Did you know that Wilbraham almost had an airport? In 1957 Waldemar Hagerman was granted a variance under the Zoning By-Law to establish an airport for private planes. This would have been located on the north side of Boston Road in the area of 2420. The reason for its failure was that a serious flaw was discovered in the land title. This could have been corrected but it would have required a long and expensive legal action.
Did you know that Wilbraham had two steamboats in operation at various times? The first was a venture by Peter Flibotte in July of 1891. He was granted a license to operate a steamboat by the name of "Chicopee River" on the Chicopee River between Jenksville (Ludlow), by the Ludlow Bridge and Collins Depot (Wilbraham), by the Collins Bridge. After only a few trips, the project was abandoned. It appears that shallows, sandbars, and rocks in the river were too difficult to negotiate. The second venture was that of Marshall Lane in 1894. He operated the Lakeview Inn at 2664-2666 Boston Road today across from Nine Mile Pond. This inn would eventually become the Auto Inn. He was licensed to operate a steamboat called the "Lakeview" on Nine Mile Poud. A vertical steam boiler powered the steamboat. It had a passenger capacity of twenty-five. This venture only lasted one or two seasons due to the work involved in running the hotel and the steamer. The "Lakeview" was sold to out-of-town buyers.
Did you know that South Wilbraham (Hampden) was the home to several granite quarries? Some of these quarries were on family farms that were not commercial operations and supplied granite to the owner and nearby neighbors. Other quarries such as Dwelly Quarry on Ames Road, the Flynt Quarry on Chapin Road, and the Morris Quarry further south on Chapin Road were much bigger operations. There are little to no brownstone deposits in South Wilbraham, that's why most of the foundation stones are made of granite in this part of town. Other areas in Wilbraham especially the mountain area have foundations made of granite from these nearby quarries.
Did you know that Wilbraham was home to two brownstone quarries? The Burt Quarry off Main Street in Wilbraham and a smaller quarry off Stony Hill Road near Hitchcock Road in Wilbraham. Most of the brownstone foundations and building stones come from the quarry off of Main Street and the rest from the Stony Hill Road property. The quarry off Stony Hill Road was abandoned before 1885. Some of the foundations in South Wilbraham came from the Main Street quarry in Wilbraham or the McGregory Quarry off Somers Road in East Longmeadow.
Did you know that Wilbraham and South Wilbraham were part of the Underground Railroad? Both parishes played an important role in this movement. The director of the underground railroad in the Springfield area was the Reverend Samuel Osgood, pastor of the First Church in Springfield from 1809 to 1854. The fleeing slaves would travel eastward from Springfield or northward from Connecticut and head to the Glendale sections of both parishes to hide in the ravines and wooded areas, making a perfect hiding place. This was considered the main line to the east. John Calkins, a shoemaker, and his wife, Lucia Day Calkins, of South Wilbraham, were the leaders in this immediate area. Some homes also had secret basements to create safe havens during the days.
Did you know that Wilbraham had the first library system in the Connecticut Valley? The Wilbraham Library dates as far back as 1782. Individuals bought shares so that the library could operate. Solomon Warriner was the first librarian and was located in his home which stood at 635 Main Street. This home was demolished in February 1963. The Wilbraham Free Library was organized in 1892. For the complete history of our library, please see Mary Bell's research and tap the link below. https://www.wilbrahamlibrary.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/library_50th_history_presentation.pdf
Did you know that Wilbraham hosted one of the earliest hill-climbing contests in New England? On Friday, September 11, 1908, under the auspices of the Springfield Automobile Club, sponsored by the Automobile Club of Massachusetts held a hill climb on Wilbraham Mountain. The one-mile course went up Monson Road and starting line approximately 500 feet east of Main Street, and the course finished just before reaching Ridge Road. A newspaper article at the time stated twenty events were planned with about 70 "machines" competing. Some of the car companies that competed were Stevens-Duryea, Knox, Buick, Chalmers, Cameron, Middleby, Jackson, Bailey, Atlas, and Stanley Steamer. The Stevens-Duryea manufactured in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, and the Knox Automobile Company manufactured in Springfield, Massachusetts, were the show winners with the winning driver being Charles Basle who negotiated the difficult dirt road mile in one minute and eight seconds, an average of 52.9 miles per hour, the fastest time made in the entire meet with his Knox Giant. An Indian motorcycle made the trip in one minute and three-fifths of a second.
