It was in 1894 that F.E. Rice, a native of Charlemont and a resident of Florida, came down from the mountain and formed a partnership with E.A. McMillian and began a shoebox manufacturing facility on Washington Avenue to supply the booming local shoe industry. McMillan, a newspaper man from New York state, had come to North Adams when he bought the controlling interest in the Hoosac Valley News. He was the editor until October 1897, when he relinquished the newspaper to give his full attention to the shoebox enterprise.  In 1895, the burgeoning box business had outgrown its original site and work was begun on an up to date factory on the western end of Chestnut Street adjacent to the Boston & Albany railroad terminal.  The Washington Avenue plant became a storage facility. The new plant was unique, as it had an indoor loading and unloading bay for horses and wagons in inclement weather. There were stalls for three horses and an office on the first floor. The building was steam heated and lit with electricity. It employed 50 to 70 people, a majority of them were women. In its early days, Rice & McMillan produced shoe boxes, candy and wedding cake containers and so called ‘cloth boards’ – cardboard strips upon which cloth was wound after being processed. In later years, with the shoe factories disappearing and New England textile manufacturing on the wane, 97% of the business relied on the cloth boards and only 3% on boxes. What happened to the Rice & McMillan partnership is unclear. In 1945, when the company was put up for sale, it was done by the E.A. McMillan estate. The company was purchased by Henry Jarisch Jr. of Holyoke, proprietor of the United Paper Box Co. in that city. “Henry, as president, installed his nephew, Alfred R. Jarisch, as vice president and treasurer. Robert F. Vincelette of Adams was named plant superintendent. The Jarisches immediately embarked upon an expansion and modernization of the Chestnut Street building. They hired more workers and increased its line of cardboard and plastic boxes, greeting card containers, specialty boxes for the retail trade, hosiery manufacturers and for dress shirts. “Jarisch was a generous man. He shared profits with his employees. In March 1964, he distributed $8,000 to 45 employees. He continued this profit sharing for 11 years. Henry Jarisch died on June 11, 1979. As one delves into the history of Jarisch’s operations, we see the company suffered through hassles with the North Adams Redevelopment Authority’s urban renewal of the downtown area. Jarisch claimed substantial loss of money because of heavy urban renewal taking place in the neighborhood, hampering trucks form loading and unloading. The building expansion that would have enlarged the plant, that would have increased its production and added more employees, never took place. The business continued under Robert F. Vincelette’s leadership until 1995 when he sold the business to Gary P. Marlow who had been Vincelette’s accountant. Marlow’s attempt to continue the business in a new building in the North Adams Industrial Park proved to be his financial undoing. So it was that the foreclosure auction on April 27, 2000, ended the 55-year-old business.  Adapted from a story for the North Adams Historical Society

For more (including 2 images) view the original article

The mid to late 1890’s was a banner time for the North Adams School System. Between 1896 and 1897, three new schools were built, Houghton, Brayton and Johnson Schools.

Houghton stood tall in the east end of the city on land purchased from the Arnold Print Works. The cost for the building, including land, construction, furniture and land grading, was $48,327.63. The school was named for Albert C. Houghton, the first mayor of North Adams. He was also the president of Arnold Print Works.

The school was built to hold 400 students from grades 1 through 7. Grades 6 & 7 (35 students) shared one room as did Grades 6 & 5 (35 students). Grade 3 was divided between Grades 2 and 4. One room held Grades 4 & 3 (38 students) while another had Grades 2 & 3 (34 students). Grade 1 was the largest class and it was divided into two separate rooms (83 students in all).

Four classrooms at Houghton School were used for evening classes. These classes began on November 1, 1896 and mostly used by immigrant adults trying to learn the language and ways of their new country.

The school flourished in the early part of the 20th century under the leadership of Principal Rose G. Sherry and teachers; Maude H. Sullivan, Anna Nolan, Mabel A. Tower, Annabel Jones, Eunice Butterworth, Anna Foley, Gertrude Orr, Ethel M. Winslow, Susan M. Cleghorn and Clara L. Parkhurst (1910). The PTA, known as the Houghton School Roundtable, would put on a minstrel once a year, a school Christmas Tree was put up every year and students learned their ABC’s under stern guidance from the teachers.

With declining enrollment and a school building that was in need of many repairs, Houghton School closed its doors at the Christmas break in 1965. When school re-opened in January, students were bused to the new East School on Kemp Avenue. This school was later renamed Sullivan School.

Adapted from a story for the North Adams Historical Society.

