Wilbraham’s past is often told through its farms, mills, and village life, but a closer look reveals a surprising variety of industries that once shaped the town’s economy. Among the most notable was the growing of tobacco, which flourished for a brief but productive period during the mid-nineteenth century. From about 1850 to 1880, tobacco farming became an important seasonal enterprise, particularly along West Street, today's Stony Hill Road. Many local farmers devoted smal

Long before English settlement, the Chicopee River and its surrounding waterways shaped life in what is now Wilbraham. For Native American communities, rivers and streams were essential to survival. They provided fish and attracted game, supplied fresh water for daily use, and enriched nearby soils that supported crops such as corn, beans, and squash. Waterways also served as natural travel corridors, allowing people to move, trade, and communicate across great distances. Bey

Wilbraham has long been a town of distinct neighborhoods, each with its own character and traditions. While many localities developed familiar names and small institutions of their own, only two areas achieved full recognition as villages with commercial activity and post offices: Wilbraham and North Wilbraham. These two villages, located about two miles apart, are connected by what has long been regarded as one of the most pleasant and scenic roads in Hampden County. Chapel