The Press., 1921-04-28
Street was not the earliest settlement

Street was not the earliest settlement; but it had the honor of possessing the churches of the towns and the prestige of the county court house and county stands at the top of County House Hill," where the Skungamaug road meets the Street at right angles, near it's southern end. The Street though short was laid out several rods
 wide, after the manner of Stafford Street and other town seats of that time. There were long intervals be- tween the few houses on the east side of the street, but toward the, north end very prominent object was a large weatherbeaten barn or barn. like structure, and at the north end of the street the house of William Ladd. Here the road from the Plains met the Street Not far on the Plains road toward the east was the TOurtel- lotte place. Considerably farther east lay the Sugar Hill district. Deacon Spalding's family and Samuel Skaters are the chief ones whom l remember; and earlier a MT. Carew. But to re- turn to the aristOcratic section of the Street; the West Side" (as in New York city and New Haven). Near the south end of the Street stood the Congregational church, built on the oR fhn Street, 50 by 40 feet, raised in May, 1754, and taken down in 1888, to make way for the present much larger building, dedicated Oct. 25, 1888. The old church had no steeple, but receiv- ed one in 1792, 100 feet high, which inspired Oliver ArnOld's verse, "Poor Holland! grand people! Old meeting house and new steeple." In this part of the Street lived Priest Marsh" Dr, Isham, and Judge Waldo. North of the church was the county court house. In front on the wide green the republicans held their mass meet ing in the second Lincoln campaign; to which my father took my brother and myself; but if remember rightly, there was not only a Lincoln and Johnson banner overhead, but not far away a Mcclellan and PendletOn banner, momento of the democratic mass meeting; for Holland is tradi- tionally democratic. North of the court house was a grocery store and house, owned by Austin Root at this period. Next a branch road toward the North west led to Charles Under woods tannery and residence. In the Fork stood the Baptist church. facing on the Street. and in it's base ment two rooms, one of which was occupied by Dresser, shoe dealer. This was the latest organized or the churches on the Street, though the meeting house was built ill l832; but as the society was the feeblest it was the first to dissolve. North of this church, on the Street, lived the Hawkins family, prominent then. AL bert M was the head, but the best known to "us boys" from the Method- ist church next north of Hawkins, was Fred, who, as I supposed, was Albert's brother; of an inventive If the cannOns which it produced were as effective on the as on our fancies, prob ably they would have been beaten sooner. These interludes were the regular intermissiOns for the noon lunch; as the custom of those days was to have a morning sermon ana Sunday school, then lunch, to for ,ify us for the afternoon sermon. AS 1ur family was four miles from home, we could not go there for lunch, and a chance to eat it in Hawkins front yard, with Fred's stories as accOmpan- iment, was a pleasant prlvlledge. the distance, my brother Jesse and I walked it, when required. Weekly class for Buffcap were held in Buffcap schOOlhOuse; and neighbor- hood meetings, united MethOdists and Baptist, were held at times in private houses, The road to Rockville, running from the north end of the Street had few | houses on it; the northeast part of | Holland being wooded, and but thinly l populated; from the Street to Rock ! ville measuring about five miles. l l my father to Rockville l once early in the war; when most of | he village was near the Rock mill. |
 JOEL N. EMO.
 UNION.
 Mrs. Eva Hathaway spent the week. md with relatives in Waterbury. MT. md Mrs. Raymond Burnham of South ridge were at the Burnham cottage he first of the week.
 Rock Meadow. ~
 Miss Della Heck of SOuthbridge was t home for the weekend.
 Frank Ballou of Hampden was at lis place here last Thursday.
 Mrs. Elvira P. Snow has returned rom Wales where she has been few weeks.
 Mrs. Adelbert Agard and daughter, Ruth, visited Mrs. Edgar Cork of Wales on Tuesday of last week