Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, Wakefield, Mass.

Items

• 40 Salem Street, circa 1875
  "The house at 40 Salem Street was occupied by the families of Ralph Woodward (pictured with his wife at right), and Henry Sweetser (at left, with his wife in the center of the photo.) At the left, in the hammock, are E.A. Sweetser, and Herbert H. Sweetser." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
• 111 Albion Street, circa 1880s
  "During the 1880s, James F. Woodward owned the house at 111 Albion Street. At the time, his property included a dwelling house, a stable, a tool factory, and nine to sixteen acres of land. It was here that he conducted a business, James F. Woodward & Son, manufacturer of shoe tools and machinery. James learned the trade from his father and his grandfather, Thomas Woodward, the first manufacturer of awls and other shoemakers' tools in America. James Woodward was the father of Lieut. Col. Charles F. Woodward, a leading proponent and president of the Wakefield Stoneham Street Railway Company. Charles was active in his native town, serving as president of the Citizens' Gas Light Company of Reading, South Reading, and Stoneham, and as president of the Wakefield Board of Trade. Politically he served as the Town's representative in the Massachusetts Legislature from 1887 to 1889, as Tax Collector and a member of the Board of Assessors." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
• [Walton Field, aerial photo]
  "Walton Field, behind the Galvin Middle School, was the Wakefield High School athletic field until the current high school on Farm Street was opened in 1974. Soon after the completion of the new high school on Main Street, (now the Middle School), the athletic field was dedicated in honor of the Walton family in May 1926, prior to the start of a Saturday afternoon baseball game against Melrose. Money for the field was donated by Arthur and Mary Walton in memory of their son, Winship, who passed away in 1908. Arthur Gould Walton and his wife, Mary E. Bartlett Walton, both graduates of WHS, offered $10,000 to construct an athletic field which eventually cost $30,000. Mrs. Walton passed away in 1925 before the field was completed. Arthur G. Walton was the founder of A.G. Walton & Co., a shoe manufacturing firm. He inherited extensive real estate holdings throughout Wakefield, including the Walton and Gould business blocks. Arthur Gould Walton passed away in August 1937. The field was improved in the 1930s as part of the WPA program." -- Text from calendar.
• [Main Street, 1900]
  "This solitary horse takes a drink from the horse trough on Main Street in 1900." -- Text from calendar.
• [Cyrus Wakefield mansion]
  "The Cyrus Wakefield Mansion was located on Main Street where the Wakefield Jr. High and Atwell Schools now stand. Cyrus Wakefield was instrumental in bringing the rattan industry to the town (then called South Reading) and generously donated the funds to build the former Town Hall located on the corner of Main and Water Streets. The town was renamed 'Wakefield' in 1868 in his honor." -- Text from calendar.
• [Band stand on Wakefield Common]
  Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 1987
• Ye Barnard Inn, 8 Albion Street, circa 1925
  "Formerly the Albion Inn, the Ye Barnard Inn, was located across the street from the current Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department offices. The inn was acquired by Mr. Barnard around 1925. In 1930, Mr. Barnard commissioned the firm of W.M. Brooks Company of Boston to change the structure into a two-story building at a cost of $7,500. The alterations included an office in the front of the second floor and an apartment at the rear. A store was 'made available' in the front of the building which was extended nearer to the sidewalk as far as the inner curbing bordered by the small garden maintained by Mr. Barnard." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
• Wakefield Mothers' Club operetta, October 1930
