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HUDSON 

YESTERDAY AND TODAY 

BY 

i;. I'. WORCESTER 



A REVISED EDITION 

or 

HUDSON PAST AND PRESENT 




hon charles hudson 
Born Nov. 4. 1795 Died May 4 1881 



.m;?.;1-v 



MAR -5 1915 /«^>X.. 



FOREWORD 

"T^HK cordial reception accorded the orininal \olunie issueil in i Sgo under tlie title of "Hudson, Past 
and Present" lias induced the pubhsiiei to put this new edition into piint as a further proof of the 

steady growth ot tlie town and its industries. Indeetl so many have been the changes that a majority uf the 

cuts used in Mudson — " Present" ha\e been renderetl out of date by changes and inipro\'ements made in 

the buildings illustrated, and we ha\e given our readers practically a new book, being able to present, 

unchanged, only Hudson — " Past," i. e. previous to the great fire of 1894. 

The book is published in the ho[ie that it will prove a source of pleasure to past and [present residents 

and to the casual visitors to our town. 

The fact that most of the cuts of Hudson — "Yesterday," were made from tintypes, Daguerreotypes 

and faded photograjihs will account for any lack of artistic appearance compared with the views of 

" Today." 



BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION 

" The citizens of Hudson have nut onl}' shown by their thrift that they ha\e fieen stirring business 
men, but their public records show that they ha\e lieen active as townsmen in pix-paring everything for a 
prosperoirs municipal corporation." 

These words of the Hon. Charles Hudson in his address in 1S76, will liold ec|uall\- true toda), as e\'i- 
denced by the energy and personal sacrifices of our townspeople in the tr)ing times following the h(.)lo- 
caust of July 4, 1 894, resulting in the birth of a new^ town, and the turning of a public calamity into 
the means for accomplishing in munths what might ha\e taken \ears by the usual process of a town's 
develo]iment. 

Hudsonians arc rightl)' and unanimously pmud of their town, and the jiurpose of this \iilume is to 
preserve in a hand\- form tlie memories of the " town that was," that we, as well as future generations 
mav in part realize the rai)id strides made b\' her energetic people; to gather between the co\ers ol this 
book what has heretofore been scattered among many families, and to save from loss scenes of which pos- 
sibly but one copy has been preserved. 

The lasting monuments of buildings now standing on the "burnt district" tell but little to the 
"stranger within our gates," of the sacrifices necessary to bring the town to its present condition, and it is 
onl\- 1>\- (.Dinparison that ziv can realize what has been done in h\e short _\ears. Vci-ba volant, Scripta 
luaiicnt. Words arc fleeting, what is written remains. 

The author acknowledges his indebtedness for valued assistance rendered by the man)- citizens who 
have responded to the call for photographs and bits of history, and whose aid has made the production of 
the book possible. 



HUDSON YESTERDAY 




IL'DSON'S I1IS'1(JR\' max reasonably be said to have been divided 
into a story ot an old and a new ttiwn by the disastrous fire of July 
4, 1894, when the heart of the business district was almost wholly 
destroyed, and as the town in its earliest days, then known only as a 
lilantation, had its beginning on the banks of the river near 
the present Washington Street bridge, so fate decreed that the start- 
ing point of the hre, which was the first step towards a re-creation, 
should be but a lew feet awa\ . 
,^„„ Barely three-quarters of a centurv had elapsed after the landing 

Washington Street Bridge, built 1700 ^ ^ j i- o 

of the I'ilgrims, when one John Barnes obtained a grant of one acre 
of land lying on both sides nf the .\ssaliet rnei', iijion the north side of which was erected a grist mill in 
1699. Historians differ as to the builder of this mill, which was the first to be erected on territory now 
Hudson, but the place was commonly known as Howe's Mills, ami the first recordeil transfer of real 
estate is this acre of land and the mill about 1700, to one Joseph Howe, who is supposed by many to have 
been the builder. 

This land, as well as that surrounding it, was included in the bounds of the town of Marlboro, and the 
early histor\' of the Hudson section is so interwoven with that of the whole that a separation is often 
difficult. The first settlers were mainly farmers, ami as there was then no other mill nearer than Suilbui)-, 
they naturally brought then- corn here for grinding. This led to more settlements, but progress was slow 
on account of the desire of the settleis to preserve the place as a farming eommu.nity. 



Soon after the buildin.i;- ut the mill, Uic t<)\vn nl M.uibi)r(). Octiiber 2, if'gQ, voted td Iniikl a bridge 

across the Assabet at Howe's ^lills. 

One of the lirst houses was built by Jeremiah Barstow on land now contained in Wood Square, and 

ten years later was sold tn Robert ]5arnard, the locality afterwards being- known as Barnard's Mills. 

The first public house was opened in 171)4 by Joel Cranston, who also kept a st(jre. The first store, 

however, was in what was afterwards known 
as the "(^Jld Ived House," antedating the Rev- 

^ olution, and which stood on land now occu- 

pied by Mr. R. B. I,ewis' brick block. Its 
large doorway and man\ -paned windows show 
its ancient style. Previous to this time 
Phineas Sawyer and Jedediah Wood built a 
sawmill on the brook crossing Main Street 
now known as the Tanner\' brook, and in 
I 7SS another mill was luiilt upon the Assabet. 
As early as 1790 a blacksmith shop was 
in operation on the present Washington street, 
the building being afterwards moved back 
from the sti'cet to the bank of the river, 
where it stood when destro\ed in the great 
lire, having been occupied over one hundred 
years as a smithy. 




