USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Wakefield > History of Wakefield (Middlesex County) Massachusetts, compiled by William E. Eaton and History Committee > Part 6
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In 1924 the town recorded a gift of the old Mill property on Vernon Street, at the Wakefield-Lynnfield town line, and where Saugus River crosses under Vernon Street. The gift-deed came from Mrs. Harriet W. Potter, and carried with it mill rights, which govern, more or less, the level and outlet of Lake Quannapowitt. The recent widening of the river between Vernon Street and points west is a part of Reading's new drainage system. The old saw mill was erected here by Poole in 1682.
1920. Richardson Light Guard re-organizes as Company K, 101st Infantry, Massachusetts National Guard. Memorial on Common to World War I Veterans is dedicated. New Woodville School opened. American Reed factory destroyed by fire. Dedication of Greenwood boulder. Har- vard Mills gives employees bonuses to $70,000. Elks' memorial tablet for 34 members giving lives in World War I dedicated.
1921. Local Telephone Exchange changes its call from Wakefield to "Crystal." Work begins on sites for new High School and Library. Town adopts new By-Laws. Old watering trough near Rockery removed. Busi- ness pageant in Armory. Big sleet storm. No Daily Item for four days. Funeral of Corp. Harry E. Nelson, first soldier to die in action in World War I.
1922. Rotary Club organized. Neveroil Bearing Company removes from Worcester to Wakefield.
1923. Lucius Beebe Memorial Library completed and dedicated. New High School building on Main Street dedicated and first graduation took place.
1924. Dam, with purifying apparatus, built at the southwest cove of Crystal Lake. American Legionnaires attend convention at St. Paul, Min- nesota. Argentine Navy Rifle Team in practice at local rifle range. Boyntonville petition to join Melrose rejected. Park Commissioners decide that playground is to stay at Hart's Hill. Crystal Apartments built. Branch of Beebe Memorial Library established in the Greenwood School house. Hibernians dedicate building at the corner of Albion and Foster Streets. Building records pass million-dollar mark for the first time. Wakefield Trust Company's new building dedicated. The late T. E.
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Dwyer gift of chimes to St. Joseph's Church installed and dedicated. Town protests discontinuance of Newburyport Branch Railroad. New high ten- sion electric service connected at the Heywood-Wakefield plant. United States Post Office removes to Albion Street.
1925. Wakefield Savings Bank buys the building it now occupies. Tamworth Hill home building development started. New Greenwood School house built. Town shaken by earthquake; previous ones in 1655, 1663 and 1727. Unsuccessful effort to establish a limited town meeting. Population this year-15,623. State to take over Curtis Guild rifle range. Miss Lucia Buckle, a 14-year-old girl, swims around Lake Quannapowitt in 2 hours and 35 minutes. City government advocates an active pro- gram. New Parochial School opens for inspection. The dirigible "Shen- andoah" flies over the town. Zoning ordinance voted. Old Age Pension proposed. Presentation to publisher, Harris M. Dolbeare.
1926. Dedication of Memorial to Spanish War Veterans. Town builds low level pumping station, east of Valley Street. Limited town meeting act defeated. Camp Curtis Guild named. Death of Congress- man Harry I. Thayer. First trans-Atlantic telephone wires pass through Wakefield. Bonney's Drug Store block, corner of Main and Albion Streets, bought as a site for new store building. Speed limit in center of town is established at 15 miles per hour. Boston & Maine Rail- road deed Tuttle Street to the town. New telephone exchange established. Dirigible "Los Angeles" passed over the town. Zoning laws into effect. East Massachusetts Electric Company given street rights for bus service.
1927. Local doctors form association. Catholics build a church at Greenwood. National survey shows Wakefield to be one of the healthiest towns in the United States. Town reception to Major Edward J. Connelly, decorated by the French government. Membership in the G. A. R. drops from 52 to 21 in past ten years. Selectmen appoint a Safety Committee. New low level sewerage station opened. Indian War service men in town, Albert D. Cate, George W. Hutchinson and Albert S. Townley. Dedica- tion of memorial tablet in town hall to the men who lost their lives in the Civil War, Spanish-American War and World War I.
1928. Town purchases a Seagraves aerial ladder, and a police ambu- lance. Introduction of first traffic signals; corner of Vernon and Lowell Streets especially widened for placement of signal. Drainage survey by engineers. Greenwood Bridge declared unsafe. New filter plant on Broad- way opened for public inspection. Dr. J. W. O'Connell gave valuable service in Greenland with the Grenfell expedition. City government move-
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ment defeated. Red Cross Chapter organized. New post office at Green- wood opened. First Parish entertains English Pilgrims. Town observes the sixtieth anniversary of change in name.
