Whitney Web Page - Southbridge History & More
Southbridge, Massachusetts
http://www.dickwhitney.net
"The
Eye of the Commonwealth"
and birthplace of American Optical.
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Looking Back at Southbridge's History
Fall 1963 SHS Football game
-
Fans and SHS Majorettes in the stands (Don Whitney photo)
Recalling
the Flood of August 19, 1955
55th Anniversary on August 19th!
Recollections of SouthbridgeRev 19-Aug-10
Swimming Lessons at
the Rez - Dick Whitney photo ~1960
Recollections of American Optical
Southbridge Images - "Then and Now"
Famous People and their associations with SouthbridgeRev 19-Aug-10
Why is the Oak Ridge Cemetary Entrance So Narrow?
Interactive Maps of AO complex, Walking tours and Optical Related sites in Southbridge
Future of Southbridge Window Display project
Interactive map shows present and future window displays
Balloon Icon show areas of present displays
Click on map below to browse!
View Southbridge
Window display locations in a larger map
Future of Southbridge - Concerned Citizens for the betterment of Southbridge
Southbridge - still the "Eye of the Commonwealth"
Inside stores in Southbridge ~ 1954
My Top Ten List - Positive things about Southbridge
What Southbridge had to offer in 1895! Its top 10 list from back then!
Slideshow below -1953 and 1954 Southbridge Photos by Don
Whitney
(this may take several seconds to load!)
How
Southbridge got its name -
Reprint of Joe Capillo article
Southbridge, the Poll Parish and "Honest Town" Historic Names
Feb 6, 2009 Charette to promote Southbridge
Community
Calendar (Submit your event)Rev 1-Sep-10
Claire
Birtz Town seal
which hangs in the
Southbridge Town Hall Council Chambers
(photo by Dick Whitney)
Southbridge is a city, called a town by name
Read
Sen Moore's info on this 27-Jul-10
AO History Main Page Rev August 27, 2010
AO Parts Dept outing - July 1939 (Courtesy of Jonathan Krach)
In
Memory Of:
Recalling
those AO employees who have passed on Rev Aug
19, 2010
AO
Reunion Luncheons-
Formerly at Rom's
Restaurant
Second Tuesday in June and Dec
Next one Dec 14th, 2010 at 12
Crane St
AO's Lensometer - a ground breaking invention for Ophthalmic Optics
Now at 12 Crane St
Herman
Stoopes AO Paintings - 4 Original Paintings on display
(The originals hang in the AO room at 12 Crane
St)
Local Artist spotlight - Tom Lapriore
The
Marcy St. School Eagles above the doorways
Rare view of The
Strand Theatre (1926- 1965)
(Optical Heritage Museum photo)
OSV filming of movie Hawaii - 1965 with Julie Andrews
Impressive
Collection of Historic Southbridge photos on CWMars on-line digital Library
Southbridge Images courtesy of Jacob Edwards Library
/ Margaret Morrissey - Library Director
Feb 1974 Gas Lines - Photo by Don Whitney
The Optical Heritage Museum (Featuring the "AO" Collection)
Remembering the Blizzard of 1978
Fires
of Southbridge
Youtube video of 1987 Hamilton
Woolen fire
1971 Maci
Building Fire photo - Don Whitney
Aftermath of the 1971 Maci Building Fire
Southbridge Floods( 1936, 1938 and 1955)
Recalling the Flood of August 19, 1955 - 55 years later -
The Dennison District School - John Boniface
The Strand Theatre (1926- 1965)
The HippadromeBowling Alley - The 'Hipp' by Al LaBelle
Southbridge Citizen's Celebrate the end of WWII.
Southbridge Images - "Then and Now"
Notre Dame Church - the Building made of Tombstones
Notre
Dame High School Reunions page- 1938-1968
Demolition of the old YMCA Building in 1975
Jump! Jerry,
Jump!
Reprint of SeaverRice 1975 Southbridge News Article
Ames Department Store - Southbridge
How
Districts of Southbridge got their names
Southbridge Wikipedia article (On-line Encyclopedia)
Wikipedia
entry for Michael Earls
Links of current interest:
Community Calendar (Submit your event)
Future of Southbridge - Concerned Citizens for the betterment of Southbridge
Southbridge Downtown Partnership Page
www.getinvolvedinyourtown.com Events Schedule
Southbridge (and Area) "Retirement" links of interest
Local News (Southbridge News Online!)
"Your Southbridge" Events page
Learn about the Downtown Southbridge Redevelopment plans
Celebrations / Parades
May 22, 1966 Sequecentenial Parade Photos
Celebrating Southbridge's 150th Anniversary
Photos of parade on Hamilton street above courtesy of Al Watson
(my
first boss at AO)
See
more Al Watson Parade photos
The June 6, 2009 Southbridge Fest on the Common
The June 10, 2008 Southbridge Fest
The June 9, 2007 Southbridge Fest
Southbridge Festival - June 25, 2006
Southbridge Festival - August 20, 2006
Southbridge Sesquicentennial Celebration 0f 1966
The June 1983 AO Parade - celebrating 150 years!!
Parade of Brides (part of 1991 175 Anniversary Celebration)
Photos of 2nd Annual Gay Pride Celebration at JEL - Author William Mann (Kate)
Photos
from Jacob Edwards Library Event
GREGORY
MAGUIRE's APPEARANCE IN SOUTHBRIDGE
JUNE
21, 2006
Southbridge
Sesquicentennial Celebration 0f 1966
(download 1966 Scrapbook!)
1960 Don Whitney photo - Old
Time Days celebration
Jerry Dougherty impressive on line collection photographs of Southbridge (and the State of Conn)
"The
Color of Success" May 17, 2005 article
which
appears Courtesy of the Southhbridge Evening News!