Silas KeltDii came in ijgi), jnininj; Cianstnn in business, and soon after the villai;e commenceil tu be 
called Feltonville. 

A tannery was started in 1799 on nearly the same land now occu])ied by Dunn, (ireen Leather Co., 
and the business has been carried on alninst uninterruptedly up to the present time. 

The dawn of the nineteenth century saw many new inchistries springing int(.) existence, among them 
saddle and harness making, wool carding and cloth dressing. 





Built in 179 7 
ce OF R- B. Le' 



Witt House. Built in 1797. Site of Public Lii 



The Witt hmise was built in 1797, aiul was moved to River street, where it now stands, in 1S63; the 
Manson house was erected "u the same spot and was destmyed in the great fire "f 1894. During 1797 
tlie Pope house was built on land now occupied by R. B. Lewis' residence and was moved in sections to 
make way for that. A solid ledge underlies this land as well as all of Wood Square ami surrounding lets. 

In 1808 Phineas Sawyer built a factor\- known as the Marlboro Satinet l-'actory, which business he 
carried on until January i, 1820, when he lost 
his life. The water wheel which supplied his 
[lower was stopped with ice, which he pro- 
ceeded to cut away, stepping on the wheel in 
so doing: the wheel when released commenced 
to revolve, carr\ing Mr. Saw\er down with it, 
and he was soon drowned. The factor\- was 
burned in 1834. 

The first jilnsician came to town in 1809, 
and lived in the •• Old Peters House," which 
stood on land now partially occvipied by 
Chamberlain's block. 

A school house was built in 1812, and 
probabl)- established a record for speed in 
building which has rarely been excelled 
in town, certainl)' not in the t;rection of 
school houses The voters from this villaLre 





Peters' Store ' Site of Hudson Printikg Co Bl 



succeeded in getting a \i)te passed f( 

an adjiiurned session had not the pci 

so that l)efore the date of adjournnie 

Amniit; the first schohirs attend 




ir this school house, which would undoubtedly have been rescinded at 
iple taken hold, felled and hewn the timber, and erected the building, 
nt was reached the building was completed and read\' for occupanc)-. 
ing this school, which was on Washington street where Everett street 
now runs, was Charles Hudson, who li\-ed to 
see the village grow to a township and bear 
his name, an honor which was a well-earned 
tribute to his character and e.\ani|)le. 

The Felton House was built in iSo3and 
was a familiar landmaik for man\' vears 
until replaced b)' the large brick block of 
H. W. Chase. I'his buikling was occupied 
by Joel Cranston lor some time and known as 
Cranston's Hotel, also usetl by Col. Stewart 
as a ta\'ern. 

The hall in the upper story of the ell was 
useil by the l^aptists for meetings, also for 
dramatic and local entertainments by vari<ius 
organizations. 

The belief " in farms rather than in 
towns" still impeded the growth of the 
comnnmitw but small manufacturing was 




3E Houghton s Fii 



Corner of Main and High Streets. 1858 



gradually inti'Dcluceil, and the poinilaiicm increased as 
there became a demand lor their labor. 

The foundation of the shoe-making industry ma) be 
said to have been laid by Daniel Stratton, who as ear]\- 
as 1816, starletl in business. He built a factory about 
icS2i on Washington street, when there were still but 
two dwelling houses and one store at the "Mills," and 
business was necessarily done on a small scale. Here 
he employed four hands and continued the business a 
few years, selling it to his son Lorenzo, who in turn 





sold to William Brigham, and the name of Brigham has 
been actively identified with our leading industry con- 
tinually until 1911. 

Francis Brigham. the heatl of the firm F. Brigham 
& Co. at the time his death, learned his trade in this 
factory, afterwartls mo\ing to a building which stood 
just off Main street, then to a biick building standing 
on site of present llolden's Block. 

In 1S47, the building commonly known as the 
"Co-operati\e Store" was built and the shoe business 
mo\ed there ami cuntinued to iimw. 




View from Popes Hill ' Mount Be 



The tirni nt Stowc, Hills & IIa\vlc\- ronimciiccd in 
.S54. 

In 1S57, Genrge II()UL;htiin built a j-hnc factory at 
the curner of Main and High streets sixtv feet long, 
three stories high with a liasement, which he enlarged 
the following year to one hundred feet in lenL;th, at this 
time an unheard of size, gi\'ing rise to man\- dire predic- 
tions of failure and the like. 

The first steam engine e\er used in the limits of 



. : ■%■ ' 


i 
1 


-( 1 5 ■ 






> 1 ■ ' 

1 3 1 li. 




Marlboro was run in this building, a fi\e horse-])ower 
u[)i'ight one. 

The foundation of a large and iirofitable shoe busi- 
ness was here establishetl This building was moved in- 
1S6:; to form an ell to his Main street factor\- shown in 
picture abo\'e, a part of the front portion having been 
used as a station 1)\ the I'itchburg Railroad. Si.\ty feet 
were adtled and a b'rench roof put on o\er the whole. 

The same \eai-, 1S57, the lirick factor\ of 1-", Hrig- 
ham & Co. was built and the shoe business was rapidh- 




FROM Pope s Hill (Mount Bellevuei 1862, The Tannery Bui 



liccnming of lar,;;c propnrtions. Lunian T. Jefts bcyan 
business in iS^i). The aniuunt nf lousiness done made 





Main Street, 1852 



a ileiiiaiul fur iaetoiies tn supply the lasts, tlies.and 
niaehineiy, and we find these springing into existence 
together with a box factor)-, the latter being first found- 
ed about 1 844 in a building where had previously been 
located a cider brandy distillery, which business at one 
time assumed large proportions, more apples being 
brouijht in than could be handled. 



