At the heart of Wilbraham’s village center lies a parcel of land known as Crane Park, a place deeply connected to the town’s history and to those who served during the Civil War. In 1885, Wilbraham residents voted to honor the local men who gave their lives to preserve the Union. A committee of five was appointed to determine how best to commemorate them. Within a month, the committee proposed building a Memorial Town Hall, a structure that would serve both civic and memorial

Humans first began working with metals around 7000 B.C., starting with copper rather than iron. Iron was far more difficult to use; it rarely appeared in pure form and required extremely high heat and laborious hammering to remove impurities. By about 1400 B.C., people had mastered the techniques to smelt and forge it, and iron’s strength and reliability quickly made it indispensable to civilization. When English settlers arrived in North America, they depended entirely on im

One of the most common building materials we often take for granted is the brick. Yet for early colonists in the Connecticut River Valley, it was essential, making homes safer, hearths more durable, and industrial buildings stronger. To understand its significance, we first need to look at the history of brick. Bricks are among the oldest known building materials, dating back to around 7000 BC near ancient Jericho. Early bricks were sun-dried mud, while in Egypt, clay mixed w