For more (including 4 images) view the original article

Born in 1878 in Nyack, NY, he moved with his parents at age 6 to North Adams where his mother had roots. She was Ellen (Cady) Hadley, a member of one of the city’s oldest and most prominent families in town. His father was John C. Hadley. In 1897, Clarence, as he was called by nearly everyone who knew him, graduated from Drury Academy, then attended Cornell University for 2 years, returning home in 1899 to begin work for the James Hunter Machine Company. Shortly after, he was transferred to the machine shop where he later became foreman, and in later years, purchasing agent, assistant treasurer and finally treasurer for the remainder of his career which spanned 46 years. George Hadley and Christine Birch were married on December 16, 1908. They had two sons, George C. Hadley, Jr. and James B. Hadley. George Jr. served in the Navy and James in the US Army. It was in service to his city that Mr. Hadley is remembered today. He showed a keen interest in public affairs and as a young man he served on the city council. A man of vision and determination, he was an early advocate of the orderly planning and development of the city and waged almost a lifelong fight against haphazard municipal government. Mr. Hadley lived long enough to see one of his dreams for the city carried out; the overpass which bears his name. Opened to traffic on August 22, 1941, the 4 men who went to Boston to set the project in motion, Mayor Francis O’Hara, City Engineer Irving H. Call, George C. Hadley, secretary of the planning board and James E. Wall, president of the Wall-Streeter Shoe Company, rode in the first car driven across it. Dedication took place a month later with a parade and celebration on September 28th. It was by unanimous vote of the dedication committee that the overpass be names for George Clarence Hadley who is still regarded as the “father” of the project. Not all projects contemplated by the Planning Board during the Hadley era were carried out during that time, but they bore fruit in later years when the city built its new central fire station and an up-to-date athletic field on State Street. A new school planned for the Blackinton section was later built in Braytonville. Mr. Hadley was also vice-president and finance committee chairman of the old YMCA on Summer Street. Always interested in local engineering, Mr. Hadley began in the 1930’s making what became known as the “Hadley Topographical Map”. Traveling to Babson Institute to obtain maps of the Berkshires he was able to use them to construct his cardboard and wooden design. Some of this work was done at home but the final map was put together on the 3rd floor of the James Hunter Machine Company.  The map traveled to many locations in the Berkshires including the original City Hall, the North Adams Public Library, the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield and the Adams Historical Society. The existence of the map was brought to the attention of the North Adams Historical Society by Mr. Hadley’s son James who wished this fine piece of history permanently displayed for the education and enjoyment of all people. Donated to the North Adams Historical Society through the generosity of the Adams Historical Society, the “Hadley Topographical Map” remains in the North Adams Historical Society’s archive. George C. Hadley died at his home at 83 Hall Street on Monday afternoon, September 10, 1945. On the afternoon of his funeral, September 12th, his body lay in state in the First Universalist Church where he was a member. The James Hunter Machine Company closed for the afternoon so that its employees could attend the funeral. Adapted from a story for the North Adams Historical Society.

For more (including 3 images) view the original article

John J. Fachini was the master of many Big Band shows during the age of the Depression. He promoted dances in the upstairs ballroom of the Wellington Hotel under the name of Johnny’s Dance Palace. On one such night 2,000 people showed up to see Rudy Vallee. In 1932 Mr. Fachini purchased the Meadowbrook Ballroom for $7,500. Each year after that the summers were filled with the sounds of music from such bands as Duke Ellington, Vincent Lopez, Bob Crosby (Bing’s brother), Guy Lombardo, Glenn Miller, Gene Krupa and Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. There were also local bands including Pete D’Amico, Don Weston and Pete Demeo. The Meadowbrook Ballroom was located where Charles H. McCann Technical High School is today. In the early days one could reach the ballroom by trolley on the “East Side Line” which ran down Church Street. Cars would run until midnight, every half hour. John Fachini also brought in Cab Calloway to play at the Dance Palace along with an all-girl orchestra called The Bricktops. They were all redheads. Special dances were organized such as the “dawn dances” on July 4th and Labor Day that lasted until the sun came up. Williams college students would come to celebrate after the Williams-Amherst football games. When it was cold they’d wear their raccoon coats. “Mr. Fachini charged his customers what he thought they could afford. Despite the fact that the premium bands required top dollar, he only charged 75¢. For the local bands the price of admission was 50¢.  “John ran formal balls for local clubs and organizations like the Elks, the Italian Boy’s Club and the Fall Foliage Festival dances. There were also “nostalgia dances” at North Adams State College. Every once in a while, Mr. Fachini would bring in a non-musical star like Gilda Gray. She was a “shimmy dancer” who like to shake her “chemise”. When he wasn’t booking and promoting bands, Mr. Fachini worked for 26 years at the Berkshire Gas & Electric company. He retired in 1962 and passed away at the age of 87 in January of 1985.

