USA > New Hampshire > Hillsborough County > Manchester > History of Manchester, formerly Derryfield, in New-Hampshire : including that of ancient Amoskeag, or the middle Merrimack Valley, together with the address, poem, and other proceedings of the centennial celebration of the incorporation of Derryfield at Manchester, October 22, 1851 > Part 73
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This was the road leading past the "Grandison Morse place" to Londonderry.
This road was the extension of the one leading from Man- chester Centre to the Huse, or Gen., McQueston farm. It com- menced on the south of the Cohas, and ran south in the direc- tion of the Mammoth Road. It made a turn to the east near the junction of the Musquito Pond road with the Mammoth road, and passed Cesar Griffin's house which stood on the north side of the road leading from the Mammoth Road ; passed Jere- miah Barker's house to Londonderry. and at about a third of the distance betwixt J. and E. Harvey's house and Barker's house. From Griffin's house the road was nearly the same that now passes the houses of Messrs. Barker, Cross, and Drews, to Derry. Cesar Griffin was a negro who owned the farm lately known as the "Grandison Morse Place," and now owned by Messrs. J. & E. Harvey.
October 15, 1759, the Selectmen laid out another road thus described.
"Begining at the North End of Hugh Sterling barn runing Near a Nor wast Point by marked trees upon the said of saied trees to the banck of the In- tervalle and then running upon a wast pointe by marked trees to Merrimack river to a white ash tree marked H, Noot said road to be three rods wide and six rods wide bank fore rodes from low water mark."
It is not certain where this road is ; but it is probably the road leading from the river road past Mr. Peter Mitchel's house to the Merrimack.
The road to Amoskeag through Piscataquog village, was made at a very early date. The first of which we have any account was a bridle-path cut prior to 1649, for the Rev. John Eliot, who was proposing to come to Namaske, to preach to the Indians. This path was doubtless kept open by the fisher- men visiting the falls. In 1740, the proprietors of Bedford ex- pended £40 for "rectifying the way from Souhegan river to Piscataquog river." In 1759, that part of the road leading across the Piscataquog and to Hall's Ferry which was just below McGregor's house in Goffstown, became worn and out of re- pair, and Mr. Thomas Hall petitioned the town of Bedford to repair it. The town refused, and then Hall petitioned the Court of Quarter Sessions to order the repair of the road. This
699
HON. MATTHEW PATTEN.
they refused to do, when the town of Bedford agreed to repair the road, build a bridge across the Piscataquog, and pay the costs that had arccued, amounting to £59, and the matter was stayed. The road from Bedford line to Amoskeag Falls had been bullt probably by individuals engaged in fishing. The first mention of it, in the records of the Proprietors of Goffs- town, is under date of Dec. 23, 1753, where a committee say, "There is a Highway containing 4 acres, and 3-4 of an acre, from the road now improved, to and from said Hall's Ferry, to the land reserved at the common landing place, from the fishing Islands in said Namkeag Falls." The road known as the Mast road, and leading from Piscataquoag village to West Goffstown, had been built prior to this period. In 1756 a road was laid out from the Mast road and
"Begining at the line of Bedford and Goffstown, where the mast road was last improved, crosses said line, thence, as the said mast road was formerly im- proved to the hill noxt to the mast roll ng place, on Piscataqnog river, thence o !: the north side of a swampy place in -aid mast road to the said rolling place, thence down the south side of the said Piscataquog river to the mouth of said river, where it empties into the river "Merrymac," thence down the said Merry- mack about twenty-five rods, so far as to take in the head of the eddy, in the river next to the mouth of said Piscataquog ; the whole way of said road to be four rods wide trom the top of the upper bank., And also another piece of highway beginning at the highway at the wes erly end of the first range of house lots, and at the north end of the road already laid out on the said ends of the said lot«, from thence starting up the ridge until it comes to the old mast road above laid out .*
In 1758, another road was laid out at Piscataquog,
"Begining at the westerly end of the river range of the home lots, probably very near where the road by the Academy building crosses the range line above the McCoy house, so called, and runs on the said lots till it comes where the line of the said lots turns down the hill to the north west of Lieut. Moore's house, supposed to be a little north of James Harvell's house, and thense on the hill to the west of the swamp, around the same, along between Robert Gil- more's house and barn, to the north west corner of No. 7 home lot on the river from thence south on the heads or westerly ends of the river home lots to the north west corner of Samuel Patten's river home lot, on No. 20, joining on said lot : said road to be four rods wide."*
These roads answered the purpose of the inhabitants and we find little done in the way of laying out and building new roads for near thirty years. In fact, the next serious move- ment for new roads was not till after building of the Amoskeag Bridge when various roads were laid out by Committees of the Legislature.