At tl 
what, ami 



ic bci 
men 



iniunj;" n 
from till; 



I he Civ 
\ieinil\' 



il VVa 
were 



1- th 
enlist 




existing military foiiiKitinns in the state were altered some- 
ed in sexeral different regiments, which earh' went to the front 
for a three years' ser\'ice. 

■J"he following year, May,iS62, 
another eomiiany of X'olunteers 
was organized in l'"elton\ille, of 
which the late Lieut. -Col. 
W. ]■: C. Worcester was the fnst 
captain. This cumpan}' was letteied 
I, of the Fifth Regiment, and did 
active service in many of the battles 
of that war. 'fhis compan)-, al- 
though credited to the parent town, 
was iirincipally recruited from this 
\illage, a part of its membershiii 
coming froni neighboring localities. 
The picture tm this page shows 
the buildings formerly standing on 
the north side of Wood Sciuare : 
the one on the right was after- 
wartls the shoe factory of L. .Strat- 
ton and still later turned arouml 



when Felton street was laid out. The buikling next stuud where the street now runs. This building was 

moved to site of present Sherman House where it was burned. The cut also shows the end of the " ( )ld 

Red House" and corner i>f Solon Wood's store. 

In connection with the shoe business it may be interesting to notice the following two advertisements 

which appeared in the local paper, as showing that the present department stores are hardly more diversi- 
fied in their stock than were some of 
our early factories. These are repro- 
duced almost exactly as tlie originals 
ap]ieared : 




17 IlKIOUAM & Co.. 
r . Manufacturers o 

WOMEN^S and CHILDKI-:N- 
and Dealers in Choice Family Flour. 



liOOTEES. 

Hudson. 



\\rM. F. ■ikowbrid(;e, 

' ' Manufacturer of 

MEN'S MISSES and CHILUKEN'-S B.^LMORALS, 
Huff, Split, Calf, Peble. and (ioat Boots and Shoes and 
Dealer in Family Flour. 

Wood Square, Hudson. 



1 )uring all this period since the 
^ ^ ^ first settlement, the village, now raijidh' 

Shoe Factory of l. Stratton ' '^ ' • ' 

growing, was still but a part of the town 
of Marlboro, and although the apportionment of town ofificers was such that no complaint could be made 



by the residents of l''elt(iin illc, \cl the inconvenieiKe of gniiiL; Inur miles tu attend town meetin.n began to 
excite public sentiment, which the local newspaper voiced in several arlicles. The outcome of this agita- 
tion was a call for a jniblic meetin- of all the citizens in I'nion Hall, Tuesday evening. May i6, 1865. 
This meeting- was laigelv attended and the question of incorporation thoroughly discussed. The sentiment 

was pretty gencralh' in favor of the 
movement which also tlevehjped the 
fact that man)' of the citizens of l-ier- 
lin and Bolton desireil to ha\e the 
sections of their towns King next the 
proiiiised new town annexed to it. 
This naturally ga\e rise to objections 
from the towns intei'estcd, which com- 
plicated matters somewhat. 

I'Or some reason the first meet- 
ing was adjourned without any action 
being taken and a meeting called the 
following Tuestlay, at which these 
resolutions were adopted: 

'■ W/ierras. we the inhabitants of 
M.,._iLj., h.ju^^ uu.^: :i;^j. remodelled 1856. destroved 1894 Feltonville and vicinity, believing that thu 

time has arrived when it will be for our 
best interests and welfare to withdraw from our respective municipal corporations and be incorporated into a new 
town : therefore, 




K l:Si>Ll'liP, that a committee of nine bo appointed to tal<e into consideration the subject of establishing the 
boundary lines of said new town and the most feasible way of drawing up the petition for that purpose, and that they be 
instructed to procure such legal advice as they may deem necessary on the subject, and report at some future meeting to 
be called by them." 

The committee attended tn the duty assii^ned and the citizens iletermined upon the boundar\ hues as 
recommended b)- the committee, petitions being drawn in accordance with the same, several slight changes 

ha\'ing been made to include outlying 
farms. A new committee of five was 
then chosen to make arrangements 
for incorporation. 

When the cjuestion of a name 
came up for consideration two propo- 
sitions were offered, one b\' Silas 
I^\dton offering $i,ooo should the 
name of l^'elton be selected, the other 
from Hon. Chsrles Hudson who 
agreed to donate $500 for the founda- 
tion of a Free Public Library should 
the name of Hudson be given the 
new town. It has not, we believe, 
been cjuite clear why the latter propo- 
sition was accepted, but such was 
the case. 









> 


nmm 

HSSSSiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiSjM 


IJSiii^S 


bSHHb 






H ! If ]j 1 1 11 -!i^ -^ — ^^ -5?- 



in in ^ 
lai 111 ^ 



? 







ROAD Street 



4. 1874 — Hl 



The burden i)f the work rested on this new committee and it is a lact pointed to with pride that 
although ill the face ol niuch opposition, no lobby was employed or unlawful means attempted in attaining 

the desired result. 