Did you know that Henry Willis Cutler had the first automobile on record in Wilbraham? In 1905 Henry W. Cutler's name appears on the assessors' list of owning a 1905 Knox touring car valued at $500. He became the treasurer of the Cutler Company, his father's business in North Wilbraham. The family was known as the "high society" of North Wilbraham. He lived to be 90 years old and was very active in North Wilbraham affairs. He was the first Sunday School Superintendent of Grace Union Church and was a leader in the church until he died in 1955. He was a selectman, a library trustee, and a school committee member for many years. The Stony Hill School auditorium is named after him for his school committee work.
Did you know that 16-year-old Abigail "Nabby" Merrick predicted her death and she and five other young people were dead about an hour later? On Monday, April 29, 1799, a gathering was held at the home of Levi Bliss located on West Road (Main Street, North Wilbraham). As the men gathered and talked, the young ladies assembled in the front room for a formal tea. When they finished, Abigail decided to read her fortune from her tea leaves, as was customary in those days. She then turned her cup over to find her fortune. “Oh!” Says she, “I’m going to be drowned.” The others made light of it. Soon after a proposition was made and agreed to by some of the company to form a sailing party on Nine Mile Pond located nearby. At approximately 5:30 PM they ventured out and reached the home of Captain Shepherd, who owned a sailboat. The six young people were off at full sail in a short time when suddenly a gust of wind capsized the boat, and all six drowned. To read the full story click the link. https://david-bourcier.wixsite.com/wilbraham-tidbits/post/the-melancholy-event-of-1799
Did you know that State Line Potato Chips were made right here in Wilbraham? Back in 1919, The Carville family created their first potato chips in their Enfield, Connecticut kitchen on the Massachusetts-Connecticut state line. 1925 State Line Potato Chip Company, Inc., was started by Abraham Katze who took over this enterprise. In 1927 the operation was moved to Wilbraham and they built a plant that was located at 2535 Boston Road. By 1963 the company employed about 100 people in the manufacture and distribution of potato chips and cheese-coated popcorn. A fleet of 40 trucks delivered its products throughout Massachusetts and five neighboring states. Sometime in the late 1980s, the company was sold and the chips were discontinued being made in town. The Wilbraham plant has since been demolished.
Did you know the Scantic River in South Wilbraham, one could find pearls? At one point in time, there was excitement throughout the country that you could find a pearl in freshwater clams. Some of the townspeople did find some pearls of respectable size and value long ago in clams from the Scantic River.
Did you know that Lieutenant Paul Langdon had the first wagon in town? Luitenant Paul Langdon was one of the Wilbraham pioneers, he was the first of Langdons in this area. Lt. Langdon was born in Boston on September 12, 1693. He and his wife Mary moved to the Outward Commons (Wilbraham) sometime in the early 1740s and settled just south of the Bay Path on what is now Stony Hill Road. They had seven children together. Lt. Langdon was a carpenter, a millwright, and a farmer. He had a very prosperous farm on which he had a "marvelous" wagon, the only one at the time in the precinct. He was known to use his wagon to bring family and neighbors to church regularly.
Did you know that Lewis Langdon invented a machine for turning cider-mill screws? He was the grandson of Lieutenant Paul Langdon. Lewis is credited for inventing the machine for turning cider-mill screws. Cider mills operated throughout New England in September and October, converting most of the region’s apple crops into cider using horse-powered crushers and hand-operated screw presses. After bringing barrels of cider home to their cellars, New England farmers intentionally let it turn “hard,” or alcoholic, to preserve it. Cider was the region’s most common beverage.
Did you know that the Wilbraham Fire Department was the first fire department in the Springfield area that had its members trained and certified in both regular and advanced first aid? The class was an "intensive" thirty-hour program sponsored by the American Red Cross. Eugene H. Wassels, director of Safety Services for the Red Cross in the Springfield area, presented certificates on August 18, 1950, to the members and said "I am proud of the opportunity to be a part of this ceremony which makes the Wilbraham Fire Department the first group of its type in the Springfield area to be so honored."
Did you know that potatoes were first grown here in 1754? In 1734 Deacon Nathaniel Warriner became the fourth resident of the Outward Commons (Wilbraham). He was a prominent citizen and established his home and farm on West Road, our present Main Street at 599. He started growing potatoes in 1754, which was a small successful crop.
