GHS year books for 1965 & 1967 are now on e-bay. Dick

http://www.milforddailynews.com/homepage/x1002020504/Railroad-owner-promises-to-\
be-a-good-neighbor

 

 

 

 

Railroad owner promises to be a good neighbor








By Danielle Ameden/Daily News staff

Milford Daily News

Posted Sep 29, 2009 @ 12:32 AM

MILFORD —


As he works to reactivate the rail line that passes through town, the Grafton &
Upton Railroad's owner is promising to be a good neighbor.

Introducing himself last night, Jon Delli Priscoli told the Board of Selectmen
he wants to work with the town but, at the same time, he cautioned, he has a
business to run.

Delli Priscoli said his "entrepreneurial dream" is that communities such as
Milford along the 16 1/2 miles of track realize job growth and increased
commercial activity as benefits of the trains chugging through again.

"I think it would be a great industrial engine for the area," he said.

Selectmen, joined by a group of residents, listened as Delli Priscoli talked
about his past experience as owner and operator of the Fore River Quincy Bay
Railroad. He also discussed the Upton & Grafton short line's history (dating
back to 1873) and his plans for its future.

"I've always heard that (the town) is pro-business and I look forward to working
in Milford," he told the board.

Delli Priscoli now has crews worki ng within the railroad's right of way to
clear the tracks. He said Milford can expect the line to be ready for train
traffic within the next two years, possibly as soon as next
  year.

The idea is to have a freight train pass through once per day traveling no
faster than 10 mph, he said. It would haul commodities that would be delivered
to industries in Milford or other area communities.

State Rep. John Fernandes, D-Milford, said the prospect could mean real
industrial revitalization for the area - including for Hopedale's Draper Mill.

"Rail is an important part of the transportation future in Massachusetts," he
said.

Fernandes stressed that railroads come under federal jurisdiction. "This isn't
something we can just say, 'You're not going to do in our community."'

He said the town is fortunate that the Grafton & Upton rail owner is local and
willing to attend neighborhood and board meetings like last night's.

Selectmen thanked Delli Priscoli for coming out, but raised concerns they hoped
he takes to heart.

Issues include safety, anticipated traffic backup at crossings, and abutters
having to live with trains running through their backyards.

Chairman Brian Murray asked that Delli Priscoli cooperate with suggestions Town
Engineer Mike Santora and Town Planner Larry Dunkin make in terms of fences,
barriers and other ways to ease the burden for the town and residents.

Delli Priscoli, a commercial real estate developer based in MetroWest, said he
would work with the town, but pointed to his protection under the federal law
and business interests.

"I do have a business to run, so there's a balance there," he said. "... I'll do
the best I can to deliver the best possible p
roduct I can."

Outside the meeting, Marc Franzini, a father of two who lives on Nolan Avenue,
said he isn't sure yet what to expect knowing trains will start to pass behind
his home.

Delli Priscoli had met with residents of the neighborhood in July to address
these concerns. Franzini said it was important that Delli Priscoli also came out
to meet with selectmen and share his plans.

"The only positive that I see out of it right now was that he went before the
board and our state rep is here," Franzini said.

Franzini said he was encouraged the railroad owner shared his plans for the
limited trips and low speeds, and is committed to being a go od neighbor, so now
he can't "go back on his word."

"He'll have to try to work with us," Franzini said.

























[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Worcester Business Journal

Tuesday, September 01, 2009









 





Tracking Change On Grafton & Upton Railroad

By Eileen Kennedy

MetroWest495 Biz Writer

Today





 

Jon Delli Priscoli made his money in commercial and industrial development, but
his passion is the railroad business.

As the owner of Marlborough-based First Colony Development Co. Inc., Delli
Priscoli has developed office buildings in Marlborough, including buildings at
250 and 260 Locke Drive.

But his latest venture, the purchase of the 136-year-old, 16-mile Grafton &
Upton Railroad, is a little closer to his heart. He bought half of the railroad
in 2008 and20the other half this year from Cornelius and Miriam Lucey. They had
operated portions of the railroads since 1979.

"I find it fascinating," Delli Priscoli said. "It's not a sexy business. It's
not biomedical or windmills or solar panels, but it brings everyone good, basic
things we all need."

Signs Of Transformation
Under Delli Priscoli's ownership, survey markers now line new rail layouts in
the Upton and Hopedale train yards, diesel engines are being restored and
repainted in the Grafton yard and weeds are being yanked from the entire line.

"This railroad represents an awful lot of opportunity," Delli Priscoli said.
"It's in everybody's interest to see this railroad prosper."

The line connects with freight behemoth CSX Corp. at the Grafton and Milford
yards, making it easy for Grafton & Upton's customers to get their supplies in a
nd their products out.

The hope is that the rejuvenated rail line will create as many as 45 jobs this
year and attract businesses that want to locate near a railroad, according to
Delli Priscoli. A perfect example is a 100,000-square-foot building on the
railroad's Hopedale property, which has drawn the interest of a national
locomotive assembly company, which Delli Priscoli declined to identify.

"The town clearly wants to see the rail line through the town," said Eugene
Phillips, Hopedale's town coordinator. "Those would be incredible jobs."

The railroad has had some 20 of the same customers for years. Iowa wheat rolls
into its Upton yard, where trucks take it the rest of the way to the Wheetabix
Food Co. cereal factory in Clinton. Plastic pellets, peanuts and other supplies
also arrive in the Upton yard and are taken by truck to area destinations.

"One of the great things about the Upton yard, even thought you'd never know it
when you're there, is that it's so close to the I-495 area," said Delli Priscoli
said. "The interchange of I-495 and the Mass Pike is the epicenter for
transportation and businesses, and Upton is only five miles from there."