  "The Wakefield Mothers' Club presented an operetta for children, Cinderella in Flowerland, or The Lost Lady's Slipper on Friday evening, October 24th and Saturday, October 25th at the Wakefield High School Auditorium. The operetta by Marion Loder featured Maria Costa as the Fairy, Pauline Erikson as Cinderella (Daisy) and Mary Lord and June Purcell as the Proud Sisters. Among the 63 cast members were Clara Giuliano, Priscilla Bourdon, Bertha Climo, Morris Stoddard, and Eleanor Davison. The operetta had four scenes: Princess Sunshine's invitation to the May Day ball Godmother Nature sends Daisy off to the ball the May Day ball and the shower and Princess of Sunbeam Castle. All tickets for the Friday performance cost 50 cents each, while Saturday's performance had a 25-cent ticket price for children. Bad weather was responsible for only half the seats being filled at both shows. According to Saturday's edition of the Wakefield Item, 'Catchy music, a variety of brilliant costumes and the strong appeal that child actors always make combined to make this first performance most pleasant.' The review also noted that the some [sic] of the 'little chorus flowers were as genuinely interested in the audience as it was in them.' " - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
• Wakefield Common, Old Home Week pageant, 1934
  "Generations of Wakefield residents have gathered on the Wakefield common for band concerts, welcome home celebrations, sailboat and motorboat races, July 4th celebrations, and town anniversary celebrations. Wakefield's upper and lower commons were significantly improved with the addition of the bandstand and the improvements made through the bequest of Cornelius Sweetser in the 1880s. Many also gathered on the shores of Wakefield Quannapowitt [sic] from 1872 to the mid-1900s to rent sailboats and canoes, and to dance at the Wiley Boathouse and later the Hill Boathouse in the center of the picture. In the photo, the gentlemen are setting up for the Old Home Week Pageant sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. In 1978, a Wakefield Item 'Looking Back' column focused on Lake Quannapowitt: 'Lake Quannapowitt, the town's recreational lake and one of the community's 20th century assets, has played an important role in local life for many, many years. At one time, the lake and its shores provided the core of summertime recreation and fun in an era that was slower paced and more serene.'" - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
• Wakefield
  "Wakefield has a rich history, peppered with an immense variety of facts and figures unique only to the community. Wakefield, as we know it today, was not always 'Wakefield', rather it has been known by four names: Lynn (or Linn) Village, Reading (or Redding), South Reading, and Wakefield. The present town government has evolved from a modified, democratic government, established in 1647 to the present day form of Board of Selectmen-Executive Secretary. The first Board of Selectmen was elected in 1647. Seven men were elected to the Board and for many years, according to the records, town meetings were limited to the daylight hours and a penalty was levied for non-attendance. Today, five Wakefield residents are elected to a staggered three year term on the Board of Selectmen and are assisted by a full-time professional administrator (the Executive Secretary) to carry out their directives. The Selectmen meet on a regular basis and are responsible for the major decisions affecting the town. Through the years, various municipal boards have been created to oversee the day-to-day operations of town departments. The Selectmen are responsible for public safety, general administration, recreation, and various special town committees and functions. The Executive Secretary for the town is appointed by the Board of Selectmen and as the Board's representative to all town departments acts as the liaison between the town and the state and federal governments. The Executive Secretary performs a variety of duties for the Selectmen and is responsible for such things as labor relations, personnel and data processing management, and the general responsibilities of complying with the policy decisions made by the Selectmen. Other directives are delegated to the town officials whose departments are responsible for various duties within the town. The Town Clerk prepares and supervises all elections, and records all vital statistics, registers voters, issues licenses, and oversees the annual census in conjunction with the Bo;Captions: 1. The atrium of the Cyrus Wakefield Town Hall which was erected in 1868 and later destroyed by fire. At left is a portrait of Mr. Wakefield, at right, a portrait of George Washington. -- 2. The 1901 Board of Selectmen - E.K. Bowser, Edward E. Lee, Richard Stout, Charles Walton, Capt. Tompson, and Col. Gihon. -- 3. The old Town Hall on the corner of Main and Water Street, 1930.