In 1794 a bill passed the Legislature, to lay out a high way from Hale's bridge in Walpole, to Deer Neck in Chester. This
See History of Bedford, pgs 236 238.
700
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
road crossed the Amoskeag bridge in this place thence contin- ued in a north-easterly direction to near the junction of Elm and Orange streets, thence easterly to the old Kidder house which stood near the south side of Orange street and about midway betwixt Chestnut and Elm street. It then passed south easterly nearly in a straight line, to the junction of Pine and Pearl streets. This last part of the road was never built, as the "Old Falls Road," though crooked, was used instead of it. From Pine street, this road extended east to Union street, as Pearl street now runs, and across Union street in the same direction, continuing onward up the Hall or Oak, Hill, to John Hall's house, thence over the hill, in nearly a straight line to Daniel Bartlet's house, on the "Mammoth Road." Thence it passed nearly in the direction of the "Bald Hill Road." across the Bald hill, and bearing south of that road, on the east of the said hill, it continued to Deer Neck. In many places this road was laid over old roads, while the parts laid out were never built.
This road was very straight and direct from Walpole to Ports- mouth, but was never completed, as intended, for the reason that the public would not travel upon a road whose only re- commendation was its directness, and which passed over some of the most steep and precipitous hills in this section of the state. Other avenues were found to the seaboard above and below, not so hilly, and this went into disuse.
The same year the Legislature appointed a committee to lay out three other roads leading from Amoskeag bridge,-one to Pawtucket bridge in Dracut, called the "Pawtucket Road," and passing through Manchester Centre, crossing the Cohas near the McQueston place, and continuing on the Derry road as now traveled to the Haseltine and Saunders Tavern, which stood near the Corning School house in Disrict, No. 9, thence round said school house and past the Johnson Morse farm to London- derry line, thence past the Dickey Store near Wilson's crossing, and so on south, past the old meeting house, in Londonderry ; through Windham, past the meeting house in Pelham to the state line ; and connecting there with the road to Pawtucket bridge : a second one, leaving the Pawtucket road at Haseltine and Saunder's Tavern in this town, continuing past the Huse and Noyes' farm over the road to Derry, as now traveled, and so on past the old meeting house in Derry, through Salem to the State line, and connecting there with the road over Andover bridge : and a third leaving the Pawtucket road sixty four rods
701
HIGHWAYS.
below the meeting-house at Manchester Centre, thence passing to the meeting-house in Chester, round the south end of Lake Massabesic, nearly over the road as now traveled, except that it crossed the long narrow bay at the south end of the Lake, known as the " Fang," instead of passing round it, as at pre- sent. The project of bridging the Fang was found too ex- pensive and was abandoned. These roads have mainly contin- ued in use to the present day, though other roads have taken the travel from them.
It has already been named that prior to 1806, the town had been divided into Districts annually by the Selectmen, but that no record had been made of the districts until 1793. In 1806 at the annual town meeting, it was voted to re-district the town for highway purposes, and a committee was appointed to perform that duty. This committee at an adjourned meet- ing, held on the 18th of the same month, made the following report :
" The Committee appointed to lay the town of Derryfie'd out into highway districts, having met and agreed, beg 1 ave to make the following report, that is to say,
District No. 1 shall begin at Chester line near Kimball's and extend South- erly to within ten rods of Gen. Stark's on the north.
