Posts by Beaman Library
Fundraiser (1917)
While war raged across the world, American civilians at home contributed their time and resources to supporting troops overseas. West Boylston’s citizens staged social events to raise money for the troops and their families. In November 1917, several families hosted a chain of social events at which each attendee brought 25 cents and any knitted…
Read MoreDiaries (1917)
Some of the most valuable historical documents are letters and diary entries. Through these personal accounts, we can watch history unfold through another’s eyes. We are thankful to have several letters from a West Boylston soldier who served in World War I. George Buck, who was stationed in France in 1917, wrote to his parents…
Read MoreCivil War Currency (1913)
The Civil War was America’s darkest moment; the nation’s politicians and people became so divided over the institution of slavery and numerous other factors that we eventually fractured into two separate nations: the United States of America and the Confederate States of America. In its few years, the Confederacy printed its own money. In 1913,…
Read MoreRMS Titanic (1912)
The luxury liner the RMS Titanic sank on April 15, 1912, and in the past century the stories of the ship, passengers, and crew have been retold in musicals, novels, and films, including one of the highest-grossing and popular movies of all time. From West Boylston come two personal connections to the disaster. First comes…
Read MoreThe Flood of 1900
In spring 1900, there was a flood which damaged property and, as depicted in the picture, the roads. The stone bridge was built in 1846 and wasset to be demolished as the reservoir came in. Nature had a different plan and destroyed the bridge in 1900, months or even years before the State planned to…
Read MoreMill Ruins (Unknown)
Many buildings were torn down as a result of the construction of the reservoir, but some buildings were not completely eliminated. Consider the mill in the photograph below, suspected to be the ruins of Holbrook Mills. The mostly submerged wreck, once a busy mill surrounded by other homes and businesses, is a perfect reflection for…
Read MoreLake Washacum (1800’s)
Today, many people enjoy taking canoes and kayaks out onto Lake Washacum. In the late 1800s, there was a steamboat which took people around the lake on a scenic tour. The tour cost 5 cents per person, a reasonable price for a quick trip on a boat. As seen the picture below, the trips were…
Read MoreItalian Immigrant Labor (1900’s)
The Reservoir was built mostly with Italian immigrant labor. Some of these laborers came from Italy for the specific purpose of working on the reservoir and left their wives and children behind. Below are two images depicting the “Shantytown” constructed by the workers. Though offered housing in mill tenements or recently sold homes, the workers…
Read MoreLaborers (1900’s)
Building the reservoir required manpower and the employment of an ancient construction practice: the use of beasts of burdens. Horses and mules, and possibly animals like oxen, helped carry huge loads across the river basin. Below, we see a few laborers sitting on top of a cart pulled by a horse (or mule). The cart…
Read MoreImmigrant Workers (1900’s)
Construction on the Wachusett Reservoir lasted nearly ten years. Towns and people were displaced. As we explore our flooded history, let us not forget the laborers who devoted their energy to the reservoir’s construction. Many of the reservoir’s builders were immigrants, many of them Italian, and some of them could not understand English. In the…
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