Paul Coiteux Collection
Thanks to Paul Coiteux, a long time collector an Southbridge Resident, I am able to share images from his vast collection of Southbridge Memorabilia. I will be adding an item or two every week, so please check back!
Click
Here for story of the Marcy St. School Eagles!!! Rev
Dec 26, 2001
The four Eagles have all been located / Thanks
to Evelyn Petrelli for finding the Demolition details!
The CA Dresser House
New Nov 3, 2001
Photo from Paul Coiteux's collection
WWI Homecoming photo if front of the CA Dresser House - later referred
to as the Maci Building which burned down
Now the old parking lot on the Corner of Main and Central Streets
The following text was from the Southbridge Journal -
Oct 1896 (Courtesy of Jacob Edwards Library)
The C A Dresser House
A Hotel in Which Southbridge Takes Pride
"As Southbridge is, and has been for years, the business center of an
extensive territory, the town has, as a consequence, offered unusual
opportunities fo rthe maintenance of hotels and the number of these
and their general excellence has long been a notable feature of the
place. Chief among her hotels of today is the C A Dresser House, built
in 1872 after designs by the late Amos P. Cutting of Worcester. The
structure is one of the many enterprises of Chester A Dresser, to whom
Southbridge is so greatly indebted for its material growth and
development.
It was a fortunate day for Southbridge when Mr Dresser decided to build
the new hotel for it quickened the whole life of the town and led to
renewed activity and development on every hand. The gneral contractor
was the late Leonard Cutler, at the time and for years after, the
leading builder and contractor in Southbridge. The site of the hotel
is the very center of the business life of the town, the corner of Main
and
Central Streets, and from it in a material sense everything radiates.
In the construction of the hotel, it was determination to have every
detail and item right as to quality and workmanship. Built of brick
with granite trimmings, its five stories make an admirably proportioned
building and one every way pleasing in its architecture. The house
has large and excellent office facilities, reading rooms, billiard halls
spacious and attractive parlors, and a dining room of surpassing appointments
and artistic decorations. There are 50 chambers, steam heat
throughout, fire-places and combination arc and incandescent lighting.
The hotel is said to have cost Mr Dresser above $80,000.
The present landlord of the house is Henry Hay, who has been such since
1890. He is not only a popular and successful landlord, but a
popular citizen of the town, having the esteem and regard of his townspeople
asa whole. Although but 47, Mr Hay has been in hotel life 35
years. His parents, Robert and Dolly Hay, were well-known Worcester
people and Henry Hay himself has a multitude of friends and
acquaintances in the city, as he was for a long while connected with
the Waverly House. His father kept hotels in Greenwich, Waltham,
Niagra Falls and elsewhere. As landlord of the C A Dresser house, Mr
Hay does not depend upon the markets for vegetables, but all these
he gets from his own gardens, which are under his personal supervision.
Neither does the house depend upon the market for either its
fresh or salt pork for Mr Hay is an expert in the management of pigs
and can raise and fatten one to perfection, as his guests from all points
in New England will gladly testify. Indeed, a genuine New England homelike
atmosphere pervades the house and this with its good cheer,
have added much to the popularity of the house.
Landlord Hay is intimately identified with secret society life in Worcester
and Southbridge. He is a member of Athelstan lodge, F & A M
Worcester Royal Arch chapter, Hiram Council, Worcester County commandery,
Knights Templar, lawrence chapter Rose Croix, all of
Worcester; Massachusetts consistory 32 degree Masons, and Apollo temple,
Mystic shrine, Boston. He also belongs to Southbridge Lodge,
I.O.O.F., an dis an active member of the Worcester Continentals.
As Southbridge is, and has been for years, the business center of an
extensive territory, the town has, as a consequence, offered unusual
opportunities fo rthe maintenance of hotels and the number of these
and their general excellence has long been a notable feature of the
place. Chief among her hotels of today is the C A Dresser House, built
in 1872 after designs by the late Amos P. Cutting of Worcester. The
structure is one of the many enterprises of Chester A Dresser, to whom
Southbridge is so greatly indebted for its material growth and
development.
It was a fortunate day for Southbridge when Mr Dresser decided to build
the new hotel for it quickened the whole life of the town and led to
renewed activity and development on every hand. The gneral contractor
was the late Leonard Cutler, at the time and for years after, the
leading builder and contractor in Southbridge. The site of the hotel
is the very center of the business life of the town, the corner of Main
and
Central Streets, and from it in a material sense everything radiates.