The Deacon was one of the eight original founders of the first church in town (Congregational Church) and its deacon for life.
Some fighters in Daniel Shays's rebel force spent the night on Deacon Warriner's farm before their attack on the Arsenal in Springfield on January 25, 1787. The Shays Rebellion was the nation's first taxpayer revolt.
Did you know that Wilbraham has one of the oldest bridges in the country still standing? Around 1732 this stone bridge was constructed over Spear Brook when the “Old Bay Path” was rerouted a bit north of its present location. The bridge is still seen today at 2957 Boston Road, under the current parking lot, on the upstream side. Many famous people have passed over this bridge over time and even murder took place there in 1805. To read the full story click the links. https://david-bourcier.wixsite.com/wilbraham-tidbits/post/the-old-stone-bridge
Did you know that the first Massachusetts Turnpike came right through Wilbraham? In 1796 the first Massachusetts Turnpike was chartered to improve the County Road, today our Boston Road. The Wilbraham section was improved in 1798. The major change to affect Wilbraham was the construction of the "Dugway", the name given to the half-mile of heavy excavation along the Chicopee River bank. This Turnpike, as a corporate venture, lapsed around 1847. The toll house was at the foot of Butler Hill, just west of today's Crane Hill Road. To read the full story click the link. https://david-bourcier.wixsite.com/wilbraham-tidbits/post/from-the-bay-path-to-what-we-know-today-as-our-boston-road-route-20
Did you know that the first motorized fire apparatus in Wilbraham was a 1919 REO Speed Wagon? This new apparatus was a double combination, having two chemical tanks and two hand-operated extinguishers. The chemical hose is carried in a removable metal basket just above the tanks. An extension ladder, water hose, axes, and crowbars are among the rest of the equipment. The body was designed by D. C. Raymond Jr., of the REO Springfield Company and was built by J. B. Richards under Mr. Raymond's supervision. The chassis is that of the stock "Speed Wagon" which has been found particularly suitable for this kind of work.
Did you know that Wilbraham had a town clock in the Center Village so that people passing by could see the time? In the years previous to 1870 a new stone church was being built for the Methodist Society at the corner of Main Street and Mountain Road in the Center Village. The builder was Porter Cross who lived in town and the church was opened to the public on January 9, 1870. Adorning the southwest side of the church was a bell tower that included a blackface clock with ornate gilded hands. This clock was paid for with money raised by subscription. The town meeting of 1882 voted twenty-five dollars for winding and keeping the clock in good repair. The will of Jesse Rice, who died in 1930, contained a provision for a trust fund that he bestowed to the Methodist Episcopal Church, the income to be used for the care and maintenance of all the clocks in that building. In addition, any remaining balance would be used to support the church. This fund was established in memory of his father, mother, and wife. In 1943, Wilbraham Academy took possession of the church and dedicated it as the Alumni Memorial Chapel. They also took control and care of the town clock.
Did you know that Wilbraham was known for having the best peaches in the entire Connecticut River Valley? It all started as an experiment, it was in the year 1876 that Albert Bliss and his son, Ethelbert, set out 100 peach trees on their farm which they purchased in 1870. This will forever change the mission of Mapleside Farm and set the stage for Wilbraham's new visibility as the peach center of the Connecticut River Valley. Soon after other local farmers contributed to keeping the peach industry alive for many years. To read the full story click the link. https://david-bourcier.wixsite.com/wilbraham-tidbits/post/the-birthplace-of-wilbraham-s-ethelbert-peaches
Did you know that the Town of Wilbraham started to build a Memorial Town Hall in 1886 but was never completed? In April of 1885, the Town Meeting passed a vote to build a Memorial Town Hall in memory of the men who died for their Country during the Civil War. The winter of 1886 was very mild and the construction of the new Wilbraham Memorial Hall was started. The excavation for the walls and basement was completed and the stone foundation was laid. April Town Meeting approved the work that was done and voted to complete the project. At that meeting around 9:00 PM, some of the voters went home and a motion was brought up to not build the new Memorial Hall, and the vote passed. The foundation was eventually filled in and the building was never completed.
Did you know the house located at 381 Main Street was built with much of the timber originally intended for the new Town Hall? This home was built by Chauncey E. Peck in 1888. The timbers were bought from the town when the Town Hall construction project was discontinued due to a town meeting vote not to continue with the construction.
