Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, Wakefield, Mass.

Title

Main Street looking north, circa 1916

Description

"The east side of Main Street near the Rockery has housed many businesses and residences since the mid-1800s, as well as the Universalist Church, now the Unitarian-Universalist Church. In 1858, this section of Main Street included the Eben Wiley house (pictured at the left of the church), Henry Knowles Dry Goods Store (with the Town's first dentist, Dr. Cogswell, occupying an office on the second floor), a grocery/dry goods store that later burnt down when the Old Yale Pumper was at a muster, and Edward Mansfield's dry goods store. In 1916, the area looked much the same as it did in 1858, although the Universalist Church had been moved back, the four massive pillars removed, and a steeple and a front portion added. A new chain store, Gavin Bros. Store, opened its fifth store at what was 390 Main Street in 1916, and offered prompt delivery by auto truck. Gavin Bros. ads boasted that all stores were stocked from large orders bought at the lowest wholesale prices. On Wednesday, August 2, 1916, over 500 people traveled by electric street railroad to attend the 7th annual Merchants and Business Men's Association's outing at Salem Willows. Activities included field sports for men, a baseball game which pitted firemen vs. traders, bowling matches, band concerts, dancing, theatre and roller-skating. The streetcars returned at 6 p.m. The majority of Wakefield's downtown merchants, including McMaster, Thayer, Verge, Boothby, Taylor, Hodgdon, Dolbeare, Curley and Bowser were instrumental in planning the outing. The newspaper was not published that day." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio.

Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 2006

Contributor

Institution: Lucius Beebe Memorial Library

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

D'Onofrio, Jayne M.

Coverage

Massachusetts--Middlesex (county)--Wakefield

Date

ca. 1916

Format

image/jpeg

Publisher

[Wakefield, Mass.] : Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department

Subject

Streets

Type

still image

Photographs

Original Format

1 picture : b&w

Extent

17 x 30 cm.