Millbury: Gateway to the Blackstone Valley
P.O. Box 367
Millbury MA 01527
508-865-4192
Our next museum opening is:
Saturday, November 22nd
9:30 until Noon.
Our 2025 schedule of openings for The Museum of the Millbury Historical Society in The Asa Waters Mansion:
November 22nd, Saturday, 9:30 am to noon
"Chain of Lights": Sunday, December 7
11 AM-5 PM
Come in and see our new acquisitions of the portraits of early Millbury residents Hervey and Sina Pierce (see below).
Other of the museum’s holdings are:
100 years of Aftermath yearbooks; photos: churches, schools, downtown, sports; scrapbooks; research books & histories of Millbury & Sutton going back to colonial times; President Taft photos & memorabilia; military uniforms, guns, photos and flags.
Third Annual Carole Chiras/
Millbury Historical Society Scholarship is Presented!
Gizelle Campos
Carole Chiras
We wish to congratulate Millbury High School senior Gizelle Campos, for being awarded the third annual Carole Chiras/Millbury Historical Society Memorial Scholarship.
This goes to a worthy student who will attend Worcester State University. Worcester State is where Carole met her husband of fifty-six years, Jack Chiras, many years ago.
Carole, who passed away three years ago, was known for her smile and cheerfulness. She was a gifted and talented educator who could put anyone at ease and make them feel valued. This, combined with boundless creativity and a giving heart, fueled the soul of an elementary school teacher.
She served at Providence Street School, Shaw Middle School and Elmwood Street School where she retired as principal in 2003.
In addition, Carole was a proud member of the Millbury community and a lifetime member of the Millbury Historical Society. She loved leading tours of the town’s noteworthy sites and sharing her vast knowledge of the town’s rich history. She was a board member of the Millbury Bicentennial Committee and served as the History Chairman.
Gizelle Campos was an exceptional student at Millbury High School and a deserving recipient of this scholarship! As the class valedictorian, Gizelle's journey was a powerful testament to her incredible resilience and unwavering dedication.
As a high-achieving scholar with an impressive 102.16 GPA and four AP courses under her belt, she consistently excelled academically. Beyond the classroom, Gizelle was a true leader, serving as President of the National Honor Society and actively participating in volleyball, Unified Track, and Student Council throughout high school.
Her compassionate spirit shone through her extensive volunteer work at a local animal shelter, her two years as a camp counselor, and her involvement in Best Buddies.
Facing significant personal adversity with grace and courage, Gizelle has balanced her caregiving responsibilities with her demanding academic and extracurricular life, all while passionately pursuing her dream of becoming a nurse. Gizelle embodies the qualities of perseverance, leadership, and service that promise a bright future in higher education and beyond.
She will be studying nursing at Worcester State in the fall and we are beyond proud of her for all that she has and will continue to accomplish in her life.
Congratulations, Gizell, and good luck in the future!
Aftermath Yearbooks Everywhere!
For years, the Millbury Historical Society has had a copy of each of Millbury High's yearbooks in our museum. They encompass years 1928 to the present, and they can be accessed any time the museum is open- such as Saturday, November 22nd.
AND for years, an online copy of each of these yearbooks may have been accessed through Millbury's Public Library.
Trouble is, the yearbooks were all mixed up and difficult to distinguish one from another.
Well, thanks to accommodating librarian Carrie Courteau, the Aftermaths are now labeled and, in time, they will be organized in order.
Yahoo!
Many times, the Society gets requests from folks in Nebraska or Oregon to view the yearbooks online, and it has always been a chore because they were not labeled.
Thank you, Carrie!
To examine an Aftermath online, go to the link below and click on E-Resources. Then scroll down to Millbury Historical Documents and choose Millbury High School
Yearbooks.https://www.millburylibrary.org/
Maxwell Leaman at the Asa Waters Mansion
Grace M. Laflash
MILLBURY HISTORICAL SOCIETY AWARDS Grace Laflash SCHOLARSHIP to Maxwell Leaman
The tenth Annual Grace M. Laflash/Millbury Historical Society Scholarship was recently awarded to Maxwell Leaman, an eighth-grade student at Assumption School in Millbury.
Maxwell was the top history student in the eighth grade. He will be attending the Bancroft School in Worcester this fall.
Grace Laflash was a Charter Member of the Historical Society and its Secretary for nearly forty years. She was the unquestioned expert on Millbury History.
Grace taught fifth grade at Assumption for over twenty-five years, and she instituted a Millbury History Class into the curriculum. Hundreds and hundreds of students learned about this Town from Grace. Her classes often put on plays and skits about events from Millbury’s early history and took part in every Town historical celebration.
When the bridge spanning the Blackstone River and the railroad tracks needed replacing in 1983, Grace’s class researched the history and found that the accepted name of “McGowan Bridge” was incorrect.
