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

The storm that swept through the region on October 3rd and 4th, 1869, would soon etch itself into the annals of local memory as one of the most devastating weather events at that time ever recorded in Western Massachusetts. Beginning before dawn on Sunday, torrential rain poured relentlessly through the day and deep into the night. Not until the middle of Monday afternoon did the skies finally begin to clear. For nearly two days, the rain fell not in drops but in torrents, sh

The Connecticut River Valley has been inhabited by humans for at least 6,000 years. Numerous Native American tribes lived throughout the fertile valley before the arrival of European explorers. In 1614, Dutch explorer Adriaen Block became the first European to chart the Connecticut River, sailing as far north as the Enfield Rapids. By 1623, Dutch traders had constructed a fortified trading post at the site of present-day Hartford, Connecticut, known as the "Fort House of Hope

Wesleyan Academy, affiliated with the Methodist Society and now known as Wilbraham & Monson Academy, has been a highly respected private educational institution since its founding in 1817. In 1825, the academy was relocated to the Town of Wilbraham, thanks in large part to the efforts of Reverend Phineas Peck. Reverend Peck, who also supplied the local church, reported that the people of Wilbraham were enthusiastic about the academy’s move and generously offered their support

In the late 17th century, the King of England claimed all large Eastern White Pines as property of the Crown. Surveyors were dispatched to New England’s forests, marking pines of at least 24 inches in diameter with a “broad arrow” — three axe slashes indicating royal ownership. This decree, codified by the Mast Preservation Clause of 1691, applied to all suitable trees within 10 miles of navigable waterways in British territories, though it excluded private lands. Anyone foun

Henry Knox was indeed a significant figure in early American history. Born in Boston in 1750, he played crucial roles in both the Revolutionary War and the early years of the United States government. Henry Knox, a Boston bookseller and artillery expert who would achieve fame in General Washington's army, was painted by Peale at Valley Forge in late May 1778. Knox began his career as a bookseller in Boston but soon became involved in the patriot cause. During the onset of the

When the New England Hot Rod Hall of Fame welcomed its newest inductees during the summer of 2009, one name stood out among the crowd of legends: a man whose racing career had become synonymous with innovation, consistency, and dominance from the early 1960s through the 1970s. Ralph H. Ridgeway, Jr., a longtime resident of Wilbraham, Massachusetts, was the middle of three children born to Gladys and Ralph Ridgeway in Springfield. His father, a self-made businessman who found

Between 1840 and 1860, a wave of apocalyptic fervor swept across North America, fueled by the teachings of William Miller, an American clergyman. Miller is credited with founding the mid-19th-century religious movement known as Millerism. His bold proclamations predicted the imminent Second Coming of Christ, leading many to believe the world would soon come to an end. When his prophecy failed to materialize in 1844, a day that became known as the "Great Disappointment," new m

In early 1946, Carl Alsing, the owner of the land where a rock shelter stood in Wilbraham, contacted the Springfield Museum of Natural History to report a discovery on his property. He believed that what had been uncovered beneath a rocky overhang might be Native American remains. Eager to see the site properly investigated, Alsing welcomed the involvement of any qualified group willing to undertake a thorough exploration. The museum’s Mrs. Johnson relayed this information to

On the morning of September 11, 2001, the United States experienced an unprecedented terrorist attack. Nineteen men associated with the extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial airliners. Their goal was to use the planes as weapons against symbolic American landmarks. At 8:46 a.m., the first plane struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. Seventeen minutes later, a second plane hit the South Tower, confirming that the country was under attack

The Glendale neighborhood has always held a special place in the history of the Town of Wilbraham, even before Reverend Haskell gave it the name Glendale in 1867. Primarily agricultural, the area was also home to several small granite quarries operated by local family farms. Many of the homes in this region used locally sourced granite for their foundations, reflecting the industrious spirit of its early residents. Glendale Church, circa 1914 (Wilbraham Public Library) Glenda

At the start of the American Revolution, the British recognized the strategic significance of controlling the water route connecting Lake Champlain, Lake George, and the Hudson River. They believed gaining control of this route would sever communication and supply lines between the northern and southern colonies, weakening the rebellion. Trouble had primarily brewed in New England, so the British aimed to quell the rebellion there, expecting the rest of the colonies to follow

Around 1850, persistent rumors circulated in numerous New England towns suggesting that portions of "Captain Kidd's gold" lay buried within their borders. In Wilbraham during this era, one particular individual harbored a firm belief or perhaps a fantastical dream that some of this legendary treasure was concealed atop our local mountain. Specifically, he envisioned its presence within an ancient cellar hole situated on the eastern slope of Ridge Road, just north of the prese