1929. Traffic regulations adopted. Town purchases the Porter-Mil- ton ice house property at corner of Church Street and North Avenue, including the old Col. James Hartshorne house. Pictures of Cyrus Wake- field and George Washington, in town hall auditorium, restored to their original freshness. Wakefield Hospital Association formed, and 12 acres of land on North side of Hopkins Street bought. Fiftieth anniversary of Wakefield Club observed.
THE 1934 PAGEANT
With many events sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, the week of August 12, 1934, was a gala one. While it was in many respects an Old Home Week, the sponsors desired to demonstrate that Wakefield was a good place in which to spend the summer. Features of the week were special church services; a flag raising; exhibits by the Historial Society and the Arts and Crafts Society; a display of Wakefield products by mer- chants and manufacturers; sports; a water carnival on Lake Quannapowitt and band concerts.
The climax of the week's celebration, and its outstanding event, was the historical pageant, presented on the evenings of August 13 and 14, on the southwest portion of the park close to the lake shore.
The pageant was written by Mrs. Winfield Scott Ripley and was en- titled "Across the Centuries Wakefield Welcomes." In five episodes, a prologue and an epilogue, the pageant depicted welcomes to groups and individuals through the years from 1639 to the present. Ronald Clark was the chronicler.
Played from a large stage and on the adjoining grounds the spectacle was beautifully lighted in all its carefully worked-out details.
Committees, organizations and individuals co-operated to make the pageant the genuine success and, beautiful spectacle that everyone who witnessed it pronounced it to be. Clyde Cummings and Clyde Dow were stage managers.
The audience was estimated at 7,000 for the first evening and 10,000 for the second.
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DECADE 1930 - 1940 -- TIME MARCHES ON!
The push and pull decade! Domestic water shortage feared; Metro- politan Supply advocated, but $200,000 fee thought prohibitory. The town considers a drainage project. Heywood-Wakefield Company removes its business to Gardner. Sunday movies permitted. Bus service takes place of abandoned street car lines. Engineers advocate and town accepts driven well plans for additional water supply. Miller Piano Company removes its manufacturing business to Boston. The second High School building remodeled and named the Lafayette Building, designed to accommodate town offices and headquarters of veterans' organizations. Town votes for limited liquor licenses. Hamilton School closed for lack of pupils. That part of Saugus known as "Golden Hills" annexed to Wakefield. 1933 will long be remembered as the "Bank Holiday Year," coincident with a momentous national election. The town accepts the Pension Plan for employees. New post office dedicated.
From year to year, time marches on, and so does local progress.
1930. New Montrose School house erected and dedicated. The water shortage demanded attention and resulted in a series of driven wells giving an ample additional supply. Police teletype installed. The town loses the Heywood-Wakefield manufacturing business through their removal to Gardner. The town votes to permit Sunday movies. Trolley lines give way to bus service.
1931. Town feels the economical depression and makes an appro- priation for relief agencies. The Miller Piano factory sold to W. T. Curley. Lafayette School closed and pupils transferred to new High School.
1932. Town votes favorably on Sunday sports. Chapel built at Lake- side Cemetery.
1933. Relaying of water mains an unemployment project. Town votes for a bond issue of $100,000, with United States Government $30,500, up to 393 men on the project. Dine Shoe Company, a new industry. Town votes 3140 to 1409 for beer sales while church bells toll. Golden Hills, a part of Saugus, annexed to Wakefield. Bank holiday closes the Trust Company, but reopening follows quickly.
1934. Town received $270,000 in wage money from the Govern- ment from C. W. A., E. R. A., and W. P. A. Tremendous cost to the town for relief work, 1909 men on relief or jobless. City government advocates defeated. "Old Home Week" celebrated with a wonderful pageant on the Park.
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1935. Addition to High School advocated. Lafayette Building re- modeling suggested as a memorial, approved in 1937. Town votes to pur- chase the Moulton-Porter ice house property. New post office to be built, contract goes to the Long Construction Company for $90,373. Wakefield Co-operative Bank moves into the Trust Company Building.
1936. Town employee pension plan accepted. Death of Benjamin 1. Day, last surviving -member of Post 12, G. A. R. New ambulance pre- sented to the town in memory of the late Dr. J. W. Heath.