• Spanish War veterans, Richardson Light Guard, 1898
  "This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Spanish-American War which was declared on April 26, 1898. This action followed Spain's oppressive treatment of Cuba's struggle for independence since 1895. The declaration of war by the United States against the Kingdom of Spain was the direct result of the 'blowing up' of the battleship Main in Havana Harbor in March. President McKinley called for 200,000 volunteers and 1,000,000 stepped forward to enlist. At that time, the US Army numbered 25,000. The Sixth Regiment of the Volunteer Militia of Massachusetts, of which Wakefield's Richardson Light Guard was a part, was the first regiment to offer its services to then Governor Wolcott. The Company held a special meeting on April 28th at which time 69 men enlisted. An additional 15 men joined the following day. On May 5th, the night before their departure, the townspeople hosted a grand farewell reception at the Town Hall. At 7:30 the next morning, the fire alarm rang the assembly signal (12-12), and the townspeople gathered again to escort the soldiers to the train station. School was closed for the day. The soldiers traveled through Boston, Baltimore, Virginia, South Carolina (where they boarded the 'Commodore Perry" to the 'Yale'), and Cuba. Their final destination was Puerto Rico where they were the first whole U.S. regiment to land, and were one of the 'few fortunate regiments to get under fire.' They were ordered home on October 18th, 1898 and arrived in Boston Harbor aboard the 'Mississippi' on October 27th. They arrived in Wakefield at dusk and were greeted by a 'dense mass' of people from Richardson Avenue to Yale Avenue. 'Red fire lighted up the sky; and with the discharge of dynamite salutes, the ringing of bells, the blowing of horns, discharge of fire works, and the music of two brass bands it was a rare spectacle.' The soldiers were honored at a banquet hosted by the Town on November 9, 1898. The Richardson Light Guard Association of the Puerto Rican Campaign was organized on January 2, 1899, and, on orders of the War Department, were quartered in the armory until mustered out. The men were required to report for roll call each morning and evening, and rations were furnished by a Lynn caterer. On January 21, 1899, the company traveled to the South Armory in Boston where they were mustered out of the U.S. service. It is interesting to note that because of the segregation of the U.S. Army at the time, African-Americans served in Company L of the 6th Regiment, and were trained in Boston. Wakefield resident, 2nd Lieutenant George W. Braxton, served with this Company." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
• School department
  "The Wakefield School Department has a history all its own. Responsible for the education of hundreds of thousands of school-age children over the years, the department's growth and development is indicative of the importance the town has placed on quality education. To adequately educate the growing number of students in Wakefield during the late 1800s and early 1900s, ten schools were erected, and by 1944, students enrolled in the Wakefield Public School System attended one of these schools: the West Ward School (1847) the Hamilton School (1883) the Lincoln School (1892) the Warren School (1897) the Greenwood School (1897) the Hurd School (1899) the Franklin School (1902) the Montrose School (1918) the Woodville SChool (1920) and the High School (the former Atwell School destroyed by fire in 1972 - built in 1923). A number of these schools have been expanded and remodeled since then. After 1944, the following schools were built: the Memorial Building (now the Junior High School), the new Atwell School, Doyle, Walton, Dolbeare, Yeuell and the Wakefield High School on Farm Street. Appropriations for the schools have changed from $2,700 in 1844 to $62,900 in 1910 to the 1986 appropriation of $12 million. The number of school personnel has also changed dramatically, from 107 teachers in 1944 to the present day number of 289. At the turn of the century, 1,896 students were enrolled in the Wakefield School system. Enrollment reached an all-time high in 1968, with 5,667 students and has dipped to 3,398 students for the 1986-1987 school year." -- Text from calendar.;Captions: 1. Wakefield High School, December 25, 1897 on the corner of Common and Lafayette Street. The building, formerly the Lafayette School, was remodeled in 1938 and became the Wakefield Town Hall in 1962. -- 2. The Old Academy Building which later became the High School. The Lincoln School now stands on the site. -- 3. The Warren School 1st grade, June 21, 1933.
• Rink fire, rear of 390 Main Street, July 21, 1900
  "A fire started in the varnish room of the Wakefield Reed Chair factory on Saturday, July 21st at 7:58 a.m. The building, owned by Emma Osgood, housed the factory, as well as the Wright & Dennis tennis factory which occupied the top floor of the building. Known as the 'Old Rink Building' it was once home to a roller skating rink from which it got its name, and was the seventh home of the Richardson Light Guard Armory, from 1877 to 1895. The Guard was ordered to remove all state property from the building when an inspection deemed the armory unfit for use in 1894. The fire was 'doomed from the start' and assistance came from three surrounding communities: Stoneham, Reading and Melrose. The fire destroyed the building, as well as Roger Howard's Carpenter Shop, a tenement occupied by Mrs. Abby Hawkes and family, two stables and a shed. Homes on Crescent Street were blistered and scorched and many families along Main Street and Crescent Street removed their furniture from their homes as a precautionary measure. The steeple of the First Universalist Church was destroyed, as was the roof. At the height of the fire, a southwest wind carried shingles 'high in the air.' The Saturday edition of the Wakefield Daily Item reported that 'some of the burning fire brands were carried to Lynnfield Center' where it was said they landed on the roof of a home. Although the building was assessed at $7,000, a total damage of all affected properties was estimated at $90,000." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