Adapted from a story for the North Adams Historical Society.

For more (including 5 images) view the original article

Does anyone remember the 2-alarm fire which occurred on March 31, 1971 totally involving this old mill? I sure do. I walked right by it on my way home from Drury High School. Here’s a little history of that building. The first Eagle Mill was built in 1813 by Giles Tinker, W.B. Brayton, Benjamin Sibley, William Bradford and Henry Remmington. It was the second largest cotton mill in town of Adams. Unfortunately, when the War of 1812 broke out, cotton mills in this area lost money due to the lack of cotton. The Eagle Mill closed its doors in 1816 and the building remained vacant until 1920 when Caleb B. Turner leased the building as a cotton mill. The mill was only sustainable for 3 more years. Once again it was left unoccupied. The old cotton mill was started up again in 1838 when William E. Marshall purchased the mill. Business was improving when in 1845 disaster struck. A large fire, which began on Brooklyn Street, swept through to Eagle Street. As a result, the Eagle Mill went up in flames along with $3,000 in machinery and stock. In 1859, A.W. Richardson and Samuel Gaylord built the second Eagle Mill. Then in 1863, W.W. Freeman, L.L. Brown and William S. Blackinton became partners with Mr. Richardson. New machines and furnishings were put in place allowing the mill to fulfill its early promise of a viable cotton mill. After 10 years, the mill’s name was changed to the Freeman Manufacturing Company. By 1883 the company employed 600 people and was running 11 machines a day. Things hummed along until the mid-1890’s when business began to wane once again causing the mill to close down. In 1912, former Mayor John H. Waterhouse and A.J. Buffum, who later was head of the Blackinton Company, leased the Eagle Mill and converted it into a woolen mill under the name of Waterhouse & Buffum. A year later the Blackinton Mill took over the running of the mill. In less than 6 months however, part to the machinery of the Waterhouse & Buffum company and moved it to the Blackinton Mill. The rest of the machinery was then sent to a mill in Rhode Island, thus closing the Eagle Mill as a working mill for the last time. Over time the old mill became a warehouse for the Windsor Print Works, Wall Streeter Shoe Company and A. Shapiro and Sons. On March 31, 1971, the vacant mill went up in flames as it was being prepared for demolition. The exact cause of the fire was not found.

For more (including 4 images) view the original article

Lloyd’s Bakery was one of the first successful bakeries in North Adams. It was opened in 1912 by Ralph and Harold Lloyd on the corner of River and Houghton Streets. By 1916, business was so brisk that the brothers realized they had to update their ovens in order to keep up with customers’ needs. They contacted the Dukrokop Oven Company of New York and ordered a new kiln with solid concrete base 16 feet by 4 feet and weighing roughly 100 tons. With this new oven the Lloyd brothers could now bake up to 7,000 loaves of bread a day. In the mid-1930’s, the old store had become tiresome with squeaky floorboards and leaky windows. Customers began move on to more modern confectionaries. On Ralph Lloyd’s insistence, the store underwent another up-grade with a complete renovation of the shop. The bakery went from having a dull white-washed edifice to one of a bright clean brick exterior, new doorway, windows with Swiss curtains and much improved lighting. Inside, the store added a new floor and attracted display cases. The result of these improvements? Store receipts increased by 40% and business continued to improve into the 1940’s. Near the end of the 1940’s Ralph Lloyd’s heath began to decline due to a heart ailment. As a result, Lloyd’s Bakery closed its doors in 1951 much to the chagrin of many North Adams customers.