No 2 shall begin ten rods north of Gen. Stark's house and run Southerly by Knowls to Humphries Brook not including the Bridge-from said Brook by Amo-keag B. idge to B. F. Starks and from amo keag Bridge to John Harwoods and from amoskeig bridge on the river Road to a ditch south of Cutlers.
No. 3 shall continue as it has heretofore been taking in Humphries Brook bridge.
No. 4 shall begin at the ditch above Philip Haseltine Jr., thence down the river road to Nathaniel Bakers also from Eliphat Parkers to John Browns house So Called and from Harveys ferry to the meeting house and there Stop.
No. 5 shall begin at the meeting house thence down the road by Major Web- sters and Black Jims tavera to Chester line and up to Jonathan Haseltines and John Haseltines and Moses Merrills and David Haseltines and John Dickeys ..
No. 6 Shall begin at the Crotch of the Road at Abner Pingreys thence down .. the main Road to Derry line and to Cornings and from the great Road to Wm .. Perhams.
No. 7 shall begin at John Browns house so called down by Capt. Ferhams : towards Adamses and Pages to Derry line and to Benjamin Giles and to the - Road le ding to E. Cornings and from David Dickey to Derry line towards Jo- seph Moors and towards Major Akins to the Eastward of the pond and to in -- clude Nehemiah Merrill.
No. 8 shall begin at and take Nathaniel Baker thence by Moors to Litchfield i line and towards William Perhams to the Rolling place and from the main . Road to Smiths ferry.
John Perham,
David Flint,
Daniel Hall,
COMMITTEE. Benj. F. Stark.
Joseph Moor,
This system of Districts remains mainly the same to the pre- sent day. 49
702
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
THE STREETS, COURTS AND PLACES in Manchester, accord- ing to the Directory, are as follows, viz :
Amherst, from Elm, Arcade B. to Beech, and continuous. Amherst, from Main, P., to Catholic Burying Ground. Ash, from Lowell to Orange, 1st east of Beech. Auburn, from State, north of Cemeteryy, across Elm to Union.
Beech, from Merrimack to Orange. 1st north of Union. Beanville, at the head of Manchester. Bedford, from Central to Wier, west of R. R. Depot. Belmont, all east of Wilson. Birch, from Lowell to Bridge, Ist east of Elm. Bowman pl. opens on High, P. Bridge, from Canal north of Stark Mill, across Elm and Maple and continuous. Brook, from upper canal to Oak and the Re- servoir.
Canal, from Auburn to Bridge and Amoskeag, east of R. R. Depot. Cedar, from Franklin to Union, south of the Park. Central, from Bedford. north of R. R. Depot to Union. Charles, from Spring to Bridge west of Kidder's B. Chester, n, head Amherst, Towlesville. Chestnut, N. from Concord, centre of Concord sq. to Hooksett Road. Chestnut, S. from the south gate of Concord sq. to the Cem'y. Church, from Lowell st., Church to Bridge. Church court, from Manchester, Baptist Church. Clinton, from Maine to West, P. Concord, st., Towlesville. Crescent pl. opens on Bridge, opp. Birch
Depot, from Canal, east of Freight Depot, to Elm. Derry road, to the town of Derry. Derry st. near head of Amherst, Towlesville. Dunbarton, from Front, A.
East. from Granite, P. Elm, principal business street north and south. First, from Mill to Bridge, A. Franklin, from Market, west of church, to Val- ley. Front, from Hooksett line and continuous, A.
Goffstown road, from Front, A. Granite, from Elm, via Granite bridge, to Pleasant, P. Green, from Franklin, south of Hall, to the Cem'y. Grove, from Franklin, south of Green, to the Cem'y. Gore, from Oak to Russell, north of the Reservoir. Gooden's avenue, from 9 Central.