• Reading Infantry Company and the Richardson Light Guard
  "The first militia organized in Wakefield was a train-band known as the Reading Infantry Company, established in 1644, one year earlier than the Great and General Court order of 1645 which ordered all settlements to keep a military guard. This company remained active in various forms (infantry, cavalry and rifle companies) until 1840 when old militia laws were abolished and a new plan was adopted. During its nearly 200 year history, the Reading Infantry Company heeded the call and fought in several battles with several leaders, its first Captain being Richard Walker, its last Asaph Evans. In 1675 Reading troops marched against the Pequots in King Philips War in 1711 and 1745 they enlisted in armies which fought against the French and Indians in Nova Scotia and in 1774, 104 Reading men joined train-bands known then as the Minutemen. Of these 104, 86 officers and men fought under the command of Captain John Walton and their pastor Rev. Caleb Prentiss. These men went to Lexington on April 19, 1775 and were among the first troops to engage in battle when the British retreated from Concord. As the war continued, many men joined the army and navy and were at the battle of Bunker Hill, Ticonderoga, West Point, Long Island, among others. Captain James Bancroft of Reading was detailed to serve at Washington's headquarters in Cambridge and was with the 8th Massachusetts at Valley Forge. After the militia laws were abolished in 1840, volunteer systems sprang up throughout the Commonwealth and in 1849 a new military law was adopted by the State. Under the wise and vigorous administration of the leader of the militia, chosen in 1851, companies and regiments became more efficient. It was during this time that Wakefield's best known militia was formed. The Richardson Light Guard was officially established on October 11, 1851, one of only 14 new companies recognized by the office of the Adjutant-General. Three local youths, James F. Emerson, George O. Carpenter and Joseph L.R. Eaton, are credited with initiating a light infa
• Railroad Street/North Avenue, circa 1890s
  "This group at the upper train station is not yet identifiable, but look resplendent with the American flag across the front of their uniforms. The gathering took place in front of the Eaton grocery store/bank building and the Railroad market, at the street railway tracks, across from the upper train station. In the 'Hand-Book of Wakefield,' published in 1885, a section was devoted to the Societies and Clubs. 'The Societies and Clubs of Wakefield (and there are many of them) exemplify the fact that Wakefield is noted for the congeniality of her citizens. In these clubs and organizations are drawn together the various little groups, having similar desires in mental, social and physical culture.' Societies and clubs of the times included, Wakefield Amateur Rifle Association Wakefield Lecture Association Victory Colony, No.23, United Order of the Pilgrim Fathers Neptune Lodge, No.137, Independent Order of Good Templars Chairmakers Benefit Association the Equity Associates of Wakefield and the Wakefield Chautauqua." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
• Patrick J. McLaughlin, Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department's first gas supervisor
  "Patrick J. McLaughlin was the gas department's superintendent when the Town of Wakefield purchased the privately-owned Citizens' Gas Company in 1894. His association with Wakefield's gas service began before the town's purchase, and at a 1935 banquet in his honor, he reflected upon his first encounter with the department. He recollected finding the gas holder on North Avenue on the ground, and working from Friday until Monday to get it standing. From then on, the old gas holder stayed put until it was dismantled in the early 1940s. Mr. McLaughlin was instrumental in servicing the needs of Wakefield's gas customers for nearly 50 years." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
• Fish Run, Montrose, 1890
  "The notation on the back of the photograph identifies the scene as the 'South River Fish Runway, Montrose' and the bridge as the 'bridge on the old road, north of the present street.' The writer probably meant the Saugus River, which flowed from Lake Quannapowitt (formerly Reading Pond and the Great Pond) into the ocean. The early settlers relied on the alewives that came up the Saugus River to Reading Pond to spawn. This food supply was nearly 'destroyed' when a dam was built at the Saugus Iron Works in 1675. Although efforts to block the dam were unsuccessful, the alewives continued to make the trip up the Saugus River, becoming abundant again well into the late 1800s and early 1900s. A Fish Committee, which regulated fishing on both Lake Quannapowitt and Crystal Lake, was established by the Town in 1876 in conformance with the regulations set by the State Commission who held the lease for the lake. In 1855, the ninth annual report filed by the Fish Commitee noted that 'true to wonderful instinct with which nature endows them, the alewives made their usual pilgrimage from the ocean to the lake at the accustomed time, notwithstanding the hindrances and cruelties which were inflicted on them.' In 1889, the report noted that there was little of interest to report, although the mill owners constructed a sluiceway at Hone's Dam, causing an obstruction of the first run of the fish." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
• Dedication of the state armory, January 15, 1913
