano and Carl Swim offered free haircuts to local boys and girls at the Water Street barber shop during the Depression. The shop was located at the corner of Wakefield Avenue and Water Street and was adjacent to the Giuliano's family-owned restaurant, Connie's Restaurant. Among the families who are represented in the photo along with Mary and Antoinette Giuliano are the DeFelice, Casey, Croce, Longo families, among others who still remain in Wakefield." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"During the spring of 1953, several enthusiastic girls tried their hand at softball, forming teams of nine with 'catchy' names. Coached by Miss Katherine Nichols, the girls played tournament style games. The sport caught on quickly at WHS, with 120 girls participating in the weekly games in 1954. After a lapse of several years, WHS started a girls softball team in 1964-1965. By 1966-1967, the team was redeveloped and interscholastic play began. During the early 1980s, under the guidance of Coach Brenda DeNinno, the WHS girls' softball team was a powerhouse, capturing three consecutive Middlesex League titles. The team won the Division I North championship in both 1982 and 1983. In 1983, Coach DeNinno reached her 100th win on May 6th and pitcher Renee Najarian broke the Middlesex League win record with 53 wins with an ERA of .86. It was also the year that the team, the #1 seeded team in Division I North, captured the Eastern Mass Division I state championship over opponent Oliver Ames High School." -- Text from calendar.
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"The first mention of girls' soccer at Wakefield High School was in the 1955 yearbook which noted that the girls played intramural games from September to November. The first girls soccer team was formed in 1979 after increasing interest in the sport, with Mr. Mogavero as their supervisor. Coaching duties were taken over by Noel Higgins in 1980. By the 1982 season, the team had posted a 9-3-1 record, the second best in the Middlesex League, and had qualified for the state tournament." -- Text from calendar.
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"Coached by A. Cheney, with M. Bunker as the faculty manager, the Girls' Basketball Team membership roster included (left to right) A. Sanders, E. White, M. Potter, L. Buckle, Captain M. Humphrey, C. Woodman, E. Wall, and L. Allen. According to historical records, girls were becoming more involved in sporting activities during the 1920's than ever before. Shortly after the 1928 season, girls' basketball became an interclass sport, rather than a varsity sport." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"In 1919, a new sport was introduced at Wakefield High School which enabled girls to 'indulge in the history of competitive athletics.' Through the efforts of the Athletic Association, arrangements were made with the YMCA so that the girls 'might use the gymnasium on Thursday from 1:30 to 4 p.m. and 6-7 p.m. for basketball practice.' Forty girls took advantage of this opportunity under the direction of Miss Hester Sharkey. Two teams were organized from each of the three upperclasses, and interclass games were played. No games were played out of town. By the 1950s, annual games with Woburn, Stoneham, Wilmington, and Our Lady of Nazareth Academy were added to the schedule. The number of players increased over the years, with 70 girls participating in 1952, and 130 in 1954. The 1960-1961 school year marked the beginning of interscholastic competition for the WHS girls basketball team. Early schedules included varsity competition against North Andover, Malden, Marblehead, Beverly, North Reading, Saugus, Melrose, and Stoneham. The WHS girls' basketball team has had its share of success over the years, especially during the late 1970s, and throughout the 1980s and 1990s. The team captured the Middlesex League championship several times between 1979 and 1988, and was crowned Division II state champions in both 1988 and again in 1997. Both championship games were played against Monument Mountain." -- Text from calendar.
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"Motorists converged on Fred's Service Station at the corner of Main and West Water Streets one day before a gasoline rationing plan went into effect. As part of the War Price and Rationing Board's rationing plan, motorists were required to register for rationing coupon books on July 9, 10 and 11 at two locations: the Greenwood School and the Wakefield High School gymnasium. Registrations were conducted by school teachers. As part of the plan, every registrant received an 'A' book of coupons consisting of 48 coupons (each good for four gallons) on six pages. Each page was to last two months. This would allow an average of four gallons a week, or 16 gallons per month, based on 240 miles of driving each month. Additional rationing coupons were available for business needs, although these were only given out after 'considerable study and exacting data' was presented. Neighbors were required to participate in a 'share-the-car' program, a prerequisite for eligibility for extra rations. Only those people with irregular or unusual hours of work, no fixed place of work, or those who could not find passengers were exempt. The applicant had to list the number of people to be carried in connection with their work, the mileage for the previous 30 days, and the average monthly mileage for the first three months of the rationing period. Additional rationing books included 'B' - an extra 64 gallons in 12 weeks; 'C' - an extra 384 gallons for 3 months; 'S-1' for commercial vehicles and small trucks - an extra 480 gallons for four months; 'S-2' for large trucks - an extra 1920 for four months; and 'D' for motorcycles - with a unit value of 1.5 gallons. The gasoline rationing regulations gave local boards the power to rule a motorist off the road by refusing to give the necessary coupons to purchase the gasoline. Anyone who submitted false information on applications for supplementary gasoline rationing cards were subjected to a $10,000 fine or one year's imprisonment. Neighbors and co-workers were also encouraged to report to the local rationing board anyone they suspected to be in violation of the regulations." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Wakefield Municipal Light Department not only provides electricity to its customers, but also supplies natural gas to the community. The town of Wakefield purchased the community's electric and gas systems from the Citizens' Gas & Light Company of Reading, South Reading and Stoneham by a vote of its citizens in 1894. After supplying the gas until the mid-1920s, the Wakefield Municipal Light Department began buying its gas from the Malden Gas Copmany in 1924 and later continued purchasing its gas from the company's successor, the Mystic Valley Gas Company. In 1969, gas service to the Montrose section of the town was supplied by a connection obtained from the Lynn Gas Company. Shortly after obtaining this connection, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ordered the New England Electric System to sell its gas systems, two of which were the Lynn Gas Company and Mystic Valley Gas Company. The companies were purchased by Boston Gas Company, the present supplier to the Wakefield MLD. Today the MLD provides gas service to 5000 homes in Wakefield." -- Text from calendar.;Caption: The old Municipal Light Barn, on North Avenue, in 1893, just prior to the town's purchase of the Citizens' Gas & Light Company. Standing in front of the building is Superintendent Wallace.
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"George W. Eaton, a lifelong resident of Wakefield and one of its best-known citizens at the time, was the proprietor of G.W. Eaton, Grocers. The store was located at 394 Main Street from 1889 to 1917. Born in Greenwood, George Eaton was a valued member of the local Grand Army Associate Members Association. He was an active member of the Baptist Church, at one time serving as the superintendent of its Sunday School. When Eaton retired in 1917 after 28 years in the grocery business, he disposed of his goods and closed the store, not selling the business to another individual. At the time of Eaton's death in 1925, the storefront on Main Street was home to Walton's Undertaking Rooms." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Franklin School, as it stands, was built in 1902 on Nahant Street. Plans for a new Junction school house began in 1900 when an article was introduced at the May 21st Town Meeting. A committee of five townspeople (School Committee member G.H.S. Driver, Thomas E. Dwyer, Augustus D. Jenkins, Thomas Hickey, and F.O. Clark) was selected to review whether an eight-room school house should be built. They were to make their report without exceeding $100 to procure the plans. In November, 1900, the committee reported back that 'it was inexpedient to make any additions to the present building (then on Franklin Street) as plumbing and heating of the old and new building would not only be expensive, but would make the building unsatisfactory.' The May, 1901, Town Meeting voted to purchase, or take by eminent domain, land on the northwest corner of Nahant and Traverse Streets for that purpose, and to erect an eight-room brick school house, according to the plans drawn by Harland A. Perkins. Some disagreed with the location, based on the costs of removing ledge on the Traverse Street side ($2 per square yard to cut away) and the filling of the bog in the rear (48 cents a square yard to fill). The land was taken in 1901, with construction starting immediately at a cost of $30,000. A sum of $1,000 was appropriated by Town Meeting to furnish the school, which later bought only 42 desks and chairs for five rooms, for a total of 210 seats. When school opened on September 8, 1902, approximately 240 students were on hand. A sixth classroom was quickly assembled with furnishings from other schools and districts. The building was enlarged in 1926 which doubled its room capacity." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"In late September 1919, 26 prospective players showed up for football practice, the first time since 1905 that Wakefield High School fielded a team. In the course of a week, an epidemic broke out, canceling three games and practices. When the season resumed, 15 players returned to play 7 games. They won 3 and lost 4 games. The 1937 football team, coached by William D. Healey and captained by John Guttadauro had a 'most successful' season with its 7-2 record. It was noted in the yearbook that attendance during the season was 'remarkable, and those who did attend deserve to share in the team's success.' The team played against Amesbury, Swampscott, Woburn, Watertown, Melrose, Reading and Cambridge Latin. In 1956, Wakefield became part of the new Middlessex Football League with Stoneham, Reading, Concord, Winchester, Lexington, Melrose and Belmont. This meant that the teams had new rules and regulations, including prohibiting spring training for teams and allowing coaches, headmasters and athletic directors to decide whether a game would be played because of inclement weather. Since the new league had previously played against other Class B teams, this meant a change in Thanksgiving Day game rivalry from long-time foe Gloucester to Melrose, which occurred in the late 1950s. Wakefield went on to become league champions in 1956, 1957 and 1958. The WHS football team has been successful over the years. In 1962, the team, with an 8-0-1 record, shared the Middlesex League championship and was invited to the White House to meet President John F. Kennedy. The team, undefeated in 1970, won the Middlesex League and team members received a trip to Bermuda thanks to funds raised door-to-door. In 1999, the WHS football team won the Division 2 Superbowl." -- Text from calendar.