WAKEFIELD SQUARE-1944-RETAIL SHOPPING CENTER Buildings: Wakefield Theatre, Richardson and Traders'
1937. Wakefield in the World War I-service records published. Sewer department builds an ejector station between Main Street and Lake Quannapowitt, opposite Central Street. Pension system adopted and $5000 voted. New United States Post Office dedicated and opened for business. Death of Arthur G. Walton, who, with Mrs. Walton, presented the Walton Athletic Field to the town. Hartshorne House Association incorporated.
1938. Lafayette Building completed and 1500 people inspect the remodeled school structure. Fiftieth anniversary of Golden Rule Lodge A. F. and A. M. Highest tax rate of $37.40. Teletype installed in police , station. The old Gould or Walton block, corner of Main and Centre Streets, demolished. Thirty-nine parcels of the Walton estate sold at
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auction. Death of Harris M. Dolbeare, prominent citizen and publisher of the Daily Item. This was the year of a most destructive hurricane. New $9500 pumping engine delivered at central Fire Station. National Mat and Matting Company incorporated-a business that the Heywood- Wakefield Company did not remove to Gardner.
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1939. A year of intensive local progress! Observance of the settle- ment of the town. Reunion of the 6th Massachusetts Regiment. Tax- payers' Association formed. Death of Junius Beebe, leading citizen and philanthropist-donor of the Lucius Beebe Memorial Library and "father" of the Wakefield Trust Company and its new banking building. Perkins Block, corner of Main and Albion Streets, sold to be torn down for a new business building. United States Geodetic survey of town. $5261 allo- cated for Bath House project at Lake Quannapowitt. Great activity in local home building. Single session restored at High School. Town adopts tenement act revision. Pine Hill Circle development named. Mobiliza- tion plans considered in event of United States entering war. Victory Village at "Factory Field" to be developed. Bear Hill Golf Club House destroyed by fire. Lake Quannapowitt freezes-earliest on record. New Curley, First National Stores and A. & P. business blocks erected. Mili- tary drill abandoned at High School. Death of Liberio Nasella, the first man of Italian birth to become a citizen of Wakefield. American flag un- furled at Legion headquarters, in memory of the late Harris M. Dolbeare, pole donated by Daddies' Club. Highway Safety Council organized. Savings Bank remodels interior of banking house.
YEARS 1940 - 1944
The four years preceding the three hundredth anniversary were con- tinuous periods of progress, and of war. World War II began with the declaration of war against Japan on December 8, 1941. From then on, all interests of nation, town and people centered in its war efforts. Space limitations deny listing all the local activities as they progressed up to the publication of this history.
Main Street in the center of the business section experienced a marked change from the old to the new. Buildings that had been landmarks were replaced by a new one-story brick building housing Nagle's Drug Store, Friend's Bakery, The Atlantic & Pacific chain store and Russell's Electric Shop. Farther down the street another old structure gave way to a new Curley Block where is found the Cubby Hole and Smith's Drug Store. A little beyond these buildings (the old Walton or Odd Fellows' Building) another brick building of one-story height houses the First National chain market.
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The old Perkins Block, housing the former Bonney & Dutton's "Old Corner Drug Store," corner of Main and Albion Streets, was torn down and here is found the Lane Drug Store and O'Connor's Men's Shop. The old wooden Brown Block on Main Street, opposite the library, was torn down and the cellar hole is still vacant.
Factory Field, off Richardson Street, has been developed as a resi- dential section, under the name Victory Village. Pine Hill Circle, off Elm Street, is a new residential development, as is White Circle, off Vernon st in the North Ward, and Aborn Avenue Extension. Keeling Village was developed off Lowell Street, and new developments were started off Meriam and Forest Streets in Greenwood, and in the Sherman and Crosby Roads area.
The town acquired land southerly from Bay State Road and built a brick pumping station and wells for an additional water supply.
1940. New bath house completed at a cost of $6,882.59. Two chain stores occupy new buildings. Ronald W. Northrup is first Wakefield man drawn in draft. The first three men to report under peace time conscrip- tion were Thomas F. P. Walsh, Walter 1. Hatch and Charles J. Confalone. Federal census gave Wakefield a population of 16,179. First draft quota in November. The Walton mansion, Lakeside, destroyed by fire. Wake- field, Stoneham and Melrose made one representative district.
