Autumn in the North Cemetery.

Sixty miles west of Boston, Massachusetts there is the small New England town of Sturbridge. Located at the junction of I-90 (The Mass Pike), and I-84 it has become known as the "Crossroads of New England". The town was first settled over 300 years ago, and like other small New England towns it has grown just enough over the years to be in a difficult place today. How do we embrace the future without forgetting how we got to our present? How do we attract the right kind of growth, and maintain who we are? And, what about our culture out here in Central Massachusetts?



These pages will cause one to think about how to protect what we have, our future direction, and how to move on in the very best way.


Those thoughts, and other ramblings, will hopefully inspire more thought, conversation, action, and occasionally a smile...

...seems to be working so far

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Hmmm, Looks Familiar...



Where was this photo taken?

Normally a comment would be posted in the comment section, but this morning I have an excellent comment from some anonymous source that is well worth giving the stage to.--ed.

"That's the old fire station at Cartier's Corner in Fiskdale. The fire chief, Mr. Cartier, and then the next fire chief, Steve Szumilas, lived right across the street. The old fire station, still in the same location, now houses the dance studio at the beginning of Route 148. The house was moved up to School St. and is a two story white house with black trim. (At least I think it's still that color, just as it was in the 1950's.) Then the intersection of Routes 20 and 148 was done over and the traffic lights were installed. (When the house was located at Cartier's corner, there was a road behind the house, which one could use to "short-cut" between 20 and 148 rather than use the other intersection which had just a stop sign at the time.) When Mrs. Szumilas lived in that house with the old intersection in front and the old short-cut in the back she used to say that the traffic was frightening. Oh, the memories of nice old folks now gone to their eternal reward..." -- Anonymous

2 comments:

  1. That's the old fire station at Cartier's Corner in Fiskdale. The fire chief, Mr. Cartier, and then the next fire chief, Steve Szumilas, lived right across the street. The old fire station, still in the same location, now houses the dance studio at the beginning of Route 148. The house was moved up to School St. and is a two story white house with black trim. (At least I think it's still that color, just as it was in the 1950's.) Then the intersection of Routes 20 and 148 was done over and the traffic lights were installed. (When the house was located at Cartier's corner, there was a road behind the house, which one could use to "short-cut" between 20 and 148 rather than use the other intersection which had just a stop sign at the time.) When Mrs. Szumilas lived in that house with the old intersection in front and the old short-cut in the back she used to say that the traffic was frightening. Oh, the memories of nice old folks now gone to their eternal reward...

    ReplyDelete
  2. The firehouse was a great place to visit in the 60's and 70's when I was a kid. Steven Szumilas was my uncle and my dad's (Bolak Szumilas) oldest brother and we would visit and I would play with Sparky the dalmation who lived with my uncle and get a tour of the firehouse. I can remember when a few large fires hit downtown southbridge my uncle arrived with the firetrucks from Sturbridge to lend a hand. My uncle Steven, Aunt Dot and their son Stephen Allen lived in that house for as long as I can remember but unfortunately they have all passed away.

    Jeff Szumilas
    420 Northview Pass
    Hudson, WI 54016

    Formerly lived at 230 Pleasant Street, Southbridge

    ReplyDelete



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