The counsel for the town 
closed his ]:ilea as follows: 

"If incorporated, I believe 
that the town of Hudson at no 
distant day will become a town 
that shall do honor to Middle- 
sex County, to the towns from 
which she is taken, and will re- 
member them for what they 
may each have done for her. " 

After much legal con- 
tro\'ersv, the act incorpo- 
rating the new town of 
Hudson was passed March 
1 6, I.S66. 

The town then had 306 
\oters. March 20, 1 868, 
the town bounds as they 
now exist were determined 
upon, taking in a part of 
the town of Holton. 





Scholar went at Noon, re 
to look for mail 




■ ON FELTQN 




and the wooden shoe factory nf I'. Rrigham & Co. in 
iJiDccss of erection. When this building was com- 
pleted it had a laigc hall in the upper story in which 
was heUl a dedication dance, at which nearly every 
citizen of the town was mentioned as an aid. This 
hall was used as an armory, dance hall, etc. 

The lower story was first used as a grist mill. 



The first view shown on this page 
was taken in 1S63, showing Central street, 
acrciss the n\ei', before it was re-located; 
also the blacksmith slioi), nearl)- opposite 
Brigham's brick shop, previous to its being 
moved. Notice the large barns in \arious 
spots which have long since given way to 
modern residences. 

I'he second view, taken about i^fift, 
shows the Trowbridge factory completed. 





FRONT OF Town House La 



The shoe business was further increased in 1865 by the building of the four story wooden shoe fac- 
tory of VV. F. Trowbridge, where his business was transferred and enlarged. The business offices, a jew- 

eh-y store and n tailor shop occu- 
pied the front of the first floor, 
which was considerabh' abo\'e the 
street level. 

After the close of the Civil 
War. appropriate exercises were 
held Ma\' 30, 1 SOg, the speaking 
being from the piazza of this fac- 
tory, the local band furnishing 
music for the occasion. The day 
has since been annually observed, 
the town making an appropriation 
for the expenses of the same, used 
under direction (.)f Post No. 9, 
Ci. A. R., namctl Reno in honor 
of Creneral Reno. 

Many local organizations ha\e 
from time to time assisted the 
Post in their services, and in dec- 
orating soldiers' graves. 





The East E^ 



Pope s Hill (Mount Be 



The building owneil by V. S. 
Dawes and occupied iiartiall}- by his 
die shop and by Bradlev & Sayward, 
was built on made land, filled in to 
the Tannery I'ond, the fence formerly 
running along its edge being shown 
on page 14, in the picture entitled 
"George Houghton's factory, looking 




lui!4ll 





east." This building was the scene 
of a file which good woik of the fire- 
men alone prevented from being dis- 
astrous. 

The electric light station was 
formerly located in the engine room 
of the shop until taken over by the 
Town. 



BRADLEY'S Shop. 1870. Now occupied by Fuller, Ch 




The Centre of the Town from pope s Hill. (Mount Be 



The burning of the Brick Shoii, 
so called, in 1882, which totally 
destroyed the building, caused a cc )n- 
siderable inconxenience tn the shoe 
business of F. Brigliam & Co., but 



■tSL...^^' 





the firm made use of the buildings on the south 
side of the river, which the\- continued to oc- 
cupy until thc\- leased the factory of the Hudson 
Real Instate Co., im South Street soon after the 
great fire. The site of the brick shop is n<jw par- 
tially iiccupioil b\- the Boston & Worcester Trol- 
ley freight terminal. The Thomas H. Logan Co., 
purchasei.1 and ()ccu])ie<l the Real Instate Co. 
building in December, 1912. 




The West Er 



Popes Hill (Mount Bellevue 1875 



Solon Wood's store occupied the 
centre of the square, on site of one of 
the first buildings built in this vicinity, 
the building being several times re- 
modelled and enlarged. The land it 
occupied was purchased by the town 
for J^io.ooo soon after the fire. All 




the buildings shown on this page were 
destroyed in the great fire. Lewis Block 
and Prescott Building now occujiy the 
locations shown in the second picture. 
T_\thian Hall occLipied the upper stor\ 
of Lewis Block when burned. 



In Aui;ust, 1S7J, the Japanese Embassy paid a visit of inspection to Hudson, under -uidancc of a 
committee from the Hostnn Shoe and Leather Exchange. These gentlemen were native fapanese sent by 
their go\ernment lo investigate the \arious manufactures in this counti')-, and it was a compHment of the 

highest kind that they should be 
brought here. The processes of tan- 
ning were thoroughly examined, and 
they were then taken through the 
Houghton Shoe Factory, it being 
considered a model factory at that 
time. A pleasing jiart of the pro- 
gram was the making of several pairs 
of shoes for the \isitors during their 
progress through the shop, they 
watching the \'arious oi^erations as 
the work progressed. The finished 
shoes were taken as souvenirs by 
the visitors, who expressed them- 
selves as " highly delighted and 
instructed." 

The picture shows the Embass}' 
in the centre of the group. 

The land hine east of the fac- 




toiy and formini; the corner of Main and ]-!road streets, was jireservcd by Mr. Houghtun for a nimiber of 
years as a park, in the centre of which was a handsome fountain. The lot is now co\ered b\- the I'haneuf 
and Seymour buildings. The building was destroyed by tire January j, 1904. 

In iSSo. Hudson's shoe industry was further increased by the occupation of the I'iano .Shop by Mr. 

Joseph .S. Bradley, who had retired, as did 
Mr. Trowbridge, from the hrm of V. Brig- 
ham & Co. The building is the <ine now 
nccupied b)' l<"uller, Chandler & Patten Co., 
f(.)rmerly usetl by Kaler & Shaw, who 
resmneil Inisiness here after their tiie 
in i,S74. 