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"Many children of the 1930's and 1940's were in awe of the 'Flying Yankee', with its green and gold locomotive, nickel-plated cylinder heads and brass name plate at its front. The nonstop express raced through Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine on its daily run in both directions between Boston and Portland. Averaging 51 miles-per-hour throughout its entire trip of 114.6 miles, the Flying Yankee began its test runs in April, 1929, roaring through Wakefield on its way to Boston at 8:14 p.m. and making its northbound appearance at 9:45 a.m. The entire trip, between Boston and Portland, took two hours and 15 minutes. The upper part of its great boiler jacket, 'surmounted by the steel dome and sand dome, steel turrets, and the locomotive bell' was painted green to match the grass on New England hills. Below that, the running gear was a darker green, matching the color of New England pines. Both were striped with gold. A stripe of gold matched the running board and ran the entire length of the engine, and the tender, painted the darker green, bore the name of the Boston & Maine railroad insignia in gold. Below the cab, also in gold was the 'Flying Yankee'." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The map of Reading shows the first grants of land to the settlers in 1647, the first general division of land which was recorded. All homesteads are located in the present town of Wakefield. 1. Francis Smith (western side of Main Street near Wakefield Junction) -- 2. John Smith (eastern side of Main Street at the southeast corner of Nahant Street) -- 3. Henry Felch (on the western side of Main Street near the present Crystal Lake) -- 4. George Davis (on the western side of Main Street near the Junior High School) -- 5. Rev. Henry Green, the first Minister (northeastern corner of Main and Water Streets where the former Town Hall stood) -- 6. Samuel Dunton (near the Northeast corner of Water and Crescent Street) -- 7. John Poole (near the intersection of Vernon and Water Streets) -- 8. Thomas Parker (eastern side of Crescent Street facing Princess Street) -- 9. The first Meeting House (western side of Main Street, south of Albion Street) -- 10. Jeremy Fitch (eastern side of Main Street between Salem and Pearl Streets. The homestead was set back near Pleasant Street) -- 11. Josiah Dustin (eastern side of Main Street near Lawrence Street) -- 12. William Martin (eastern side of Main Street) -- 13. Edward Hutchinson (eastern side of Main Street) -- 14. William Eaton (eastern side of Main Street above Aborn Avenue) -- 15. Jonas Eaton (eastern side of Main Street adjacent to William Eaton) -- 16. John Bachellor (eastern side of Main Street near Cordis Street) -- 17. Nicholas Browne (eastern side of Main Street) -- 18. Edward Taylor (eastern side of Main Street near the present Beebe homestead) -- 19. Robert Burnap, Sr. (east of Vernon Street and south of Lowell Street) -- 20. Jeremiah Sweyne (south or near the junction of Lowell and Salem Streets) -- 21. Nicholas Brown (western side of Lowell Street, north of Montrose Avenue) -- 22. Isaac Hart (southeast corner of Church and Common Streets) -- 23. William Hooper (southern end of Church Street at the present site of the Hartshorne House) -- 24. Thomas Kendall (southern side of Prospect Street on the corner of Cedar Street) -- 25. Richard Walker (northern side of Elm Street, west of Winn Street) -- 26. Abraham Briant (southern side of Elm Street and east of Parker Road - this was the old road to Woburn) -- 27. Thomas Hartshorne (western side of Elm Street near Western Avenue) -- 28. William Cowdrey (northern side of Prospect Street and east of Parker Road) -- 29. William Hooper (northern side of Prospect Street) -- 30. Thomas Clark (southern side of Prospect Street near Park Avenue) -- 31. Thomas Taylor (southern side of Prosect Street close to Summitt Avenue) -- 32. Sgt. Thomas Marshall (southern side of Prospect Street) -- The early homesteads of Henry Feltch, Jr., John Pearson and Samuel Walker have not been determined." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The town of Wakefield was first incorporated in 1644, but her first settlers began to arrive from Lynn in 1639. During this time, the settlers began to cross the rough terrain and settle in the area which is now Wakefield after having petitioned the Colony Court to do so. In 1644 after a sufficient number of homes were established, the Court ordered that 'Lynn Village' take the name of 'Redding', presumably after Reading, England from where several of the first settlers emigrated. The town, when incorporated, contained the area of what is now Wakefield and Reading. The area which is now North Reading was added by a land grant in 1651. According to town records the first settlers included 29 men and their families: Nicholas Brown (who settled on the east side of the 'Great Pond' where the Beebe estate now stands), Thomas Clark, John Damon (who settled where the Common now stands), William Cowdrey, George Davis, Robert Dunton, Samuel Dunton, Josiah Dustin, Jonas Eaton, William Eaton, Zackery Fitch, Isaac Hart, Thomas Hartshorn, William Hooper, Thomas Kendall, John Laukin, Thomas Marshall, William Martin, John Pearson, John Poole (who settled where the rattan factory once stood), Thomas Parker, Francis Smith, John Smith, Jeremy Swayne, Thomas Taylor, Edward Taylor, Richard Walker, and John Wiley. The majority of the men were middle-aged when they settled in the town. William Cowdrey (1602-1687), a lawyer and the best educated of the settlers was undoubtedly the most politically and socially active of the first settlers. He had a major role in shaping the early policies, rules and regulations, having served as Clerk of Writs, Deacon of the Church, Alcoholic Commissioners, Town Clerk, Selectman, Representative to the General Court and Justice of the Peace. He served as Town Clerk from 1644 to 1687 and although he was feeble during the last six years of his life, the townspeople refused to fill his position. They chose instead to appoint his son Nathaniel as Town Clerk 'pro tempore' until his father's death. They subsequently named Nathaniel to the position which he held for one year. John Poole was the wealthiest of the settlers, running both the corn and the saw mills in the town. The town granted him land on what is now Water Street for the corn mill in 1644 at the site which was later the rattan factory. He built the saw mill on Vernon Street at the Lynnfield-Wakefield line in 1650. Although prominent in the town, he never held public office and was never a member of the Church. Captain Richard Walker was the Captain of the first training band to help protect the settlers against the Indians. He was officially assigned the task in 1645 after the Court ordered that a military guard should be kept in every town against a surprise attack by the Indians, yet he was training the men in 1644 on his own. Every youth between the ages of 10 to 16 was ordered to 'be trained by an officer of each company on muster days in the use of small guns, half pikes and bows and arrows, lest the Colony should be destitute of powder.' It is written that Captain Walker was honored for his bravery during the Indian Wars. After 25 years he noved on to Nova Scotia where he developed a fur trade and was named Deputy Governor of the Province. Deacon Zachery Fitch (for which Fitch Court was named) was one of the first settlers to build a home in the town on what is now Salem Street at Fitch Court. He was also one of the oldest of the men, settling in Reading at the age of 51. He served as Selectman in 1649, 1651 and 1661." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The fourth meeting house of the First Parish Congregational Church fell victim to a fire on the morning of February 21, 1909, in what was described by the Wakefield Item as 'one of the hottest and most spectacular conflagrations in the history of the town.' As the photograph shows, 'thick, black smoke poured forth in volumes throwing a heavy pall over the whole easterly side of the town from the square to Lakeside.' The fire was driven by high winds which shifted from north to west '...sparks flew in showers on the dwellings on Common Street and on the streets on the easterly side of the Park and the Common - Crescent, Bryant, Park and Salem.' It was also reported that roofs were wet down, but in spite of the precautions, several caught fire, among them the residences of Chester W. Eaton (at the corner of Main and Park Streets) and Chas. A. Cheney, as well as the Emmanuel Episcopal Church. At noontime, four hours after the fire was first spotted, all that remained was a corner wall and tower. The church was rebuilt and rededicated on February 1, 1912." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"Passersby stop to look at the damage caused by a fire to the First Parish Congregational Church on February 21, 1909. The fire partially destroyed the stone building and 'brought genuine grief to the townspeople, as well as to the men and women of the First Parish.' Sunday worship services were held in the Town Hall (on Main Street at the corner of Water Street) as well as at other churches in the community during the three years the First Parish was without a home of its own. Rebuilding began soon after the fire, and the new church, much like the old, was dedicated on February 1, 1912." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"One of the constants in the history of Wakefield, from the time of its inception in 1644 until the present day, has been the First Parish Congregational Church. Currently located on the corner of Church Street and Lake Avenue, the church is actually the fifth structure to have been built by parishioners over its 300 year history. The first church was established by the residents of the town near the corner of Main and Albion Streets. The small structure sufficed until 1688 when the parishioners built a new church near their present location. This second structure existed until 1768. The third building was erected in 1768 and faced West, but was turned to face South many years later. The tall spire on this church became the victim of the great gale of 1815 and was replaced by a dome-shaped steeple. This, too, was replaced by another spire when the building was turned. The edifice was in existence until 1890 and replaced by the gray granite structure in 1892. The church was partially destroyed by fire on February 21, 1909. Parishioners worshipped at various locations, including the Town Hall, for the next three years until the fifth and current structure was completed in 1912. The church has been heralded throughout the years for its Byzantine-Romanesque architecture and the beauty of the interior." -- Text from calendar.;Captions: 1. The First Parish Congregational Church in 1768 as depicted in this painting by Franklin Poole. The building was built to face West but was later moved South in 1859. -- 2. The church in 1930. -- 3. Today the church is still recognized for its architectural beauty.
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"Organized in 1794 as the South Reading Branch of the Baptist Church of Woburn, and in 1798 as the Baptist Society in the First Parish, the First Baptist Church built its first meeting house on Salem Street in 1800. In 1820, the Meeting House was moved to a new location at the corner of Main and Crescent Streets. Fire destroyed the building in 1835, and a new, larger church was erected on the same site in 1837. The building was enlarged in 1853. On June 21, 1871, fire destroyed the second building, hastening the congregation's plans for a larger building. Ground was broken at the present site of the church on June 27, 1871 with the cornerstone laid on August 22nd. The building was completed and dedicated in December, 1872." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Wakefield's brick Central Fire Station at the corner of Crescent and Mechanic (now Princess) Streets was built in 1900 after the Hathaway Stable fire destroyed the department's two-story wooden firehouse in October 1899. The department moved into its new brick joist station on December 22, 1900. Roger Howard built the new brick fire station at a cost of $17,197.58. When new, the station had a large main room on the ground floor for the three pieces of fire apparatus, three sleeping rooms, a stable with seven stalls and two chutes for the hay and grain, a hay loft, harness rooms, tool closets, washrooms, meeting rooms, and a business office which looked over Crescent Street. The hose tower was built to dry over 2500 feet of hose after they were sprayed and washed. As the department continued to grow, the number of pieces of apparatus increased as did the needs of the department. An addition was built in 1975 to accommodate the changing needs of the department. In 2001, Town Meeting voted to build a new public safety building to house both the Fire and Police Departments. Construction began in June 2002 and the fire station was razed, with the exception of the hose tower, which remained intact. The official dedication and open house of the new public safety building was held in February 2004." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"Shortly after the incorporation of the town, the town of Reading recorded their first 'bucket brigades' in the 1660s. The first engine was put into service in the early 1800s and was known as the 'Republican Extinguisher'. It was housed in a small building located on the ancient burial ground near the common. This equipment was manned by volunteers for over 25 years until the 'Black Hawk,' a tub was put into commission for the next 26 years until 1852. In 1854, the first official fire department in the town was established through an act of the legislature. Volunteers continued to man the equipment since the permanent firefighter was not hired until 1989. In 1882, a volunteer organization, known as the Home Fire Protection Association, was formed by Rufus Kendrick. A staunch supporter of small fire apparatus, Mr. Kendrick believed in using buckets, cans, garden hoses attached to houses and particularly Johnson hand force pumps. Because of his involvement, the town at one point had 450 Johnson hand force pumps, 300 of which were owned by private individuals, and 150 by the town. Born on March 27, 1822 and raised on a farm in Amherst, NH, Rufus Kendrick first became interested in in fighting fires with small apparatus as a young boy. He often saw fires extinguished with the use of wet mops and buckets of water, saving farm houses from devastation. His interest never faltered and after moving to Cambridgeport he continued to go to fires with his own pumps and at one time he had the pump turned on him by a firefighter. He was a resident of Reading for a short time and later moved to Wakefield where he lived in the Greenwood section. During his residence in Wakefield, he spent several hundred dollars of his own money to promote volunteer fire fighting with the Johnson pump. He was looked upon with scorn by some, but was nevertheless responsible for saving thousands of dollars for the town. Membership in the Home Fire Protection Association required that each member sign an agreement to use the pump at;Captions: 1. William E. Cade, Chief Engineer of the Wakefield Fire Department and a member of the Fountain Engine Company. -- 2. Volunteer Hose Members: Zwicker, Russell, White, Cicle, Kent, Pope. -- 3. Fountain Number 3 crew at the headquarters on Crescent Street. -- 4. Brick fire station on Church Street built in 1860. This picture was taken after 1884.
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"The first recorded firefighting efforts in Wakefield occurred in the 1660s with the 'bucket brigade' method of fighting fires. Residents were required to have leather buckets to carry water from brooks, ponds, or wells, form a line and pass the buckets to the fire. This method sufficed until the first fire apparatus - a four wheel, hand-drawn, hand-pumped tub - was obtained, but the buckets were still required to fight the fires. The first official fire department in Wakefield was established by the state legislature in 1854. In 1868 when the town became known as Wakefield, the department's equipment grew to 3 hand-drawn apparatus. The Montrose Fire Company was established in 1871, followed by the Greenwood Company in 1886. Before the first fire hydrants were installed in 1883, water was obtained from reservoirs strategically located throughout the town. The next major step in fire fighting history occurred when the alarm system was installed in 1887. Wakefield's first permanent firefighter was hired in 1898 to care for the department's first horse. With the turn of the century, the department shed its hand-drawn apparatus for the new horse-drawn apparatus, including steam operated pumpers. Right on the heels of the horse-drawn apparatus came the motorized equipment. The first such apparataus was put into service in 1908 and by 1914, motorized fire apparatus had replaced the horse-drawn era of firefighting. Throughout the 1900s the Wakefield Fire Department has kept pace with the industry by employing the latest technology. Today, the Wakefield Fire Department has a full-time force of 52 officers and fire fighters. The equipment today includes five pumpers and an aerial truck which operate out of the town's two fire stations. Last year, the department responded to over 2000 calls, including all types of fire incidents, medical emergencies and public assistance calls." -- Text from calendar.;Captions: 1. The first motorized piece of fire apparatus in Wakefield, a 1908 Columbia hose car. -- 2. The Wakefield Fire Department, men and equipment, April 29, 1927. -- 3. One of Wakefield's first firefighting apparatus, a 1853 hand tub housed in a fire station on the Common.
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"Field hockey at Wakefield High School began in 1926 as an interclass sport, due in part to a short season and weather conditions. In 1930, the Junior Class team was captained by Catherine Nichols. Miss Nichols became the coach during the 1937-38 season, her first year as a 'gymnasium' teacher. Miss Nichols was instrumental in bringing sports to the girls at Wakefield High School, introducing them to intramural basketball, field hockey, badminton, tennis, bowling, archery, and golf. She was inducted into the first Hall of Fame class at Wakefield High School in 1991. Intramural games continued into the 1950s before interest in the game began to wane. In 1961, WHS gym classes were 're-introduced' to field hockey, the same year that WHS began its first interscholastic season under the coaching of Mrs. Clayman. The WHS field hockey team, with a record of 9-1-3, won the Middlesex League in 1977, and again in 1980, with a record of 18-2 under Coach Brenda DeNinno. That year, the team led the league in the number of goals scored (59), least goals scored against (8), andmost shutouts (13)." -- Text from calendar.