In the construction of the hotel, it was determination to have every
detail and item right as to quality and workmanship. Built of brick
with granite trimmings, its five stories make an admirably proportioned
building and one every way pleasing in its architecture. The house
has large and excellent office facilities, reading rooms, billiard halls
spacious and attractive parlors, and a dining room of surpassing appointments
and artistic decorations. There are 50 chambers, steam heat
throughout, fire-places and combination arc and incandescent lighting.
The hotel is said to have cost Mr Dresser above $80,000.
The present landlord of the house is Henry Hay, who has been such since
1890. He is not only a popular and successful landlord, but a
popular citizen of the town, having the esteem and regard of his townspeople
asa whole. Although but 47, Mr Hay has been in hotel life 35
years. His parents, Robert and Dolly Hay, were well-known Worcester
people and Henry Hay himself has a multitude of friends and
acquaintances in the city, as he was for a long while connected with
the Waverly House. His father kept hotels in Greenwich, Waltham,
Niagra Falls and elsewhere. As landlord of the C A Dresser house, Mr
Hay does not depend upon the markets for vegetables, but all these
he gets from his own gardens, which are under his personal supervision.
Neither does the house depend upon the market for either its
fresh or salt pork for Mr Hay is an expert in the management of pigs
and can raise and fatten one to perfection, as his guests from all points
in New England will gladly testify. Indeed, a genuine New England homelike
atmosphere pervades the house and this with its good cheer,
have added much to the popularity of the house.
Landlord Hay is intimately identified with secret society life in Worcester
and Southbridge. He is a member of Athelstan lodge, F & A M
Worcester Royal Arch chapter, Hiram Council, Worcester County commandery,
Knights Templar, lawrence chapter Rose Croix, all of
Worcester; Massachusetts consistory 32 degree Masons, and Apollo temple,
Mystic shrine, Boston. He also belongs to Southbridge Lodge,
I.O.O.F., an dis an active member of the Worcester Continentals."
Why is the Oak Ridge Cemetary Entrance
So Narrow?
Rev. Oct 26, 2001
Shown below are two postcards of the Southbridge Oak Ridge Cemetary
Main Street entrance. To learn of the legend as to why this Oak Ridge
Cemetary arch is narrow, read the excerpt below from Ruth Well's 1979 book
title "The Wells Family - Founders of The American Optical Company and
Old Sturbridge Village". While there is an error that it was the Wells
family that arranged this, it is very true that the Wells Family had this
type of influence on the town. The reason it is doubtful that Channing
Wells did this, as it was pointed out that he arch is dated 1878, and yet
the book records Channing Wells was born in 1870! This was noticed
after studying the posting on this site.
“Just how far Channing (Wells) would go to avoid a "scene" Is
part of a legend about him.Next door to the home of which he was so proud
was the Oak Ridge Cemetery. On Sunday mornings, when he enjoyed taking
his ease, there were often funerals. One hardly thinks of a cemetery
as a source of disturbance, but In his case, It was. Someone else might
have complained about the funeral processions, but not Channing.
Instead, he consulted with the local authorities that controlled the cemetery
and asked If they would not be happy to have a stone gate with a wrought
Iron archway at the entrance from Main Street. They were enthusiastic
and accepted his proposal. The stone posts and the archway were erected.
It just so happened, however, that the gateway was slightly too narrow
to accommodate a hearse. However, the Imposing entrance remained.
But from then on funeral processions entered by way of Everett Street and
Channing could take his ease undisturbed on Sundays.” - Page 101
To read more about the Wells Family and OSV, this book is still for
sale at the
Old Sturbridge Village Book Store or visit www.osvgifts.org
Post card images from Paul Coiteux's Collection.
The Paige & Company Add
Here wass the first from his Southbridge Businesses
memorabilia book
(As featured in SEN October 22, 2001 Edition):
Extract from The Webster, Dudley, Southbridge and Sturbridge Directory
1896- 1897 -
(Special Thanks to Margaret Morrissey - Jacob Edwards Library for
researching the history behind this)
Paige Carpenter Co.
Dry
Goods, Carpets and Clothing:
The Oldest, Largest, and
most Complete Department Store in this section of Massachusetts.
97, 99 and 101 Main Street, Southbridge
President Calvin DeWitt Paige
Treasurer C V Carpenter
Calvin DeWitt Paige resided in the building where the Southbridge Credit
Union is located. Mr Paige
served as Congressional Representative and State Representative for
this area. Mr Paige was president of the
Central Cotton Mills Co., The Southbridge Savings Bank and The Edwards
Co. Mr Paige died on April 24th,
1930 and is buried in Oak Ridge Cemetery.
Other Paul Coiteux items on this site, but not found here:
