Canal Days

Trolley Parks of Western Massachusetts

name	information	community	company	start	end
Mountain Park	information	Northampton – Holyoke	Holyoke	1895
Orient Springs		Pelham	Holyoke
Berkshire Park		Pittsfield	Berkshire
Foundation Park		Great Barrington	Berkshire
Portoosus Lake		Pittsfield	Berkshire
Valley Park		Adams	Hoosac	1891
Forest Lake Park		Palmer	Springfield
Pequot Park		Westfield	Springfield
River Bend Park		Russell	Springfield
Marshall’s Grove		Easthampton	Northampton
Hosford’s Grove		Williamsburg	Northampton
Brookside Park		Orange	Massachusetts Northern
Wildwood Park		Conway	Conway

The trolley fare structure change a great deal in 1918.

This building does not seem to have a name. Adam Ostrowski had 107 High to be an undertaker business. At 109 High the Ostrowski Brothers ran a saloon. Adam Ostrowski lives as a boarder at 105 High Street.

In 1919 Adam Ostrowski was arrested for selling wood alcohol.

In 1924 he is at Center Street in Chicopee again as an undertaker.

Others

Sanborn map analysis:

Sanborn 1884 map it is 2 floors and has a fruit dealer and a barber

Sanborn 1889 map and same as 1884

Sanborn 1895 map finally it is three floors and has an ice cream maker in back

Sanborn 1915 map

Sanborn 1949 map

Sanborn 1956 map

In the 1882 directory this block at 122 to 124 High Street is called the Donoghue Building.

The Hotel Carmody

then the Hotel Gorman (Edward Gorman)

In 1920 it is the Hotel Polski

In 1922 it is the Hotel Washington

then the Hotel Daley

Sanborn map analysis:

Sanborn 1884 map

Sanborn 1915 map it is called Hotel Gorman

Sanborn 1949 map it is called Daly’s Hotel

Sanborn 1956 map

The Second Congregational Church was the original structure at this location.

The Marble Hall and Hotel was at 198-210 High Street. It was build in 1885. It housed the WT Grant Department Store and when the Marble burned to the ground, Grant rebuilt there.

This is the Grant 1915 advertisement in the Holyoke city directory.

It also housed many professionals – lawyers, jewelers, relators, clothiers, milliners, barbers. The Springfield Republican had an office here.

POSTCARD

Sanborn map analysis:

Sanborn 1884 map shows the Second Congregational Church is there

Sanborn 1889 map

Sanborn 1895 map

Sanborn 1915 map

Sanborn 1949 map

Sanborn 1956 map shows the 2 floor Grants there

The Delaney Block at 125 to 135 High Street was a massive 4 floor building.

The Gleason Brothers Painters sold furniture here. They were at 135 High Street.

Look at the 1882 ad from Clark Dry Goods.

This building would stay as a Delaney building for more years but one interesting tenant and then probable owner was Stanley Hwalek who was a cigar dealer here by the year 1930. Even by 1940 it was still a Delaney block but now Stanley Chwalek is there as a tavern owner. (Notice the evolution of his last name.) By 1960 he is the owner and the business is not both a tavern and an inn. His name is by then Stanley Walek.

Sanborn map analysis:

Sanborn 1884 map shows that there were dwellings on the other side of its alleyway that were attached to the Delaney Block by a second floor covered walkway

Sanborn 1889 map same

Sanborn 1895 map that elevated walkway was still there but the buildings it connected to are listed as old and vacant

Sanborn 1915 map

Sanborn 1949 map

Sanborn 1956 map still shows a 4 floor building here

The Walker Block is now gone but was at 394 – 398 High Street. It housed many small businesses. They themselves sold bikes.

Sanborn map analysis:

Sanborn 1884 map shows an empty city block

Sanborn 1889 map

Sanborn 1895 map one business was the steam laundry

Sanborn 1949 map

Sanborn 1956 map

General topics of the fire stations of Holyoke HERE. The table on this page gives the stations around Holyoke through time.

house	station	location	start	end	link
1	Central Fire Station (edition 1)	206 Maple Street	1914	2001	link
	Central Fire Station (edition 2)	High Street	2001	still
	Reliance Fire Station (edition 1)	High Street	1864	1886
	Reliance Fire Station (edition 2)	310 High Street	1886	1914
4	Mount Tom Fire Station	Canal Street	1887	1976	link
2	Mount Holyoke Fire Station	450-452 Main Street			link
	Relief Fire Station 1		1870		link
	Relief Fire Station 2		1891		link
5	Elmwood Fire Station	490 South Street	1891		link
7	Emerald Fire Station	Chestnut Street		1914	link
3	Highlands Fire Station	1034 Hampden Street	1884	1969	link
	Extinguisher Company and Station	Northampton Street in Manchester Grounds near the Crafts Hotel	1875		link
	Dexter Fire Station	Northampton Street in Elmwood	1875
	Homestead Fire Station	Homestead Avenue	1962 (Sep 6)	still	link
	Whiting Fire Station	Whiting Farm Road	2003	still

The fire committee starts in Holyoke in 20 January 1874.

Dexter existed from at least 1875 until 1892. It house the Dexter Hose Company number 4. This was a two wheeled horse carriage. The station was in a house. See the Holyoke T-T of Dec 2 1940 for a story.

Extinguisher Company number 2 ended about 1880. Also there was a Mechanic Engine Company number 2. Likewise, there was the Union Hook and Ladder Company starting in 1852. (It was located across the street from the Holyoke Telegram)

There is a never explained fire engine house in the Springdale neighborhood on a few maps.

Sanborn 1895 map – on Temple Street and the prior Sanborn maps do not reach there

Holyoke City Directory map

Sanborn 1915 map – listed as vacant

Movie Theaters of Holyoke

The Park Theater was a nickelodeon style movie house. It was located at 569 Dwight Street. It lasted from 1911 to 1915.

Sanborn map analysis:

Sanborn 1884 map shows that the building is numbered as 105 to 107 Dwight.

Sanborn 1889 map shows that the building is numbered as 105 to 107 Dwight.

Sanborn 1895 map

Sanborn 1915 map

Sanborn 1949 map

The twin structures at 169-171 High and 173-175 High Street are from 1855. They were made in the simple style of that era.

At 173 High Street for many years at the early 1900s Sullivan and Carmody Plumbers was here.

Sanborn map analysis:

Sanborn 1884 map

Sanborn 1889 map

Sanborn 1895 map

Sanborn 1915 map

Sanborn 1949 map

Sanborn 1956 map