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"Town Meeting voted in early 1898 to build a new brick schoolhouse in Wakefield's North Ward to help ease crowded conditions in the elementary schools. The North Ward included the territory between Main and Salem Street, west of the Newburyport Branch of the B&M Railroad. It was the third school to open in as many years, the others being the Warren School and the Greenwood School, both opened in 1897. Other elementary schools included the West Ward School (1847), Hamilton School (1883), and the Lincoln School (1892). After a report was presented by a committee, the meeting voted to build the new school on a 13,000 foot lot at the intersection of Cordis Street and a private way which ran north of Cordis and became a continuation of Pleasant Street. The location was 'favorably situated as to light, air, and drainage.' Arguments were made that the existing school building could be repaired at a cost of $1,000 and would be used for the next 25 years. It was also noted that many of the ward's 96 scholars were attending classes at the Lincoln School due to the cramped conditions at the North Ward School. Rather than vote for a two-room, one-story school, the meeting voted to build a four-room, two-story building, the second floor being unfinished. The building would be of dark red waterstruck brick with trimming of buff sandstone. The roof was covered with slate, with gutters, conductors, and ridges made of copper, and steps and basement windows made of granite. The inside finish was of North Carolina hard pine, with floors of Georgia hard pine. The first and second floors were to be the same, with a vestibule, corridor, coat rooms and a lavatory, teachers room, and two classrooms, each measuring 28 feet x 32 feet. The cost to build the school was $12,000. Debate continued over several meetings to name the school the Francis P. Hurd School in memory of Dr. Hurd, a 'cultivated, refined, and philanthropic citizen.' Upon his death he had bequeathed $2,500 to the Beebe Library. A subsequent meeting voted to spend an additional $25 to cut the name in a proper place on the building." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"On April 1, 1902, the Town of Wakefield voted to sell the Greenwood Fire Station on Oak Street and convert the adjacent vacant Greenwood School building into a fire station. The school, originally built in 1847 on the east side of Main Street just south of Meriam Street, was moved to Oak Street in 1858. The cost for renovating the building for use as a fire station was $746.75. The building housed the Fire Department's first horse in 1903, which was then replaced by the chemical and hose wagon, the first motorized fire apparatus put in service in Greenwood in 1914. In November, 1924, a 1912 Webb pumping engine was relocated from the Central Fire Station to Greenwood, thereby changing the station designation from Hose 3 to Engine 2, its present identification. The engine pictured, a 600 GPM pumping engine, was purchased from the Seagrave Fire Apparatus Co., at a cost of $7000 and was placed in service as Engine 2 in 1929. The engine was replaced in 1955. The wooden fire station was razed in September, 1962 and replaced by the present wood-joisted masonry fire station in May, 1963. The building also housed the Greenwood Branch of the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The original portion of the Emmanuel Episcopal Church was erected on Water Street in 1881. The building was moved from Water Street to the north corner of Bryant and Main Streets in 1894, opposite the Common, to make way for the L.B. Evans Son shoe factory. The Andrew Young house, with two sheds and a barn, previously occupied the land at Bryant and Main Streets. In 1902, Mrs. James Clifton Pearson donated $10,000 to build the Parish House in memory of her husband, and in 1903, she donated an additional $8,000 to build the Rectory on Bryant Street. According to the Town's 250th anniversary publication, the Emmanuel Episcopal Church could trace its beginnings 'back 40 years or so, to the occasional servces held by Rev. William T. Smith, then rector of Christ's Church in Boston and Rev. Frederick S. Wiley, then rector of Christ's Church of New York, and a native of the Town.' A mission was formed in 1869, and on Easter 1870, the congregation organized itzelf into a parish which united with the diocese of Massachusetts the following year. Services were held in various rooms and halls for the next 10 years until the church edifice was erected at a cost of $5,000." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"The Wakefield Lodge of Elks held a Funfest on Factory Field to raise money for the organization's charities. Originally scheduled to be held Friday through Monday (Labor Day), the carnival was extended to Wednesday due to inclement weather on Friday and Monday. The organization decided to extend the carnival rather than postpone it to the next weekend because the pony and goat rides, and the perishable stock could not be held until the weekend. The carnival featured two nights of firework displays, concerts by Michael Sibelli and his band, and the awarding of two automobiles and two diamond rings. Factory Field was developed as Victory Village in 1939." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"The Elk Spring Beverage Company was established in 1921 by John F. Drinkwater, Sr. at the corner of Lowell and Vernon Streets. The company grew from a small beginning to become one of the leading soft drink bottling plants in the vicinity. Elk Spring produced 'all season soft beverages of quality and wholesomeness.' The beverages were manufactured from pure spring water procured from a well which was driven 250 feet deep, and only the highest grade extracts and juices were used. The company boasted a manufacturing process which was the finest and cleanest of its sort, with unexcelled ingredients and bottles which were washed by machine. This allowed a 10-minute sterilization period before going to the filler. With the repeal of Prohibition, the company expanded to meet the times and added the distribution of malt products to their business. The company became a wholesale distributor of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer and ale and Pickwick Ale, which created further expansion of their facilities. Drinkwater retired in 1944 and left the management of the business to his five sons: Frank, John Jr., Benjamin, Patrick and Jeremiah. In 1961, the plant was enlarged through the razing of the family's home which was built in 1740, as well as a 'filling station' which was located at the front of the property." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Elizabeth Eaton Boit, the first woman in the United States to be actively involved in the manufacture of textile goods, was born in Newton on July 9, 1848 [i.e. 1849] to James H. and Amanda (Berry) Boit. She attended Newton public schools and the Lasell Seminary at Auburndale for two years. In 1866 at the age of 18, Miss Boit was employed by Dudley Hosiery Mill as timekeeper for the sewing department and was later promoted to forewoman. She was later named Superintendent of the Allston Mills at Cottage Farm, the first position of its kind ever held by a woman. In 1888, she and Charles N. Winship, her co-worker at both Dudley Hosiery Mill and Allston Mills entered into a partnership for the manufacture of ladies undergarments with a combined investment of $2500. The firm, Winship, Boit & Company served as proprietor of the Harvard Knitting Mills and began their operation in Cambridgeport, employing 25 workers who produced 20 dozen garments each day. The company moved to Wakefield in 1889 and occupied the entire third floor of the Wakefield Block, later known as the Taylor Building. At the time 40 workers were employed and the firm boasted 10 knitting machines and five sewing machines. Business increased and the company later occupied several other floors in the building. In 1895, the company employed 160 workers, mostly young ladies, in the factory and between 200 to 250 additional workers who crocheted the finish work in their own homes. At the time the company expanded their line to include infants', children's, ladies' and men's undergarments and did a business of $250,000. Miss Boit served as Superintendent in charge of the office and the business management of the firm. In 1897 the firm purchased a parcel of land at the corner of Lake and Albion Streets. Eventually the firm would occupy over 8 acres of space as several additions were built over the years. She was a friend to her workers and built a 'mini hospital' at the factory for Harvard Knitting Mills employees in 1917 and instituted a maternity leave for the women. Miss Boit was active in the community and was the first woman in the country to serve on the Board of Directors of a bank, (Wakefield Co-operative Bank). She was also active in the First Baptist Church and was involved in several real estate transactions including the Boit Apartments on Richardson Avenue. Miss Boit served as a founder and Treasurer of the Wakefield Home for Aged Women which was established in 1894 to 'furnish a home for women who have been residents of the town of Wakefield not less than ten years.' The home was constructed at 5 Bennett Street and was renamed the 'Elizabeth E. Boit Home for Aged Women' in 1921 in recognition of her generosity and faithful assistance in the management of the home. She passed away in 1932 at her home which is located at the corner of Chestnut and Prospect Streets." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Elite Quality Shop, a shoe store featuring a complete line of shoes for men, women and children, opened in the Curley Block at the corner of Main and Mechanic (Princess) Street in 1919. Owner Julius Starkman moved the store to the opposite corner of Main and Mechanic Streets after buying the north third of the Walton Block in 1939. Starkman died in 1956 and his widow sold the shoe store to Jack Rubenstein in 1963." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"The Wakefield & Stoneham Street Railway Company was established in 1889, and received a charter three years later. The first tracks ran from Wakefield center to Stoneham, connecting Wakefield with the Lynn & Boston road to Melrose and Woburn. In the fall of 1893, tracks were laid from Wakefield Town Hall via Water Street through Saugus to the Lynn city line, establishing a direct connection with the city of Lynn. In 1894, after much opposition, the company extended its lines to Reading via Main and Lowell Streets. In 1895, an electric line from Reading to Billerica was made with a connection to the Lowell electric street car system. The completion of this road provided a direct electric line between Lynn and Lowell, with Wakefield as an important street railway center for the entire system." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The early settlers of Reading were men and women of modest means, concerned primarily with the building of modest domiciles for themselves, meeting houses, and sanctuaries where they could worship in peace. The first meeting hosue, built before 1647, no doubt exhausted their resources and left them with little from which to build their school. In 1680 the town was criticized by the General Court for definciency of a grammar school, causing the townspeople to make arrangements for one of their own to educate the children. The first schoolmaster was Master John Brown, Esq., one of the best educated and influential settlers. In 1693, 50 years after the town's incorporation, the town ordered that there should be a 'free' school kept in the town and appropriated four pounds for its support. The first teacher of the free school was Nicholas Lynde from Charlestown, a graduate of Harvard College in 1690. Students were taught by one teacher who traveled to different sections of the town. This teacher was responsible for teaching students in those sections for three to four months each year, a term determined by the Selectmen. In 1708, a committee was selected to help the town officials superintend the schools. This committee, not the first formal school committee, consisted of Capt. John Brown, Lieut. Hananiah and Ens. Nathaniel Parker. From 1721 to 1778, each separate parish was responsible for the care and support of the schools under the watch of the parish assessors who served as an unofficial school committee. The second schoool house was built in what is now Reading in 1708 and in 1799 Wakefield built three new school houses, one for the center district, one for the west and one for the south. The center district school was located at the northerly end of the Common and measured 28' x 24' and could seat, uncomfortably, about 100 pupils. In compliance with a law passed by the Legislature, the grammar school was established in 1791 and would be distinct from the English school. (These latter schools were schools in;Captions: 1. James F. Blackinton, first High School Master (principal). -- 2. Wakefield High School's first football team (1893).
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"Without the dedication and interest of members of the Eaton family, Wakefield would not be in possession of such detailed accounts of her history. Several members of the family have recorded important data, chronicled the information and presented it to the town during an anniversary or dedication ceremony throughout the years. Much of the interest in the town's history was stirred by Lilley Eaton, a descendant of Jonas Eaton, one of the early settlers. Lilley once said he found delight in his quest 'to inquire after the old paths and to walk therein.' Lilley Eaton was born on January 13, 1802 and was brought up in his father's store at the corner of Main and Salem Streets. His father, himself active in municipal affairs, would welcome transient clergymen in the home which soon became known as 'the Pilgrim's Hotel.' On the upper floors of this dwelling, his father held religious and social meetings attended by members of the Young Baptist Society. It was in this environment that Lilley Eaton grew, both in mind and body. He attended Bradford Academy, but his education was cut short by the sudden death of his father in 1822. He returned home and being the eldest son, assumed the responsibilities of the family business. His knowledge of town affairs and his business sense soon elevated him to a position of respect within his hometown. He was involved in all aspects of town government, serving as a Selectman for 25 years, Representative to the General Court for seven years, Senator for two years, a member of the School Board for 25 years, Town Clerk for 20 years, a Trustee of the Public Library from its inception, a Justice of the Peace for 28 years, and served as a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1853. He was the principal writer of deeds and wills in the town, transacted considerable probate business and served as administrator, executor and guardian for the settlement of several estates. Mr. Eaton was active not only in town office, but in other endeavors of the town. He served on several committees, including the South Reading Academy, the Town House of 1834, the South Reading Stage Company, the High School, the South Reading Mechanical and Agricultural Institution, the South Reading Lyceum, the South Reading Bank, the Citizens' Gas Light Company, the Public Library and Reading Room, the Lakeside Cemetery and the change of the town's name to Wakefield. It was also Lilley Eaton's influence which brought about the system of common schools in Wakefield. He was instrumental, too, in shaping municipal government in South Reading. His talent shone the brightest in his 'History of Reading.' a complete, detailed history of the current towns of Wakefield, Reading, and North Reading. The last years of his life were spent laboring over the book. Lilley Eaton died on January 16, 1872 before the finishing touches were completed. The task of completing the chronicles was performed by his brother John Sullivan Eaton and the work was printed in 1874. Younger by several years, John Eaton was a civil engineer by education and trade, but was in possession of a rare literary talent and was a genuine poet. He wrote and recited poems for several celebrations held in the town during his lifetime. He, too, served as a Selectman for 13 years, an Assessor for 5 years and was the Overseer of the Poor for 6 years. In 1858 he was a Representative to the General Court." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Several car dealerships were located in Wakefield, selling models which ranged from Chevrolets to Oldsmobiles, DeSotos, Plymouths, Buicks and Studebakers. Durant Motors, located at 795 Main Street in Greenwood, was owned and operated by John Durant, who later developed the Tuttle Street area in the early 1960s. Durant's first auto repair business, Greenwood Motors, was located at 885 Main Street near Melrose. In 1939, he moved his business to 6 Greenwood Street, and in 1940, he was appointed as a Plymouth and DeSoto dealer. He opened a showroom at 89 Albion Street. After serving his country during World War II, he purchased the 795 Main Street property in 1946. Soon after, he aquired the Studebaker franchise. According to records of the time, Studebaker 'originated a new idea in car styling. The new closed car with an open car outlook on the passing scene is something out of the ordinary.' The 1949 trucks were also 'brand new in design and performance.' In addition to selling cars, Durant's Motors also had a modern service station with factory-trained experts. In December, 1952, Durant Motor Sales was sold and became Alan Motors of 793 Main Street." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Dr. Curtis L. Sopher, a native of South Portland, Maine, served as a Commissioner for the Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department (then the Wakefield Municipal Light Department) for 41 of the 44 years from 1902 to 1946. He succeeded Silas W. Flint, one of the original Commissioners when he was first elected in 1902. Dr. Sopher served as chairman and secretary of the department several times and was the temporary manager of the department during a vacancy. He made several attempts to retire from the Board however, he was always the unanimous selection when a death or retirement from the Board was brought before joint special elections held by the Selectmen and the Commissioners. In addition to his service to the Light Board, Dr. Sopher served on a special water committee of the Finance Committee in 1919, on the Planning Board from 1917 to 1922, and as the chairman and secretary of the Board of Health during the late 1890s. He was also the Town's fuel administrator during World War I, and was called into service again during the coal strike of 1922-23 when Massachusetts officials required the supervision of all coal purchasing and distribution in the cities and towns. A physician and surgeon for 56 years, he started his practice in 1892 in Wakefield after his internship at Lynn Hospital and two years as a Medical Examiner. He was the first to install an x-ray machine in his office, which was in his home, in 1897. As this new machine and major medical advancement was the source of considerable curiosity among the townspeople, he held frequent demonstrations for his patients and friends. Dr. Sopher was the assistant physical examiner for the draft in World War I and was the first president of the Wakefield Medical Associates in 1927. He was also a member of the Board of Management of Wakefield's first Ambulance Association in the early 1900s. Dr. Sopher died in October 1955 at his 6 Avon Street home." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"In this photo, Dr. Charles Dutton and Mr. William E. Deadman appear to be discussing the news of the day outside the Wakefield Market. Mr. Deadman, specializing in provisions, sold beef, ham, pork, lard, eggs, etc., at his Albion Street market. On March 30th of that year, Town Meeting members voted to appropriate $7400 to 'motorize' the Fire Department. With this money, the voters agreed to buy a towing or squad car for the steamer, a tractor for the hook and ladder, and a chassis for the Greenwood Hose 3 combination wagon. Furthermore, they voted to establish a Town planning board and to accept the Tenement Act, which would regulate the construction of buildings intended to house more than two families. Also, Town Meeting members voted to join in a petition to the Legislature that metropolitan water and sewerage system take over the Wakefield trunk-line sewer. However, they rejected an eight-hour law for Town employees." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Wakefield residents were treated to a rare sight one day in early spring when the Greenwood railroad station was dismantled and moved to Pleasure Island. The project, complete with accompanying trucks and the man perched on the building's highest peak, moved slowly through the main streets of Wakefield to Pleasure Island Road (now Audubon Road). The 80-ton building was hoisted onto the flatbed of the truck and taken to Pleasure Island, where it was used as the Pleasure Island and Western Railroad Station. Children of all ages boarded 'Old Smokey' at the station and embarked on a journey through the park." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The building at the right of the picture, built in 1875 by Joseph Connell and Thomas Curley, was actually two separate but adjoining buildings, one owned by Asa Boothby, the other owned by the estate of Thomas Curley. In 1903, William T. Curley and his brother, Leo purchased the building, known as the Connell-Curley Block for $9,000. The block, on of the town's largest, was torn down in 1939 to make room for a 'modern' one-story building which was completed in 1940. The occupants at that time were Smith's Drug Store, Cubby Hole Gift Shop and Crystal Fruit Exchange. The buildings to the left were also replaced in the early 1940s by a modern, brick building which housed the Atlantic and Pacific chain store, Russell's Electric Shop, Friends Bakery, and Nagle's Drug Store." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, the July 4th celebration was touted as a $5,000 celebration, $1,000 of which was for fireworks. A 50 foot banner, advertising the celebration was strung across Wakefield square on a Saturday, 'just in time to catch the eye of the Sunday automobile traffic.' The banner was suspended between the roof of the Chamber of Commerce building and the Kingman Block and was of the 'net style' so that the banners advertising the July 4th celebration could be taken down and the net used to promote other town-wide celebrations. To promote participation in the parade, the Executive Committee agreed to allow prizes for floats in the following divisions: male section, fraternal finest appearance, fraternal women's section and women's organization making the finest appearance. Rain postponed or canceled many of the events which were scheduled on that day. The midnight bonfire went off as planned, as did the parade and the bell ringing at 6 a.m. The fireworks were postponed until July 6th because of dampness and the scheduled parachute jump, flying exhibition and 'hair-raising stunts by Richard Cobb and Harold D. Cates' were canceled due to low clouds. To pay for this event, every person in Wakefield was encouraged to give a $1.00 donation." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The town of Wakefield was hit by a blizzard that began during the early afternoon hours of January 23rd, and ended in mid-morning on January 24th. Hailed as 'the worst blizzard in years' the snow reached a depth of 16 inches during the 20-hour storm. Accompanied by high winds and intense cold, the storm brought the community to a standstill. Transportation was paralyzed, schools were closed, motorists were stranded and cars were left on side roads, hampering the efforts of the plows. The only streets which remained open were the main roads, several of which were covered over shortly after being plowed, due to the winds which reached 30 to 40 miles per hour. Drifts of six to eight feet were not uncommon. The regular highway crews, using 11 trucks, were joined by approximately 300 ERA workers to clear the streets and sidewalks. The storm caused many people to be stranded in Boston or at their place of business. Charles McCarthy, owner of McCarthy's Market, and his clerk, William McKeon, found it impossible to reach their homes and were forced to remain in the store throughout the night." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Photo taken in front of the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 2007
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"The Diamond Lil Saloon, located in the Western section of Pleasure Island, was the first building to be constructed in the park and was built as 'an exact replica of the old western style architecture of the 1890s.' Just as it was at Disneyland, the first building became the 'shop' where the props and other components for the park were built. The 2,700 sq. ft. Diamond Lil Saloon was designed by Hollywood movie specialists who also supervised its construction. The saloon interior and decorations, including its mahogany bar and tin ceiling, were reported to have cost $50,000, an expense that was divided evenly among the owners of Pleasure Island and Pepsi-Cola, the saloon sponsor. The Diamond Lil show was the most popular entertainment in the park with four shows on weekdays and five on Saturdays and Sundays. The show was written and produced by Lloyd Settle who previously worked for both Disneyland and Pacific Ocean Park, the elaborate 'new theme parks in California.' Settle brought out two performers, headliners Charmaine Harma (Diamond Lil) and Champ Butler (Ragtime Cowboy Joe) from Pacific Ocean Park to Pleasure Island to appear in the show. Buddy Farnham (Sourdough MacPherson) was also in the show. When Pleasure Island opened for its second season on June 18th, 1960, Pepsi-Cola had already pulled out as a commercial exhibitor, putting an end to the Diamond Lil show. The saloon was used as a venue for silent movies and local high school and college performances until the park closed in 1969. On April 1, 1971, the saloon, its adjoining print shop, the Chisolm Trail and the former Greenwood Station were destroyed by arson. The Diamond Lil bar was salvaged and is currently part of the Peppermint Saloon ice cream parlor at Clark's Trading Post." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"The Wakefield Department of Public Works is one of the youngest town departments, having been founded in the 1950s. Responsible for the maintenance of public properties, buildings, parks, trees, cemeteries, sidewalks, roads and highways, and for providing water and sewer service to the town, the DPW has a total of 83 employees in the various divisions. Prior to its formation, the departments now consolidated under the DPW were the responsibility of other town boards and sometimes acted as an independent entity. The Highway Department and the Public Building Department reported directly to the Board of Selectmen, and the Water and Sewer Department, the Forestry Department and the Cemetery Department operated on their own. Today the DPW reports to the Board of Public Works, a town board with five members elected for three year terms. T here are currently nine divisions reporting to the DPW Director: administration, equipment maintenance, public buildings, forestry and parks, cemeteries, highway, engineering, water and sewer. The DPW administration office is located in the Wakefield Town Hall and operates out of the Town Garage on North Avenue where the 56 registered vehicles are housed. Other DPW divisions are associated with the Nahant Street pit-storage area for salt and sand, loam, gravel, pipe, curb, snow disposal and leaf composting Broadway Pumping Station - headquarters for the water and sewer division, pumping station for Crystal Lake, and the control center for the Linden Street Pumping Station the Linden Street Pumping Station in Greenwood - the main source for the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority, the supplier of 80 percent of Wakefield's water and the Farm Street Sewer Pumping Station - the main sewer pumping station for Wakefield." -- Text from calendar.;Captions: 1. The Wakefield Water Company's Pumping Station and Superintendent's residence on the northern banks of Crystal Lake. The stations was built in 1883. -- 2. The Wakefield Sewer Department's low level pumping station on Water Street, 1929. -- 3. The Broadway Pumping Stations, 1961.
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"The United States declared war against the Kingdom of Spain on April 26, 1898, in response to Spain's oppressive treatment of Cuba and the February 15th destruction of the US battleship 'Maine' in Havana Harbor. More than one-million volunteers answered President McKinley's call to help the 25,000 men in the US Army. A meeting of Company A, Richardson Light Guard was called on April 28, at which time 69 men enlisted. The following day, the number increased to 84. On May 5th, the night before the Guard's departure, the citizens of Wakefield held a grand farewell reception at the Town Hall. At 7:30 a.m. on May 6th, the assembly signal, 12-12, was given on the fire alarm, calling the townspeople to escort the men to the train station. Thousands assembled at the station, and schools were closed for the day. The members, clad in fatigue uniforms, with leggings, canteens, haversacks, overcoats and cartridge belts, boarded the Boston-bound train at 9 a.m. A train from Boston took them to the state campground at Framingham where they were inspected and accepted by the US Army." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"This view from the mansion of Cyrus Wakefield, looks south toward Crystal Lake. The grounds were said to have been as magnificent as the house. Cyrus Wakefield purchased an estate in South Reading in 1851, where he later built his 'splendid residence with its handsome surroundings' in the early 1860s. The house was made of stone, and was complemented by a barn and gazebo. The greenhouses can be seen in the photograph, as can the canals and the orchards. Following Cyrus Wakefield's untimely death in 1873, the house was occupied by his widow, Eliza Bancroft Wakefield, who died soon after in 1877. Since Cyrus and Eliza Wakefield had no children, the home was then occupied by nephew Cyrus Wakefield, II, who left it to his three children upon his death in 1888. The Town of Wakefield voted to buy the property from George L. Wakefield in 1913 at a cost of $25,000. Four years later, in 1917, Town Meeting voted to appropriate $280,000 to cover the cost of erecting and equipping a new high school building. This appropriation was increased to $450,000 in 1919. The building was occupied for insurance purposes only, although it was used as the town's headquarters of the Red Cross, Food Conservation, Civilian Relief, and other war-time departments during World War I. The City Building Wrecking Company of Charlestown tore down the mansion which had fallen into disrepair on October 17, 1921. The new high school, now the site of the Galvin Middle School parking lot, was dedicated in 1923." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Although not born on South Reading soil, Cyrus Wakefield has become the unofficial 'father' of the town which eventually bore his name. Born in Roxbury, New Hampshire on February 14, 1811, he was descended from prominent families of the First Parish in Old Reading. His great-grandfather, Thomas Wakefield, was the son of Thomas Wakefield who came to Reading in 1730. An eager young man, Cyrus Wakefield gained his knowledge from the common school in Roxbury, New Hampshire, which was held three months each year. At the age of 15, he traveled to Boston and worked as a clerk in a grocery store for three years. He worked as a clerk for several other Boston stores and took advantage of the opportunities around him. He attended evening school, lectures, and private study and at the age of 23 he established the firm of Foster and Wakefield on Commercial Street in Boston. Two years later, in 1836, he formed a partnership with his brother, Wakefield and Company, which lasted until 1844. It was at this time that he recognized the potential in rattan, generally discarded as refuse. The rattan was accidentally purchased and sold at a profit to a few chair makers who, by hand, made the outside of the cane into seating chairs. The business grew rapidly and led to the dissolution of the grocery business and the continuation of his rattan business in a Boston office. Mr. Wakefield soon found that without machinery, the cost for preparing the rattan was too great. Utilizing a brother-in-law in China, he sent a sample of the cane most in demand and soon his Canton Split Rattan was known throughout the world. The supply soon became sporadic, yet the demand increased and in 1856 he resolved to begin the manufacture of cane in the United States using the whole of the rattan - the cane, the pith, and the shavings. He secured two hand machines and later moved to South Reading in 1856. Eventually water replaced hand power and later steam was added as the business increased. The business soon outgrew building after building;Captions: 1. Cyrus Wakefield in a portrait painted in 1873 by Thomas H. Badger. -- 2. The Wakefield Town Hall donated by Cyrus Wakefield as it looked in 1929.