For more (including 6 images) view the original article

With the completion of St. Francis of Assisi Church, members of the church, under the leadership Rev. Charles Burke, focused on a new goal of building a parish school. On September 6, 1886, the new school came to fruition under the direction and guidance of four Sisters of St. Joseph. The Hoosac Valley News stated there were 250 students, all girls, who began the new school year. The North Adams Transcript reported that 300 students transferred to the “new parochial school from the Union and Academy” (meaning the Union Street School and Drury Academy). There were debates over what name the school should be called. Some proposed that name St. Francis Parochial School while others encouraged the idea that the school should be named after the Sisters of St. Joseph. In the end, Father Burke persuaded Bishop O’Reilly of Springfield that St. Joseph was the proper name. The school’s enrollment continued to climb to about 500 students, boys and girls in the first few years. By 1921, St. Joseph’s roof, plumbing, and other areas needed major repairs and so talk of building a new school began. Through successful fundraising efforts, hard work and determination, the new St. Joseph’s school opened in 1929 with 10 sisters of St. Joseph and close to 550 students. Hundreds of people visited the new school building when St. Francis held an open house on the Sunday before the school opened. They found well lighted and ventilated classrooms, 24 in all, and a modern heating system. Dedication ceremonies, led by Right Reverend Thomas M. O’Leary, the bishop of Springfield, was held about 1 month later. Shortly after the new school opened, the “Old School” went through a series of upgrades, turning many of the rooms into meeting areas for The Knights of Columbus, The Ancient Order of Hibernians and other organizations. The gymnasium was given a new floor for banquets. The school flourished as the 1900’s continued. There were debate teams, church and school sponsored Boy Scout troops and successful basketball teams. By the early 1970’s however, St. Francis found it difficult to sustain St. Joseph’s School and as a result it was decided to close the educational facility at the end of the 1973-1974 school year. Many people of the parish were hurt and angry over this decision but the dye was cast. Later in that decade, the school was refurbished for the purpose of becoming a congregate housing for the elderly. In March of 1983, the project was completed and about 600 people viewed the renovated school during the open house. The newly named St. Joseph’s Court has continued to this day as one of the best elderly housing structures in the city.

Adapted from a story for the North Adams Historical Society.

For more (including 5 images) view the original article

Like the city of North Adams itself, the Richmond Theater suffered its up and downs. It opened in 1900 and had most successful years during the first and second decades of the 20th century. It held its own during the Great Depression and it survived the effects of a disastrous Richmond House fire and the flood of 1927. It had its share of labor difficulties and disputes as well. All in all, it would seem in retrospect to have had a fairly productive life. In its early day vaudeville and legitimate theater played to full houses. The Richmond, at that time, was managed by Benjamin A. Taylor and his wife. Such stalwarts of the stage as Ethyl Barrymore, John Drew and Maude Adams appeared on the stage there during the first five years of the century. The admission fee for a weekly vaudeville show during Christmas week in 1905 was 10¢ for ladies and 20¢ for men for matinees.  By 1906 Mr. Taylor announced that the Richmond would also be a motion picture facility. During the next 6 years, the format changed from straight vaudeville to a combination with motion pictures. Summer stock companies also appeared and in 1909 the Taylors began to advertise in the Transcript for the first time stressing the admission price of a nickel. In 1921 business was so good that the theater was enlarged to seat 1,700 people. It became the largest theater in Western Massachusetts. The theater was closed for 8 weeks for the extensive renovations. All posts and pillars had been removed and, quoting management, it was a “complete and modern theater with special attention paid to the comfort of the patrons.” The balcony now could seat 650 patrons and there were 15 individual dressing rooms backstage for the stage plays.  In the days of the silent movies the Richmond employed a small orchestra to enhance the images on the screen. This led to labor difficulties with the National Federation of Musicians when a non-union man was hired. There was talk of a walkout, but the matter was resolved amicably when the local came to an agreement with management that was ratified by the national organization. At the beginning of the third decade, Ben Taylor and his wife, retired from the theater business and moved to South America. The Richmond was now in the hands of the E.M. Lowe Corporation who in turn sold its interests to the Goldstein brothers who also controlled the Paramount Theater on the other side of Main Street. In 1938, the Paramount featured films from all the big studios; Paramount, MGM, Warner Bros. and others who had all the big stars under contract. The newly opened Mohawk had it glitz and glamour. So it was that the Richmond was put on the back burner and became a second run or family-type movie house. For the next two decades, the Richmond was under various managerial groups causing the theater’s box office to decline in revenue. This in turn caused the Richmond to go through a series of closings and openings. Finally, in March of 1952, the management of the Richmond decided to cash in its chips and put the theater up for sale to the highest bidder. In the fall of ’52, the fraternal Order of Eagles voted to purchase the Richmond for $36,000, and so it was a theater no longer. It was not long after the sale that a dispute arose over the use of the lobby. The hotel corporation contended that the sale of the theater did not include its use. It filed suit and the case was heard in Superior Court in Pittsfield. With the judge agreeing with the plaintiff. The Eagles appealed to the State Supreme Court which upheld the verdict of the lower court. When rumors abounded that the Richmond Hotel building would be included for demolition in the upcoming downtown urban renewal project, the Eagles bought land at its present location and built its new quarters there.  And this is how the Richmond Hotel and Theater met its demise and it was not long afterwards that the Paramount met the same fate, being partially burned as it was being dismantled.

Adapted from a story for the North Adams Historical Society.

