Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, Wakefield, Mass.

Items

• Girls softball, 1983
  "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.
• Girls soccer, 1980
  "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.
• Girls basketball team, 1928
  "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.
• Girls basketball
  "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.
• Gasoline rationing in Wakefield, July 21, 1942
  "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.
• Gas division
  "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.
• G.W. Eaton, grocer delivery wagon, circa 1900
  "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.
• Franklin School, circa 1922
  "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.
• Football, 1937
  "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.
• Flying Yankee, Boston to Maine
  "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.
• First settlers' homesteads
  "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.
• First settlers
  "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.
• First Parish Congregational Church, looking east on Church Street, 1909
  "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.
• First Parish Congregational Church, February 1909
  "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.
• First Parish Congregational Church
  "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.
• First Baptist Church, circa 1918
  "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.
• Fire station, circa 1907
  "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.
• Fire Department and the volunteers
  "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.
• Fire department
  "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.
• Field hockey, 1980
  "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.
• F.P. Hurd School, circa 1900
  "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.
• Engine 2, Greenwood Fire Station, July 3, 1954
  "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.
• Emmanuel Episcopal Church, parish house and rectory, circa 1905
  "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.
• Elks Funfest, 1930
  "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.
• Elk Spring Beverage Company, 1944
  "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.
• Elizabeth E. Boit
  "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.
• Elite Quality Shop, 1933
  "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.
• Electric car coming from Lynn, Water Street near Brook Street, late 1890's
  "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.
• Education in Wakefield
  "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).
• Eaton family
  "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.
• Durant's Motors and Gulf Station, 795 Main Street, Greenwood, 1949
  "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.
• Dr. Curtis Levi Sopher, WMGLD Commissioner
  "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.
• Dr. Charles Dutton and William Deadman, March 31, 1914
  "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.
• Downtown Wakefield, spring, 1959
  "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.
• Downtown Wakefield, Main Street, circa 1890s
  "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.
• Downtown Wakefield, July 4, 1922
  "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.
• Downtown Wakefield, January 24, 1935
  "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.
• Downtown Wakefield, circa 1895-1900
  "Photo taken in front of the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
• Downtown Wakefield, 1933
  Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 2007
• Diamond Lil Saloon, Pleasure Island, 1959
  "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.
• Department of Public Works
  "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.
• Departing for war, Company A, Richardson Light Guard, May 6, 1898
  "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.
• Cyrus Wakefield estate, 1886
  "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.
• Cyrus Wakefield
  "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.
• Cutler Bros. Grocery and Grain, corner of Water and Main Streets, July, 1911
  "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.
• Cubby Hole Gift Shop, 380 Main Street, circa 1940s
  "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.
• Crystal Pharmacy, Greenwood, 1941
  "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.
• Crystal Lake from Harts Hill,1913
  "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.
• Cross country, 1971
  "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.
• Corner of North Avenue and West Water Street, 1930
  "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.
• Corner of Main and Mechanic Streets (now Princess Street), circa 1860's
  Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 1993
• Corner of Main and Green Streets, circa 1880
  "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.
• Corner of Main and Centre Streets, 1930
  "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.
• Corner of Main and Albion Street in 1890
  Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 1989
• Cornelius Sweetser
  "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.
• Company A, Richardson Light Guard, Main Street circa early 1900s
  "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.
• Company A, April 7, 1917
  "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.
• Clipper Cove, Pleasure Island, 1959
  "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.
• Cheney building and store, 1868
  "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.
• Charles N. Winship
  "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.
• Charles E. Walton, Selectmen's office, December 1913
  "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.
• Centre Depot Station, Water Street, 1961
  "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.
• Center House, Water Street, east of the railroad crossing, Winter, 1931
  "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.
• Catherine Simpson
  "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.
• Cartland house and icehouses, Lake Avenue, (undated)
  "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.
• Carriage house at the Beebe Farm, Main Street, circa 1890
  "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.
• Car barns and power house, Water Street, corner of Valley and Melvin Streets, circa 1895
  "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.
• Camp Plunkett, Enfield rifle lecture, circa 1918
  "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.
• Camp Plunkett, circa 1917
  "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.
• C.W. Spear Dairy, Central Street, 1930s
  "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.
• Burrage Yale
  "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.
• Brown Block, 378 Main Street, December, 1938
  "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.
• Boys soccer, 1967
  "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.
• Boys' Loyalty Day Parade, Wakefield High School Cadets and Franklin School, May 1, 1924
  "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.
• Boys' Loyalty Day Parade, Thursday, May 1, 1924
  "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.
• Bourdon Block (formerly Kingman Block), March 1946
  Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 1996
• Boston & Maine Railroad, 1939
  "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.
• Boothby's entry, Elks' Carnival, Labor Day, 1920
  "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.
• Bonney & Dutton's Old Corner Drug Store, circa 1907
  "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.
• Boat house and ice houses, Lake Quannapowitt, circa 1906
  "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.
• Bicyclists on the Common, 1890
  "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.
• Bessey Livery Stable, corner of Main and Chestnut Streets, September 1923
  "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.
• Bear Hill Golf Club, circa 1900
  "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.
• Bayrd's Indian Trading Post, Main Street, circa 1985
  "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.
• Bay State Military Rifle Association, circa 1906
  "'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.
• Bath house, Lake Quannpowitt, 1940
  "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.
• Baseball, 1945
  "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.
• Bank building, corner of Albion Street and Railroad Avenue, circa 1868
  "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.
• Bandstand, circa 1895
  "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.
• Arthur H. Saunders Gasoline Station, 40 Water Street, circa 1930s
  "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.
• April, 1904
  "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.
• Amoskeag Steamer, circa 1930
  "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.
• American Reed & Willow Company, North Avenue near Main Street, circa 1924
  "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.
• American Gasoline & Oil, Co., Wakefield Junction, 1931
  "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.
• Albion Street, circa 1931
  "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.
• Albion Street, 1930
  "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.
• Albion Street at Railroad Avenue, 1908
  "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.
• Albion Diner, circa 1940
  "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.
• 4th of July Parade 1953
  "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.
• 42nd annual exhibition and prize drill, June 11, 1927
  "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.