Hudson's shoe industry was well ad\ er- 
tisecl by two novel floats in the procession 
connected with Boston's 250th anniversary 
in iSSo, from the George Houghton fac- 
tors One float being a log cal)in and an 
early settler's family making sh(.)es b\ hand, 
the other a fully equipped factory, with 
every necessary machine, including upright 
steam engine for pow-er, where complete 
shoes were being produced. 





The Mansion House, remod- 
elled frnm Cox's Tavern, stood on 
site of Solon Wood's new hlock 
and was prominent anion- the old 
buildings before the fire. It was 
built upon a solid ledge of rocl< 
which underlies all the buildings on 
the north side or Wood Square. 



The (ieorge Stratton House sUhkI at 
tlie corner of Pope street, on sjiot now 
occupied by the Savings Bank Block. This 
building was blown up to prevent further 
progress of the great fire. 




With the e.\cc|)ti(.in nf teniporar\' 
changes made necessary by the erection of 
Manson's Block in 1886 and b)- the great 
fire, the Post Office stood in nearly the lo- 
cation shown since about 1850, when it was 
removed from Brigham's Block, where it 
was located for some time after leaving the 
Peters Building. 

It was moved to its present location in 
December. tQOj. 



Brigliam's Block was also occu- 
pied at various times by the Sav- 
ings Bank, which was incorporated 
February 6, 1869, Lewis' Photo- 
graph Studio, Law Offices, etc. 
The third story contained G. A. R. 
Hall when burned. The old post 
office building now stands on War- 
ner Street ; the other buildings 
shown were all destro\ed in the 
great fire. 



Old Post Office Builc 



I'Larly in i.SSj, scveml prominent business men instituted a movement which resulted in the ori^ani/a- 
tion and chartering of the Hudson National I^ank. They commenced business in March, with banking 
rooms in the Town House. 

In 1SS5 a C(i-.iperative liank was mcirporated, gi\ing the tnwn a s_\stem of banks which has proved 
popular with all classes, as the large 
deposits in each denote. 

This year saw, also, the foundation 
of the present Apsley Ruliber Co., com- 
menced by Apsley & Cofhn undei- the 
title of the CoodNear Gossamer Co. 
These gentlemen began business in the 
wooden building of !■". l^righam & Co , 
now occupied b)' the Hudson Counter 
Co., and Novelty Taper B(j.\ Co., which 

they continued to use until they pur. "^^'j 'jj^^ '^^ "^Sfl '^ll't '*' 
chased an extensive tract of land where 
their buildings now stand, on which the\ 
erected substantial brick buildings spe 
cially adapted to their use. The di\ei 
sity of industries is what has given the 
town a more than average prosperity, and 
the rubber clothing and rubber shoe bus- 



Will 



1 TTTV 



^STER R. R. Br 




1^- 

Mil ii li nVni 

I I 1:1 I 




the same into cdiisitleratioii. This 
cnnimittec recommended an apprnpria- 
tion "for a tliorough sni"\ey and plan 
fcir takiiiL; water from dates' I'ontI, 
and an estimated cost of constructinL; 
the works." 

An aijpi'c)|>iiation was made in 
April, 1SS3, and an act authorizing 



iness has been an imjiortant factor in 
the upbuilding of Hudson. 

At the town meeting November 
7, 1S82, the matter of a system of 
water works was brought up by an 
article in the warrant and a vote was 
passed authorizing the appointment of 
a committee of fifteen wlio should take 




the taking of water passed the Legislature, and was approved April 25. Gates' Pond, which was selected, 
lies ill the town of Berlin and had at that time an area of about ninety acres, with a natural water shed of 
one hundred and forty-one acres. The surface of the pond was then 103 feet above the curbing at Wood 
Square, giving a natural fall sufficient to reach the top of nearly every building in town. When completed, 
.S.2 miles of pipe had been laid, varying in size from 4 to 16 inches. Water was let in from the porjd Dec- 
ember 16, 18S4. 

The water is free from contamination, and of the hnest quality. .\ large number of applications for water 
were recei\ed and so i^opular has been 
the s)stem that rates are extremely 
low, and extensions of the water main 
have been frequenth" necessarw The 
s\-stem now consists of 2jf)j miles of 
pipe of the \arious sizes, with 302 
gates and i 86 hydrants. The income, 
inclusive of hydrant service, was near- 
ly Si 0,000 in 189S, w^ater being taken 
by 1,014 families in addition to busi- 
ness and other uses. The fact that no 
pumping is required makes the expense 
of maintenance of the system compar- 
atively light. 

In 1898, a new dam was con- 




structcd, gi\'ing an extra storage depth n[ two feet and an atlditional water shed of about twent\' acres. 
An auxiUary pipe line was also laid fioni the pond running parallel to the first line, except at the pond. 
This gave a much increased pressure as was i>iii\en b\ the thorough test given the whole system on De- 
cember 6 i)t that year. 





No\'ember i6, 1S87, a military company was oi'gani/cd, designated M, and attached to the Fifth Reg- 
iment. Tills company enlisteil in the U. S. service for duty in the Spanish war, and while not seeing 
active service in any of the Spanish counti'ics, was in camp nine months read\' for duty. On their return 
from the South the compan\' was reorganized. The armory was formerh' located in the Opera House, later 
in the ujiper stoi\- of the Town House and now in the new State Armor\'. 