  "More than 500 military and civilian guests, resplendent in their military regalia and evening dress, attended the dedication ceremony and banquet held at the new state armory. The chief speaker was then-Governor Eugene N. Foss. The great drill hall was decorated with the 'Stars and Stripes' and a platform was placed at the west end to accommodate the head table. A second head table was arranged at the foot of the platform as were white columns which supported arches of red, white and blue poinsettias, each illuminated with an electric lamp. During the evening, the guests toured the inside of the 'architectural ornament to the town'. On the north (right) side of the building was the company living room, the walls of which were finished in deep red. On the south side was the captain's, lieutenant's and first sergeant's rooms and officers' baths, with the armorer's room near the drill shed entrance. The north side of the upstairs housed the locker and equipment room, witha reading room at the front, which opened out onto the balcony. A committee room was in the southeast corner, with the noncommissioned officers room and bath located on the south side. The basement housed the kitchen and mess room, complete with pool tables, a bowling alley, four 75 foot rifle ranges and a large, gravel-floored room used for pitching tents. In 1975, the Town of Wakefield bought the armory for $1.00 from the Massachusetts National Guard. The name was changed to the Americal Civic Center in honor of the Americal Division which fought in the Pacific Theatre of Operations during World War II, including units from Company E of Wakefield. After extensive renovations, the building was reopened in 1976 and was used for meetings and office space. The building closed in 1981 because of the costs to operate the building. A group of local citizens conducted a study of the future use of the building and determined that it could be maintained as a self-sustaining builing. In 1983, a nonprofit corporation was established and has since been respo
• Dedication of Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, Wakefield Common, June 17, 1902
  "Thousands of Wakefield residents and friends turned out for the dedication of the monument, made possible by a bequest of $10,000 in the will of Mrs. Harriet N. Flint. In her will, Mrs. Flint requested that the monument 'cost not less than $10,000 that it may be grand in itself, symmetrical in architecture, beautiful in design - a monument worthy of the true men to whom we dedicate it.' The town accepted the bequest in March 1898, and on March 4, 1901, the design of the Van Amringe Granite Company was accepted. The dedication exercises on June 17, 1902, featured Colonel E.J. Gihon as Chief Marshal. A parade, featuring veterans, military and civil organizations, was also held to commemorate the event." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
• Company A, Sixth Regiment Armory (Richardson Light Guard), Main & Water Street, circa 1895
  "The Richardson Light Guard has a long and colorful history in Wakefield. Chartered in 1851, Company A, Sixth Regiment M.V.M. took as its local name 'the Richardson Light Guard' in honor of Dr. Solon O. Richardson. Historical references note that he had been 'zealously interested in the formation of the company and practically helpful in its membership.' The Richardson Light Guard was without a permanent home until 1894, when an armory was built by the Town just south of the corner of Main and Water Streets. Prior to that the company occupied quarters in several places, with the Town of Wakefield paying rent with a portion reimbursed by the state. On May 1, 1894, Town Meeting voted to appropriate $12,000 to build an armory. Soon after, a lot of land near the Town Hall and next to the Cutler Bros. grocery and grain stores was purchased. The building, complete with an attached drill shed, was dedicated on February 15, 1895. This armory was short-lived, however its demise the result of a fire which occurred on July 6, 1991 after a lightning bolt struck wires at the street corner, setting fire to Cutler Bros.' The flames spread quickly to the armory, but were kept from destroying the Town Hall and the Henry F. Miller & Sons Piano factory by the diligent efforts of firefighters. Total damage was set at $60,000. The armory fire did not 'burst out in real earnest' until the Cutler building was 'practically' flat. This allowed Company A members to rescue guns, live ammunition, uniforms, trophies, pictures and furnishings. When the fire spread to the upper story of the building, more than 2500 rounds of ammunition (all blank cartridges) exploded with the sounds of battle. After the fire, the company used the old Town Hall auditorium as a drill hall until a new armory was put into service aftr its dedication in January, 1913. The old armory is now the site of the Hodgdon Building. " -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
• Classen Bros., Inc., 1930
  "John and Horace Dodge started in the automotive industry by supplying engines and transmissions to R.E. Olds, later selling engines, transmissions, and axles to Henry Ford for his automobiles. By 1913 Ford started producing these parts and adapting them to their own machines, leading to the Dodge Brothers producing their own automobile that was high in quality and durability at an affordable price. In 1928, Walter P. Chrysler bought the company after the brothers' deaths. The 1930 Dodge DD Six Business Coupe, advertised by Classen Bros. Inc. of Greenwood, had a factory price of $835. Power was supplied from a 6-cylinder 189.8 cubic-inch engine that provided just over 60 horsepower. Classen Bros., Inc. was located at 827 Main Street in Greenwood, later renumbered as 1099 Main Street. The dealership, which also sold Plymouths as well as Goodyear tires and tubes, was established in 1921." - Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Donofrio.
