Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, Wakefield, Mass.

Title

Main Street Junction, Main Street & North Avenue, 1940

Description

"Located at 591 Main Street in the Junction area of Wakefield, the Curley Brothers fuel and grain company started operations in a building near the Wakefield Junction Railway Station, subsequently moving to enlarged quarters when increased patronage and sales necessitated a change. The company became incorporated in January, 1939 as Curley Grain and Fuel Company. The business was owned by William T. Curley, Sr. owner of several significant parcels of real estate in the area, inlcuding the Miller Piano building, Traders Block, Curley Block (Main and Mechanic Streets), Eastern Mass. Street Railway Company car barns on Water Street, Hathaway Stables, as well as several residential properties. Curley Brothers Grain and Fuel Company manufactured Crystal poultry, rabbit, dairy and horse feed, and Crystal dog food, as well as ground corn, wheat, oats and barley. The company also handled building supplies, shingles, roofing paper and paints in addition to 'Williams Oil-O-Matic' America's leading oil burner. To round out their diverse product line, Curley's also sold New England coke, Blue coal, cement, flour, and fuel oils. The building had several fires throughout the years including one in 1947 which destroyed the coal sheds, and another in 1957 which affected the grain elevator. The last fire occurred in 1969 when a general alarm blaze began in a sub shop which was located in the center of the two-story section of the wooden building." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.

Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 1996

Photo courtesy of Wakefield Item Company.

Contributor

Institution: Lucius Beebe Memorial Library

Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department (Wakefield, Mass.)

D'Onofrio, Jayne M.

Coverage

Massachusetts--Middlesex (county)--Wakefield

Main Street (Wakefield, Mass.)

North Avenue (Wakefield, Mass.)

Date

1940

Format

image/jpeg

Publisher

Wakefield, Mass. : Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department

Subject

Feed industry

Building materials industry

Curley Brothers (Wakefield, Mass.)

Type

still image

Photographs

Original Format

1 picture : b&w

Extent

16 x 31 cm.