Preserving the Past
There are a couple of cannons that are noteworthy in Ashland. The first one is the one our boys allegedly stole from Hopkinton, and the other sits prominently in front of the Ashland Public Library. The Hopkinton acquisition was a Revolutionary War era cannon, and was taken in retaliation for the Magunco Tub Fire engine dispute between Ashland and Hopkinton […]
» Read moreAmerica is blessed with a variety of service organizations. Some are religious, some fraternal. Our war veterans have theirs too. The common thread seems to be a commitment to helping people wherever and whenever. The ones I remember growing up were the Knights of Columbus, Ashland Lions (later though, they were chartered in 1967), The Ashland Lioness Club, which was […]
» Read moreLast month’s visit with the I.O.O.F stirred quite a few memories with some of the more established residents of Ashland (I wouldn’t dare say older). Thank you for your contributions and recollections. The Historical Society now has items donated that create a more complete picture of the organization, as well as providing a clearer path for researchers in the future. […]
» Read moreWe are all familiar with the “Entering Ashland” signs as we cross over from Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Southboro or Sherborn but the one thing that stands out is our incorporation date of 1846. As a community we are the youngest. Made up of equal parts of Hopkinton and Framingham to the east and west, and a smaller portion of Holliston […]
» Read moreIt’s Halloween, and I was looking for a subject with a spooky theme. Although by the title it would appear so, our story today really isn’t a spooky one, but I think you will find it interesting. The Devil’s Den exists, and it lies between the new Ashland High School on East Union Street and Wildwood Cemetery on Chestnut Street. […]
» Read moreIt’s Halloween, and I’m tempted to write about some of the more ghostly buildings in Ashland, but this is probably going to more of a history lesson. John Stone’s Inn is probably one of the more recognizable buildings in Ashland. At least from an outsider’s perspective. There are other landmarks well worthy, but most people associate John Stone’s Inn, or […]
» Read moreLooking around town there are a lot of visual links to Ashland’s past. Most of them are in the form of buildings or parks like John Stone’s Inn, the Shepard house, Stone Park, and the like but there is one that was a little less stationary. At the turn of the 19th century Ashland was changing along with the times. […]
» Read moreIf there is one thing I can say about Ashland residents, nothing ceases to amaze us. Consider our property taxes as an example. Proposition 2 1/2 was supposed to limit how much our tax rate can increase annually, but how many times have we gone to Town Meeting for a debt exclusion that is only supposed to last 5 years […]
» Read moreEver drive though cities and towns and wonder about the people that the squares were named after? Ashland has three squares honoring citizens who made a major contribution to our town. They are located in a close proximity to each other, and are used for memorial services and local events. The first one, Gordon A. Green Square, is located at […]
» Read moreAs we have visited Ashland’s past numerous times, I have spent a lot of time on the rivers that pass through us. The Sudbury is one of my favorites because it parallels Cordaville road across from my house all the way downtown and beyond. Despite all the efforts of various companies over the years to tame the Sudbury, and even […]
» Read more