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
Rare Stereo slide 1872 image of Southbridge Main Street looking at the intersection with Hamilton Steet
Courtesy of Diane Matuck / Optical Heritage Museum
Southbridge Images - "Then and Now"
Rev 10-Jan-12
My
YouTube video/audio of the 1955 Flood
New 6-Jan-12
Views of Main Street
Recollections of Southbridge
Famous People and their associations with Southbridge
AO News article from Nov 1968 - Tillyer Ave and Longview Hills development in Southbridge
4mb pdf download
Coming Soon - Book with Collection of Southbridge recollections
Have your memory published
Submit your own story
New email address: dickwhitney@charter.net
Recently uncovered signs on Elm St are see in this June 18, 2011 photo;
see more about this and another Coca Cola sign in Southbridge
Remembering Mom
Recollections
of
American Optical
Provided by Charles Walsh
Recalling
the
Flood of August 19, 1955
55th Anniversary on August 19th, 2010!
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
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)
Claire
Birtz Town seal
which hangs in the
Southbridge Town Hall Council Chambers
(photo by Dick Whitney)
AO History Main Page Rev Feb 2 2012
AO Employees with 25 or more years of service... in 1917
!!!
Newly restored image from Wellworth Magazine from
Aug/Sept 1917
Courtesy of the Optical Heritage Museum
AO Parts Dept outing - July 1939 (Courtesy of Jonathan Krach)
In
Memory Of:
Recalling
those
AO employees who have passed on
Rev 2-Feb-12
AO
Reunion
Luncheons-
Formerly at Rom's
Restaurant
Next AO
Reunion Luncheon is
June 2012 at the
Southbridge Hotel
Doc
Tillyers info updated
(see patent list)
More About Doc
and other AO Lens Designers
AO's Lensometer - a ground breaking invention for Ophthalmic Optics
Bob Haynes
recalls the AO Fredrick Frame Plant origins and
startup from Southbridge
Pdf Download - 132mb
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)
My
Youtube video/audio of the 1955 Flood
New 6-Jan-12
Recalling the Flood of August 19, 1955 - 55 years later -
Rough path of June 1, 2011 Tornado - Dick Whitney
Looking for Tornado stories to include in my Southbridge Recollections book
Please email me with yours
June 1 Tornado Damage photos on Worcester St, Southbridge and Fiske Hill, Sturbridge
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
368
Main St / Universalist Church building
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!
Link
to 1878 Map of Southbridge!
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.
Groups & Organizations of Local Interest:
Elm Street Church Celebrates its 200th Anniversary!
Dec 1962 Don Whitney photo of the 6th, 7th and 8th Grade
chorus singing
Christmas Carols at the newly designated Wells Jr. High, which
until then had been the High School.
Tom Lapriore ID's chorus members
Click here for pdf
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
More American Optical History
below:
The AO Reunion of May 28, 2002
AO Main Plant ~1910, with clear view of the Grand Trunk Railway-
Photo courtesy of the Optical Heritage Museum
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 ?
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 Feb 2, 2012 update
http://www.dickwhitney.net
Comments or Suggestions?
Note new email: dickwhitney@charter.net
(email me to add your entry!)