It took two different railroad companies to connect the City of Boston to the Town of Springfield, thus connecting the Town of Wilbraham in between. The first was the Boston and Worcester Railroad (B&W), chartered and incorporated in 1831. Construction began in August of 1832, and the first train running on that line was on July 4, 1835. This was the very first railroad in Massachusetts. The second railroad was the Western Railroad, which was chartered and incorporated in 183

Another large North Wilbraham business was the Cutler Company, a grain and milling business that was first established in Ashland, Massachusetts, in 1839 by Simeon Newton Cutler. Cutler ran the mills and, in 1844, was joined by his son Henry, grinding all the corn from the local farmers. They even expanded the operation to buy corn from the West. All seemed prosperous until 1867, when Simeon Newton Cutler suddenly died. To add to this misfortune, an arsonist burned down the m

The Society was incorporated in 1963 as a non-profit organization by a group of concerned townspeople. Their purpose was to form a permanent local group to preserve artifacts and memorabilia relating to the people and history of Wilbraham. The operation of our organization is funded entirely by the dues, gifts, and activities of our membership, which is open to all interested persons from Wilbraham and other communities. The Old Meeting House, which is now our museum and head

Gordon Bliss, son of Levi, graduated from Dartmouth College in 1797. He spent two years completing his legal studies and had just been admitted to the Massachusetts Bar early in 1799 when he came back home to Wilbraham for a short rest. Gordon’s Mother, Martha, spared no effort to make Gordon’s brief stay as happy as his success had made her. When he arrived home, the young people gathered around the hearth in the Blisses’ house to listen to Gordon’s stories of Hanover and Bo

Jonah Beebe was born on 14 April 1750 in East Haddam, Connecticut Colony, British Colonial America. He married Ruth Dowley on 14 April 1772, in Lyme, Connecticut Colony, British Colonial America. At some point in time, he and his wife moved to the newly formed South Parish of Wilbraham and built a beautiful federal-period home in 1783 on the East Road (now 421Glendale Road, Hampden). They were the parents of at least 6 sons and 2 daughters. Jonah also built a schoolhouse jus

Since the early to mid-1800s, there has always been discussion about building a Town Hall. It has appeared on the Town Warrant during the years of 1838, 1840, and 1844. The 1840 Town Warrant stated building a Town House on the Green near the home of John Adams. This spot would today be located at 678 Main Street, where to Children's Museum now stands. During those early times, the town was divided into the North and South Parishes, and of course, parish rivalry always block

Ruth Merrick History from the Letter Collector: "These letters were written by Ruth Merrick in 1922 . Back in 1998, when I was new to eBay, I missed being able to win the bulk of Ruth's letters, but over the years, a few have trickled in from various stamp dealers. Her letters to her mother (Mary George (Seavey) Merrick) and brothers are full of humor and stories of campus life. Ruth's brothers Charles Llewellyn Merrick and (James) Harold Merrick were at Amherst College, and

The lack of effective government regulation led to unsafe and unhealthy work environments at the mill. In the late nineteenth century, more industrial accidents occurred in the United States than in any other industrial country. Working conditions were difficult and exposed employees to many risks and dangers, including cramped work areas with poor ventilation, loud noises, cold and hot environments, trauma from machinery, and toxic exposures to heavy metals, dust, and solven

The Collins Paper Company was established in January 1872 when Warren Collins donated acreage on the Chicopee River to the Hollister family. Collins had inherited land in North Wilbraham. He was a farmer who was prominent in town as its first postmaster. Collins Mill, 1890 With a capital of $200,000, a large part of which was furnished by funds invested by the trustees of Amherst College. The Collins Paper Company purchased water privilege on the Chicopee River north of and n

In the quiet town of Wilbraham, where the winter air hung heavy with tension and discontent, a group of courageous residents found themselves at the forefront of an unexpected historical event – Shays' Rebellion. As the winds of rebellion blew through the region, the people of Wilbraham played a pivotal role in thwarting Daniel Shays' audacious plan to attack the Federal Armory. On January 24, 1787, Shays arrived in Wilbraham during the afternoon, intending to lodge his soldi

