Bridges have long shaped the movement of people and goods in Wilbraham, though surprisingly few have ever crossed its waterways. Only two major road bridges span the Chicopee River into Ludlow, forming the northernmost connections between the two communities. Within Wilbraham itself, the earliest crossings were built over the town’s smaller streams, providing essential links between dispersed farms and early roads.  One of the earliest known structures stood on the old Bay Ro

Long before electric lines stretched across the valley, the bend of the Chicopee River at Red Bridge played a defining role in the growth of both Ludlow and the northwest corner of Wilbraham. In Ludlow, the manufactory first appeared around 1815, taking advantage of the steady current at a point once known as Put’s Bridge, an area where Ludlow, Springfield, and Wilbraham merge, named for its builder, Eli Putnam. By 1821, the site had been reorganized as the Springfield Manufa

Much of what we know about Wilbraham’s earliest quirks, customs, and firsts comes from the notes of Calvin Stebbins and John Bliss, Esqs. Their observations offer a glimpse into how daily life in town slowly changed from the mid-1700s through the early 1800s. The first potatoes came to Wilbraham around 1754, brought by Deacon Nathaniel Warriner roughly twenty-three years after the town was settled. Not long after, broom-corn became an important local crop. Thomas Jones or Jos

By 1740, the “Outward Commons” of Springfield, what would later become Wilbraham, was a hardy little settlement of twenty-four or so families scattered over four miles of forest and farmland. These pioneers lived in small, simply built houses, furnished with only the essentials. Their fields were narrow, their fences questioned more by wandering wildlife than by neighbors, and their weekly errands were long hikes to the mill or the nearest store. But if anything tested their

Wilbraham’s 150th anniversary in June 1913 was remembered as one of the most remarkable events in the town’s history. For three days, June 17, 18, and 19, the normally quiet community swelled to twice its size as residents, former townspeople, and visitors from across the region gathered to honor the town’s incorporation in 1763. Every home was decorated, every organization contributed, and the entire community worked together to create an unforgettable celebration. June 17 –

In November of 2012, an experienced tree arborist was tending to his work in Glendale Cemetery when something happened that he could never fully explain. As he fed branches into the chipper, a man appeared in his peripheral vision, an older gentleman, moving quietly along one of the paths. His clothing struck the arborist immediately: it looked out of another century, the rough shape and color of Civil War–era attire. Startled, the arborist shut down the wood chipper so he co

East Wilbraham Cemetery East Wilbraham Cemetery. Martha Lyon Located on high ground between Boston Road and the Massachusetts Turnpike, a short distance east of Three Rivers Road, the East Wilbraham Cemetery has a long yet partly obscure history. Early town records provide few details, but a vote taken at a Wilbraham town meeting on August 10, 1829, refers to “the burying ground on the First Baptist Society in Wilbraham,” confirming its connection to the town’s early Baptist

The Merrick Tribe at Theodore’s graduation from Amherst College, 1929. L-R (Standing): Ruth Merrick, Charlie Merrick, Elizabeth Kidder, Harold Merrick, Stuart Merrick, Christopher Cole, Dorthea Kidder, Theodore Merrick.   INDEX James Merrick + Eunice Merrick (Jewell) Family James Merrick: Birthdate: December 11, 1823 Birthplace: Wilbraham, Hampden, MA, Death: May 02, 1898 (74), Wilbraham, Hampden, MA Place of Burial: Wilbraham, Hampden, MA, Immediate Family: Son of: Samuel F

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

Even though Paul Revere, William Dawes Jr., and Dr. Samuel Prescott are remembered as the celebrated Patriot messengers of the famous “Midnight Ride,” they were in fact part of a much larger network of riders who carried the alarm throughout the Province of Massachusetts Bay on the night of April 18, 1775. Their mission was to warn local militias and minutemen that British regulars were on the march toward Concord to seize colonial military supplies. This illustration depicts

In June of 1740, a petition was presented to the General Court requesting that the Outward Commons of Springfield be established as the Fourth Precinct of the town. Governor Jonathan Belcher approved the request on January 6, 1741, though the final grant differed slightly from the original proposal. It excluded the First Division and that portion of the Second Division lying north of the Chicopee River, land that would later become part of Ludlow. The new precinct included al

Springfield Mountain The Settlement of Springfield Mountain The early settlers of the “Outward Commons,” or “Springfield Mountain” as it was once known, were hardy, determined, and adventurous men and women. This vast wilderness, today, the towns of Wilbraham, Hampden, and Ludlow- tested their strength and spirit daily. Life was far from easy. The soil was stubborn, and the challenges of frontier living were constant companions. The land itself had deep roots in early colonia

Hessians were German soldiers hired by Britain to fight in the American Revolutionary War. Between 30,000 and 37,000 served in America, about one quarter of all British land forces. Most came from the German states of Hesse-Kassel and Hesse-Hanau. Though often called mercenaries, the Hessians were technically auxiliaries, troops loaned by their governments to Britain while remaining under their own officers and command. They fought as organized units under their own flags. He

The horse-drawn hearse on display at the Old Meeting House Museum in Wilbraham is a fine example of a rural two-horse-drawn hearse manufactured around the 1870s, believed to have been built by the George L. Brownell Company of New Bedford, Massachusetts. George L. Brownell was a renowned carriage maker throughout the mid-19th century, known for crafting elegant and durable hearses that were sold across New England and even shipped abroad. His business thrived until the arriva

"On Springfield Mountain"  is one of America’s earliest known ballads, recounting the tragic death of a young man fatally bitten by a rattlesnake while mowing a field. The song memorializes Timothy Merrick, who was recorded to have died of a snakebite on August 7, 1761, in the Outward Commons —an area that is now part of Wilbraham, Massachusetts. Recognized as a staple of early American folk tradition, the song appears in numerous collections and is often cited as an example

The story of the potato chip begins in the mid-1800s with George Crum, born George Speck, a chef of Native and African American heritage who worked at Moon’s Lake House in Saratoga Springs, New York. In 1853, a diner complained that Crum’s fried potatoes were too thick. In response, he sliced a new batch of paper-thin slices, fried them until perfectly crisp, and seasoned them with salt. To everyone’s surprise, the customer loved them, and soon “Saratoga Chips” became the tal

Members and guests entering the golf shop at the Country Club of Wilbraham (MA) may not realize it, but they are stepping into one of the most historic buildings in town The Country Club of Wilbraham as it appears today. Ken Cerino   I first became interested in the building after joining CCW a few years ago and noticed the date 1760 on the front right side. Research showed that this was the home of an early Wilbraham resident named Samuel Warner, and several generations of f

Friendly’s traces its origins to 1935, when brothers Prestley and Curtis Blake opened a small ice cream shop in Springfield,...