Instead, it was originally named the “Gowing Bridge” in honor of a prominent businessman in Town. At the grand opening ceremony, Grace and her students were given the honor of cutting the ribbon for the new “Gowing Bridge.”
Grace passed away in 2015, and her family asked that donations be made in her name to the Millbury Historical Society.
The Board of Trustees of the Society voted to use the funds to establish a scholarship in her name at Assumption School and Board Member Frank Gagliardi made the presentation at Awards Night in the Church.
Love Dorothy Pond?
Dority/ Dorothy/ Doherty OR Dougherty?
Author Will Dougherty explores the origins of Millbury's beloved body of water.
Have you ever wondered about the stories that shaped Dorothy Pond? How did this cherished local landmark get its name, and who were the first settlers to call this area home? "The Long-Forgotten Story of Dorothy Pond in Millbury, Massachusetts" takes you on a captivating journey through time, celebrating the pond’s 300-year toponym-anniversary.
This comprehensive work dives deep into colonial records, revealing the intriguing story of how Dorothy Pond was named and the pivotal role it played in the lives of Millbury, Sutton, and Worcester’s earliest inhabitants.
With a wealth of historic photographs, early maps, surveys, and documents, this book brings the past to life, uncovering the legacy of the first settlers and the transformation of the pondscape.
You may access the link to Will's wbsite below. Here you will find more details about his book (with a Forward by Jude Cristo) and how to order it.
Two photos: 1) The cover of Will's book, and 2) The first-know written document with the Dorothy Pond name.
The Annual Meeting of the Millbury Historical Society took place at the Asa Waters Mansion on Thursday, June 12 at 6:00 PM. A large crowd of well over one-hundred attended on a perfect late-spring evening.
After the business meeting, the featured program of Five Famous Millbury Families was presented.
This year, the five families and their presenters were:
The Pearsons: Brittany Pearson
The Bailey/ Mazzeos: Mark Bailey
The Stowes: Leah (Stowe) Murphy and Justin Murphy
The Hills: Dennis Hill
The Buck Brothers: Rich Hamilton
Just before refreshments, there was a presentation of a Hearts 'n Hands quilt by Karen Dinsdale to prominent, unselfish, industrious Millbury resident Bob Pearson. Bob is such a deserving recipient for all he has done for Millbury and its schoolchildren!
Millbury Historical Society Receives Generous Donation
In October, The Millbury Historical Society was fortunate enough to be gifted with some historically valuable pieces having to
do with Millbury’s history.
The donor was Rev. John McCall of South Portland, Maine, and the items had been passed to him by his mother’s family. His maternal grandmother was Edith Brierley Warren, and HER ancestry came through Millbury during the 18th and 19th centuries Brierleys, Pierces and some Putnams.
The donations:
• Two oil paintings by itinerant folk artist Jedekiah Belknap who was born in Ward (Auburn) in 1781. These paintings are of Hervey Pierce and his wife Sina Stone Pierce, ancestors of John Brierely McCall and residents of Millbury.
• A mantel clock made by Williams, Orton, Preston & Co. c. 1820; movement by Silas B. Terry.
• Family Bibles in fair condition.
• A set of Sandwich glassware, a wedding gift to Julia Elizabeth Pierce and John Thomas Brierly in 1874 from John’s father James Brierly, the mill owner, and his wife Elizabeth Barrett Brierly.
John Brierly McCall (the donor from Maine) is named for John Thomas Brierly, the groom.
John and Andrea McCall at the gravesite of Hervey & Sina Pierce at the Grasshill Cemetery.
Millbury Represented in the Battle of Bunker Hill!
On June 22, two of the board members of the Millbury Historical Society participated in an extrememly well-attended re-enactment of the 250th Anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill.
Brian Dalton and Myles Hebert portrayed Grenadiers of His Majesty's 10th Regiment on foot.
The Battle of Bunker Hill was the first real organized battle of the American Revolution where the Colonists put a line in the sand and held their ground. Though technically a win for the British, this battle significantly boosted American morale and demonstrated their ability to withstand the well-trained British army.
It also revealed to the British that suppressing the rebellion would be a long and challenging endeavor, leading them to adjust their strategies.
The 250th anniversary was held in Gloucester, MA with the largest battle renactment in New England history: over 1,000 reenactors and 20,000 visitors.
The battle took place in Gloucester at Stage Fort Park. This area closely resembles what Charlestown once looked like: an open field with a gently sloped hill that overlooked the harbor.
The British were able to storm the beach and take the hill in a series of attacks but not without taking great casualties. The actual battlefield on Breed's Hill in Charlestown is now a densely developed neighborhood and would not have been feasible to hold an event of this scale.
Though Brian has ancestors who were Patriots and officers in the Continental Army, he appreciated seeing history during this time from the British perspective as well as learning the logistics of the battle and how this country was born.
