The Gallaudet Block is a very old building by Holyoke’s standards. It was built in 1847 when this was still West Springfield. It is at the 95-97 High Street block. Look at the brickwork as you go up the building. It was once three stories in height but now is four.
In the late 1860s Michael Finn the brickmaker took over and also started to sell produce.
97 High Street was where Julia Lewandowska started her medical practice in 1911. She was a natural speaker of Polish of which she was the first in Holyoke. her specialty was with mothers and children. In about 1914 she married and her named became Julia Bauman.
In 1922, the AW Smith Drug Store was here. Also one of the ten postal substations of Holyoke was here – number 7.
Sanborn map analysis:
Sanborn 1884 map shows a hardware dealer is there and that the building is already 4 floors in height
Sanborn 1889 map same