Hudson was also re|ircscnted in 
the navy durinj;- the recent war, hcjth 
at Santiago on the Brooklyn, and at 
Manila on the Hagship of Admiral 
l-)e\ve\ . 

Many old buildings, dating back 
a hundred years or more, are still 
standing in very nearly their original 
form, but have not been included in 
the views shown herein. Some like 





the Cox house, ha\e been remodelled so that hardly a 
suggestion of their former self remains. The frames of 
most, if not all of them, were hewn from oak, and in many 
cases were boarded with oak or chestnut lumber. 

The Witt house shown on page 7, stood on the site 
of the l^rown house. The small house showing through 
at the right isthishousein itspresentlocation on ]\i\'er St. 




>* ■ ■ « « i,- 



J 1 1 til II II Ills. 



I] B ti ;^ 




" L()()kiii.i;acruss Washington Street Bridge," was moved 
tu tlic other side of the river. 

The blacksmith shnp here shown is the one furmei'- 
ly standing (in Washingtun street as earl\' as i/yo. 
This stiind next the shed in which the great fire started, 
and with the shop was totally destroyed. 



'I'he wooden shoe factor\'of F. Brig- 
ham & Co. stood on the site of Howe's 
mill and the lower stnr)' was used for a 
long time as a grist mill b\' R. H . Biigham. 
When destroyed, the whole factor)' Iniild- 
ing was used for the shoe business with 
the exception of a small store in the 
first story. 

The oUl mill building formerl)' on 
the site, and shown on page IJ in picture 



ComcX!! 



iFWf^SE SHOEiNG & JOBBING. 





No nraix-r an ideal Natinnal Holiday ever dawned 
than in iS()4. the twentieth anniversary i)f the tirst seri- 
"us tiic, the niorning" ha\ ing been ushered in b\ the 
small b(i)'s and others, with the usual ceremonies su]i- 
posed to be necessary to the birth of each new •' Fourth 
Had all the small boys finished their celebratmg with the 
dawn, this story would probably have to be told in a 
much different way. 

Several small bo)'S, however, continued the celebra- 





NCE OF F w, Trowbridge, 2nd 
1894. Site of St, Luke s Church 



^^,r jsm 



The Trowbridge Shop Starting pom 



tion in the afternoon with tire-crackers 
and the like in the rear of the shoe factory 
of i'"rank H. Chamberlain, and started the 
fire which spread with such disastrous 
results. The town was soon awakened 
to the possibilities attending the progress 
of the fire, which was rapidly eating into 
the factory in fiont and spreading to 
each side, fanned by a strc.mg west wind. 
Coming as did the first alarm, when 
many of the 'firemen and more of the 



people were at Riverside Park, the response was not as prompt as usual ant! the fire had gained a headway 
too strong to be easily subdued. 

Assistance was telegraphed for tt) many jilaces and a generous resj^onse was gi\en. The flames had 
rapidly spread, impeded for a time by the many trees in the square, but trees and lilocks, wooden and 
brick, melted in the hot breath of the tire hend. The rapid spread in many cases cut off the fii'emen from 
h)'drants in use, pre\enting their 
being closed, thus lessening the pres- 
sure of the water and lendering the 
hue system of water works almost 
useless. 

Steamers and other fire appara- 
tus rapidly arrived from neighboring 
[ilaces and \'olunteers industriously 
pumi'/cd the brakes on the old luu'eka 
Engine, which made itself useful on 
the west side of the square. The 
Cicorge Stratton house was blown up 
to pre\ent further progress of the 
flames in its direction, and the large 
tin roof on the L'nderwood Building 
was fannetl like a handkerchief in 
the air, preventing the flames from 





The i;athLTing tloiids prcdictotl 
a shower which sliortly tdllowed, and 
the wind veering to the east, drove 
the flames back ovei' the xast black- 
ened area of what was once the thr(.)b- 
bing business heart of the town, and 
the progress of tlie fire was rajiidl)- 
pre\'ented. Men could not have 



entering the Hudson House, which stood next to it. The com- 
bined forces of all who could assist seemed hartU}- sufficient to pre- 
\'ent the destruction of the entire centre of the town. Cinders 
weie carried to a great distance, setting fires which le\e!ed two 
houses outside the "burnt distiict " and threatening churches and 
the town house. 




1870- The U^ 



worked lian-lcriiii their own homes than did the firemen sent to our aid, and the town owes niueli to tliem 
antl om- own tire tlepartment that more of the town was not destroyed. 

The ladies did good service in fin"nishin.<; food for the workers, scouring the town for provisions and 
coffee, which was served in the vestr\ of the I'nitarian Chincli. The mihtia was called out for guard dut)- 
and prevented the destruction and earring away of property that had been saved. 




The burnt DrSTRICT FROM ROOF 



F. Brigham a Co , July 5. 1894 



Nearly lorty buildings were tlestroyed, co\-ering an area of over 5 acres and representing a loss of 
full\- a half million dollars, all of which liad been accomplished in less than three hours. The night was 
vi\id with the smouldering lire and neaih all the old landmarks had vanished forexer. 

The few trees that had withstood the fierce heat, loomed up in the darkness, blackened to the rtiots. 




Main Street just 



OF July 4. 1894 



with branches bare, and served as abuut llie (jnly guides to show where once had stmid the l)uildings the)' 
had so vainly endeavored to shelter. 

Here and there, among the ruins, were solitary tigiiies irouring streams of water on the smoking mass, 
and most conspicuous of all, among the landmarks still standing, was the Old l-dm, marking the extreme 
western end of the burnt district. 