1941. Wakefield Council, No. 2585, Royal Arcanum, organized. New ambulance presented to town by Stanley W. Heath of Lynnfield Center on behalf of his mother, his wife and himself in memory of the late Dr. Joseph W. Heath. Wakefield sends a short-wave message to Wakefield, England. Methodist Episcopal Society buys the Grand Army building on Foster Street for a church home. Committee on Public Safety begins defense preparations, and schools prepare against enemy air raids. Town Report printed as a 48-page supplement to the Wakefield Daily Item. Town ap- propriates $11,000 for local defense.
1942. Town buys 25 acres on Saugus River, between Lowell Street and Bay State Road, for wells for an additional water supply. First black- out test occurred in March, and was successful. War Price and Rationing Board established. W. P. A. work comes to an end. Five sub-police sta- tions located in public schools, under civilian defense-auxiliary police protection. Total of 5,801 gasoline ration books issued. 3,601 persons register for fuel oil coupons. Victory Village being developed.
1943. Two-way radio added to police equipment. Board of Health reports that diphtheria in schools has been controlled. Branch of Beebe Library established in Montrose School. School Committee inaugurates
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a rehabilitation program. At the High School, 16,610 No. 4 ration books were issued. Public schools sell $31,301.70 worth of war savings stamps, and by special drives fourteen "jeeps" were purchased. This year witnessed the introduction of new and important local war plant (defense) indus- tries, giving promise of post-war manufacturing enterprises. Corp. Harry . E. Nelson Post 63, American Legion, votes to erect Honor Roll Plaque for World War II veterans. Sylvania Electric Products Inc., comes to Wake- field and sets up a branch for the manufacture of electronics. William A. Hickey develops several new business enterprises for defense work, in- cluding Diamond Tank and Welding Co., and Diamond Instrument Co. Rehabilitation Committee of 25 appointed by Selectmen. Townspeople purchase $1,850,000 worth of war bonds, goal was $820,000. Wakefield Municipal Light Plant buys Realty building on Albion Street.
1944. Tercentenary year! To be observed by the town and First Parish. Two additional patrolmen added to police force. Town debt Jan- uary 1, 1943 was $231,000 with $47,500 due in 1944. Debt is allocated as follows: Water Department, $151,000; Light Department, $4,000; Sewer Department, $68,000, and Highway Department, $8,000. Returning soldiers from Italy and the South Pacific battle areas reveal heroic service by numerous Wakefield men and women.
WALK ALONG LAKESIDE
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CHAPTER FOUR
The Town in the Wars
Early Military History -Civil War - Richardson Light Guard Spanish-American War - World Wars I and II State Guard Units
For 300 years Wakefield has been a military town-every day, every year, and all the years! Its martial history had been fully set forth by many writers; its patriotism has been shown by resolutions, by generous appropriation of town's money, and its frequent celebrations of military success by its soldiers in many wars. The townspeople, from the early days to the present, have been spontaneous in responses to all calls to duty-on the home front and the battle front. No Massachusetts town has a more glorious military record !
One of the first problems of the early settlers was that of security against the Indians. A training band was organized about 1645 with Cap- tain Richard Walker as its first captain. He had been an ensign under Col. John Endicott of Salem as early as 1636. There were drills and prep- arations looking to the protection of the settlement. The Indians did not offer serious local trouble although for several years there were "alarms." In 1675 when strong Indian tribes made an attempt to destroy the new, English settlements, Captain Jonathan Poole of Reading was in com- mand of his company in the field. He recommended John Brown for special service. The record reads: "He signifies to us yt there is now in the army a man of ye same town viz Reading by name Mr. John Brown whom he judgeth very fitt to oversee ye soulders."
Besides Poole there was in his company from the later First Parish, Joseph Hartshorne, born 1652; Benjamin Davis, John Burnap, born 1654; Thomas Hodgman, John Boutel, born 1645; and Edward Brown, born 1640, a son of the first settler, Nicholas Brown. On December 10, 1675, in the King Phillip War, the Governor issued a proclamation to the soldiers to the effect "that if they played the man, took the fort and drove the enemy out of the Narragansett country they should have a gratuity of land besides their wages." Major Jeremiah Swayne, who had the honor of being appointed Commander-in-Chief of all the forces raised to fight the
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Indians on our eastern frontier, Samuel Dunton, James Nichols, and others did receive such grants of land and left them to their sons-or settled on such grants. Several other names of Reading men appear in the Colony records, sons of early settlers.
