"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, Massachusetts, during the hard years of the Great Depression. They named their shop “Friendly” and sold double-dip ice cream cones for just five cents each. The combination of quality, affordability, and genuine friendliness quickly won over local customers. By 1940, the Blakes opened a second shop in West Springfield and began expanding their menu beyo

On a cold January day in 1816, tragedy struck the quiet community of South Wilbraham. Isaiah Leach, a 30-year-old farmer, was hauling logs to a sawmill along the Scantic River. Like so many men of his time, he relied on the strength of his team, a wooden sled, and his own endurance to move the heavy timber. But as he made his way along the rough path, one of the massive logs slipped free. In an instant, it rolled from the sled and crushed him beneath its weight. For nearly an

Memorial School is one of Wilbraham’s true treasures. Its story begins in the years following World War II, a time when America was changing rapidly. For decades, Wilbraham’s school population had remained steady, but after 1945, signs of growth began to appear. By September 1949, eighty children entered first grade, an unprecedented number that reflected the national trend of families leaving the cities for the suburbs after the war. Memorial School in 1955, Wilbur Barnes As

In Adams Cemetery stands a remarkable monument belonging to the Dane and Soule families—a piece unlike any other in the burial ground. What makes it extraordinary is the material from which it was crafted: white bronze. White bronze, despite its name, is not a true bronze at all but rather a zinc-based alloy. Beginning in the 1870s, it became a popular choice for monuments and gravestones in the United States. While most commonly found in cemeteries along the East Coast, exam

The towns of Wilbraham and Hampden, along with other communities in the Connecticut River Valley, were once partially covered by a vast body of water called Lake Hitchcock. This glacial lake formed about 15,000 years ago after the Laurentide Ice Sheet began to melt. The ice melt collected at a natural dam near Rocky Hill, Connecticut, blocking the Connecticut River and creating a long, narrow lake that stretched north about 200 miles to St. Johnsbury, Vermont. Lake Hitchcock

One of the earliest maps of Wilbraham was created by Aaron Bliss in 1830. This map was part of a statewide effort prompted by the 1829 Massachusetts Resolves (Chapter 50), which required every town, including Boston, to submit an up-to-date town plan to the state secretary’s office. Each plan had to be based on a survey conducted within the previous five years and drawn to a precise scale of one hundred rods to the inch. These detailed town plans were to include a wide range

Following King Philip’s War in 1675, many Native Americans in the valley relocated west, thereby making the land available for European settlement. A few, however, remained in what is now Wilbraham. One such area, remembered as Indian Rock, stood just west of today’s Hefferon Road. Local history recalls that a Native family lived there and would sometimes cross into the center village to trade at Charles Brewer’s tavern on Main Street during the mid-1700s. Among those remembe

Wilbraham holds a unique distinction among Massachusetts communities: it was traversed by both the first and the most recent turnpikes constructed in the Commonwealth. The earliest toll road to pass through Wilbraham was established in the late 18th century. In 1796, a charter was granted to improve the County Road stretching from Warren to Palmer. Two years later, this route was extended to reach North Wilbraham. One of the most transformative developments from this project

Long before Wilbraham was incorporated in 1763, Ludlow in 1774, and Hampden in 1878, the land these towns occupy today was known collectively by a different name, Minnechaug , meaning “berry land” or “berry hill” to the Nipmuc people who first inhabited it. This region, rich in natural resources, was part of their ancestral territory until 1636, when it was sold to William Pynchon of Springfield. In the aftermath of the 1675 burning of Springfield during King Philip’s War, a

The Silas Bliss Homestead, 218 Mountain Road, Wilbraham, MA Before the English settled in this region, it was home to a vibrant and enduring Native American presence. Among the earliest inhabitants were the Agawam, Nipmuc, and Wampanoag tribes, each playing a significant role in shaping the land now known as Wilbraham. The Nipmuc people, in particular, made a lasting impact by using the area as a versatile three-season camping ground, taking advantage of its natural resources

In the waning days of September 1777, with the echoes of gunfire from the Battle of Bennington still rippling through the valleys of the northeast, a company of Wilbraham men rallied to the call of liberty. Among them was Dr. Samuel F. Merrick, who recorded his experience in a journal that offers a rare window into the heart of the Revolution from a local perspective. The Battle of Bennington, fought on August 16, had been a turning point in the northern campaign. General Joh

The origins of the Wilbraham Library trace back to 1782, when a group of residents purchased shares to establish and support a local lending library. The first librarian, Solomon Warriner, kept the collection in his home at 635 Main Street, making it the earliest known location of the town’s library. That historic house stood for nearly two centuries before being demolished in February 1963. Solomon Warriner's home at 635 Main Street, Wilbraham The Wilbraham Free Public Libra

As the population in the southern part of Wilbraham steadily increased during the 18th century, so did the desire for a place of worship closer to home. The Scantic River region, which was somewhat removed from the town center, developed a strong sense of community. This led to the formal establishment of a second parish on June 11, 1782, when the Town of Wilbraham was officially divided into two religious precincts. The new division became known as the South Parish of Wilbra

As one walks through the peaceful grounds of Wilbraham’s oldest cemeteries, a quiet story unfolds in the weathered inscriptions carved into stone. Among the family plots and fading epitaphs, a startling number of children appear, many lost within days or months of birth, some barely reaching their early years. One particularly heartbreaking pattern emerges from the year 1803, when an epidemic swept through the area, claiming the lives of numerous children. Though rarely menti

According to Wilbraham historian Chauncey Peck, the earliest known resident of the farmhouse at 883 Tinkham Road was Loren Phelps. Built in the 1840s, the home appears in both the 1850 U.S. Census and the 1857 map of Wilbraham, confirming that the Phelps family had settled there by the mid-19th century. Loren Phelps, born in Connecticut in 1814, was listed in the 1860 Census as a 48-year-old farmer. He and his wife, Assenith (then 53), owned $4,000 in real estate and held $50

On September 28, 1853, in the quiet town of Wilbraham, nestled among its hills and wooded paths, a tragedy unfolded in the early autumn that would be spoken of for generations. Charles Brewer, Jr., a well-respected and hardy man of 78 years and eight months, was known for his independence and resilience. He lived just south of the old Methodist meeting house, in a modest home later owned by F. A. Gurney. Despite his age, Brewer remained active and often tended to chores that

Historical records and local traditions indicate that during the mid-18th century, approximately between 1745 and 1780, at least five families in Wilbraham, Massachusetts, held enslaved people in their households. Among them was the Reverend Noah Merrick, who is believed to have had three individuals in servitude, likely inherited by his wife from her family estate in Haddam, Connecticut. David Merrick reportedly had one enslaved person, as did Captain John Shaw. Dr. Samuel F