The 399-403 High Street block was called the Skolnik Block.
Sanborn map analysis:
Sanborn 1884 map shows an empty city block
The 399-403 High Street block was called the Skolnik Block.
Sanborn map analysis:
Sanborn 1884 map shows an empty city block
The Beebe Building was at 413-417 High Street.
One mid-1900s tenant was the New York Butter House.
Sanborn map analysis:
Sanborn 1884 map lot is empty
Sanborn 1895 map has it called the Fritzell Block
Sanborn 1949 map it is 4 floors
Sanborn 1956 map same


366-368 High Street is an 1880 building called the Baker Building. It was in the beginning the home of a stove and furnace firm.
By 1920 it is being called the Glesmann’s Block.
Sanborn map analysis:
Sanborn 1884 map there is a one floor block for a fruit dealer
Sanborn 1915 map shows a 4 floor building with a well hole between the third and fourth floor
Sanborn 1949 map shows the same
Sanborn 1956 map shows the same
At 146 High we have a very interesting little building.
Sanborn map analysis:
Sanborn 1884 map has it has a one floor cigar shop made of brick facade
Sanborn 1889 map has it has a one floor cigar shop made of brick facade
Sanborn 1895 map has it has a one floor harness shop of wooden facade
Sanborn 1915 map has it has a one floor Chinese laundry made of brick facade
The 161-167 High location has always been with wooden structures only. This is the only location on northern High Street as such. The original wooden structure is still there but now with a stone and brick facade. The three part interior is now one part.
Sanborn map analysis:
Sanborn 1915 map it is three separate buildings and no internal doors to join them and all in wood
Sanborn 1949 map it is three separate building with some joint doors inside and all of wood and is one floor
Sanborn 1956 map now it is one building in wood of one floor
The Old Spillway 5 is at the juncture of Appleton Street and Water Street.
This is were the spillway number 5 used to be before it was taken out. Stand on Appleton Street between Water Street and the juncture of North Canal and South Canal Streets. Look to the north. There is the spillway. The water in the Second Level Canal once flowed a half mile farther south. Now this portion is just a safety canal. It is the southeastern end of the Second Level Canal.

The Norman Paper Mill is just to the east.

History of the Canals by their Development in Lengths
First Level Canal:
1847 to 1853 dug to 350 feet north of Dwight Street
1871 to 1872 dug to Appleton Street
1872 to 1880 dug to 75 feet north of Cabot Street
1880 to 1883 dug to Sargeant
Second Level Canal:
1847 to 1853 dug along the western branch from County Bridge to 150 feet north of Cabot and Race
1854 to 1857 dug south to the end
1872 to 1874 dug along the eastern branch from County Bridge to Lyman Street at the River
1880 to 1882 dug along the eastern branch to 600 feet more
1888 to 1892 dug to Appleton
Third Level Canal:
unknown – dug from Race to Cabot
1880 to 1884 dug from Cabot to Appleton
The mill to your west is the Whitmore Paper Mill

The mill to your southwest is the Marvellum or Springfield Photo Mount firm.


The Munn Block is at 329 to 331 High Street. It was a four floor building.

In about the 1930s, the building was lowered and remodeled to an Art Deco look.
Sanborn map analysis:
Sanborn 1884 map shows a 2 floor stone structure
Sanborn 1889 map shows an empty lot
Sanborn 1895 map shows a 4 floor building
Sanborn 1915 map shows a 4 floor building
Sanborn 1949 map it is one floor
Sanborn 1956 map it is one floor

The Connor Brothers Woolen and Shoddy Mill are the makers of cassimeres, overcoating, cloakings, wool shoddies, flocks, extracts, wool waste, gig, and shear flocks.

They had two locations in Holyoke. One at the crossing of the Second and Third Levels and then at the First near the Skinner Mill. While there they were called Connor Brothers Satinette.



The A T Stewart Mill is from 1864. It would be run as the New York Mill until the early 1880s. The Connor Brothers would operate this until a 1901 bankruptcy.

1892 ad
Gig here means to raise the nap on fabric. Gig has many other meanings.
See also New York Woolen.
Sanborn map analysis:
Sanborn 1915 map – taken down and replaced by Farr Alpaca Weave Shed – Read about the Farr Alpaca HERE




Holyoke 150th Commemorative Book
(The city is hosting events and also any outside events can promote their event with a 150th logo. See exploreholyoke.com)
Volleyball Time Capsule from 2023 to be opened in 2073
150th anniversary in 2023 – sesquicentennial
175th anniversary in 2023
125th anniversary in 2023
100th anniversary in 2023
Past celebrations of Holyoke’s anniversaries:
25th year in 1898
50th year – Semi-Centennial in 1923
75th year in 1948
100th year in 1973
there was no 125th year celebration
the 200th year anniversary is in 2073