Features
Beaver Living Large at Pompo
By Ann Needle After last month, it’s easy to assume the recently fallen trees in front of the former Pompositticut School are the work of Hurricane Sandy. But the cut lines reveal some dents and edge not found on human saws. Yes, even as humans have vacated Pompo, beavers are snapping up prime real estate,…
Nashoba’s “Lucy” in Black and White
By Ann Needle
When it comes to Nashoba Regional High School’s fall play, it must be said, just once, that everything old is new again. While the audience may revel at home in the vivid color and images of high-tech televisions, it will need to adjust its mental set to view this weekend’s “We Love Lucy.” Everything — the clothes, the hair, even the grapes to be stomped — is laid out in black and white.
Past Tense…The Only Son
By Lew Halprin
The cemeteries of Stow have many interesting gravestones with different designs, shapes, sizes and inscriptions. However, a few of them are puzzling. There is, for instance, a gravestone for a woman named Nancy that proclaims “I’m Happy”. Nobody knows why.
There is another for Daniel Gates which declares not just once, but twice, that he is the only son of Samuel & Mary Gates, yet records indicate that Daniel had a brother Samuel Gates III.
Let’s put on our investigation hat and look at some facts and questions, and see if you can answer why such a declaration was placed on such public display.
Past Tense…Home Call to All Stow Soldiers
By Lew Halprin
According to “Recollections of Stow” by Francis Warren, early in World War II, Rev. Howard Andrews of the Union Evangelical Church sent the church’s monthly newsletter to their parishioners in the service. It soon expanded to take in the Unitarian Church, and then the Gleasondale Methodist Church
Past Tense…Haunted Brick House
By Lew Halprin
Talk about haunted houses in Stow and most residents will tell you “nonsense.” One exception would be Francis King, one of the former owners of the red brick house in Gleasondale who was adamant that this 1814 house was haunted. There are other things about this house besides being haunted that are very unusual, as told in a 1980 article published by Kathy Olohan in the old Stow Villager newspaper.
Needle at Large: Talking Turkey
By Ann Needle
Growing up in the city, Thanksgiving meant gathering ‘round a freshly thawed Butterball. Looking my food source in the eye would have sent me scurrying for the closest tofu(tu)rkey.
Enter life in the suburbs of what Mom still thinks of as our little town in “Vermont”. Enjoying all that wonderful produce from our local farms, why not check out the source of some fresh meat?
St. Isidore’s Looks To Brighter Future
By Nancy Arsenault
For the past twelve years, the community of St. Isidore’s Parish was led by two pastors, Father Richard Butler and more recently, Father Dave Doucet. In the last thirty days, both priests have passed away. As Father Doucet’s condition worsened over the last year, St. Isidore’s experienced a succession of priests assigned to lead the congregation, many only staying a few months at a time. Today, the parish and parish leadership are looking toward a brighter future for this local congregation.
Past Tense…Streetcar in the Woods
By Lew Halprin
It was in the early 1900s when the Concord, Maynard and Hudson Street Railway Company considered providing service from Hudson, going through Gleasondale, Stow and Maynard, and continuing to Acton and Concord. The tracks were to be in the street so that no special railroad bed or bridges needed to be built. However in Gleasondale, a row of worker’s houses were so close to the road that they all had to be moved back about 30’ to provide room for safe streetcar passage.
Past Tense…Tree No More
by Lew Halprin
The tree was not on our property; it was on the neighbor’s property. But to all of us in the neighborhood, the large pine tree that was in their back yard between their house and the water of Lake Boon always drew our attention and admiration whenever our gaze was drawn to that side of the lake.
It was perfectly organized with sturdy straight branches and its height proudly reached 80’ into the clouds and provided welcome shade to all those sitting under it. The tree had been doing this for over 100 years. In fact, many of the kids in the neighborhood had opportunities to swing on tires attached to the lower branches of the tree, and as they grew older would swing from long ropes tied to the upper branches that allowed them to swing high over the edge of the property into the lake’s waters with lots of squeals and laughter.
Plans in Place to Fight Weekend Traffic
By Nancy Arsenault
Two weekends ago, residents around Honey Pot Orchards reported 45 minute waits to reach their homes in Wildlife Woods while sitting in stopped traffic on Sudbury Road. A resident on Pine Point Road was seen directing traffic to park in a vacant town-owned grass strip, for a fee of $10, and doing a lucrative business as out of town apple pickers chose to park and walk, rather than sit and wait. Stow Police officer Mike Sallese said that at one point, the afternoon traffic had backed up from Honey Pot all the way down Sudbury Road, to State Road, with gridlock in both directions.