Hall, from Franklin, south of Auburn, to the Cem'y. Hallsville, head of Spruce and Cedar. Hanover, from Elm, opp. City Hall, to Towlesville. Har- rison, from north Hooksett road, Elm to N. Chestnut. Harvey road, from Nutt to Moor's village. High, from N. Chestnut, south of Tremont sq. to Union. High from Amherst to Mast, P.
Jane, Janesv lle to Lowell. Janesville, head of Bridge and Pearl.
Kidder's court, rear North Grammar School.
Laurel, from S. Chestnut, Merrimack sq., to Rye Field.
Main, from Amoskeag. through Piscataquog village. Mammoth road. south to Lowell, Mass. Manchester, from 86 Elm to Beach. Maple, from Bridge, north Janesville Steam Mill, to Brook. Market, from Elm, City Hall, to Canal. Mast, from Main, west, via Piscataquog River. Mechanic, from Elm, north of Central B. to Canal. Mechanic' court, from 12 Concord, opp. Concord sq. Mechanics' row, rear Blodget Paper Mill, lower canal. Merrimack, from Canal across Elm, south of Manchester house, to the Rye field. Methodist court, from 4 Methodist Church. Middle from New Mill counting room to Franklin. Mill, from the river to Canal, south of Amoskeag Mill. Mill, from Amoskeag Island to Front, A. Myrtle, from Elm to Russell.
Nashua, from Concord. Towlesville, to Bridge. Nutt road, south from Elm. Orange, from Elm to Union, 1st north of Pearl. Oak, from Myrtle to Gore, south west of the Reservoir.
Park, from Elm, north of South Grammar School, to Belmont. Pearl, from Elin to Union, north of Bridge. Pine, from Orange, east of Concord sq. and the Cemetery to Valley. Pine grove, Manchester, west of Wilson's Hill. Pleasant, from Elm, south of the Museum B., to Canal. Pleasant, from Wal- nut to Granite, P. and continuous. Prospect, from Elm to Russell, north of Orange.
Second, from Mill to Bridge, A. South Chestnut, from Amherst to the Cemetery. State, from Mill to Valley, east of lower Canal. Stark, from Elm,
703
STREETS.
Patten's Block, to Canal. Summer, from Franklin, south of Auburn, to State. Spring. from Elm, south of North Grammar School, to Canal. Spruce, E. from Union, east of the Park, to Pine. Spruce, W. from Elm to Chestnut, east of the Park.
Towlesville, head of Concord and Amherst. Third, from Mill to Bridge, A. Union, from Orange, east of Tremont sq., to Valley.
Valley, from the river south of the Cem'y to Union. Vine, from Amherst west of Concord sq .. to Concord.
Walnut, from Amherst, opp. Hanover, sq., to Orange. Walnut, from Main to Pleasant, P. and continues. Water, from Elm, opp. Elm St House, to Canal. Water, Janesville, above steam mill. Weir, from State, on the lower canal weir, to Franklin. West, Walnut to Clinton, P. Willow, from Valley, west of the Cem'y, to Auburn. Wilson row, Bridge street. Wilson, from Halls- ville to Janesville.
Of these streets, Elm is the most capacious and extensive one in the city and is intended for the business street. It runs nearly north and south and is already laid out from beyond Ray Brook on the north, to Bakersville on the south, a distance of some over two miles. It is 100 feet in width, having spa- cious sidewalks and ample room for carriages. A row of elms was originally planted in the centre of the street, and hence its name. The trees were long since destroyed, the gas from leaky pipes destroying the last in 1855. It is perhaps well that the design of trees in the centre of the street has been aban- doned, for the street now is hardly wide enough for the con- tinuous travel, and with an increasing population and business, the proposed trees, however healthful, would have been much in the way of travel. The street now extends south only to Bakersville but will ere long be extended farther. Bakersville is a small village, built upon the old, or river road to Litchfield, upon the farm of the late Jesse Baker ; and hence its name .- It is about a mile south of the City Hall and comprises mainly School District No. 3. Like Hallsville, it has been built up by people who preferred cheap and eligible lots at a short dis- tance from the centre of business, rather than to pay the high prices for which the Company's lands had been sold. Elm street being already extended to it, and ere long to pass still farther south, Bakersville will be merged in the city proper, and with its light wooden cottages, will present a pleasant con- trast to the brick, stone and slate of the Elm street of to-day. So of North Elm street. That part of it above the Falls is to be built without restrictions to brick, or stone and slate, and will be one of the most pleasant parts of it.