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"After a five-day heat wave, an electrical storm tore through Wakefield on July 6, 1911. Accompanied by fierce winds from the southwest, the storm's vivid and continuous lightning hit several homes and buildings, injured many people, and tore up great trees by the roots. One bolt of lightning struck the wires on the pole at the corner of Water and Main Streets, entering the three-story Cutler Bros. building, setting off a spectacular blaze which threatened to 'wipe out the central manufacturing and business district.' The building was fully engulfed, and when the fire was out, several businesses were destroyed, including the grocery store, the Wakefield Paper Box Manufacturing Company (occupants of the third floor), and Godfrey & Barnard's Quannapowitt Bowling Alley and Pool Hall (in the basement). The total loss was set at $60,667. Other buildings were destroyed, including the Co. A 6th Regiment Armory, and a cottage house occupied by the Reynolds family. At the height of the blaze, the scene was a mass of tangled and dangling live wires. Members of the light department, along with representatives from the telephone company, and the Boston and Northern Street Railway, responded to the fire to cut off power. Work to restore service began the next day, as can be seen in the photograph." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Cubby Hole Gift Shop opened for business at 436 Main Street under the ownership of George and Janice Jenkins on May 1, 1937. In 1939 they sold the store to Janice's cousin, Nathaniel Blackstone of Melrose. The shop specialized in 'selected cards and gifts for every age and occasion, staionery and children's toys. A complete line of office supplies and a lending library of the newest books' were also included in the stock carried. Blackstone moved the store to a modern one-story office building, the Curley Block, at the corner of Main and Mechanic (now Princess) Street in late 1939. Smith's Drugstore moved to the corner location while Cubby Hole moved into the former drugstore location. The new store was 16 feet x 70 feet, an increase in space that enabled Blackstone to carry a larger and varied stock. In December 1939, the store was 'filled with Christmas gifts of every description.' Men's gifts included military brush sets, cigarette boxes, match holders, and pen and pencil sets. Gifts for women included orange and tomato juice sets, wooden trays, compacts, bracelets, lamps, miniatures, and pins. The Cubby Hole moved to 20 Albion Street in the Hibernian Building after a fire partially destroyed the Curley Block on October 16, 1949. In November 1954, Frank H. Terhune bought the Cubby Hole Card and Gift Shop. The store was re-named as the Cubby Hole Stationers, Inc. in June 1969 to reflect its stature as the leading retailer in the office supply field in the greater Wakefield area. At the same time, Terhune's son-in-law, John A. Doucette, Jr., had 'joined the management ranks' as president and sales manager, along with his wife, Nancy Jean, who became vice president and treasurer. The Doucettes moved the store to 13 Princess Street in 1985. In 1992, Cubby Hole Stationers, Inc. was unable to compete with the office supply chain stores and closed, ending a 55-year tradition." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Located at 838 Main Street under the proprietorship of James E. Signorelli, the Crystal Pharmacy was situated in a business block which housed several other businesses, including a market and Tate's Lunch. According to published reports, Crystal Pharmacy specialized in prompt and accurate filling of prescriptions, 'carefully compounded by an expert registered pharmacist.' The reports go on to say that the proprietor had received many compliments on the neatness and cleanliness of the store and on the exceptionally large number of items carried in stock. The pharmacy opened for business in 1920 at the Greenwood location and carried a complete line of drugs, cosmetics, candy, toiletries, magazines, cigars and cigarettes. The soda foundation [i.e. fountain], with its line of Borden ice cream, was one of the most modern in the area. Crystal Pharmacy also acted as an agent for American Express money orders. The pharmacy was open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"William E. Eaton's 'Handbook of Wakefield : a stranger's guide and residents' manual' describes this scene from Harts Hill: 'The natural character of the country in and about Wakefield flanked on either side by towering hills, seems to compel the various railway lines coming from the north, northeast and east, to converge at the Junction and to pursue their way together between the steep slopes of Hart's Hill and the margin of Crystal Lake, through the pretty village of Greenwood to the busy metropolis.' The Town of Wakefield took the title to the 23-acre Harts Hill in 1901, with the stipulation that it 'forever be kept open as a public park and reservation for the use of the people.' According to a 1939 Wakefield Daily Item article, the altitude of Harts Hill was 'the highest point above sea level on the Portland division of the B&M Railroad.' The elevation was said to be 111 feet above sea level." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"In 1921, cross country was referred to as 'one of the older sports of the school.' From 1910 to 1921, several runners made their mark in cross country both at the high school and collegiate levels. George Goodwin was the New England Interscholastic Cross Country Champion in 1916, winning the world school boy record for the mile and breaking the records for the one and two mile. As a student at Bowdoin, he held the record for the Maine Intercollegiate Mile and was a member of the 1920 United States Olympic Team. 1918 graduate William Burke captured the Western Conference record for the mile when he ran a 4 minute, 20 4/5 second mile while a student at Notre Dame. In 1953, the cross country team captured the Mass. State championship, and in 1955, WHS moved into Class A. Throughout the 1960s and most of the 1970s and into the 1980s, the WHS cross country team was among the most powerful in the state. Coach Squires' team captured the state championship in 1961, as did later teams (1972 and 1973). During the 1964-1965 school year, Coach John DiCommandrea's first year as coach, the team posted a 7-1 record, losing to Stoneham by a score of 30-25. By the 1970-1971 school year, the WHS cross country team had amassed 55 consecutive wins, a streak broken in 1971 at 60 consecutive wins. In 1973, the team's perfect 9-0 record gave Coach DiCommandrea his ninth league championship in 10 years, and a state Division II championship, repeated the following year. The winning ways continued, and by 1976, the team had 104 wins and four losses. League titles were won in 1981, (runner-ups in Division III states), and 1982 (Division III champions). In a fitting tribute to the current coach John DiCommandrea, at the time a shop teacher at the Junior High School, a September 1955, Wakefield Item column noted that he was the third American to cross the finish line in the 1955 running of the Boston Marathon. ' His steadfast training practice of running 10 miles each night and his unyielding efforts in any race from 3 to 26 miles have reaped John a harvest of some 150 trophies, cups and medals.' The girls' cross country team began in 1977 under the direction of Coach DiCommandrea. The team won the Middlesex League championship in its first year of competition (1977) and retained the title the following year. In its first five years, the girls cross country team won three league championships. They brought the title home again from 1983 through 1985, and were state Division II champions in 1983 and 1984." -- Text from calendar.
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"The land on which the Vincent Window Frame Company was located was originally owned by Nathaniel E. Cutler, a founding partner of Cutler Bros. wholesale and retail dealers of hay, flour, grain, groceries and poultry supplies, established in 1872. After his death, his land was sold to the Wakefield Real Estate and Building Association which then sold over 20 parcels of land to individuals and companies. Several light manufacturing companies have been located on the North Avenue property between Armory and West Water Streets since its development in the late 1910s, early 1920s. Prior to the Vincent Window Frame Company, the building was owned by the George E. Belcher Machine Company of Stoughton which purchased the factory building and land from the Westgard Machine Company in August, 1920. Records indicate that Westgard employed 42 employees in June, 1918. The Belcher Company also purchased two additional lots for expansion. In 1921, the company employed 43 workers, with an average weekly payroll of $750, and an annual average value of output of $50,000. Around the time of the Belcher Machine Company's purchase, the land to its east was developed by Steel Specialties of Waltham, and a 32' x 100' factory was built. The lot had 100' frontage on both West Water and Armory Streets, with a distance between each street said to be 200'. There was 'plenty of room for expansions and provisions for plenty of light for manufacturing purposes.' Over the years, the buildings have been occupied by several business, Metal Specialties Company and Collamore Woodworking being among them." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 1993
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"The horse with its driver approaches the Old Green House at the corner of what is now Main and Green Steets on the easterly side of Main Street, just north of the Greenwood Bridge. The house was built somewhere around 1754, and was one of two homes in the Green family's homestead. The driver and horse plodded along the road during the winter months. Unlike today, the streets were left unplowed and the horse and buggy cleared its own path through the snow." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The A.T. Sederquest Company sold 'electrical household appliances of every description' at its 418 Main Street store. According to reports, Sederquest and Russell's store (Russell Electric Shop) was on the site of the Charles Brown and Edward Mansfield stores. The photograph provides a look at Centre Street before the homes and shops along the street were torn down to make way for a parking lot, Union Street and the Wakefield Police Station." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 1989
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"Born in South Reading in 1808, Cornelius Sweetser was the eldest son of Cornelius and Phoebe (Eaton) Sweetser. At the age of 20 he entered into the shoe business in Boston and later moved his trade to East Cambridge, Lowell, South Reading and finally to Billerica where he took up farming, in addition to shoe manufacturing. In 1846 he moved to Saco, Maine where he spent the remaining years of his life. As a resident of Saco he continued to manufacture shoes and boots and also opened a retail store. Eventually Mr. Sweetser became a very wealthy and influential member of the community of Saco and held several positions within the town. He also paid special attention to real estate investments and through sound judgement and foresight, he increased his considerable wealth. Mr. Sweetser died in 1881, leaving a widow but no children. In his will he made numerous bequests to the town of Wakefield. He provided $1000 to the Baptist Church as well as $1000 to the town of Wakefield for the repair and beautification of the burial lot of his parents and $10,000 for a public park. He bequeathed a sum of $10,000 in trust to the town with the directions to 'expend the income yearly in provding such lectures as will tend to improve and elevate the public mind and to impose a reasonable fee for admission to such lectures and pay over the proceeds of the same to such charitable organizations in Wakefield as the municipal officers of the town may designate to be distributed among the worthy poor of the town.' As a result, the Sweetser Lecture Series has provided a number of fascinating lectures for the community. The first lecture was held in 1886 and lectures were conducted each year until 1942. The lectures resumed in 1974. Several charitable organizations have benefited from the lectures throughout the years." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"According to the 'History of the Richardson Light Guard,' the military company was formed after a discussion involving three workers at Thomas Emerson's Sons shoe manufacturing business in September 1851. The three, James F. Emerson, George O. Carpenter, and Joseph L.R. Eaton, agreed that the town of South Reading should have its own military company to keep the men occupied because they had 'no place to go except the taverns and stores.' After speaking to other young men of the town and calling a special meeting in the west school room of the Town House, a rally committee of five was appointed to canvas the town and encourage other men to join. A drill without firearms was held in Academy Hall on October 3rd and on October 7th, the company unanimously voted to be called the Richardson Light Guard in honor of company benefactor Dr. Solon O. Richardson who had donated $500 for company expenses. The Richardson Light Guard received its charter from the Adjutant General E.W. Stone on October 11, 1851 and was officially incorporated into the 7th Regiment of Light Infantry, 4th Brigade and 2nd Division, known by Company D. The Richardson Light Guard responded to calls for action in 1861, 1898 and again in 1917 as Company A of the Sixth Regiment." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Company A, Sixth Regiment, was mustered into service at 9:30 p.m. on April 6, 1917. Soon after they were mustered into service, a call came into Captain Edward J. Connelly to hold the company in readiness for departure the first thing in the morning. Although they were given less than 12 hours notice and no public announcement, a crowd of over 1,000 people gathered at the armory by 8 a.m. the next day. The armory was crowded with wives, sisters, mothers, and sweethearts of Company A soldiers. Hundreds of small American flags waved in the crowd. Bugler Cheever made the call at 8:13 a.m. and the trucks lined up along Main Street. Large trucks owned by H.F. Miller & Sons Piano Co., G.E. Moncrief, Henry A. Feindel, and the Morrison-Skinner Co., were used to transport the men and supplies, in addition to the company's own truck previously given by the town." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Among the first sights to see at Pleasure Island was Clipper Cove, a reproduction of a 150-year old New England fishing village, the place from which visitors reached two of the park's most popular attractions, the Wreck of the Hesperus and the Moby Dick ride. After entering Pleasure Island, visitors passed through the crescent-shaped entrance to Clipper Cove that was outlined with barnacle-crusted anchors. According to news reports, the same lamplights that once lined Boston streets framed the sidewalks of the fishing village. A lighthouse cast its beacon on the manmade inland sea that engineers created to accommodate the porpoises, sharks, sea turtles and the 75-foot animated Moby Dick. Authentic whale boats made in Maine took riders on their journey to find Moby Dick. Over 250 craftsmen transformed the 80-acre swampland into a family amusement center in a record time of four months, beginning in February 1959. Pleasure Island opened in June 1959 and closed in 1968. C.V. Wood, Jr., the former vice president and general manager of Disneyland, Inc. during its first year, spearheaded the team that researched, designed and developed Pleasure Island." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The C.H.R. Cheney sign boasted that it sold 'Jewelry and Fancy Goods,' while the adjacent stores sold the Boston Herald, tonic, and ginger beer, and housed J.A. Cutter's Hair Dressing Rooms. The building was located on the eastern side of Main Street. Statistics gathered from 1868 reveal that there were 37 stores in Wakefield to meet the needs of the town's 3200 citizens. Thirty-four of those stores included eight grocery/grain, etc. four dry and fancy goods three clothing, shoes and boots three apothecaries three provisions two fruit and confectionery two furniture two wood, coal and lumber two jewelry one wood and ice one bread one shoe findings one hard and tin ware and one periodicals. The annual business of these stores was reported to be $500,000." