St. Cecilia’s

A lot has been written about St. Cecilia’s church and the many parishioners and clergy over the years. Equally of course, can be said of all the religious organizations in town, but today I would like to visit Esty Street. At a time when there wasn’t instant access to news or entertainment, Ashland residents relied upon community gatherings to visit, […]

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Law and Order

Every city and town, regardless of the size, requires protection of life and property. As we all know, this usually comes in the form of fire and police departments either on the local or regional level. At the time of our incorporation in 1846, Ashland was required by the Commonwealth to appoint a constable. At the first town meeting, James […]

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Mandella

Whether you are an Ashland native or moved here from Spokane, Philly, or Peoria I’m sure you remember something from your youth that still brings a smile to your face. Often it’s a favorite person, event, or place. I have one, and our story today is about the Mandella Coffee House at the Ashland Federated Church. Ashland back in the […]

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The Spring Street Well

At the Ashland Historical Society one of our main sources of recorded history is the Ashland Advertiser. We have original copies of the publication which gives us a first hand glimpse of what life was like in the 1800’s. It is fun to read how “Officer Tidsbury took four tramps into court for manipulating doors and furniture in the Ashland […]

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Waseeka Farm

A dozen or so apple trees remind me of a once thriving community near the Ashland – Holliston town line. Known for its apple orchards and Morgan horses, Waseeka Farm was as much a part of Ashland’s history in the 50s and 60s as General Electric, Whitney Beef or Romeo’s Shopping Plaza, just to mention a few. To preface today’s […]

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Grump

What’s in a name? It depends upon your perspective I guess unless you’re talking about Harold “Grump” Walker. I was always taught to never use derogatory names when referring to my elders but I never knew Grump as anything other than “Grump.” His nick-name, and the legacy he left behind is our story today. Harold Walker was born in Andover, […]

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