Brian Dalton (center)
Frederick Douglass (Nathan Richardson) quizzes young historians Lucas Mason (l) and Paul Bemis on the finer points of reading levels.
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A 2023 LCI-713 Update about TWO Coasts and our Tom Fox!
In 1944, Harold Bowker of the Millbury Savings Bank, pledged that the little Town of Millbury would raise the million dollars in War Bonds necessary for the Navy to build a landing craft for use in winning World War II.
Through rallies and dances, public appearances of notables and speeches, Millbury came through! In one month more than the pledged money was raised, and the LCI (L)-713 was built between July 27th and August 4th at the Lawley Naval Shipyard in Neponset, Massachusetts!
She was commissioned on September 18th, made two combat landings in Mindanao and Borneo and earned a battle star while assigned to Flotilla 24.
When the war ended in September of 1945 she transported troops, mail & supplies around the Philippines.
Life returned to normal in the United States as former military men came home to marry, build houses and have children.
The LCI-713 was de-commissioned in October of 1946 and was found to have no practical use for towing logs, so she was docked and used for stowing gear and fuel for several years. Sadly, she even settled to the bottom of the Columbia River, becoming a breakwater near Stevenson, Washington. She was forgotten.
More than twenty years ago, in 2003, a non-profit corporation under the name “Amphibious Forces Memorial Museum” was formed in order to keep the LCI(L)-713 as a museum ship for current and future generations in Portland, Oregon. The museum has a complement of volunteers that include electricians, maritime industry welders, students, entrepreneurs, and several WW II amphibious veterans who share a common interest in bringing her back to her original war-time condition. The LCI(L)-713 is the last remaining LCI(L) in its original WWII configuration.
In June of 2023, the Millbury Historical Society was contacted by John Ragno of Portland Oregon. He is one of those hard-working volunteers dedicated to bringing the LCI back to battle condition.
He was coming to Millbury, the sponsor of the esteemed craft, and wanted to know if he could visit us and our museum!
You see, in our museum is a superb tribute to the real Portland LCI! This model was built out of wood by Doug Bowker (below), the grandson of Harold Bowker, the man who began Millbury’s drive to sponsor her!
So it was that West met East on the morning of July 25, 2023 when John Ragno of the Amphibious Forces Museum, the LCI’s home, of Portland, Oregon came to visit representatives of Millbury, the town which sponsored the craft seventy-nine years ago! John kept calling us the “old part of the country”!
John (above) learning about Millbury through our photo collection.
The Historical Society gave John a copy of Chris Sinacola’s “Images of Millbury.” The Society and Doug Bowker also decided to give John the actual commissioning flag that flew over LCI-713 on September 18, 1944!
John presented Millbury Historical Society members with hats, T-shirts and mugs of LCI-731. L to R: Doug Bowker, President Frank Gagliardi, Sharon Anderson and Rich Hamilton.
Next, in a bit of historical serendipity, Lifetime Historical Society member Tom Fox informed us that he was travelling to Oregon and wished to stop at Millbury’s ship while he was there! Now… truth be told Tom’s primary motivation for the trip was to visit wine country, but why quibble?
Arrangements were made and Tom and his lady MJ explored the LCI with the president of the Amphibious Forces Museum, Rick Holmes. It was a two-hour tour!
The Five Families of Millbury: Our Successful Annual Meeting
of 2024
Over one-hundred guests attended our Annual Meeting & Program held under the tent at The Asa Waters Mansion on a spectacular late spring night: Thursday, June 13th!
President Frank Gagliardi presided over the business component of the meeting, and then the presenters and refreshments followed.
The speakers and the families they covered were:
Stockwells: Jeri Stead
Mulhanes: Mary Lou Mulhane
Hornes: Richard Hamilton
Hills: Dennis Hill
Braneys: Jeff Raymond
Matted/Plastic-Wrapped Prints of the FLYING SAUCER Car Hop and THE CENTRAL DINER are available in a 9” x 12” off-white, museum-quality mat with a bold French line around the opening.
“Diner Don” Sawyer is a New England watercolorist who is well known for his stylized renditions of regional diners, roadside attractions, and pastoral scenes.
Each print is titled, geographically-identified, and signed by the artist, “Diner Don” Sawyer.
These colorful, treasured prints are available at the Museum of the Millbury Historical Society during museum hours or call Frank at
508-865-4192.
9” x 12” Prints of the Flying Saucer and The Central Diner $35
10” x 20” Print of the Flying Saucer only $40
Nostalgic Millbury for Sale
A History of 60 Elm Street
From Lynch's Garage to the Franco-American Club to A & D Pizza
A 1967 article (with a 1951 photo) about the silver anniversary of the Franco-American Club (1943-1968).
A 1958 photo of Senate re-election candidate John F. Kennedy's appearance at the Franco-American Club.
A & D Pizza Today