STOUGHTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY FOUNDED 1895

Volume 1, Number 5 - June 1970

A PROVIDENT THING happened on the way to the Pilgrimage. . . the morning of May 23 began with light showers and remained cloudy... there was the prospect of postponement of the Society's annual tour . . .however, at about one o'clock, one half hour before our scheduled departure, the sun burst through, bringing a bright, comfortable afternoon. Near the end of the tour, when all could use a bit of coolness, the skies clouded again....A VERY PROVIDENT thing happened on the way to the Pilgrimage!

A CAPSULE TOUR for those who were unable to join us: the tour began at the site of the first school house (on the grounds of the present Lucius Clapp Memorial Building) and a short talk was delivered by Amy Terrell. We then crossed to the Church Green where Phyllis Batchelder gave another informative talk regarding the first meeting house site. Both these sites have been marked by the Society. In private cars we traveled to the old Indian Burial ground on Indian Lane (once Stoughton, now Canton) and heard some of its history from Phyllis. At the home of Frank and Bertha Reynolds some of the lore of the house and the changed geography of the area were spoken of by Frank Reynolds. The highlight of this visit was the shoemaker's shop once used as school room by a pioneering girl's educator, a great-aunt of the Reynolds. After a short drive and a leisurely walk through fields we visited the stone marking one of the corners of the old Ponkapoag Plantation. Then on to the location of the first home in Stoughton where Gus Winroth delivered a talk relating the coming of the first family and their hardships. (These last two places are also marked by the Society) From here we continued to the Batchelder home and viewed the area where much evidence of the "Mysterious Glass Factory" has been found. A short trip up the road brought us to. . the former home of Lucius Clapp (now of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Libby) This being near the end of our day a short rest period was in order before our final visit: the Myron Gilbert quarry where Ed Meserve told of some of its history. A Fine cookout prepared by Mr. and Mrs. Warren Batchelder and Mr. and Mrs. Carl Libby was thoroughly enjoyed...and well-earned after much traipsing about town.

WE OWE THANKS to Chairman Gus Winroth (also known unofficially as Bearer of Many Keys) and his committee: Esther Hill and Amy Terrell. Our gratitude, also, to Warren Batchelder, Chief Cook...and to the Libbys for graciously offering a covered place to eat on what began as a threatening day. We missed those of you who were not with us and hope to see you in our enlarged quarters in the fall.

WE NOW HAVE our much-needed Corresponding Secretary in the person of Mrs. Frances Wilbar. Our president and acting Secretary will now be relieved of much "extra duty". We are still in need of a recording Secretary whose duties will occupy her (or him) on meeting nights and a few hours per month transcribing the notes for the permanent record. In having separated these two jobs we feel that we have lessened the burden in both instances. Bertha Reynolds handled the double duty for many years, and admirably, too. Ruth Pistor stepped right in, and, though she was raising a young family and pursuing her painting hobby, she did an equally adequate job

DONATIONS received at our most recent meeting: many items relating to Stoughton and the surrounding area from Past President Carl Smith; a booklet describing the Wentworth home (1847) on Central Street and life in those times from Edna Tobey. Mary Baker Eddy lived in [this] home for a two-year period and the house is open to the public during specific hours posted outside.) .,. .

A DATE TO REMEMBER: The Flea Market sponsored by the Easton Historical Society on June 13 at the RR Depot in North Easton. . .rain . date is June 20th...time 10-5 --- refreshments ...etc.

ELECTRIC TROLLEY lines in the Stoughton area (part of a series com-piled by Past President Carl Smith). . . The Blue Hill Street Railway, a Stone and Webster property, began operations from Stoughton through Canton Center to Canton Corner opposite the cemetery on Nov. 4, 1899. Later it was extended past Ponkapoag Post Office and on to the Canton-Milton line at Blue Hill. In Aug., 1903 the line was extended to Mattapan where it made connections with cars to the Dudley Street Station of the Boston Elevated Railway. Within a few days Stoughtonites could make the direct run to Dudley Street without changing cars. After Sept of 1908 Blue Hill cars terminated at , Mattapan Square from their Stoughton run. The line showed a profit during only two of three years of its 21 year life. A disastrous car barn fire at Canton Jct. on Feb 21, 1909 destroyed all their fine double truck open cars and some of their closed equipment. About five or six closed cars were out on the line at the time so they were spared destruction. Another contributing factor to the financial failure of the line was the fact that the income from the flourishing summer business was spent in keeping the road clear during the severe winter months. Particularly severe snows in Feb and March, 1920 completely blocked operations. The Blue Hill St. Ry.(Corp.) was finally dissolved in 1931.

TO LET at Belcher's Corner: six rooms, $7 month (1888). . . in the same year the Town's total expenditures were nearly $36,000 . . . $3,200 for schools . . . tax rate $20.50 per thousand.

IF YOU ARE RECEIVING the Newsletter but are no longer an active. member it simply means we would like to have you back in the fold. We have much more room to display now. Come back to the fold this fall.

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