Author: admin

At 325-327 High Street is the Fitzsimmons Block. In 1920 the Newark Show Store is there.

Sanborn map analysis:

Sanborn 1915 map

321-323 High Street is called Hafey Block in 1922.

Sanborn map analysis:

Sanborn 1884 map is twin to its north

Sanborn 1889 map

Sanborn 1915 map shows a 4 story building

Sanborn 1956 map is still a twin but both are 2 floors

333-335 High Street

Sanborn 1915 map shows a 1 floor store

Dowling’s Block at 337-339 High Street. It is also called the Wing’s Block. Dowling is a milliner.

Sanborn map analysis:

Sanborn 1884 map shows an empty lot

Sanborn 1889 map shows a 4 floor building

Sanborn 1895 map shows a 4 floor building

Sanborn 1915 map shows a 4 floor building

Sanborn 1949 map shows that it is 1 floor

Sanborn 1956 map shows that it is 1 floor

The Proulx Block is at 344-346 High Street.

Sanborn map analysis:

Sanborn 1884 map is a 4 floor block with a harness shop and apartments above it

Sanborn 1949 map

Fenton and Dunn

The carriage at Wistariahurst is a Fenton and Dunn one. LINK

Run by JJ Fenton and MJ Dunn. HISTORY

The Wagner Spring Bed Manufacturers move into this location. Carriages and wagons are not as useful in the automobile.

At some point it turns into a furniture warehouse site.

Sanborn map analysis:

Sanborn 1884 map – building is small compared to what it would become with blacksmith, paint room, lumber yard, and more

Sanborn 1889 map – has been built up with brick facade on half the structure, more lumber storage

Sanborn 1895 map – more wagon sheds have been added across the street

Sanborn 1915 map – now Wagner Spring Bed Manufacturers

Sanborn 1949 map – furniture warehouse

Sanborn 1956 map – furniture warehouse

Willard lumber, planing, and moulding mill. Coughlan in same building.

Coghlan’s Holyoke Steam Boiler and Iron Works was started by D F Coghlan. They made iron and steel steam boilers and also rotary bleachers and penstocks.

Thomas Sears was the superintendent. FINDAGRAVE

Sanborn map analysis:

Sanborn 1884 map

Sanborn 1889 map

Sanborn 1895 map

Sanborn 1915 map – not there

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The Bud was at 30 John Street. No, there was never a tunnel from Holyoke City Hall to the Bud. Perhaps city officials would love to have such a tunnel to got to their favorite pub but no evidence is there.

Sanborn map analysis:

Sanborn 1884 map shows that it is a bottler of alcohol and that is wooden and 2 floors

Sanborn 1889 map same

Sanborn 1895 map shows it as a candy factory and it is 3 floors and brick

Sanborn 1915 map it is now for wholesale alcohol

Sanborn 1949 map

Sanborn 1956 map shows that it is a restaurant

The Besse System Building is an old structure even though the facade is new. It is at 292-300 High Street. The alley side of the building once had a stained glass window.

Lyman Besse started up a chain of stores across the northeastern USA. He lived in the McKnight neighborhood of Springfield. See his FINDAGRAVE page. See one of his ads.

In 1918 it is being called the Besse Mills Company.

Sanborn map analysis:

Sanborn 1884 map shows an empty lot

Sanborn 1889 map shows three 1 story buildings on that lot

Sanborn 1895 map shows one 1 story building only

Sanborn 1915 map shows a three floor building there

Sanborn 1949 map shows the same

Sanborn 1956 map shows the same