Ezra Beaman Jr. (1770-1863)
Another portrait from the Reading Room: Ezra Beaman, Jr., the son of “Town Father” Ezra Beaman. Ezra Beaman, Jr. was born in December 1770, the youngest son of Ezra Beaman and Persis Keyes Beaman. He lived to be 92 years old, managing the Beaman Tavern until he died in 1863. Ezra Jr. was an eccentric…
Read MoreThe First Congregational Church (Unknown)
West Boylston has become known for the Old Stone Church: a steely remnant of the flooded town, an entry on the National Register of Historic Places, a frequent attraction for visitors from around Worcester County, and, most recently, a PokéStop. But, of course, the Old Stone Church is not the only church in West Boylston’s…
Read MoreChurch Postcards (1893-1903)
Postcards! We love postcards here at the Beaman Library. Mail your friends and family a scenic location or monument and share the beauty with them (or make them jealous). Take a look at this old postcard. The photo, taken sometime between 1893 and 1903, depicts the Old Stone Church, then a newly built baptist church,…
Read MoreTown Celebrations
War Time
Risk of War Diaries Civil War Currency World War I Postcards Service Flag Fundraiser Honor Roll Wartime Agriculture …
Read MoreThe Mills and the Reservoir
Beaman Mill Cowee Mill Mill Workers (1800’s) The Flood of 1900 Lake Washacum Tree Removal Laborers Immigrant Workers Italian Immigrant Labor Mill Ruins Reservoir Construction End of Construction Reservoir Finally Finished Reservoir Postcard
Read MoreSteeple View (unknown)
We’ve seen the Old Stone Church from so many different angles that there definitely isn’t one we haven’t seen—right? Well, here’s a new one for you. The below photo was taken from the steeple of the Brick Congregational Church looking west. The Brick Congregational Church was located on East Main Street (now called Beaman Street)…
Read MoreOld Foundations (1900’s)
The Old Stone Church is West Boylston’s most famous landmark. Built just a few years before the construction of the reservoir, the Church remained as a relic of the washed away town. You can see the church on the far right in this photo nestled between St. Anthony’s Church and a house across the street.…
Read MoreSaint Anthony’s (1900’s)
When you visit the Old Stone Church, you might see some rocks poking through the grass and goose droppings. Chances are, these aren’t just rocks—they’re stones from the foundations of long-gone buildings. The stones in these pictures are likely from St. Anthony’s Church which stood directly next to the Old Stone Church. The structure was torn…
Read MoreDavid Lee Child (1794-1874)
Another portrait from our library we’d like to share is, thankfully, labeled, and depicts a figure with national fame. Here’s the plaque given for David Lee Child: “David Lee Child war born in West Boylston, 8 July 1794, in the Jacob Hinds House now (1910) occupied by Elwin J. Chase. Graduated from Harvard College in…
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