The Wonderland is a theater at 295 Main Street that lasted from 1910 to 1920 as a Nickelodeon style theater. For a while it was at 301 Main Street.
Author: admin
Churchill Hall
Churchill Hall was at 677 High Street from 1921 to 1925. The Victory Theater used this location in 1919 as a theater.
Sanborn map analysis:
Sanborn 1915 map shows 2 floors
Sanborn 1949 map shows a 5 floor building
Sanborn 1956 map shows that it is gone
Three Star Theater
The Three Star Theater was at 108 Lyman Street from 1911 to 1932. It was attached to the back of the Lenox Hotel which itself was across the street from the Richardson Train Station.
Sanborn map analysis:
White and Wyckoff
The White and Wyckoff Mill made cards in postcards, greeting cards, and business cards. They were a division of the Western Tablet and Stationery Corp. with Edward White as president. The main mill is one Water Street near Cabot. In 1935 there was a mill 3 in Davenport Iowa.
Cowan
Sanborn map analysis:
Hampden Cotton Mill
The Hampden Cotton Mill is between the first and second canals. Its history is as such:
In 1853, Hampden Mills incorporated and the Hadley Falls Company built them a cotton mill. They ran 10 thousand spindles and employed 300 people. In 1854, Donald Chase MacKintosh (1819 to 1902) came from Scotland as a dyer – a boss dyer. In 1868 Donald MacKintosh was fired by the Hampden Mills. Then he started MacKintosh Company near the Parsons Paper Mill number 1 near the dam. Fire destroyed this small mill. He moved the mill to Northampton for a while and then he moved it back to Bigelow Street in Holyoke. In 1881 the name was changed to MacKintosh and Sons. In 1883 Crystal Spring Aqueduct Company started in the Hampden Mills. Finally, in 1888 the Hampden Mills went bankrupt. Donald MacKintosh bought the Hampden Mills.
For many years, they did cotton blends, then they did cotton only, and then they did cotton yarn (by 1918). In 1943 they had 300 workers but in 1945 a 6-day strike over wages happened. In 1952, MacKintosh Mill is losing money so they move to Clover South Carolina.
Buildings:
family line:
father: Donald Chase MacKintosh (1819 to 1902)
son: Charles MacKintosh (1857 to 1923) – he built a home in 1892 at 1913 Northampton Street and then in 1896 at 459 Northampton Street
grandson: John MacKintosh – banker in Holyoke and Springfield
great grandson: Donald MacKintosh
Sanborn map analysis:
Sanborn 1884 map called the Hampden Cotton Mill
Sanborn 1889 map called MacKintosh and Sons Colored Cotton
Sanborn 1956 map shows the Lyman Street Chromium – the Electric Game – Whithill (sheet metal)
Linden Paper Mill
The Linden Mill is from 1892 and is on the first canal.
John S McElwain was the president of Linden Paper. He lived at 209 Linden Street at the corner of Cabot. He owned a few paper mills around Holyoke.
Sanborn map analysis:
Sanborn 1895 map – the previous maps do not cover this area since there is nothing there yet
Holyoke City Hospital
Holyoke City Hospital was made in 1893 from the donations of wealthy Holyokers.
There have been many hospitals in Holyoke over the years. City Hospital was built in 1890 by the leading industrialists of the city. The hospital had land both in front of and in back of the hospital buildings. There it made winding dirt paths. It also held land across Beech Street. This was acquired by the city in 1907 as an addition to Elmwood Park. Holyoke Medical Center WEB page. (LOCATION)
Sanborn map analysis:
Hutchins Block and Hotel
Sanborn map analysis
Sanborn 1884 map shows that the Hutchin’s Hotel is here on the upper floors
Sanborn 1889 map shows that the Hutchin’s Hotel is here on the upper floors
Bishop Block
The Bishop Block was owned by the Bishop family for years. It is at 287-289 High Street.
Boston Butter House
By 1915 it is called the O’Connor Building and Edward O’Connor sold clothes.
In 1908 the New York Butter House is here but they would move up to the next block on High Street in later years.
Sanborn map analysis:
Sanborn 1884 map shows a four floor structure in place with the tenant being a pharmacy
Sanborn 1889 map shows a four floor structure
Mountain Park
Mountain Park started in 1895 in Northampton just over the border from Holyoke. It was trolley owned from the start. It has evolved through the years to suit the needs of the owners and the community.
Mountain Park was a animal park and a theater area under William Loomis. An extension of the trolley passed along the road above. See the trolley MAP. The trolley ran from Holyoke to Mountain Park every half hour from 6 AM to midnight. The Holyoke Street Railway under Loomis operated the city trolley system. The Mount Tom Rail ran up the mountain. There was a third piece of the trolley route from the park to the base of the mountain.
William Loomis was a great benefactor to Holyoke. He gave his land to the Holyoke Home for the Aged. LINK
View of the drive around Whiting Street Reservoir in 1904.
The Casino has a wonderful history and you can read about it HERE. This is a link to the Jacqueline Lynch book “Comedy and Tragedy on the Mountain”.
In 1929 it changed to a park with many large rides such a roller coaster (under Louis Pellessier) and a Merry-Go-Round. In 1952 it changed again into an Art Deco amusement park with a midway under John Collins. Read about the Mountain Park era from this BOOK.
It closed for good in 1988. For a few years concerts were held here.