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Charles N. Winship was born in Needham (now Wellesley) in 1863, the son of Francis and Catherine Winship. He left school at the age of 13 and by age 14 was employed at a knitting mill in Wellesley. That same year he began working at the Dudley Hosiery Mill in Newton Lower Falls where he rose to assistant foreman in charge of the knitting department. When a selling agent for the company started Allston Mills, he joined the company and was employed as a foreman until his partnership with Miss Elizabeth E. Boit. In 1888, the two formulated their manufacturing and merchandising policies and Mr. Winship purchased three second-hand knitting machines and five finishing machines. They set up shop in Cambridgeport as the Harvard Knitting Mills and later moved to Wakefield in 1889. The Harvard Knitting Mills became a very successful enterprise and in 1920, Mr. Winship realized his dream come true. He initiated a profit sharing program at the company for the benefit of the employees, although the plan was discontinued after several years as a result of changing economic conditions. By that time, the company had paid over $288,000 to its employees under the novel program. Under Mr. Winship's and Miss Boit's guidance, the Harvard Knitting Mills was the first mill to initiate a 48 hour work week in 1919, a 40 hour work week in 1933 and paid a $62,000 bonus to employees in 1918. In 1923 the copmany paid 1/10th the total tax levy for the town of Wakefield. Mr. Winship was active in the community serving as a member of the School Committee, the George Washington Bicentennial Committee, Chairman and founding member of the Wakefield Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Wakefield Board of Trade and the Public Safety and War Chest Committees during World War I. He was also a corporator and Vice President of the Wakefield Savings Bank Board, a Director and President of the Wakefield National Bank and was Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Elks Home Corporation. The mill building was later sold to Sylvania during World War II and later to Murray Printing, Revere Knitting Mills and Transitron, although the business continued in a diminished capacity. Mr. Winship died in March, 1946. He had several homes in Wakefield on Pleasant Street, Fairmount Avenue and Jordan Avenue, the latter of which is now Nazareth Academy." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Charles E. Walton was said to be one of Wakefield's most prominent citizens, active throughout his life in civic, church, fraternal and military organizations. He was a native of Wakefield (South Reading) and both his father and mother's families, the Waltons and the Eatons, were prominent in the town and the shoe making industry. Charles was elected to the Board of Auditors in 1892 and served as a member of the Board of Selectmen from 1894 to 1898. He was appointed Tax Collector in 1897, and was elected annually until his resignation in 1935. He became the treasurer of the Wakefield Co-operative Bank in 1907 and conducted both town and bank business in the Town Hall for more than 28 years. He remained as the bank's treasurer until 1941 when he became Vice President and Clerk, and worked at the bank every day until his death in 1945 at the age of 85. In addition to his town activities, Charles was a corporator of the Wakefield Savings Bank, beginning in 1897, and was the longest serving corporator at the time of his death. He was treasurer and clerk of the Lakeside Cemetery Corporation, chairman of the Public Safety Committee during World War I, a lieutenant in the Richardson Light Guard, a Spanish War veteran, and served as the military instructor for the Wakefield High School battalion from 1900 to 1902. He was a member of the Wakefield Rotary Club and had attended the weekly meeting the day before he died." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"The Centre Depot on Water Street was once a bustling railroad station, servicing passengers on the South Reading Branch Railroad (later the Eastern and Boston and Maine Railroads) and the Newburyport Branch Railroad (later Boston and Maine) both of which originated at the Wakefield Junction station. According to the Wakefield Historical Society, a station was built on the site somewhere around 1875. By 1885, the station was servicing 10 outbound and 10 inbound trains each day and was equipped with a baggage room, as well as a passenger waiting room. Passenger service from South Reading to South Peabody was halted in 1926 and the Wakefield Junction to Wakefield Centre line was abandoned in 1935. Freight lines operated for many years along the rails. The Danversport area still received occasional shipments via the Newburyport Line from Wakefield as recently as the mid-1980s." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"In historical publications, the Center House was listed as the site of the John Poole homestead, and also as the home site of Capt. Thomas Greene (the old miller) built before 1700. The Center House was named for its proximity to the Center Depot, and it may have been referred to as the Wakefield Boarding House. Several Wakefieldians remember a store and a tavern located on the first floor with apartments located above. Still others remember that it was used at some time as a hotel for travelers on the Danvers and South Reading Branch of Salem Railroad which was abandoned in 1926." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Catherine Simpson, a lifelong resident of Wakefield, was the daughter of Albert F. and Mary (Gahan) Simpson. A 1930 graduate of Wakefield High School, Miss Simpson was also a graduate of Bryant & Stratton Business School in 1931, completing a two year course in one year. An active member of the community, Miss Simpson was a member of the Board of Selectmen for 7 years, from 1952 until 1959, and was the first woman in over 20 years to be elected to the Board. She also served as Tax Collector from 1960 to 1971. She was the first woman to serve as President of the Middlesex County Selectmen's Association, and was the first woman in the state to head such a county organization. She continued to remain active in county and state Selectmen's Associations after becoming Tax Collector. Miss Simpson was a founding member and officer of the Wakefield's Citizens' Scholarship Foundation and was Vice-President of the Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of America. She was also a founding member of the Wakefield Business and Professional Women's Club and served as President in 1951. Her other activities included offices in the Col. James Hartshorne House Association, the Catholic Club, Director of the Wakefield Safety Council, Co-chairman of the March of Dimes and Chairman of the Arthritis and Rheumatism Foundation. Miss Simpson died suddenly in February, 1971 at the age of 58." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"This circa late-1800s photograph depicts a bygone era and a look at the area around Wakefield Common as it once was. The photo was taken on the lower Common, looking out at Lake Avenue, near Spaulding Street. According to Town records, Mrs. J.H. Cartland was listed as the owner of the two-family home at 3-5 Lake Avenue in 1876. The ice houses at the right of the photo were probably part of John G. Morrill's Ice Company which was located on Spaulding Street. Although J.H. Cartland was reported to have sold brushes from a location on Church Street, he was also an ice dealer, delivering ice to homes throughout Wakefield. In 1887, the property was owned by Will Wiley who, with his father, Albert Wiley, had operated a boat house on Spaulding Street, beginning in 1872. A new boat house was built on Lake Avenue in 1887, with a dance hall added in 1912. The boat house and the adjacent home were sold to Harold and Gertrude Hill in 1923. Mrs. Hill sold the property to the Town of Wakefield after Town Meeting voted to purchase the boat house/ballroom, garage, house, and 17,850 sq. feet of land for $55,000 in October, 1963. A committee was created to determine a use for the property in March, 1964, and voted to demolish all the structures. A Town Meeting vote in June, 1964, appropriated $9,500 to raze the buildings. Demolition took place in September, 1964. Several uses for the property, including a youth/senior center, were discussed over the years. Today the site is occupied by a playground created for the Town by the Wakefield Center Neighborhood Association." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Beebe Homestead and Farm on the east shore of Lake Quannapowitt was designed by Samuel McIntire of Salem and built in 1810 as a gentleman's estate for a member of the Forrester family of Salem. Lucius and Sylenda Beebe purchased the estate in 1852. It was there that they raised eleven of their twelve children. The Beebe's farm was known for its abundant flower and vegetable gardens, fruit trees, herds of milk cows, fowl, and bee-hives. As noted in books and newspaper articles about Lucius Beebe, the carriage house was filled with 'horse rigs and sleighs, cutters (small sleighs that were drawn by a single horse), four-seaters, plows and pungs (low box sleighs).' It was also a Thanksgiving tradition to line the children up to mark their heights on the wall." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"The Wakefield & Stoneham Street Railway Company received its charter in May 1892, with the first car running along the tracks from Wakefield Square to Farm Hill in Stoneham on August 14, 1892. The system was originally powered by electricity purchased by the Citizens' Gas Light Company, the predecessor of the Wakefield Municipal Light Department. After the street railway line expanded to Lynn in 1893, a car barn was built on Water Street, at the corner of Valley Street in July 1893. The first car along that route ran on April 18, 1893. The street railway flourished with the expansion of the system and mergers with other companies, leading to the eventual building of its own power plant on Water Street in 1894. The power plant included two 'powerful' engines of 200 and 100 horse power, providing enough power for three generators: one 150 kilowatt, and two 'D.62.' Another 200 horsepower engine and two M.P. 100 generators were added soon after to meet the demand. During the spring of 1895, another car barn was added, housing a total of 50 cars. The rapid growth of the street railway system ended as quickly as it began. Lines began to be discontinued in 1918 and by 1930, busses [sic] had taken over nearly all the routes. In 1930, the former car barns and power plant were occupied by the Oxidite Paint Manufacturing Company and by the Curley Brothers for storage purposes." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Camp Plunkett, now the site of Camp Curtis Guild, served as the United States Navy rifle range during World War I. Prior to that, the site was used as the rifle range for the Bay State Military Rifle Association. The sailors at Camp Plunkett received training on the 'new' Enfield rifles which were used extensively during World War I. Because the government could not keep up with the demand for the Springfield M1903, the M1914 Enfield .30-'06 caliber rifle was produced. The rifle weighed 9.5 pounds, with a barrel length of 26 inches and an overall length of 46.3 inches. By mid-1918, eight barracks had been erected to house the sailors and several acres of timber had been cleared to make room for a wall of 100 targets. The YMCA, one of the first civic or social welfare organizations to offer its services during World War I, had also set up its 'hut' at the Camp in 1918. At Camp Plunkett, as well as at other training camps, the huts acted as substitute homes, theatres, schools and churches for the men before they headed off to war. The huts were staffed by local volunteers who were the support of the Y's mission to attend to the needs of the sailors and soldiers away from home." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Located at what is now Camp Curtis Guild, Camp Plunkett was originally owned by the Bay State Rifle Association. During World War I, the camp was leased to the United States Navy and used as a naval rifle range. Many sailors were invited to the homes of Wakefield residents, and townspeople offered them rides as part of the 'give 'em a lift club.' It was during this time that the wooden barracks and the mess hall were erected. At the end of World War I, Camp Plunkett was returned to the rifle association. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts purchased the camp in 1926 for a sum of $65,000 and renamed it Camp Curtis Guild in honor of former Governor Curtis Guild, Jr., 'in consideration of his public service and intimate connection with the military forces of the state and nation.' The camp was called into action during World War II by the First Service Command as a staging area for the Port of Boston. It was also used as a training area for the US Coast Guard. The camp is now home to the Massachusetts National Guard." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Operated by Clifton W. Spear and his sons, the C.W. Spear Dairy at 37 Central Street delivered milk and other dairy products to Wakefield and 10 other communities from 1902 to 1970. The operation began with the production of raw cream, soon developing into the production and delivery of fresh milk to local homes. Spear's milk supply came from many local and New Hampshire farms, including the Beebe Farm at Lakeside, as well as the Alfalfa Farm in Topsfield and the W.P. Turner Farm in North Reading. During the 1930s, the Beebe Farm stretched from Main to Vernon to Lowell Streets and its 100 Ashire, Guernsey and Jersey cows produced 500 to 600 quarts of Grade A milk each day. The milk produced at the farm was 'higher in butter fat contents than state requirements.' The C.W. Spear Dairy was the first dairy north of Boston to pasteurize, and later homogenize, its milk. It was heralded as a leader in modernizing and introducing new equipment, including a milk cooler with glass-lined vats, modern bottle washer (where bottles were cleaned, filled and capped without human contact), and glass-lined vats for pasteurizing milk (automatically regulated by thermostat) in the 1930s. A 'modern extension' was added in 1931 to accommodate the pasteurization equipment and the product line was expanded to include cottage cheese, eggs, butter and chocolate syrup. By the 1950s, 15 trucks were on the road, delivering products seven-days-a-week. Sunday deliveries were discontinued in 1964. In 1960, the Spear family opened the Spear Dairy Bar at the corner of Montrose Avenue and Water Street. The C.W. Spear Dairy was sold in 1970 and the building was razed in 1977." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Burrage Yale was born in Meriden, Connecticut on March 27, 1781, the son of Amerton and Sarah (Meriman) Yale. Since his family was dependent upon the elder Mr. Yale for support, Burrage set off at an early age to care for himself and assist his father financially. He secured an ample supply of tinware and traveled through various towns and states to sell his goods. In 1800 his travels took him to Reading, now Wakefield, where he was the guest of the Boardman family of 18 Elm Street. Mr. Yale settled in the community in 1802 and began preparations for the manufacture of tinware. His business eventually blossomed until he became one of the largest tinware dealers in the state with over 100 peddlers. Mr. Yale held few public offices. He served as Town Moderator and Town Treasurer and was very accurate in his statements, accounts and in all the details of his business. He was appointed as the first Postmaster of South Reading on March 16, 1827 and served for nearly three years. His half brother Eli A. Yale assumed the position in January, 1830. Mr. Yale was very generous to the community and its residents and contributed a large sum for the purchase of the fire company engine which bore his name. He died in 1860 at the age of 79." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Brown Block, located across from Avon Street at the site of the Wakefield Cooperative Bank, was one of the last buildings to be torn down as Wakefield moved into the 1940's. The Brown Block has also been referred to as the W.C. Jordan Block. Although the building was erected during the latter part of the 1800's, the site housed the Town's first post office in 1812. The post office was thought to have been located on or near the site of the Brown Block. The First National Stores were located there in 1938, and the building had housed several other business establishments throughout the years. The Wakefield Citizen & Banner was located there during the 1880's. The building was also the second home of the local telephone exchange which moved there in 1897, and leased the building for another five years. When it opened, the two-room office, complete with its magneto switchboard, accommodated 87 subscribers. The Brown Block was torn down in the early 1940s." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"In 1966, a boys soccer team was formed at WHS which played against Lynnfield, Belmont, Concord, Lexington, and Reading. In its inaugural season, the team posted a 4-7-1 record. The following year, 1967, under the guidance of first-year Coach Richard Kelley, the boys soccer team's record was 7-3-3 (4-3-3 league), placing the team as the second best in the league. Even in its infancy, the WHS soccer team was a force to be reckoned with. During the 1968-1969 school year, the team lost by only one goal in eight games, and by 1973, the team was a tournament contender. In 1979, the team had its first undefeated season (15-0-3) and Coach Kelley was named Coach of the Year. In 1981, the soccer team compiled a five-year record of 75-4-11. The team captured the Middlesex League championship ten times in just 13 years (1976 through 1989), and was the Division state champion in 1989 and 1997." -- Text from calendar.