Parallel to this street, and west of it, are Canal and Franklin, Bedford and State streets, and east of it, Vine, Church, Birch, Chestnut, Pine, Union, Walnut, and Beceh streets.
At right angles to the above streets, are, Orange, Pearl,
704
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
Bridge, Washington, High, Lowell, Concord, Amherst, Han- over, Manchester, Merrimack, Laurel, Central, Park, Granite, Spruce, Cedar, Auburn, Summer, Hall, Weir, Green, Grove and Valley streets.
Of these, Lowell and Concord streets are already extended over the Hall Hill eastward to the Mammoth Road ; and most of the others at right angles to Elm street will eventually be extended to the Mammoth Road, while Union street extends from Park street north over the Stark Hill a distance of nearly three miles ; Pine street extends from Harrison street south, nearly two miles to the road from the Centre to Merrill's Ferry, and is to be extended still farther; Chestnut street extends from the Valley Cemetery north to the Hooksett Road more than a mile, and Canal street extends from the Falls to Granite street and can be extended either way indefinitely, the old river road being an extension of it north to the city line.
Upon these streets east of Elm street are many fine private residences. Of some of these we have kindly been furnished with views. Upon Bridge street is the residence of F. Smyth, Esq., and that of Col. J. S. Kidder. Upon Lowell street are the houses of J. T. P. Hunt, Esq., Maj. J. G. Cilley, and Col. F. A. Brown; on Concord street are the residences of Herman Foster, Hon. G. W. Morrison, the late Hon. Moses Norris, and Geo. W. Flanders, Esq .; upon Hanover street is the house of the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company, occupied by Phinehas Adams, Esq., and that of Major Hiram Brown; upon Pine street are the residences of Hon. Moody Currier, and the late Capt. Walter French ; upon Water street is the residence of C. W. Baldwin, Esq., Agent of the Machine Shop; upon Market street is the house of David Gillis, Esq., Agent of the Amos- keag New Mills ; and upon Franklin street is the residence of E. A. Straw, Esq., Agent of the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company. These are all fine buildings, of modern architec- ture, and with their ornamental grounds add much with others to the beauty of our city; views of these accompany this work.
Much attention is paid by our citizens to planting trees, and most of our streets are already ornamented with thrifty elms and maples that add much of beauty to it, and will eventually in this particular, make it one of the most beautiful cities in New England.
The streets spoken of above, are on the east side of the Merrimac. The streets upon the west side of the river are not so regular, but conform to the old lines of travel. Thus at
705
WARDS.
Piscataquog the principal streets are Main, Mast Road, North and Granite streets. Main street runs parallel to the Merrimac and is the old road from Amoskeag and north to Boston. Am- herst street is the old road from Main street to Amherst. The Mast Road crosses Main street at right angles on the west bank of the Piscataquog, and extends parallel with that river to Goffs- town. Granite street extends from the Granite bridge west, crossing the River road nearly at right angles and passing over the bluff to the N. H. Central Railroad on the east bank of the Piscataquog. North street is parallel to Granite street and next north of it, extending from the River Road west to the railroad.
At Amoskeag, Front street is the main street of the village, being the old road from Hooksett to Piscataquog. At right angles to this are various short streets, the longest being the one leading from Front street to the Amoskeag Falls Bridge called Bridge street. The most of these streets lead from the sites of the old mills to Front street.
BOUNDARIES OF WARDS.