Next came the French and Indian wars of 1689, in which is found mention of Captain Thomas Bancroft, Major Jeremiah Swayne, Captain Ephraim Savage, Lieutenant Jonathan Poole, Jr., Nathaniel Goodwin, Dr. James Stimpson, and Abraham Bryant. It was in March, 1711, that Jonathan Eaton, born 1686, grandson of Jonas Eaton, died at Annapolis Royal, N. S., after 167 days of service, as did Hananiah Parker (born 1691), grandson of Hannaniah, the early settler. And so on for many years to 1759, the names of Reading men appear on old roster lists for services given to the Colony as soldiers from Reading. For 196 years fathers, sons, and grandsons met for drills and training days.
The 1812-1815 war with England had repercussions in the old Town of Reading, causing the separation of the First Parish from the Second and Third Parishes and the legal adoption of the name of South Reading. (A more complete story of the War of 1812 is contained in Chapter 2.)
For this war the Washington Rifle Greens were organized in Stone- ham, Reading and vicinity. This soon became a Reading Company- the Washington Rifle Grays. The company saw service on Dorchester Heights. In 1846 the Company was disbanded and the Richardson Light Guard was organized in 1851 to carry on the military traditions of the town.
For nearly one hundred years the Richardson Light Guard had a brilliant, continuous military record. In 1851 it was one of the fourteen companies organized in the state. The old flint-lock muskets were ex- changed for those with percussion caps. It has been chronicled that "this company was not formed for the love of militarism but rather as a love of adventure, the spirit of comradeship, and a purpose to be ready for any call of duty to defend a country, state or town.'
THE CIVIL WAR
The call came in 1861, at 12 o'clock noon on April 19 to report for service at the front. At four o'clock the company, under the command of Captain John W. Locke, boarded the train for Boston. En route, to Washington the company encountered the hostilities of rebel sympathizers in Baltimore. From Washington the Company soon went into action at the front.
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HISTORY OF WAKEFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS
From then on until the close of the war, South Reading men fought nobly in the Civil War. The Richardson Light Guard, under a separate commander, responded four times for duty in the southern war area. On the second call the company left town August 17, 1861, and served three years as Company E, 16th Massachusetts Regiment, with distinguished valor as part of the army of the Potomac; fought in many battles and lost many men. The third call came in September, 1862, as Company E, 50th Regiment, Massachusetts volunteers under Captain Samuel F. Littlefield.
The company went by steamer to New Orleans and was soon engaged in action at Port Hudson, and was active in this campaign until July S, 1863, when Port Hudson surrendered. The fourth response came on July 11, 1864, when as Company E, 8th Regiment Massachusetts volunteers proceeded to Washington and did guard duty on the North Central Rail- road near Baltimore.
Space restrictions forbid recitals of the names and deeds of officers and men who gave unselfish, patriotic service to their country and to their town. However, two volumes of the history of the Richardson Light Guard have been published and contain detailed accounts of the war, local par- ticipants, their valor and other facts of interest.
THE SPANISH AMERICAN WAR
After the Civil War the Richardson Light Guard maintained its membership and its military activities. It had a conspicuous place in the parade on July 1, 1868, when South Reading changed its name to Wakefield.
On April 26, 1898, the United States declared war against Spain. The 6th Regiment, of which Company A, Richardson Light Guard was a mem- ber, was the first regiment to offer its services as a volunteer regiment. On May 6, the company under Captain Edward J. Gihon (later Major of the Regiment), left town and on May 12 was mustered into United States service as Company A, 6th Massachusetts Volunteers. The life of the members at Camp Alger in Virginia; the trip south to Charleston, South Carolina; the trip on the "Yale" to the battle front in Cuba, to Guan- tanamo and to a final landing at Porto Rico belong to its history. It was the first United States Regiment to land there. Its later notable active service maintained the high, noble standards of an organization that was then forty-seven years old.
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HISTORY OF THE RICHARDSON LIGHT GUARD
On October 11, 1901, Company A, Richardson Light Guard, cele- brated its 50th anniversary. The history of the Richardson Light Guard from 1851 to 1926 has been fully and authoritatively written in two volumes, Vol. 1, 1851-1901; Vol. 2, 1901-1926. The latter volume con- tains a full story of the Spanish American War and World War 1. Both copies are in the Beebe Memorial Library.
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STATE ARMORY
THE MASSACHUSETTS STATE GUARD
Members of Co. H, Massachusetts State Guard, which was formed upon the departure of the national guard unit (Co. A) in 1917, partici- pated in emergency details at the Boston Police strike in September and October, 1919, doing duty in Brighton, Roxbury Crossing district and in Boston proper. Further details of this unit are likewise included as an important part of the history of the Richardson Light Guard.
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