Did you know that the first chestnut tree in Massachusetts infected by the 1904 blight was found in Wilbraham? 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 this disease were futile. By the end of World War I, there were thousands of chestnut skeletons scattered all over town.
Did you know that the Village Store located at 462 Main Street is the oldest business in Wilbraham in continuous existence? In 1963 Maitland K. Shults owned the store. As a successor in operations, the Pease store was founded in 1888, which makes the Village Store the oldest business still in operation today.
Did you know that in 1959 the Wilbraham Motel located at 2009 Boston Road was one of the most modern in the country and one of four in Massachusetts that had access to outdoor motion pictures with sound and visibility from each room? The 24-room motel boasted the most modern conveniences including air-conditioning throughout, a lounge, and a swimming pool. In addition, the motel's arrangement with the neighboring Parkway Drive-in Theatre made it possible to view current movies from each room.
Did you know that Wilbraham had a drive-in theatre once located at 2005 Boston Road? The Parkway Drive-In Theatre was opened in 1948 with Walt Disney’s “Song of the South” & Johnny Weissmuller in “Tarzan and the Huntress”. By 1955 it was operated by M.R. Zio & Daytz Theatre Enterprises. A religious denomination held drive-in services on Sunday mornings. Unfortunately, the drive-in was closed in 1987 and demolished in 1988. The Home Depot now stands where the drive-in once stood.
Did you know that Hampden was part of Wilbraham, first called the South Parish then South Wilbraham? In 1763 Wilbraham became a separate town breaking away as the Fourth Parish of the Town of Springfield. Three years later the settlers in the growing south part of town, what is now Hampden, wanted preaching of their own. The distance to the Meetinghouse on Wigwam Hill was too far and they wanted their place of worship close to the village by the Scantic River. In 1772 a petition was made to be set off as a town of its own but no success rather ten years later the Town of Wilbraham was divided into two parishes so that worship could be conducted in both parts of town. This solved the problem until 1840 when again the subject of becoming their town, but now the complaint was the distance of travel to town meetings and the growing population near the Scantic River with its distinctly local interests. To solve the problem of traveling to town meetings, a system of alternating town meeting places in both North and South Parishes was established. Again this solved the problem temporarily until a town meeting in 1877, both parishes complained about the distances with alternating town meetings and voted in favor of having South Wilbraham become their own town. On March 28, 1878, the legislature incorporated the Town of Hampden.
Did you know that the Town of Hampden almost became the Town of Dayton? The South Parish of Wilbraham was made an independent town in 1878 under the name of Hampden; the advocates of this name carried the day within the town as against the name of Dayton. The town was named for the English patriot John Hampden, (June 1595 – June 1643). He was an English landowner and politician whose opposition to arbitrary taxes imposed by Charles I made him a national figure. An ally of Parliamentarian leader John Pym, and cousin to Oliver Cromwell, he was one of the Five Members whose attempted arrest in January 1642 sparked the First English Civil War.
Did you know that the first person buried here in town is Elizabeth Cockril but not the first to die? The first death recorded was David Jones, son of David and Hannah Jones, who died on August 19, 1736. It was said that the father did not want his child to be the first tenant of the Burying Ground, so they buried their son in Springfield, the old Springfield Cemetery. Two other deaths occurred before 1741, and both were also interred in Springfield. The first tenant of the Burying Ground in town was 39-year-old Elizabeth Cockril who died on April 26, 1741. Elizabeth, who was a widow from Boston, was on a visit to her sister, who was Samuel Warner’s wife, and became ill and died. Mr. Warner buried her here, and even though he was not a stone cutter, he found two flat stones and engraved her name, and the date of her death, and that was the first grave located in Adams Cemetery. Her stones are located in the southeast quarter of the old section.
Did you know that in the mid-1800s persistent rumors circulated in many New England towns that some of "Captain Kidd's gold" was buried within their borders including Wilbraham? About 1850, a man here in town believed that some of this gold was hidden up on Wilbraham Mountain in an old cellar hole that was located near the intersection of Ridge and Monson Road. He and a few other men would gather their picks and shovels in the late evening to hunt for the lost gold. Superstition would have it that none of the men would speak during the dig, if a human voice was heard, it would "vex the spirits of the midnight air, the object of their quest would glide a hundred or even a thousand feet down into the bowels of the mountain and be lost to them forever." As far as history goes, no mention of gold ever being discovered in the Town of Wilbraham.
Did you know that the first telephone line in Wilbraham was in 1880? The construction of the first private telephone line from North Wilbraham to the Center Village was for Dr. S. Foskit and the Wesleyan Academy. Around 1884, Dr. H. G. Webber was added to the line. The charge, in the beginning, was around $30.00 per year but was raised to $100 per year in 1886. In 1903, the public telephone line was built, and by mid-January 1904, it was being used. January 1, 1914, there were about 106 subscribers on several lines coming from the Collins Inn in North Wilbraham.
Did you know that some of the Wilbraham men traveled to California in hopes of finding gold? When gold was discovered in California in the mid-1800s, word spread throughout the entire country. At least seventeen Wilbraham men made the journey to the "shining shore," where they hoped great wealth was waiting for them. The travel demand was so great that it was necessary to secure tickets several weeks in advance. The cost of one ticket from New York to San Franciso was $200, which included meals while on the ship. The trip included twelve days on the Atlantic Ocean, three or four days crossing the Isthmus, and another seven days sailing up the Pacific Ocean to San Francisco. All the men but one would return to their homes after a few years. Pliny K. Merrick drowned in the Yuba River in California on December 8, 1849, at the young age of 25. The Yuba River is one of California’s most famous golden rivers. Much gold was found in the early days using large long tom sluices, rocker boxes, pans, and ground sluice operations to recover the gold from the gravel of the river. Unsure if any of the men were successful in their endeavor.
Did you know that there was a proposed railroad for South Wilbraham? In what is now Hampden today, a proposal in the 1870s was made to establish a railroad from Springfield MA to Providence RI which would have traveled through South Wilbraham. This railroad would have run between East Longmeadow Road and Allen Street then crossed East Longmeadow Road near the intersection, then crossed Somers Road and parallel to the north side of Main Street a short distance. The railroad would then cross Main Street and the Scantic River and run on the south side of the river into the center of town. From there it would continue, then crossing South and Chapin Roads, continuing following the Scantic River on the south side. It would then cross Thresher Road (Rockadundee Road) and then into Stafford Connecticut. The railroad never materialized and was one of the main reasons why the mills along the Scantic River and the granite quarries on Chapin Road closed. They just could not compete with other communities that have this important mode of transportation of goods and materials.
Did you know how Dipping Hole Road got its name? The name of this road was given from a story long ago. On a Sabbath morning, Miss Peggy mounted her horse and started the long nine-mile journey to the Meeting House in Springfield. While crossing a shallow marsh, over which the path led, the thin ice broke and Miss Peggy was dipped into the freezing water. The place has since been known as Peggy's Dipping Hole or Dipping Hole Road today.
Did you know that Wilbraham was once located in Hampshire County? Hampden County was split from Hampshire County in 1812. Northampton at the time was the seat of county government, however, Springfield dating back to its founding in 1636 grew at a pace far quicker than Northampton and was granted shire town status over its own, southerly jurisdiction. Thus Springfield and the surrounding communities became Hampden County and it was named for parliamentarian John Hampden.
Did you know Robert Session of South Wilbraham was one of the participants in the famous Boston Tea Party? The Boston Tea Party was an American political and mercantile protest by the Sons of Liberty in Boston, Massachusetts, on December 16, 1773. The target was the Tea Act of May 10, 1773, which allowed the British East India Company to sell tea from China in American colonies without paying taxes apart from those imposed by the Townshend Acts. The Sons of Liberty strongly opposed the taxes in the Townshend Act as a violation of their rights. Protesters, some disguised as Indigenous Americans, destroyed an entire shipment of tea sent by the East India Company. Robert Session was one of 116 documented individuals who participated in this act of defiance. On Sunday, June 25, 2023, Robert Sessions was honored with a commemorative grave marker for his participation in the Boston Tea Party. This ceremony was made possible by the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum and Revolution250.
Did you know the northeast Wilbraham town boundary touches three other towns? There is a point at the northeast corner of Wilbraham where Ludlow, Belchertown, Palmer, and Wilbraham join; the monument marking the beginning of these towns stands on the sidehill between Ludlow's East Cemetery and the river.
Did you know Wilbraham is the home of the Atheneum Society of Wilbraham? The Antheneum Society of Wilbraham 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 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 our museum, was built in 1793 and is one of the oldest standing in New England. It was the home of Wilbraham's Methodist until the congregation outgrew the building in 1835. In that year, it reverted to the Bruuer family who converted it into a two-family dwelling. The Society also maintains the old Hearse House that was built circa 1870. Both buildings are located at 450 Main Street in Wilbraham, Massachusetts.
Did you know that Wilbraham First Responders were sent to New York City after the September 11, 2001 attacks? Both Wilbraham Fire and Police departments sent teams to New York City after the attacks on our country. These teams provided incident support services following the tragedy, as did many public safety departments across the nation. A Wilbraham resident Eric "Rick" Thorpe, a vice president at the securities firm of Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, lost his life in Tower 2 of the World Trade Center that tragic day. Many of these teams worked the "pile" in the search, rescue, and recovery effort.
Did you know what the commemorative stone located in front of 576 Main Street in Wilbraham, stands for? This stone was placed on this site many years ago. It signifies an event that took place there on June 24, 1741. Reverend Noah Merrick was ordained in the Outward Commons (Wilbraham) on that date. The ordaining council was to have taken place under a large oak tree in the yard of Daniel Warner’s house (area of 576 Main Street). On this morning a rude pulpit of rough boards was constructed, and a few seats of boards and logs were arranged around it to accommodate the people. Unfortunately, the weather was not clear with the sky hidden by clouds. As the morning went into day the weather became severe with an approaching storm. As the rain started, the people hurriedly adjourned the service to Nathaniel Warriner’s barn just south of this place (599 Main Street). There, the rest of the ordination services were performed. The inscription on the stone reads; First Church in Wilbraham organized here June 24, 1741.
Did you know that Wilbraham had the nation's first federally approved underground radiological fallout shelter display? This is true and it was unveiled on December 7, 1958, during a Civil Defense / Pearl Harbor Day program. This shelter was located next to the Boston Road Fire Station. It was built at no expense to the town through the assistance of the Massachusetts Civil Defense Agency. Over a thousand people saw that shelter during the unveiling that day. Many residents in town afterward built their own fallout shelters in which some remnants of these shelters can be seen today.
Did you know Edwin Chaffee of South Wilbraham was credited with being the inventor who made important discoveries for the rubber industry? Edwin was born in South Wilbraham in 1803 and in the early stages of his experiments, he used his kitchen stove to soften the basic material so that it could be reshaped into different forms. He is also credited with finding out how to apply rubber to cloth and inventing two rubber-making machines. He organized the Roxbury Rubber Company which was one of the first manufacturers of rubber goods in the country. This company later became the Goodyear Rubber Company.
Did you know that Grassy Hollow was a very popular recreational area for the Town of Wilbraham? This recreational area was located where the Town's transfer station and solar fields are today, 2720 Boston Road. It contained two baseball fields. In 1925 the North Wilbraham Baseball team became the Quaboag Valley League champions.
Did you know the very first development in Wilbraham started around 1909? Once the decline in agriculture started to take place, many farming areas in Wilbraham became building lots in which these developments were built. The very first such development occurred when Herbert A. Northrop of Palmer bought "the Island" known today as Bungalow Point. This peninsula extends into Nine Mile Pond from its eastern shore. He laid out plots on which bungalows and cottages were built. There were approximately ten cottages by 1913 and were occupied during the summer months by families on vacation. They would be rented from May 1 to October 15. Soon after on the west side of the pond, Mrs. Clara Towne began to build bungalows as well for rental use. The developments for permanent residences began in about 1920.
Did you know "Wilbraham's Big Fire" of 1877 threatened the entire center of town? On Sunday, June 24, 1877, the Village of North Wilbraham, as it was called before 1878, had a very destructive fire that started by accident in the basement of the Congregational Church which was located where Gazebo Park is today. Seven buildings burned in total which could have been far worse if it was not for the quick actions of town citizens, the local Hook and Ladder Company, and the aid of the Springfield Fire Department. This was reported to be the biggest fire in its history.
Did you know that Nathaniel Hitchcock was the first settler in the Outward Commons which is now Wilbraham? In the summer of 1730, Nathaniel Hitchcock came out to his land, present-day 603 Main Street, to build a log hut, and cleared a couple of acres. He then returned to Springfield for the winter. The following spring he returned along with his wife Hannah Taylor, whom he married the previous year, and their four-month-old daughter, Hannah. From this point forward they became permanent residents. Their closest neighbors would be nine miles away at the Springfield settlement until the Alvord family moved in just south of them in 1732.