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"As part of'Boys' Week,' Wakefield school boys were invited to participate in the Boys' Loyalty Day Parade which was held on a cloudy Thursday afternoon. According to reports, many parents, brothers and sisters were on the sidewalks and each group received considerable applause along the parade route. Nearly every boys' organization in town was represented in the parade which was described as 'the jolliest boys' parade and the largest of its kind ever held in Wakefield.' The Wakefield High School Cadets made their first appearance in their new R.O.T.C. uniforms of khaki with 'jaunty trench caps.' The boys of Franklin School were led by a boy dressed to represent Benjamin Franklin. The 1924 parade began at the high school (now the Galvin Junior High School) as did the 1994 school childrens' parade to kick off Wakefield's 350 celebration in 1994." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Over 1000 Wakefield boys participated in the 'Boys' Loyalty Day' parade which was held in conjunction with the first annual 'Boys' Week'. 'Boys' Week' activities included: Boys' Day in School - April 25th Boys' Day in Church - April 27th Boy's Day in Industry and Government - April 29th Boys' Day at Home - April 30th Boys' Loyalty Day - May 1st Boys' Day in Athletics - May 2nd Boys' Day Outdoors - May 3rd. The parade began at 2:30 p.m. by a 'blow on the fire alarm whistle' sounded by Major Joseph Yarushites of the high school cadets. The units formed at the high school (now the Galvin Jr. High School) and followed a winding route which included Main Street, Chestnut Street, North Ave., Yale Ave., Main Street, Park Street, Pleasant Street, Salem Street, Church Street, Common Street to Main Street where a reviewing stand was set up on the steps of the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library. Judges for the parade included Selectmen Arthur E. Newcomb, Charles F. Young and Roland W. Butters. The parade was led by the Wakefield Police Department, the Everett High School Band, and the Wakefield High School Battalion. The boys' groups included the following: Wakefield Boy Scouts Franklin, Woodville, Lafayette, Warren, West Ward, St. Joseph's, Montrose, Greenwood, and Hamilton Schools newsboys Baptist Boys' Club Knights of King Arthur and the Y.M.C.A. The latter group was the only one to have a float. At the end of the parade, the boys were treated to ice cream by A.B. Weld, a Wakefield ice cream manufacturer." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 1996
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"The number of riders on the Boston & Maine Railroad began to decline during the 1920s, leading to the abandonment of one of the three lines which served the town in 1926. Traveling to Boston by car became a more attractive option for commuters, causing the B&M to rely on ads that focused on the convenience of the train. In 1939, there were four stations that served Wakefield: the Greenwood and Wakefield Upper stations on the main line from Boston to Portland, Wakefield Junction, and Wakefield Center, which served the Newburyport line. There were a 'fair number' of daily trains arriving at Wakefield Junction and only a few daily trains to Wakefield Center, with no Sunday service. The main line had 31 inbound and 34 outbound trains each day, with 'ample' Sunday service." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"The annual Labor Day Carnival, hosted by the Wakefield Lodge of Elks, was held on Monday, September 6th, 1920 at Wakefield Center Depot field on Water Street. The event was reported to be 'one of the biggest outdoor carnivals ever conducted in this vicinity.' The activities began at 10 a.m. and ended at 11 p.m., and included daylight fireworks with 'Japanese bombs,' lights and streamers band concerts by the Boston City Band and the fife and drum corps of Branch I.N.F. Star Vaudeville acts by the B.F. Keith circuit, midway attractions, sideshows, dodgers, 'walking Charlie,' and flying horses for the children. The evening fireworks display was staged by the Randolph Fireworks Company. Among the highlights of the day was the crowning of the carnival queen, Mildred O'Connell of Reading, a title she won by popular vote. Her prize was a 'purse of $50 in gold.' The crowning was preceded by a parade through Wakefield, Reading and Stoneham, which may have included this automobile entered by Mrs. Mabel S. Boothby who was entered into the decorated auto parade. Mrs. Boothby enjoyed decorating her car and entering it into parades, including the 1922 Fourth of July parade when her auto captured first place in the decorated auto section. In that parade, her car was 'a blaze of glory...a shining wonder of orange crepe paper.' Other highlights of the 1920 carnival included the drawing for the winners of a doll cart and a coaster cart, and the grand prize of a touring automobile. In 1920, a Ford touring automobile cost $575. A dual electric starting and lighting system cost an additional $75." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The drug store was established in 1847, on Main Street opposite Avon Street, by Dr. Joseph D. Mansfield, a well-known practicing physician, and William H. Willis. In 1855, Dr. Mansfield purchased Mr. Willis' share of the business, changed the name to the 'Old Corner Drug Store,' and moved to the corner of Main and Albion Streets. The drug store was the second such business between Boston and Haverhill, the other being in Malden. In 1885, Josiah Bonney became a partner and eventually bought Dr. Mansfield's interest in the business. He remained sole owner of the store until 1906, when Riberot Dutton, a clerk in the store since 1896, became a partner. Mr. Dutton was also a registered pharmacist. Mr. Dutton retired from the business in October, 1940, and sold his interest to his two clerks. The wooden building which housed the 'Old Corner Drug Store' was razed in 1940 to make way for Lane's Drug Store." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Ice harvesting on both Lake Quannapowitt and Crystal Lake was a large part of Wakefield's winter scene, starting in the mid-1800s and continuing until the 1940s. According to a lecture given by Town Historian Ruth Woodbury in 1957, there were some three dozen ice houses operating at one time: the 24-ice house Boston Ice Company on the northwest shore of Lake Quannapowitt the People's Ice Company on Hall Park the Whipple-Morrill on North Avenue, east of the Hartshorne House Morrill-Atwood on Spaulding Street Nichols Ice Company on the site of the Col. Connelly Park and three on Crystal Lake. The Morrill-Atwood Ice House, next to the Wiley Boathouse on Spaulding Street, began harvesting ice in the 1870s. Owner John G. Morrill built a storage facility around 1878 before joining forces with Boston hotel owner J. Reed Whipple in 1890. Together they purchased a portion of the Hartshorne Meadow (now Veterans Field) and erected ice houses to supply ice not only to Whipple's three hotels: the Parker House, Young's, and the Touraine, but to other large users in Boston. Whipple sold his shares in 1897 to Frank H. Atwood who was by then a partner in Morrill's ice house on Spaulding Street. Morrill-Atwood sold ice locally while Whipple-Morrill exported their ice to other locations. Atwood remained as the owner of both ice houses following John Morrill's death in 1904. In 1919, Atwood left the wholesale business and sold the Hartshorne Meadow ice-houses to the Porter-Milton Company. The buildings were destroyed by fire in September 1929, and the site was subsequently purchased by the Town. The Morrill-Atwood Ice house was sold to Albert S. Anderson in 1926. In April 1945, the Metropolitan Ice Company of Somerville purchased the property, never intending to harvest ice, but to continue the electric ice manufacturing business started in 1932 by Anderson. Just months after its purchase, Metropolitan Ice Company tore down two of the original buildings, and the final part of the original building was razed in 1960." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"These bicyclists with their high wheeled, hard tire bicycles wait on Wakefield Common to continue their ride. The bike was popular in the 1880's and 1890's, and was instrumental in the formation of bicycle clubs throughout the country. These well-known Wakefield gentlemen included (left to right) George L. Pratt, Charles E. Nott, George P. Aborn, J.E. Coombs, Joseph C. Clark, Elroy N. Heath, Frank H. Burrill, William E. Eaton, Edward A. Wilkins, former Selectman George O. Sheldon and Hugh R. Emerson. The photo also provides a look at the brick fire station on the Common (near the site of the bandstand) which was torn down in 1891, and the old town house on the south corner of Main and Salem Streets (located in the center of the picture)." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Referred to as the old Bessey Stable, this wooden building at the corner of Main and Chestnut Streets was torn down by the Central Building Wrecking Company of Chelsea in late September 1923 to make way for the Wakefield Trust Company building. The stable was considered a landmark and its removal marked an important change to Main Street. The building housed the Willard Service Station at the time of its demise. William W. Bessey operated the stable for many years under the name of W.W. Bessey & Son. The property was purchased in August 1921 by Wakefield Theatre owner Charles W. Hodgson for the purpose of building a playhouse. The project was abandoned in 1923 and the property was purchased by the Wakefield Trust Company that same year. The second-hand lumber and all building material were sold 'cheap on the premises' or at the company's Chelsea yard. The company also listed firewood and 150 squares of Munson slate as part of the sale." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"According to the history published for the Wakefield Tercentenary observance, residents in the newly established Park Section of Wakefield organized a country club soon after the area was developed by Stendman Hanks. Headquartered on Morrison Road, the Bear Hill Golf Club moved to its first home on Hopkins Street in 1900, where a club house was built and a nine-hole golf course laid out. The Club purchased additional land in 1913, and, to meet the needs of the increasing membership, erected a new club house in 1920 on the south side of Prospect Street. A new nine-hole golf course was laid out. Several additional purchases of adjacent land over the years resulted in the lengthening of the golf holes. The second club house was destroyed by fire in 1939, and members rebuilt the clubhouse on the same site, using the existing foundation." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Bayrd's Indian Trading Post on Main Street, opposite Lake Quannapowitt, was a Wakefield landmark from the time it was built in 1954 until it was razed on August 17, 1995. Designed, owned and occupied by E. Leonard (Lenny) Bayrd, a half Narragansett Native American also known as Chief Wamblesakee (Eagle Claw), the building was a home as well as a craftshop where Lenny and Ruth Bayrd made authentic Native American artifacts and costumes. When the Bayrds purchased the brush-filled property at the head of Lake Quannpowitt in the early 1950s, it was occupied by a teahouse. After Lenny retired from a 27-year career as a letter carrier in December 1954, the couple turned a hobby into a full-time career when they moved into the new house attached to the twin-teepee flanked shop. His 'elaborate beaded costumes and gaily-colored feather bonnets' were featured in a national magazine in 1954. For more than 35 years, the shop was frequented by other Native Americans, fellow members of the Order of Red Men, members of the Wahpatuck Tribe of Red Men's Band, and local residents. Bayrd also made the headdresses and costumes worn by the Wakefield high School Majorettes for many years as well as costumes and headdresses worn by by Saugus High School cheerleaders, Western movie stars, rodeo performers and Buffy Sainte-Marie, a well known singer and former Wakefield resident. Although as a Native American, Lenny was able to obtain eagle feathers from the Department of Fish and Game that he used in his headdresses and costumes, the eagle-feathered items could only be sold to other Native Americans or passed down to family members. In addition to the couple's handiwork that was known throughout the country and Europe, the shop contained displays of many artifacts that had been found in Wakefield. Among those artifacts were plummets found in Lake Quannpowitt once used to weigh down fishing nets, arrowheads and a grommet (a stone with two holes which was worn around the neck which identified the wearer as a messenger not to be harmed) found on Parker Road. Following Lenny Bayrd's death in 1990 and Ruth Bayrd's death in 1991 the property was sold to the Gingerbread Construction Company in 1995.' " -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"'Systematic instruction' in military rifle shooting was deemed essential by the government in 1875. As a result, the Massachusetts Volunteer Rifle Association was created and the first military rifle competition in the state was held in the South Framingham Campground. The Richardson Light Guard rifle team was organized in July 1878 and went on to take first place in the Regimental Matches from 1890 to 1907, as well as in many other significant matches. Company A's first permanent range was located in the rear of the Wakefield Rattan Company, with an established range of 200 yards. The local Militia was issued Model 45/70 Springfield breech loading rifles. State qualification requirements called for shooting at greater distance, and as a result, the local company moved to the Massachusetts Rifle Association range at Walnut Hill in Woburn. In 1891, the Selectmen vote to permit firing at the required 500 and 600-yard distances enabling the company to return to Wakefield. This was short-lived as the area became more densely populated. The Cox Woods, at the corner of Haverhill and Pine Streets (now Bay State Road), was selected by the company as the site of its new range and it was soon equipped with a shooting house and 200, 500 and 600-yard ranges. The Wakefield range became home to the Massachusetts State Rifle Team after it left Walnut Hill. The range so impressed the Inspector general of the Rifle Practice that a canvas of top military men was taken, and the Bay State Military Rifle Association was established. The association paid the town $200 each year for the remaining two years of the Town's lease and allowed the local rifle company to use its facilities. The facility was used as a rifle range for the US Navy during World War I. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts took over the range in 1925 and the name was changed to Camp Curtis Guild to honor Massachusetts Governor Curtis Guild, Jr. During World War II, extensive changes were made and the camp was used for military training and as a mobilization and overseas evacuation point." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"During the 1930's and 1940's many varied public works and construction projects were completed by the WPA (Works Progress Administration) within the Town of Wakefield. These projects ranged from the typing of Town records in 1934, to the remodeling of the Lafayette School into municipal offices and veterans' office quarters in 1937, to the construction of eight newly accepted streets and several sidewalks in 1937. In 1939, Wakefield Selectmen voted to ask the Special Town Meeting to build a bath house on Spaulding Street at Lake Quannapowitt, as well as other recreation projects, using ther skills of WPA workers at an estimated cost of $2,000. Just one week later, the estimated cost rose to $5,500 a fact that created debate within the community. The WPA Supervisor was asked to submit other plans which were not so elaborate which would 'entail a smaller expenditure to the Town and yet produce a satisfactory bath house,' the Selectmen feeling that the proposed bath house could not be erected for that amount of money. New plans were submitted by the Wakefield Rotary Club's community service committee which reduced the proposed costs from $5,500 to between $3,500 and $3,000. The building would not be made of brick as in the previous plans and would not be heated for winter use. The bath house could accommodate 100 boys and 100 girls and would be a modern building with asphalt shingles. On March 23, 1939, Special Town Meeting voted to build the bath house at a cost of $5,261 by a close vote. The Spaulding Street bath house was completed in 1940 for a cost of $6,882.59. The bath house was removed in 1994 to the Forest Glade Cemetery." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"As one of the oldest, if not the oldest, sport at Wakefield High School, boys baseball was originally played on the Common. In 1900, the WHS baseball team won the state title by defeating Lawrence 18-8. Many of the members of the 1945 WHS baseball team, the first to be coached by Coach James Walsh, returned to the diamond the following year. While the 1945 team had five wins in 11 starts, the 1946 baseball team, captured the Middlesex League crown with a 14-3 record in its first year of play in the league. The team went on to play in the state competition at Fenway Park, beating Lawrence in the first game, and losing to Newton by a score of 4-2. During the season, pitcher Les DeMarco pitched two nine inning no-hitters. In 1954, the WHS baseball team made the record books when sophomore pitcher Ralph Lazzaro pitched a complete no-hitter in a game against Reading. The next day, the same feat was accomplished when Larry McShane pitched a no-hitter against Lexington." -- Text from calendar.