Southbridge Hotel and Conference Center- Formerly AO Main Plant
Vienna Restaurant / Bed and Breakfast!
Southbridge Downtown Partnership
http://www.southbridgeinfo.com
A
Tribute to Rom's after 56 years - last day August 31, 2008
Thanks for the memories!
Check out these Geological Maps of Southbridge!
Incredible
Views from far above Southbridge
1997 Photo of Main Street with AO Complex at Right
Zoom in on your house from far above!
A view of Main St. Southbridge in 1892. Note the pedestrian traffic.
The old YMCA is on the upper left, with the Baptist Church below
it.
More 1892 Views of Southbridge
May
26, 1898 Southbridge Journal
pdf file format
Tuttle Maps of Southbridge, Globe Village, and Fiskdale(1870)
WESO in the late 1950's - Jan Whitney as the Storybook Lady
AO
/ Southbridge 1955 Flood Slides (Don Whitney)
Includes audio of WESO broadcast!
SHS
Class reunions - 74, 75 and 76 (July 31, 2010)
Southbridge High School Class Reunions
Class of 1969, 1970, 1971 and 1972
Photos of SHS Class of 1969 members participating in 1968 Science Fair
Mary
E Wells High School Page
New Link to Great Wells HS Website
Includes Photos and names of all Alumni!!!
Methodist Church and Notre
Dame Church Steeples
May 2009 photo from the porch of the Vienna
Restaurant
The
Baptist Church Building, Bell tower and family friends the Crists
Skating at "the
Rez" - 1954 -
photos by Don Whitney in the 1950s
Southbridge Hotel and Conference Center
A Timeline
of the History of Southbridge (More info to be added)
Compiled by Margaret Morrissey
(PDF File Format)
Looking down Central Street from Main Street Southbridge (1960's)
Ken Sylvestri emailed me the following: "Just a little note that there’s
a ’62 Chevy Impala driving past Favreau’s."
My late 1950's time estimated was obviously incorrect.
Quaint
Little Town - Susan McMaster Bosman
Can anyone identify this song from the lyrics???
Paul
Coiteux\ Southbridge Memorabilia Collection
Includes info on Marcy St School Demolition and the Eagles
Looking back at Harvey - Wells
The Harrington
Follies of 1979
Photos by Dick Whitney
Don Whitney Photos of 1960 Old Time Day in Southbridge
SouthbridgeVeterans Honor Roll List Project
Dresser Park Honor Role Monument was dedicated on July 10, 2004.
The HONOR ROLL LIST at Dresser Park.
The RR Bridge by the "AO Rotary" is no more!
Evelyn Petrelli and the Poll Parish (now Baptist Church)
Southbridge Sesquicentennial Celebration
Southbridge Centennial Envelope - From the Collection of Paul \Coiteaux
1916 View of Southbridge From Notre Dame
1925 View of Southbridge from the Air
Southbridge "Images of the Past"
Text of Southbridge Directory of 1882
Levi Chase 1889 Article on Southbridge
Click Here for a
rare view down Hamilton St. in the late 1950's
Photo by Don Whitney
Click here
to see the inside of Mario's Restaurant as it appeared in 1967
where the Town and Country Florists are now located !
A long lost color version of comet Bennett taken from Litchfield
Ave, Southbridge, MA
- Added 01-Dec-08
Dick
and Don Whitney Astronomy Photos
Images taken in Southbridge
Greater Southbridge Film
-
Congratulations for winning Best in Show at the F4 Festival
& Best Documentary at Valleyfest. April 20th screening in Los Angeles
Dick Whitney You Tube Southbridge Links above include
several SHS Football games,
town parades from the 1960s. Check it out!
Check out my Youtube Video home page
Check out this 1962 Don Whitney Home Movie clip
showing a
walk along Main to Central St.
More American Optical History below:
The AO Reunion of May 28, 2002
1954 photo of Jan, Dick and Sue Whitney in front of American
Optical Main Plant in Southbridge
Photo by Don Whitney
AO Main Plant Demolition / Construction Index of photos of Southbirdge Hotel and Conference Center
Aerial
Photographs of DOD Project by Bob Arnold
submitted by Bob Clemence-Hydes
The Hartwell building where AO first started (1833 - William Beecher)
Daniel Wells Schreck, Direct descendant of George W. Wells (Portrait)
in Southhbridge at
Wells
Family Reunion
Family photo in front of the AO Main Plant in the Fall of 1954
Photos
of AO Employee's in the 1920's ?
Groups & Organizations of Local Interest:
Jacob Edwards Library Rev 1-Jul-10
Elm Street
Church Celebrates its 200th Anniversary!
Mary
E Wells HS Reunion / Alumni Page
Wells HS 1954 Graduation Photos added
Gateway
Players
Gateway OldeTimers Reunion
Skating at the Rez - "Then and Now" Photos
Harrington
Hospital (View their Historical Links!)
"Our
Town" -
Charlton
St. School Grade 3 presents the History of Southbridge
Photos / Summary of Town Charette Meeting on Feb 10, 2001
Bill Tremblay Poems of Southbridge
Walker
Pond / Wells State Park Sturbridge History
A new mystery novel which takes place in "Quinebaug" (patterned
after Southbridge!)
http://www.viaappiapress.com/Fiction.php
Order the newly
published 2007 version of "Street Corners of Southbridge" Joe Capillo book
online!
Postcard image from ~1940s - submitted by Michael LaFleche
s
View of Notre
Dame Church at bottom, Wells Jr High to its left and large lot next
to Wells whereMarcy
St School once stood
Image of Southbridge from http://local.live.com/
Dick Whitney Sep 1, 2010 update
http://www.dickwhitney.net
Comments or Suggestions?e-mail Dick Whitney at r.b.whitney@verizon.net