For more (including 7 images) view the original article

S.B. Dibble arrived in North Adams in 1871 when he accepted a position with E.J. Cary, a lumber dealer based in this city. Three years later in 1874, Mr. Dibble purchased half interest in this business and within one year became its sole proprietor, establishing his business near the old train depot. In 1885, the original property was put up for sale. The S.B. Dibble Lumber Company moved its investment to State Street, about where the Goodwill parking lot is now. In 1899 the lumber company was incorporated. Unfortunately, shortly after that Mr. Dibble passed away. W.B. Parmelee, who became a partner of Mr. Dibble in 1895, took over the operations. In 1901 the company purchased the Bartlett Lumber property. The plant now occupied about 6 square lots with one mill, two drying sheds, an office building, kilns and various other storage buildings. Over the years an average of 50 people were employed at any one time.  S.B. Dibble was originally from Bergen, NY. He married Frances M. Wells on September 27, 1864 and together they had one daughter, Edith Adele, a graduate of Rye Seminary. She married Harry A. Gallup of North Adams. In 1927, Mr. and Mrs. Dibbles’ grandson Rufus Wells Dibble became president of the company. In 1948, Robert T. Arnold took over the reins of the corporation. Business continued to be brisk into the early 1950’s when tragedy stuck. On November 10, 1953 one of the worst fires in North Adams leveled all six buildings of the S.B. Dibble Lumber Company. Robert T. Arnold estimated the damage to be around $100,000. Another $50,000 damage impacted the homes in the immediate area.  The cause of the fire was unknown. Fire Chief Arthur A. Girard didn’t think the rubbish fire, that had occurred four days previous, had anything to do with this major event. He sounded a double alarm as soon as he arrived on the scene and he called Adams to ask for assistance form the Alert Hose Company. Chief Arthur Hathaway responded with 45 firemen and a pumper truck.  The fire department was hampered severely by a lack of sufficient hose. Engine 1 from Union Street was sent to Greylock to pump water from the city’s temporary well into the water mains. It was more than 45 minutes before he could recall that truck to the scene. In addition, the fire department had lent 2,000 feet of hose to the Sprague Electric Company to supply the Brown Street plant with water from the Marshall Street well.  When the blaze was brought under control about 8 o’clock, the storage shed at the extreme north of the lumber property was leveled along with the show room, the office building, the former mill shop and two other smaller storage sheds.  In addition, the home of Rudolph Magnani at 160 State Street, adjacent to the lumber company was gutted. Mr. Magnani, his wife and his eight-year-old daughter Jean, were all in bed when the fire was discovered. All escaped uninjured. Across the street, the block at 165 State Street, owned by Miss Carrie Betti, who operates a store on the ground floor and lived on the second floor, ignited several times, but the fire-fighters managed to keep it from breaking into flames. Several other buildings in the area received damage when the asphalt siding on them began to melt as well as many broken windows due to the extreme heat. A full day’s water supply, 2,500,000 gallons, was poured onto the fire by the vigilant firemen. During the fall of 1953, North Adams was in a drought situation. City Manager Robert H. Harp said, “This fire has been a terrific blow in our water crisis…this means that greater care than ever must be exercised in the use of water.” Chief Girard praised the work of the North Adams Fire Department and gratefully thanked Alert Hose members for quelling the fire before it could do even more damage.

Adapted from a story for the North Adams Historical Society.

For more (including 8 images) view the original article

It was a sad day when the Transcript announced that Molly’s Bakery, an Eagle Street landmark since 1937, was closing its doors on March 29, 2008. The business began in 1931 by John, Sam and Joseph Mazza where the store was located at 165 State Street. The origin of the name “Molly” is a mystery, although there are a couple of possibilities. A simple explanation was the Mazza brothers wanted a common name that people would remember easily. A more detailed interpretation involves the brothers and a wartime romance. It seems that one of the brothers met an Italian lady who had lost her husband in the war. The brother took her in for a time and cared for her. The woman’s middle name was “Millet” and from that the name “Molly” was created. The Mazza bothers were successful enough to move to a larger store on Eagle Street in 1937. There they ran their bakery for 29 more years. At one time they had branches in Adams, Williamstown and the old Adams Supermarket. In 1966 they retired and sold Molly’s to Peter Gresser and Kurt Halder. Through the years, the business changed hands two more times ending with Sheryl Gibson, Greg Bascom, and Kevin Poette. When Molly’s was in its heyday, the smells of fresh loaves of rye, raisin, cinnamon or English muffin breads swirled around the Eagle Street bakery inviting customers to come inside. Once there, people had choices of doughnuts, whoopie pies, smiley cookies and all-occasion cakes. Everything was baked fresh daily from scratch.

Adapted from a story for the North Adams Historical Society.

For more (including 6 images) view the original article