Posts by Beaman Library
Pre-reservior Painting (1890s)
Here is a scene painted by local artist April Whitcomb. The scene depicts the town’s pre-reservoir common in the valley on a snowy night. Sawyer’s general store stands in the background while townspeople in traditional 1890s garb stride through the slick streets. Everything is calm and serene, except for the two dogs playing while a…
Read MoreOld Stone Church (1890s)
Here is a dazzlingly white scene painted by local artist April Whitcomb. The scene below is an aerial view of the area around the Old Stone Church in the 1890s. We can see houses, factories, and streets which no longer exist coated in fresh snow. If you look closely, you can see children playing, a…
Read MoreOld Stone Winter
Here is a dazzlingly white scene painted by local artist April Whitcomb. The scene below depicts winter at the Old Stone Church. Families are out and about, people are going for a sleigh ride, and dogs are enjoying sniffing at and playing in the snow. While horse rides and dogs are no longer allowed near…
Read MoreCentennial Celebration (1808)
West Boylston was incorporated in January 1808. The town’s first century concluded with the destruction of the town’s financial and industrial center. Still, the town witnessed huge celebrations for its centennial. The first occurred on January 30, 1908, exactly one hundred years since the town’s official incorporation. The ceremony took place at town hall and…
Read MoreTrains (1889-1908)
More trains chug through West Boylston as the reservoir’s construction comes nearer and nearer. The first image depicts a hillside covered in tree stumps, a symbol of the construction already underway. Within a few years, the water would rise to consume the land and the rails. Second is a postcard from 1898: “West Boylston from…
Read MoreDavid Lee Child’s Books (1800’s)
David Lee Child was a journalist, lawyer, and expert on beet culture who became nationally renowned for his civil rights activism. He was born in West Boylston but moved around the state during his lifetime. Child died in Wayland in 1874. To honor his hometown, Child’s widow—noted abolitionist and editor of the National Anti-Slavery Standard,…
Read MoreOakdale (1900’s)
We have a lot of old photographs in our local history room, and they tell the story of our town from 100 years ago. Below are a few photographs of long-gone buildings in Oakdale. Unfortunately, none of these structures survived the past century, and the places where they once stood yield little to no evidence…
Read MoreThe Library (1912-2017)
Here’s another Then & Now view: first, the library from 1912 after its construction and dedication. Second, the library now, taken this past Wednesday evening. Though relatively the same view, there are a few notable changes. The most recent addition sticks out in the back, and some of the trees along Newton Street are now…
Read MoreTrolley Lines (1905)
For several decades, the trolley was a vital method of transportation for people across the country. Central Massachusetts had numerous trolley lines. Worcester’s citizens especially relied on its trolleys. Today, little evidence remains that they ever existed. West Boylston had a trolley line running through it starting in the 1900s. On July 19th, 1905, construction…
Read MoreTown Halls (1900’s)
West Boylston has had a series of town halls in its history. After the reservoir had stripped the valley of its buildings, the town decided to construct a new, permanent town hall. Below is a picture of the Program from the new Town Hall’s Dedication on January 18th, 1904. The town hall stood where the…
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