Historical Resource: MACRIS
Lately, I have tended to only write blog entries when I am wowed by something, and lately, nothing has wowed me. But today, I realized that the Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System (MACRIS) has digitized its historical inventory files and is making them available to the public.
What wowed me was a photo of the West Union Street school, taken in the 1970's. The building is no longer standing, and I had never seen a photo of it before.
West Union St. School
I don't know when that building came down; the historical inventory form said that at the time (1983), the building was the only wood frame school left in the city (though the Dry Bridge School is still standing, with the badge of the only ungraded schoolhouse remaining in the city). The Pride Gas Station now sits where it once stood. Did it come down to facilitate this project? Or was it down earlier? It's sad that no one really knew it was there before it was torn down.
Here is a link to MACRIS -- thousands of Springfield landmarks are documented here, and although the photos are not from the period when the properties were built, most are from the 1970's and give an interesting perspective on the properties. Many of the buildings inventoried are no longer standing. The historical inventory forms provide an amazing wealth of information.
843 Chestnut St; Napoleon Russell
Great picture of 843 Chestnut St taken late 70's or early 80's. They spelled 'Napoleon with an 'a' instead of an 'o'. GREAT website! You can search by street, house number or architect. It would be great if the pictures had dates. Below is the link to the picture.
http://mhc-macris.net/Documents/SPR/Photos/SPR_2727.jpg
tour of the West Union St. School
I'm always happy to see a new post on your website! Back in the 70's, a friend and I were respectively broke but decided to take a vacation from home touring places in historic Springfield. One place we visited was the belting factory. The proprietor gladly took us around. I remember specifically the old fashioned cloak room was very much what it had been and the employees used it as such. The building was also once used as a canoe or boat factory back in the day when there were boat club houses lining the banks of the river.
Thanks for the info about the mhc website.
I went to East Union St
I went to East Union St School, I would to see any pictures or writings about it...
Ice Cream Store at Entrance to Forest Park
Back in the 40's, I believe that there was an ice cream store across from the entrance to Forest Park on Sumner Ave. I recall my father taking me there, maybe because Friendly's was closed during the war.
Is there anyone who can confirm this store and any information about it? I believe the building is still there, but since I now live in northeastern Mass, its difficult for me to confirm any of this.
Ice Cream Store
We were just talking about the Ice Cream Store across the street from the Forest Park entrance today. Yes, itdefinetily was there in the forties. Someone thought it might have been a Jane Alden. I Will go on Mass live to see if I can find out.
Jane Alden Store
My father, Peter Sr, managed the Jane Alden Store on Sumner Avenue across from the entrance to Forest Park. It opened in 1935 and continued in it's original concept throughout WWII until 1951 or so when my father eneded his tenere. It was a very 'high class' establishemnt catering to all income levels offering fine ice cream confrctions along with chocolates made by Lovell & Covell of Boston Mass. It was owned by the United Dairy System that was located on Plainfield and Clyde sts in Springfield Ma. I will gladly answer any questions you maight have...just e-amil me at ppaysonjr@aol.com.
Jane Alden store
Peter, do you happen to have any pictures of the store? It would be great to see the outside or the inside as it looked in the 40s.
Thanks!
Ice Cream Store
Was it Jane Alden's?
Yes, I'm pretty sure it was
Yes, I'm pretty sure it was a Jane Alden's. I remember going there when I visited the park many years ago.
Ice Cream Store
Yes, it was Jane Alden..........and it was around longer than the 1940's because I was born in 1950 and I went there as a child.
ice cream store
The building at 302-304 Sumner Ave. was owned by General Ice Cream Corp. in the 1950's, according to the Hampden County registry of deeds database. Here's a link to the google maps photo of the place: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=sumner+ave+springfield+ma&hl=en&ll=42.0847...
Is that the building you had in mind?
Jane Alden Ice Cream Shop
Kathy--thanks for that posting! I've always wondered about the strange configuration of that building, with the wide, deep "porch" across the front, because it always seemed a strange design for a medical office. I no longer live in the area, but I remember driving past it on the way to my aunt and uncle's house in Springfield. The building's earlier incarnation as an ice-cream shop explains it. The large plate-glass windows of the seating area could have been removed, and the kitchen and preparation areas enclosed to create the office space. Mystery solved!
Jane Alden Ice ream Store
My grandfather, Peter, used to manage the Jane Alden Icecream Store on Sumner Avenue. I grew up with plenty of stories about it from my dad who used to live in the same building. I was born in 1961 so I didn't get to experience it first hand. Wish I had! Anyway, I have one picture that I will try to post. Have been searching for others for awhile! The building is still standing and is, ironically, a dentist office, I believe.
West union school
I remember living on Wilcox st. As a kid in the mid sixties and that school was the site of a leather machine belt company that still was making machine driving leather belts and I believe it was called Springfield belting co. Or something similar along that same block you had franks variety store right on the corner of union and Columbus ave and that was were I-91 ended at that time also right on the site between Wilcox and union st on Columbus ave was the texaco statio owned by the Cirelli brothers
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