Did you know that a portion of Squire Pond exists today in the Center of Wilbraham? This popular recreational spot, especially in the wintertime, was once located in the Center Village at the rear of the Civil War monument. The old center post office building now occupies some of this area. The pond was filled in the early to mid-1900s. Today a portion of this pond, now a swamp can be seen in the woods just north of the old post office or south from Mountain Road just up from the Old Meeting House.
Did you know that Wilbraham's first organized fire department was established in 1828? This is one of three that have been organized over the years. The second one was organized in 1855 and the third, the present one, George M. Kingdon Fire Company, was organized in 1919. Pictured below (L-R) are the 1919 Reo Chemical Truck, 1927 Maxim and 1938 REO. For more on this, please click the link below.
Did you know the Wilbraham Grange No. 153 purchased the very first ambulance for the Town of Wilbraham? The Grange Home and Community Service Committee spearheaded the fund drive to purchase this emergency vehicle which is a 1952 Dodge Franklin Deluxe model. This vehicle would be operated by the fire department and would function as an emergency vehicle and would only transport patients with dire emergencies upon the order of a physician.
The first call that this new vehicle made was two days after its delivery, on August 21st. The call was for a four-year-old girl who nearly drowned in Nine Mile Pond. The fire department responded and resuscitated the girl with a resuscitator which the Wilbraham Lions’ Cub donated to the department two years earlier. The young girl was transported to Springfield Hospital where she was listed in fair condition. Eventually, she would fully recover from this incident.
The Fire Chief at the time, Ralph Tupper, stated “We got the vehicle only two days ago and it could very well mean the difference between life and death for this little girl.”
Did you know that atop Wilbraham Mountain, located at 801 Ridge Road, once stood a magnificent lookout tower offering panoramic views of the Connecticut River Valley? Constructed by John Poteri, the visionary behind the renowned High Tower Sandwich Kitchen restaurant, this tower not only provided breathtaking vistas but also housed a charming restaurant. Mr. Poteri had an architect in Springfield design the structure after an English Bell Tower. It was built in 1930.
From its lofty 80-foot observation platform, visitors could marvel at the distant silhouette of the State House dome in Hartford, the urban sprawl of Springfield, the majestic peaks of Mount Tom and the Holyoke ranges, the expanse of Westover Field, and the northeast, the quaint town of Brimfield and the City of Worcester.
Later on, the restaurant transformed into the charmingly named Tea Room, captivating patrons with its quaint ambiance and picturesque setting. However, the Tea Room eventually closed its doors in the late 1940s.
Tragically, on June 17, 1954, a devastating fire engulfed the wooden structure of the tower and restaurant, casting a fiery spectacle visible from miles around. Investigations later revealed that the cause of the inferno was attributed to an electrical overload during the operation of shortwave radio equipment, marking the end of an era for this once-iconic landmark. Interesting Tidbit, on Sunday, May 13, 1934, a monumental feat was achieved as the tower became a pivotal element in the first-ever ham radio five-meter relay spanning from Boston to New York City. This remarkable achievement marked the culmination of two years of tireless dedication, overcoming two previous failed attempts.
Did you know that Wilbraham Historical Tidbits was created in 2021? Wilbraham Historical Tidbits is a historical research project written by David Bourcier, a 37+year veteran of the Wilbraham Fire Department and retired Fire Chief. David was born and raised in Wilbraham, having grown up on Chapel Street, and attended Minnechaug Regional High School where he met his wife of now 37+ years, Kelley. Together they have a daughter, Lindsey who lives in San Francisco and is a guest contributor to Wilbraham Historical Tidbits. Lindsey is the actual creator of the website. Before the website, David would post this historical content to various FaceBook pages. The website has created much greater exposure and it is now being viewed in over sixteen different countries. David and Kelley still reside in the town with their Shih Tzu named Marty. Did you know that the snake in the logo is a reference to the Timothy Mirick rattlesnake story? This was the very first story David read about as a young boy. This local story along with others has captivated his attention in wanting to learn more about local history. We hope you all enjoy it!
“It’s all about history” - DFB