• Building of Veteran's Field, circa 1934
  "Town Meeting voted to purchase land at North Avenue and Church Street following a huge fire on September 26, 1929, which destroyed most of the Porter-Milton Ice House. The fire, reported to have 'illuminated the whole town,' attracted hundreds of onlookers, many of whom had already made up their minds to buy the land for the Town to build a 'playground, bathing beach, bath house, and recreation park.' The loss of the icehouse was reported to exceed $50,000. A special Town Meeting was called for October 14th to purchase the land for the asking price of $15,000. The property extended from the corner of North Avenue and Church Street, up North Avenue to the 'old brook south of the Wakefield Ice Company and eastward up Church Street to the old Cemetery.' It also included a triangular lot of land (84' x 90' x 100') separate from the icehouse, across the west side of North Avenue, north of the gas plant. Included in the sale was the Lafayette House (now the Hartshorne House), the 'yellow house on Church Street on the lake side.' Approximately 100 voters attended the meeting and all but two voted to purchase the land. One opponent argued that the land was valued at $6,000 and the Town should take it by eminent domain. Funding came from the Town Treasury free cash (formerly known as surplus) which had a balance of $35,000. Within weeks, the stock market crashed, and soon after, the State Tax Commissioner said cities and towns would receive $5 million less the next year. Faced with dwindling funds, the Town's Park Commission needed help clearing the fire ruins, offering townspeople wood which was not totally consumed by fire. In 1934, initial plans called for a skating/hockey rink, ball field, tennis court and a general playground, with the work to be performed by the Civil Works Administration (CWA) which later became the ERA, a program designed to 'give relief to needy people through direct work or work relief.' These work projects were later shifted to the Works Projects Administration (WPA). The North Avenue - Church Street project was one of 92 completed projects carried out in Wakefield by the Federal government through 1935." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
• 65th Annual Banquet, Company A, October 16, 1916
  "The 65th Annual Banquet of the Richardson Light Guard Company A was held in the armory on Wednesday night, October 18th. Dinner started at 7:45 p.m. and was followed by remarks from the guest speaker, Adjutant General Gardner Pearson. Pearson spoke at length about the need for compulsory service, adding that all young men between the ages of 18 and 21 shold have some military training. The format for the evening was altered considerably from previous years, with the elimination of the speeches and toasts. At the conclusion of the formal remarks, the hall was cleared and the grand march began, the military section led by Captain and Mrs. Connelly, and the fine members led by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Walton. It was followed by a flashlight photograph of the more than 300 people in attendance taken from the balcony. The Military Ball began at 9:30 p.m. For those who did not wish to dance, whist and other games were played in the smaller rooms in the armory." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.
• [Walton field stadium proposal]
  "In 1945, an ambitious project was proposed for Walton Field which would create a new football stadium with seating for 25,000, new baseball grounds with a grandstand (moving the diamond to the northwest corner of the field), track, tennis courts, and a club house under the stands. The plan was made by Architect 'Johnnie' Rogers, a 'star' semi-pro baseball pitcher for the Wakefield Town Team. His plans called for a 'living memorial' to the men and women who were being discharged from the armed forces. The 'well-studied' plans called for two rustic, fieldstone entrance gates on the east side of the field and a new road along the south side of the high school, connecting Main Street and North Avenue. The stadium would be built of reinforced concrete with an outside surface of California stucco-effect. The plans also called for the future addition of stands which would be boxed in with shatter-proof glass, and a boiler room underneath which would supply heat through long coils. A field house, 'sanitary and well-lighted' would be located on the westerly side of the field. Although boosters of the plan said that the project would pay for itself in 'leaps and bounds,' the $250,000 project never got off the ground." -- Text from calendar.
• [Aerial photo of Wakefield business district, 1930s]
  Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 1995
• Pleasure Island, 1961
  Pauline Sheehan (35) holding son Keith (5 1/2 mos.) Pleasure Island Amusement Park, Wakefield, MA, July 2, 1961