Ne.\t morning that magnificent old elm was standing as it had stood almost a century through, a silent 
sentinel, itself a wreck amid a scene ol desolation no picture can full)' portray; a part of " I Iiulson 
that was" in ruins aroimcl, it seemed emblematic of tlie fortitude whith has characterized tlie town and 
its [icoplc. 

It scattered its scorched leaves as if for seed from wjiich should spring a town anew; the}' fell ong(.)iid 
ground and a new town arose as if by magic. 





Cox Square, 1894. Showing Old El 




Looking down Main St 



Wood Square 1899 



HUDSON TODAY 




\ the rcci instruction which fullciwcd tlic <;icat lire, Hudson's businc:-s 
men proved that, allhou,:;h stunned h\ the blow, they liad an im- 
mense anniunt of couraj;e whith the dis,ister had stimuh^ted, and as 
their buildings melted in the flames, \isions of new and better 
structures arose in their [ilaces, and these soon became realities. 

Scarcely had daylight dawned on July 5 when workmen com- 
menced at the ruins, clearing away for foundations of new buildings, 
and the storekeepers rapidh' ftaind shelter for themselves and what 
little stock had been saved, in \acant stcires or parts of stores occu- 
DANFORTH s FALLS ^jgj ljy lY[^,\y niorc fortuiiatc brothers in tiade, who had escaped 

the flames. 
New buildings were rapidh pushed to completion, Gra\es' block (now f lurlbui t's) being the first one 
finished for occupancy, the first store opened being named The Pheni.x. 

The Lawrence building was finished for stores December 15, and the other buildings rapidly followed, 
until we ha\e today fifteen brick and granite blocks covering the fnirned district and gi\ing the business 
section an appearance not ecjualled by towns of much larger size. 

We have lost, it is true, much of the simple beauty of a shatled country business street, with its old- 
fashioned stores and picturescjue scenes. Some of our older business men, too, have dropped by the way- 
side, aged all too rapidly by the terrible experiences of the fire. Old landmarks have disappeared ; but in 
their places has arisen a busy commercial section that is a credit to any locality., (tthers have stepped in 



to till the \-acant places, and new lamlniarks have been made which should stand for many years as mon- 
uments to the enterprise of our peijple. 

The town has been well represented in important political offices in the state and nation, by State 
Representatives and Senators, National Representative, Governor's Council and leading committees, who 

have maintained the dignity of the town. 

.Secret societies abound and brethren of nearly 
all orders can here clasp hands with fellow members. 
Ihe best appointed halls are Odd Fellows' Hall in 
Lewis' Block, leased by Hudson Lodge, No. 154, and 
ALasonic Hall in Savings Bank Block. Cochran's, 
.St. Jean's and Ilurlburt's Halls at the west end ami 
Knights of Columbus and Hibernian Halls at the east 
end, gi\'e an abundance of roomy meeting places. 

Hudson Lodge of Elks occupies a suite of rooms 
in Lawrence building formerly used by the Riverside 
Association and the Eagles are ne.xt do(.)r in the 
Chase building. 

The ladies are well represented by organizations, 
the most cosmopolitan being the Hudson Woman's 
Club, organized in 1898, with a membership now of 
about 250. This club has been in the lead in town 
improvement having been instrumental in founding 








Hudson s Handsome Ml 



the (lislnct nurse assoeiatinn, beautifyin- imblic -luunds, and lurnishini; invalid ehair and stretcher 
f,ir the sick. 

The pubHe school system is under the careful supervision of a competent sujierintendent, ably assisted 
by thirty-two teachers, including- music, manual training and sewing; in the two latter a large number of 

hrst and second prizes awarded pupils at 

. ■ ■ out of town exhibitions attests the skill 

attained b)' our pupils in these blanches. 

The history of the schools dates back 

to 1779 when the first school house was 

built, another in 1S12 and the School 

street school house in 1S55 ; this was put 

at as near the geographical centre (if the 

■**^?' mMRHBHI \illage as possible, the distance being 

measured from each man's door yard. 

.Supi^lementing the schools is the 
I'ublic Librar)' in a well appointed 
BRUCE POND LOOKING NORTH Library l^uilding built in 1904 on land 

purchased by the town and built by a dunatinn ol SiJ,50C from Andrew Carnegie and an appropriation by 
the town. I'unds collected some years ago for a memorial to the Civil War were used in making the read- 
ing roDin such a meniDiial, w'ith a tablet, over a handsome fireplace, bearing the names of those from 
lludsnn who fell in battles of that war. This tablet is appropriately decorated on Memorial Day. 
The Library is i.ipen dail)-, and in 10L1 li^id a circulation of 42,02s volumes. 






.'.id*^«*s%^^^{«<K: 



Reading Rc 




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II II 111 


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School, Apsley St 



The various rhurch denominations 
are well represented, each in an edifice 
of its own, all (if which are illustrated 
here. 

The Baj)tist society is the oldest 
one organized in town, and the\ hekl 
meetings as earh" as 1844. Their first 
church was built on Church street in 
1 85 1 and was used until their present 
one was built on the same spot; the cor- 
ner stone was laid December 2, 1875 





ami the church dedicated October 23, 1877. 

The Unitarians met in hreedimi Ilall, sn calletl, in 
the School street school house in 1854 and the present 
building was erecteil in i860. 