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"The South Reading Mechanic and Agricultural Institution and the National Bank of South Reading, were both located in the Bank Building at the corner of Albion Street and Railroad Avenue, now North Avenue. The hours of operation for both banks were 8 to 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. every weekday. The South Reading Mechanical and Agricultural Institution was incorporated in 1833 and was the first bank to open in the town. It opened witha capital of $10,000 and in 1885, the interest rate was '4 per centum interest per annum, paid on deposits, beginning on the first of each month.' It was established two years after the Reading M & A Institution, a banking institution described as a bank of discount and deposit. The Reading bank's customers were largely 'engaged in trade with the Southern States.' The National Bank of South Reading, was organized as a State bank, the South Reading Bank, on May 16, 1854 with a capital of $100,000. It was reorganized as a National Bank in 1865. In 1902, the National Bank of South Reading changed its name to the Wakefield National Bank, and in 1916, it became the Wakefield Trust Company. It shared quarters with the Wakefield Savings Bank on Main Street from 1902 to 1924 when the Trust Company moved into its stately building at the opposite corner of Main and Chestnut Streets." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Bandstand on Wakefield's lower Common was built in 1885 in response to a national beautification movement to raise standards for architecture and public space in America. It was built as part of the $10,000 Cornelius Sweetser bequest which provided money for park purposes. The newly formed park commission purchased two lots of land between the lake and Main Street (owned by heirs of John White and Thomas Emerson) for $2,000 and $1,800 respectively, and work on the park began under the direction of Ernest W. Bowditch of Boston. A total of $13,830.23 was expended to complete the extensive work at the park, of which the bandstand was a part. Known as the 'Park Music Pavilion' and 'The Pagoda', the bandstand is said to resemble a pavilion in Brighton England, although its turned posts and ornamental frieze are also of the Queen Anne-style. The structure is made if wood and dressed fieldstone and its dome top was painted 'in the color of the heart's blood of the indulgent taxpayer.' The bandstand was recently restored by the Wakefield Center Neighborhood Association." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The gasoline station at 40 Water Street was owned by Arthur H. Saunders from the late 1920's until 1938 when an 'out-of-town' man bought the station, and owned it for one year. During Saunders' ownership, John L. Neiss managed the station, and, in 1939, he became its owner. The station was called the Center Service Station for its proximity to the Center (railroad) Station. The Center Service Station sold a complete line of Gulf products and specialized in 'scientifically-designed Gulflex lubrication.' By 1939, a 'heated lubritorium' was added which enabled attendants to give quicker and better service. In addition to the service station, John Neiss also conducted a range oil business, utilizing two oil trucks. Fuel oil remained a part of the business until World War II. Mr. Neiss owned the station until 1955 when it was sold to the Hubbard family. Gulf Oil leased land from the Boston & Maine Railroad and eventually a new Gulf station was built where the Center House in the background, once used a a hotel for guests and associates of Cyrus Wakefield, once stood." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The two gentlemen are unidentified, as is the location and nature of the business in which they were employed. It does provide an opportunity to see inside a shop or manufacturing company in the early years of the 20th century." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
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"The Fire Department's Amoskeag Steamer works on the Nichols Ice House fire in a photo believed to be taken in 1930. The ice house was located on Main Street, Lakeside, opposite the Walton estate." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The American Reed & Willow Company building was originally the Jenkins-Phipps Company, manufacturers of reed, rattan and willow furniture, which erected the building in early 1914, after purchasing the 1.5 acre property in December, 1913. The corner lot, originally part of the Cyrus Wakefield estate, was an ideal location because the Salem branch of the Boston & Maine Railroad passed by the doors of the company. The factory was a three- story wooden building, 100' long x 50' wide, which was built by local contractors A.A. Butler and W.E. Knox. The entrance faced southward, toward Crystal Lake. Jenkins-Phipps Company began as the A.D. Jenkins & Company on Franklin Street somewhere around 1890. Six employees built chairs and other rattan articles at the location until a fire forced the company to relocate to the Taylor Building around 1901, eventually expanding its operations to encompass the entire top fourth floor. Augustus Jenkins learned his trade as a worker and foreman for the Heywood Brothers and Wakefield Company of Gardner, a craft which brought him to Wakefield. His partnership with Irvin E. Phipps, a leading salesman for the Heywood Brothers and Wakefield Company, began in 1903. In what was termed as 'one of the most important industrial transactions in Wakefield,' the chair factory and business was sold to Pierce & Foley of Boston and New Jersey in June, 1919. At the time of purchase, they built a brick four-story addition on the north end of the factory to double the floor space. A fire in April, 1920, occurred in the original factory building, although the company quickly rebuilt, eventually opening a finishing and upholstery department in Boston, leaving the Wakefield location for manufacturing purposes only. The company later became known as the American Reed & Fibre Furniture Company. Changes in furniture design and market led to the company's decline in the late 1930s. By 1942, the company was idle and the property purchased by William Hickey of the Thomas Hickey Coal and Oil Company and Diamond Tank & Welding Company, in 1943. The three-story wooden building at the front was torn down in 1946 and a new front added. The location has also housed the Diamond Instrument Company (which made seismographs to study earthquakes), the Ellis Allen Company (makers of rubber rollers), and was secretly used to make radar products for Raytheon Company during World War II." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Gasoline stations were evident on many street corners in business districts, including this one at 564 Main Street, at the junction of North Avenue, Main Street and Nahant Street. In 1930, American Gasoline & Oil Co. advertised gasoline prices at $.15 per gallon, at their Wakefield 'filling station.' In 1934, the advertised prices dropped to $.13 per gallon with tax, and $.12 1/2 per gallon for American Anti-Knock. Their 2,000,000 gallon waterfront storage plant and cargo purchases made it possible to market at those prices. They also referred to themselves as 'American Gasolene'. They took pride in the fact that their 'prompt and courteous attendants' took care of tires, put water in the radiators, and put 'real distilled water' in customer's batteries. Their price for a quart of American Paraffin Base Oil was $.20 for medium and heavy, and $.25 for extra-heavy. The company also operated three stations in other communities, including Salem Street in Reading, Main Street in Wilmington, and Revere Parkway in Everett." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"At first glance, Albion Street in the early 1930's looks much the same as it does now. On further inspection, the differences become apparent. Both Albion Street and Foster Street were two-way streets, now both one-way. The Wakefield Daily Item building, built in 1912, had its entrance at the corner of Albion and Foster Streets. In 1933 and 1934, the company purchased the two parcels of property west of the original building, site of the Atherton grocery store and later the Champagne furniture store. The properties were razed and the addition to the building was completed in 1935. The Hibernian Building was purchased by Division 26 of the Ancient Order of Hibernians in September, 1924, the upper levels used as the meeting hall and headquarters, and the ground floor rented to stores. In 1931, the stores included The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company and what may have been the Bellevue Shoppe which was located there in 1925. Next to Grace Hardware, what is now a store was once a garage." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"This view of Albion Street may have been photographed from the Methodist Church which was located on Albion Street until the late 1930's. Although several homes were located along the lower portion of Albion Street, the area was a thriving business section, housing such enterprises as Reid's Market at 77 Albion Street, Spero Bros. Bedding at 11-13 Albion Street, Charles J. Martin (which advertised motorcycle repairs and skate sharpening), and J. Wallace Grace Co. at 14-18 Albion Street. The latter offered 'shoe skate outfits'." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Now one of Wakefield's busiest intersections, the Albion Street and North Avenue (known as Railroad Avenue until 1910) area appears to be quite tranquil in 1908. The railroad crossing was operated by an attendant who opened and closed the gates when a Boston and Maine train was approaching or departing from the station. The attendant's station is at the left of the photo. Several businesses were located in this area, the most prominent being the Harvard Knitting Mills, which appears at left in the photograph. Owned and operated by Elizabeth E. Boit and Charles N. Winship of Winship, Boit & Company, Harvard Knitting Mills moved to Wakefield in 1889, and to the Lake Street and Albion Street location in 1897. The firm would eventually occupy more than eight acres of space after several additions were made during a 20 year period. St. Joseph's Church, in the center of the photograph, owned much of the land bounded by Albion, Gould, Murray and West Chestnut Streets. The first parcel of land was purchased for the church in 1851 and a church was built soon after. During a five year period, from 1868 to 1873, 22,000' of land along Albion, Murray and Gould Streets was secured. A new house of worship, which was built in 1870, was moved closer to the railroad tracks, a basement was added and the building was turned to face the main thoroughfare, Railroad Avenue. The church building was lengthened by 75' with the addition of a nave in 1889. The cornerstone was laid on September 8, 1889, and the dedication was held in 1890. Additional land purchases were made in 1891 and 1892. Tuttle Street, 'a fine roadway cut by the railroad corporation,' was created in the mid-1890's. The first home of the parish (to the right of the church in the photo) was moved to Murray Street where it became Lyceum Hall, and later, the church hall." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"The Albion Diner at 23 Albion Street opened for business in November, 1935. The diner replaced Clifford Mortimer's lunch cart, 'the Dog Cart' which was located where the WMGLD Albion Street office now stands. Built by George Murphy and Walter Baltzer, the diner was bought by Albert Thompson of Lowell and James Riley of Wakefield in August, 1936. The pair sold the diner to Wakefield resident Ray Orde just a few months later. The diner was reported to be a 'favorite eating place' of many Wakefield residents and enjoyed a 'steadily expanding business.' In 1942, it was noted that table service was available for those who preferred not to sit at the counter. At the same time, it was said that 'whether a patron orders a sandwich or a complete dinner, he is assured of courteous and satisfactory service by the several counter men employed at the Albion Diner.' Ray Orde owned the diner until 1964 when the Wakefield Trust Company purchased three parcels of land behind the bank, including the diner, to build a 26-car parking lot. A public auction failed to find a buyer for the building in April, 1964, and on June 25th, 1964, the landmark diner was demolished, along with homes at 6 and 8 Chestnut Street." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Thousands of spectators watched the 4th of July Parade along the route that started at the West Side Social Club headquarters and ended at the Common. It was said to be the 'largest crowd ever.' In the center of the photo is a new 1953 Chevrolet which was awarded to a lucky winner after the fireworks. It was preceded by an old Chevy with a sign 'This Is Not It' which was said to have delighted the crowd. A panel of three judged the floats, and the top prize winner of $75 was the American Legion with its circus wagon, complete with two 'wild' animals, performers, clowns, balloons and circus music. Its theme was 'The American Way of Life.' Winning second prize of $50 was the Wakefield V.F.W. Post with its theme, 'Where is Your Son?' which was said to strike a 'poignant note to the heart' of those parents whose sons were fighting in the Korean War, were prisoners of war at the time, or who had lost their lives. Third and fourth place winners of $35 and $25 respectively, were the Red Men, with their depiction of an Indian Village 'World Need Smoke Peace Pipe,' and the Crystal Community Club, with its theme of how healthy play for children is one of the freedoms of living in the United States. Surrounding the Statue of Liberty were the members of the club's Little League team. The festivities began on July 3rd with a doll carriage parade at 7 p.m. followed by a block dance and concert featuring Colman's Orchestra from 8-11 p.m., a firefighter pole slide and hose race at 8:15, a bonfire and firefighting exhibition at 10:15, conculding with the aerial act and fireworks spray. On July 4th, the pet show, races, novelty events and free ice cream were held from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon. The WSSC and WBZ-TV program began at 11:30 a.m. and the parade was kicked off with a 21-48 gun salute by a 155MM Howitzer at 2 p.m. The afternoon activites included a yacht race, aerial acts, drill exhibitions by Most Precious Blood and Norman Prince Post VFW, flyovers by a USAF plane and civilian air patrol aircraft, and a fireworks display." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
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"Members of the Wakefield High School Battalion participated in an annual exhibition and prize drill held at Wakefield Common. The 1927 event started with a parade from the Wakefield High School to the 'Park' led by the Lowell High School Regimental Band. Four companies were accompanied by 'young lady sponsors' who carried balloons and shakers of the colors of their respective companies. A small group of St. Joseph's cadets were also in the parade. The first event was the battalion review, followed by the exhibition in mass physical drill by all cadets, the senior competitive drill, the company competitive drill and the junior competitive drill. The individual winners of each drill received medals, some of which included the Wakefield medal (won by Walter Doyle), the Richardson Medal (won by Leo Beane) and the Walton Medal (won by Lawrence Churchill). Company B, Captained by George McMasters, won the company competitive drill for their execution of several difficult maeuvers 'in fine style, and for their proficiency in the manual of arms.' Several of the officers were awarded commissions at the conclusion of the event. Following the drill competition, the girls, dressed in their company's colors, marched around the field and presented the boys with balloons and shakers." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.