Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-08-20
wHITINGHAMS CENTENNIAL.
run REPORT or PRoCEEDINGS
FIVE THOUSAND PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE
L1dHTFuL WEATHER AND PERFECT SUCCESS
HNrnN w
wnrr1NanAM CENTRE, W., ,

A great and eYontful day IN the history oil
this good old town of Nottingham is over
and well over. Here to-day, on Nottingham
hill, the towns one hundrodth anniversary
has been iittingly celebrated and all the care
fully-arrangod proceedings have passed off
in the happiest manner possible. The wealth
er has been delightful The sun has shone
bright the winds of heaven have been kind,
and, best of all, an immense throng of peo-
ple-old men and young, aged mothers in Is
rael and buxom housewives, babies in arms,
and young men and maidens- have climbed
up here from all the surrounding country,
many of them children of the town or for
mer residents who now live in distant towns
or cities, to unite in or witness the impress
sive ceremonies of the day. The scene has
been novel one. In the early morning this
great crowd, which, at high noon, numbered
not less than 5000 people, began to assemble.
They came in every conceivable sort of con-
veyance, from the fine barouche and span, to
the common farm wagon, with rough board
seats improvised for the occasion, or from
the smart turnout of the village squire to
the heavy jolting wagon Of the struggling hill
farmer. On foot and on horseback they
came, and we are by no means sure but the
most earnest and devoted participation in the
proceedings was the venerable old man of 50
years who brought his equally venerable wife
in an ox-cart, from which ho tenderly helped
her to alight with the assistance Of kindly
hands. Here, for once, all classes and con
ditions in life have met on an equal footing,
and from the faces of all has shone n univer-
sal spirit of interest and good will. Very
many have followed all the formal proceed
ings closely, while hundreds of others have
gathered in groups upon the grounds, max
ing of the day an occasion of simple holiday
rest and relaxation.
Now that nightfall has come and the last
solitary visitor has gone, and the place has
relapsed to its normal condition of gloom and
solitude, we wish we could convey to the
minds of 10000 Windham county readers,
who never saw Nottingham Centre some
idea of the solemn picture Of desolation
which here stares the visitor in the face, in
strange contrast with the thrift and enter
prise which marks the neighboring villages
of Jacksonville and Sadawga on either hand,
children as they are of this once thriving,
though never populous spot. Who would
imagine now, in the midst of this terrible ru-
in and desolation that, no more than 40 years
ago, or as late as from S3j to 1910, Whiting
ham Centre was the scene of busy and prof
table trade Within o radius of mile or
less stood at one time 10 lime kilns, and a
Wine man lOlu uh lO-uhJt hh ne lthu
ed on his cane, that it used to be no uncom-
mon thing to see 300 hogsheads of lime ship
ped from here in q single day whence it was
drawn in heavy covered teams to Keene
n. H., Amherst and Belchertown, Mass, and
points even more remote. Spruce shingles
split and shaved and piled by skilful hands,
were shipped in immense quantities, the
teams which drew away the lime and shingles
bringing back supplies of all kinds, never by
any means forgetting the New England rum.
Here were three stores, one kept by Board
man and Vim, one by II. and w. Goodnow,
and the third the Farmers Interest Here
was n hotel, and here was an academy which
numbered men like Kellam, II. II. Chilson,
Judge Sibley, VIM. G.. Brown, and the ven
| Grated Rev. Foster Hartwell among its prin-
| cipals, and from whose doors went forth not
a few pupils WHO have made a name for
| themselves among men. Here stood and still
stands, blank, stark and hollow-eyed, most
| pitiful Of all, the old church, built so years
ago, with timbers fit TO Withstand the storms
of thousand years, but rendered now, by
yandal hands uumindful Of the consecrate d
labor of the fathers the very picture of des-
olation. In plain words, the old church has
| been stolen clean of every movable thing.
| The windows are gone, the pews are gone,
the pulpit is gone, the gallery which extend
ed around three sides is gone, and even the
very floor boards have been taken up and
nggod away. The other buildings still stand
ing are the old Baptist church and the acad-
omy, both windowloks and in ruins, the Bap-
tist parsonage the old hotel, Reuben VIM S
house, Judge Blossoms house and the old
Goodnow house, some in ruins and some still
occupied, A post Cflice is still maintained
here, where perhaps % families receive their
mail, and this is almost the only vestiCe of
modem life remaining on the hill"
But enough Of the past. This spot, with
its historical AS ociations was wisely chosen
as the suitable one on which to celebrate the
towns centennial anniversary. For the pur-
poses of the occasion the east end Of the old
church was removed, and platform and
speakers stand built within it, and Just in
front a covered SPACE with accommodations
for 2COO persons, while outside and beyond
rose seats for as many more The programme
arranged for the occasion was as follows:
NoRSNG.
/. Salute from the Battery
2. Music by the Band.
D. Singing by the Centennial Glee Club.
4. Prayer by Rev. jeremiah Glnord Of Wilmington.
o. Address o. Welcome by the Prtsid, nj Of the Day.
c. Music by the Band.
T. Singing 10y the Glee C!ub.-Crntennal Hymn by
8. Historical Address, by Hon Clark Jllson Of wor-
lcester, Mass.
0. Music by the Band
TO- Poem, by Hon. Fred p Brown, North Adams, Ne.
IL. Adjournment for refreshmCnts, one hour.
AFTERNOON.
II. Music by the Band.
IS. Singing by the Gee Club-"America."
II. Short Speeches, Sentiments Responses and Rem
iniscences, by Citizens, former Residents, an
other invited guests
Promptly at 10 o'clock the assembled COM
pany was called to order by A. A. Butterfield,
Esq. President of the day, Who after the
opening numbers of the programme, and at
the close Of the Rev. Mr.. GIords prayer, in
few cordial words welcomed all the sons
and daughters of Nottingham, and all the
host of other friends who had como together
ON the occasion. Hon. Clark Jillson, an hon
ored son of the town, began his address at
precisely II o'clock, and was listened to with
close attention for nearly two hours In this
limited time Mr.. Jillson was only able to Rad
by snatches, here and there, frem his man
uscript. The address in full is Of great length
and shows most careful and painstaking work.
1t is pleasure to be able to present it to
our readers in full At point which the
reader will find suitably indicated, Mr.. Jill
son performed an act, the most significant of
the day, and an entire surprise to every per-
son present. This was the presentation of a
carefully transcribed and handsomely bound
copy of the towns charter, whose existence
had always been matter of doubt until Mr..
Jillson found it in his search for facts for his
address.
The poem by Fred P. Brown of North
Adams, another honored son of Nottingham,
contained many happy illusions and was very
handsomely delivered
For the time being the body of the old
church was converted into dining room, and
here dinner was served TO all the numerous in
vited guests of the day. Dinner being over, the
company re-assembled, and the afternoon OK
ercises were devoted entirely to sentiments
| 4 L.
rious gentlemen, most of them present or
former residents of the town.
The list of sentiments, with the names of
persons set down for responses was as fol-
| lows:
''whitingham-its agricultural and mechanical in