The City is divided into wards according to
SEC. 2 OF CITY CHARTER. The City of Manchester hereby is, and shall con- tinue to be, divided into eight wards, which shall be constituted as follows, viz :
Ward No. 1 shall include all that part of the city situated between Merri- mac river on the west, and Elm street on the east, and the centre line of Mar- ket street produced to the river on the south, and the centre line of the road" leading from the Amoskeag Falls bridge to Elm street on the north.
Ward No. 2 shall include all that part of the city situated between Elm street on the east, and the Merrimac river on west, and that between the south line of Ward No. 1 on the north, and a line from the point where Elm street inter- sects the old river road near the Valley Cemetery, due west to the Merrimac river on the south.
Ward No. 3 shall include all that part of the city now included within the limits of School District No. 1, and so much of School District No. 2 as is sit- uated east of E'm street, and north of the centre line of Lowell street, pro. duced to the easterly line of said School District No. 2.
Ward No. 4 shall include all that part of the city situated between Elm street on the west, and the Wilson road on the east, and between the south line of Ward No. 3 on the north and Hanover street on the south.
Ward No. 5 shall include all that part of the city situated between Elm st on the west, and the Wilson road on the east, and the south line of Ward No' 4 on the north, and the centre line of Central street produced to the Wilson road on the south.
Ward Mo. 6 shall includeall that part of the city on the east of the Merrimac which is not included in any of the above wards.
Ward No. 7 shall include all that part of the city severed from Bedford in 1853, and known as Piscataquog.
Ward No. 8 shall include all that part of the city severed from Goffstewn in 1853, and known as Amoskeag.
706
THE HISTORY OF MANCHESTER.
The Manchester Directory names the following Blocks and Buildings.
"Ayer's Block, between Museum and Crosby's Block.
Bean's Block, Pine, s. Merrimac. Bell's Block, Elm, below City Hotel .- Boston Block, Laurel, c. Pine.
Central Block, between Stark and Mechanic. Chase's Block, Walnut, c. Pleasant, (P.) Cheney and Marshall's Building, Elm, c. Central. City Bank Block, Hanover, n. Elm. Crosby's Block, Elm, corner Merrimac.
Dickey's Block, Main, n. Granite, (P.)
Ferren's Building. between Methodist Ch. and Union B. French's Building, Granite, n. Main, (P.)
Gas Works, Elm, near the Cemetery. Granite Block, Elm, n. Merrimac.
Jackson's Block, N. Chestnut, corner Pearl. Johnson's Block, Elm, near Bridge.' Joy's Block, 11. Merrimac.
Knowles's Block, Chestnut, cor. Merrimack. Kidder's Block, rear Elm, be- tween Bridge and Spring.
Masonic Temple, Hanover, n. Elm. Merchants' Exchange, 72 Elm. Mer- rimac Block, Elm, corner Merrimack, opposite Crosby's B. Museum Building, berween Merrimac and Pleasant.
Page and Riddle's Block, Bridge, n. Elm. Parson's Block, Concord, between Chestnut and Elm. Patten's Building, Elm, north of City Hall. Plumer's Block, 62 Elm.
Rundlett's Block, Manchester, n. Baptist Church.
Smith's B., West Spruce, between Elm and Chestnut. Smyth's Block, Elm, between Water and Spring. Stark Block, Elm, between Water and Mechanic. Union Building, between Market and Merrimac.
Webbers' Block, Chestnut, c. Laurel. Wallace's Block, Vine, corner Con- cord. Well's Building, Elm, corner Spring."
Of these, the Merchants' Exchange upon Elm street, between Hanover and Manchester streets, is one of the best structures in the State. It is 185 feet in length by 100 in depth, the front and wings being four stories in height. The first story in front is cast iron, and above, the structure is of brick, with stucco in imitation of dark sand stone. It is owned by Messrs. Moody Currier, J. G. Cilley, D. & D. J. Clark, L. Raymond, J. N. Brown, and J. A. Perry, and cost $72,000.
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