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New England Funeral Traditions in the 18th Century
In 1700, English law changed to allow everyone, regardless of status, to be buried in a coffin. Before this, coffins were typically...
Oct 23, 20249 min read
Letters Through Wilbraham: Tracing the Pioneering Postal Routes
The Boston Post Road, also known as the Upper Post Road, stands as the pioneering postal route linking Boston and New York, traversing...
Sep 29, 20247 min read
What Lies Beneath Adams Cemetery?
Well besides the obvious, we are going to talk about soil. Adams Cemetery is situated within the Connecticut Valley Lowland, a region...
Aug 29, 20242 min read
The Unspeakable Murder in the Hollow of Wilbraham Mountains.
The chilling events of Tuesday, July 26, 1881, on Hampden Road (Hollow Road) in Wilbraham cast a dark shadow over the small community....
Jul 31, 20242 min read
Is it Possible that the Beeline March of 1775 came through Wilbraham?
In June 1775, responding to the urgent call for aid from George Washington's besieged forces in Boston, Massachusetts, the Continental...
Jun 25, 20243 min read
The George M. Kingdon Fire Company, Part II
By Retired Fire Chief David F. Bourcier 1963 George M. Kingdon Fire Company, W.F.D. Headquarters The Bicentennial, Continuing Growth and...
Jun 7, 202466 min read
The George M. Kingdon Fire Company, Part I
By Retired Fire Chief David F. Bourcier The George M. Kingdon Fire Company 1919 Acknowledgments:...
Jun 7, 202446 min read
A Remarkable Journey through History
On a beautiful winter day, my wife Kelley and I set out to explore the remnants of an old sawmill that once stood on Big Brook in the...
Jun 5, 20242 min read
Wilbraham's Gold-Headed Boston Post Cane
The Boston Post Cane, introduced in 1909, was a unique tradition sent to the selectmen of 700 towns across Massachusetts, New Hampshire,...
May 28, 20245 min read
Victory's Ascent: The 1908 Wilbraham Mountain Challenge
On Friday, September 11, 1908, the small town of Wilbraham buzzed with excitement as the sun rose over the mountains, casting a golden...
Apr 16, 20246 min read
The Mysterious Apotropaic Marks that can be found anywhere
In the quaint town of Wilbraham, nestled within historic houses that stand as silent witnesses to centuries past, mysterious apotropaic...
Mar 30, 20245 min read
Whispers of Liberty, Wilbraham and Hampden's Connection to the Boston Tea Party
The Boston Tea Party was not solely a response to a tax on tea but was deeply rooted in broader political and economic issues. The Tea...
Feb 29, 20247 min read
The legend of Kibbe's shirt
The Kibbe family name goes way back in time. In 1743, Israel Kibbe of Somers, Connecticut purchased a large tract of land near the...
Dec 29, 20233 min read
The First Church of the Outward Commons on Springfield Mountain
The land comprising the present towns of Ludlow, Wilbraham, and Hampden was originally known as the Outward Commons of Springfield,...
Nov 30, 20238 min read
The Wilbraham Aqueduct Company
In the January session of 1796, the Senate and House of Representatives in the General Court assembled and granted the act to incorporate...
Sep 29, 20233 min read
Abraham Avery III and his devious saddle.
Abraham Avery III moved to Wilbraham from the Montville Connecticut area, sometime in the early 1800s. The home he lived in Wilbraham was...
Aug 30, 20235 min read
Historical Tidbits, did you know...
Did you know that Wilbraham almost had an airport? In 1957 Waldemar Hagerman was granted a variance under the Zoning By-Law to establish...
Jul 29, 202325 min read
The Grace Chapel Parish of Collins Depot
As we learn the history of this small church, we have to understand the area in which this church is located. Will discuss the colonial...
Jun 29, 20237 min read
In the past Lake George was known to be a summer getaway for many Wilbraham families.
I can guess what you are thinking, Lake George, the one that is located in upstate New York but the lake I am referring to is located in...
May 28, 20237 min read
Old Place Names, Locations, and References of the Outward Commons, Wilbraham and South Wilbraham.
The title of this research is a collection of names, locations, and references that we may or may not hear today. Many old local history...
Mar 31, 202324 min read
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