The Methodists held their first preaching service 
April 9, 1865 and laid the fnundatinns of their Main 
street church in 1866 which they occupied until it was 
burned, February 28, 191 i. 

Their new- chvu'ch building was dedicated June 15, 
1913- 



Baptist Ch 





Former Methodist Churc 
BORNEO Feb 28 1911 




The Cath(ilir sDcicty or,L;anizL-(l in 1869 and built a 
church on Cross struct in that year. The corner stone 
of their present church was laid August 25, 1S89. The 
old building which stood in the rear of the present one 
was used as a parish hall vmtil it was burned in 1903. 



The Congregational suciety held a meeting for 
organization in 1S89 in Temple Mall in the Chase build- 
ing, and St. Luke's Episcopal Mission was held in St. 
Luke's Hall also in this building, nearh" on the site of 
the Felton house in which the Baptists first held meet- 
ings. The Congregational Church was dedicated Sep- 
tember 3, 1 90 J. 




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* 




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1 




1 







Church Stree 



St. Lu!, 
rooted over ; 



c's Episcopal Mission met for some time in the basement of their present church temporarily 

the building as now completed was dedicated Palm Sunday, 191, v 

The fire department had its beginning in January, I S42, 
when the P'eltonville luigine Co. was formed with twenty- 
one members, and a hand engine. In 1849 a new engine, 
called Hydraulicon No. 3 was purchased and in 1872 the 
"]uireka" hand engine was bought, the company name 
having been changed to luireka in 1857. This engine and 
company made a record of 229 feet i '.. inches at Portland, 
Maine, October 12, 1875 which stood as a world's record 
for nianv years. 

The bell in the tower of the Central hire Station was 
tiriginalh' in the belfry of " Houghton No. 2." house in one 
of the tannery buildings on Houghton street, later in the 
l-'elton street engine house until that building was destroyed 
in the great fire. The present department includes three 
engineers, one steamer with two men, one Hook and Lad- 
der Co., 12 men, three Hose Companies with eight men 
each, besides 15 substitutes. A fire alarm system, with 
24 boxes and two steam whistles, is in operation with about 
iS miles of wires. A new underground system was 
recentlv iiut in f)n Main street. 



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State Armory Company M, Fifth REcrMENT Washington and Park St 




Hudson is 28 miles frnm Boston mi the direct 
line of the Central Massachusetts division of the 
Ix & M. R. R. and on a branch of the Fitchburg 
di\ision. Three lines of electrics meet in Hudson, 
giving half-hourly service with through cars to Itoston 
antl hourly service to Worcester and Fitchbin"g, and 



the ]^(jston Flevated (via Concord). Express is han- 
dled by three c<M:ipanies, with freight service in 
addition to the steam roads, over the Boston & Wor- 
cester trolle)' line with two trips dail_\' 

The Municipal Light and Pi3\ver department 
gives unsurpassed service twenty-four hours per dav, 
se\-en days in the week, with low rates. Their 







1^ 



if 






■'^Mr^M.: ^ 




r ^ V I i:<t 



Junction Ce 



MD Lincoln St 



etiuipnicnt 
or S67 h(ir 
lamps and 




includes 140 miles of overhead wires and a capacity of generators and engines of 650 Kilowatts 
.e-power. The street lighting system supplies 34 100 c. p. and 400 40 c. p. Mazda Series 
two flame arc lamps. The Sewerage pinnping station is operated by this current, about X'_; 

million gallons a month being pumped to the 
filter beds. 

The Board of Public Works has supervision 

"MI^^ "f tliL" entire system of Water Works, Sewerage, 

.^^ ^ I'^lectric Light and Power and of the streets of 

which there are 84 miles. The main streets are 
kept in high grade condition as the town is a 
thorouglifare for automobiles in all directions. 

Wood Park on Park street and Apsle}- Park 
opposite, with Assabet river between, are two 
tracts of wooded land donated to the town by the 
late Marshall Wood and Hon. L. D. Apsley. 
These are cared for by the Park Commissioners 
and improvements are added from \-ear to 
year. 

Banking facilities are covered by a Nation- 
al, a Savings and a Co-operative Bank, the 
first being a member of the Federal Reserve 
Bank. 



The large variety of manufacturing interests iilus- 
the town a "balance" and includes a great number of 

The Hoard of Trade, through its lookout com- 
alert for new business for the town, whose facilities 
tion of manufacturers looking- for a location. 



I 



ti'ated in the following pages gi\'es 
smaller industries not illustratetl. 
mittee ami indi\iduals, is on the 
are such as to merit the considera- 




III iiiiiiifii?i?r 



mrairnrmrF, 
lllllllfl 

II Si SI II I M»as«^. 















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From Mount Be 





' <-l^ I.SIIIIIIilll »•' " 










FROM MOUNT Be 




Boot and shoe building, apsley rubber CO . from the nor 




Thos H. Logan Co Shoe Factory. South St 




Part of the Plant of the Hudson Worsted Co , Broad St 




Dunn Green Leather Ta 



Fuller. Ch 



Patten Fa 



BELLEVUE 




i 





C- M- Brett Co Shc 






fSi^S'Siiii ti b k lifiSfiu^bta^ 



.3'^ 




A Prosperous Machinery and Tool Industry 




I FouLDS a Son Te 







Second bridge on the As 




Hudson Printing Company, Washington and South St 



HUDSON PRINTING COMPANY 

HUDSON. MASS. 

PRINTERS. BINDERS, AND 

COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHERS 



H 88 78 '*^^ 



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