In 1863, Dwight Ellis rented a small Mill off Crane Hill Road, near the brook in North Wilbraham. This mill burned down 1 1/2 years later. This small mill was most likely the mill erected by Jonathan Kilborn, who in 1803 placed in service a carding machine, brought from Mendon, Massachusetts. Wilbraham Woolen Mill, late 1800's The first mill in this area was a gristmill, very near the site of the small mill that Mr. Kilborn built. In 1762, the town gave Caleb Stebbins of the

In 1909, a scaly, blistery band was observed on a small chestnut tree standing near the east side of Glendale Road, close to the Wilbraham-Hampden town line. Experts from the State and Federal Departments of Agriculture came to examine it. The fungus of this disease, which is wind-borne, had its first known victim in Massachusetts. Since the surface of the tree is vulnerable to the white-tendriled parasite, birds aided the wind in this mass destruction. Efforts to control thi

At the Old Meeting House Museum in Wilbraham, Massachusetts, this exquisite five-slat ladder-back armchair with mushroom armrests crafted from birch stands as a testament to the craftsmanship of the early 18th century. Its origins trace back to the skilled hands of a Springfield chair maker. The initials of AG are inscribed on the right armrest. Peletiah Glover 2nd (1665-1737) of Springfield, Massachusetts, was a child of the illustrious Glover lineage. Peletiah 2nd, son of t

Abel Bliss was born on February 18, 1708, in Springfield, Massachusetts. He was the middle child (7th out of 13 children) of Thomas and Hannah (Caldwell) Bliss. Upon reaching adulthood, he left his hometown of Springfield to become one of the early settlers of Wilbraham, Massachusetts, in 1736. Abel Bliss's gravestone is located in Adams Cemetery He was reputed to have had great physical strength and was supposed to have been instrumental in cutting the path from Springfield

Have you ever noticed this home, which was built in 1785 by Samuel Kilburn and is located today at 3113 Boston Road? Have you noticed that the positioning of this home does not face the road as you would expect? 3113 Boston Road, built in 1785. The front of this house faces west and not towards the current Boston Road for good reason. Back in the day in when it was built, the front of the home faced the road on which it was built, the Third Road. This so-called road is known

Every day, countless motorists travel along Boston Road near 2957 Boston Road, scarcely aware that beneath the modern pavement and the driveway of a local business lies one of Wilbraham’s most quietly remarkable historic resources. Hidden from view is a stone bridge constructed in 1732, its hand-laid masonry still intact after nearly three centuries. Though easily overlooked, this modest structure stands as a silent witness to some of the most consequential movements of peopl

It was on a hot and humid Friday, August 7, 1761, and farmer Lt. Thomas Mirick sent his twenty-two-year-old son, Timothy, to harvest the hay. Like other young men and women in that agricultural community, Timothy was accustomed to the hard labor of subsistence farming. He sharpened his father’s scythe blade against a stone. He then began the laborious task of cutting the hay, but his thoughts may have been elsewhere, thinking of his beloved Sarah. Timothy Mirick's Home. Pictu

This tankard was smithed by J. Potwine in the Boston area. In 1739, he moved from Boston to Windsor, CT. J. Potwine was born in 1699 in England and moved to Boston in 1700. He became a member of the Congregational Church in about 1715. Merrick Tankard/Chalice (Old Meeting House Museum) Potwine lived in East Windsor with his son from about 1739 to his death in about 1793. He did no more smithing in CT, possibly because he was blinded by fumes created by the manufacturing proce

This home, located at 43 Maple Street, was the home of Joseph and Maria Baldwin. The Baldwin family came to North Wilbraham in 1836 and is linked with a rich history of this part of town. 43 Maple Street, photo late 1800's 43 Maple Street, present day Joseph and Maria built this home in the 1870s and shared it with Maria’s mother, who lived past 89. Joseph died in 1907, and Maria occupied the house until she died in 1916. The old photograph of the home was taken in 1909. 43 M