During the 1950s, Bridge said, neighbors knew neighbors because there was almost always something special going on. As coach of the town's now defunct softball team, he said he'd see almost everyone in town at least once a season at the ball field that was once located in his field across from Town Hall on Route 4. At different times there were also go-cart races and square dances at the town Grange on Route 4. It was at one of those dances that Bridge said he squared it off with his wife who lived in Proctor at the time. The dances and the ball games dwindled away, but Mendon Historical Society members said they're starting new traditions to bring townspeople together.
People are to involved to establish new connections.
We want to establish opportunities for neighbors to meet. One of those opportunities took place Sunday when the Historical Society held a town picnic at the town recreation field. It's the second picnic the group has held and Singiser said she hopes it will become an annual event. Since the society formed last summer, Singiser said, she has noticed that old and new residents in the group are eager to get to know one another. But she said she didn't meet many other residents until she joined the Historical Society.