Fifty to 55 percent of all railroad freight in the United States is carried on
short line railroads like the Grafton and Upton, so they serve an important part
in transporting goods, he said.


 




Worcester Business Journal ©2009 All Rights Reserved

 

 

 

 

 

 

 






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

 
Grafton Cable Television Oversight Committee

Town of Grafton

Memorial Municipal Center

30 Providence Road

Grafton, Massachusetts 01519

www.GraftonTV.org

 

 

 

For Release Upon Receipt

GCTOC 7-2009

June 1, 2009

 

 

Contact: Robert Hassinger, Chairman

Cable Television Oversight Committee

508-839-2998

E-Mail: r.hassinger@...

 

 

Media Contact: John LaPoint

508-887-5809

E-Mail: GLFJL@...

 

 

Public Invited As Grafton Community Television Plans June 24th Live Broadcast
From Grafton Common

 

GRAFTON: Grafton Community Television invites town residents to join them for a
live broadcast from the historic Grafton Common on Wednesday evening, June 24th.
The Two Guys Who Like To Talk Show, an hour long program hosted by GCTV
producers Rick Schultze and Bill Robidoux, will originate live from the Grafton
Common bandstand from 8:00 PM to 9:00 PM. There will be an opportunity
during20the hour program for guests who are part of the Grafton Common audience
to make comments and ask questions.



According to Rick Schultze, who also serves as a member of the town's Cable
Television Oversight Committee, "We hope that many Grafton residents can join us
on the Common for this live broadcast. This is the second year we’ve been able
to take our i n studio show outside and it’s great to be able to share this
with our local viewers. Doing a live broadcast from the Common's bandstand is
something that is not done all
  that often. The June 24th broadcast not only showcases the Grafton Common but
also highlights the many production capabilities of Grafton Community
Television."



Perhaps the most photographed town common in New England, the centerpiece of the
four acre Grafton Common is its bandstand (also often called a gazebo) built in
1935 to film Eugene O'Neil's "Ah, Wilderness." The June 24th live broadcast from
the Grafton Common is made possible with the cooperation of Charter
Communications who are providing use of their mobile production van. Questions
about the Wednesday, June 24th live broadcast can be directed to Grafton
Community Television Public Access Coordinator Danielle DeLucia at 508-839-2983
or e-mail: GCTV11@...



Grafton Community Television provides programming on three distinct public
access channels in the Town of Grafton over the Charter Communications cable
system. Monthly schedules for Grafton Community Television Channels 11, 12 and
13 can be found at www.GraftonTV.org Channel 11 provides general interest
programming, Channel 12 broadcasts town government programming, and Channel 13
features school programming and high school sports events. The Grafton Community
Television studios and offices are located at 296 Providence Road in South
Grafton.

 

 

 

 ###















[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

http://www.telegram.com/article/20080806/NEWS/808060575/1005/NEWS06


Wednesday, August 6, 2008

RR developer envisions 2-town economic engine

Owner discusses plans for Grafton-Milford line

By Donna Boynton
TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF





GRAFTON— Jon Deli Prescoli, half-owner of the Grafton and Upton Railroad,
told a packed room last night he wants to be a good corporate neighbor and hopes
to inspire economic development along the 15-mile railroad between Grafton and
Milford.

Mr. Deli Prescoli was invited by the Board of Selectmen to last night’s
meeting to update the town on the status of the revitalization of the Grafton
and
Upton Railroad. Selectmen said last night’s meeting was for informational
purposes; since it was not a public hearing, the selectmen did not take
questions
from the audience.

It was announced last month that Mr. Deli Prescoli intended to restore rail
service to the area on the so-called short line, which connects on both ends to
CSX, and his railroad would haul goods based on customers’ demands. His
announcement was met with myriad concerns from abutters along the railroad about
quality-of-life issues, public safety, and the active railroad’s effect on
property values.


Mr. Deli Prescoli said a portion of the railroad in Grafton, as many
residents are aware, operates on a daily basis. He expects to have steady train
traffic along the rail line by spring.

The Grafton and Upton Railroad was established in 1887 as the successor to
the former Grafton Center Railroad, which was incorporated in 1873. An extension
to Milford opened in 1890. The railroad has never been controlled by a larger
line.

Mr. Deli Prescoli said that while he is currently a 50 percent owner of the
railroad, he will soon have 100 percent ownership of the railroad, which is one
of roughly a dozen existing railroads in the state.

He said he once owned the Quincy Bay Railroad, which hauled sludge from
Boston Harbor, from 1990 to 2001.

“Our goal is to be a good corporate neighbor, as I have been on all the
communities I have worked, and make this a thriving enterprise,” he said.

“I am not looking to create controversy; I am looking to create economic
development to enhance the tax base,” he later added. “We want the railroad
to be
an economic engine.”

With the high cost of fuel, rail transportation has experienced resurgence in
popularity, as a cost-effective way to haul goods. Every railcar represents
about five tractor-trailer loads of goods. The use of railroads also increases
public safety on roads and highways, Mr. Deli Prescoli said. Nationally, he
said, that with the disappearance of railroads and the transformation of some of
those properties to rail-trails, there are not enough railroads to meet the
demands.

The railroad is conducting a major rehabilitation project which involves the
replacement of several thousand railroad ties between Grafton and Upton, and
is working on securing some properties along the railroad for economic
development. Mr. Deli Prescoli said he has been fielding several phone calls
daily
about commercial properties available along the railroad.

“The problem will not be attracting commercial development, but is there
enough land available for commercial development?” he said.

While those properties must be used for railroad purposes, the town does not
have permitting control over railroad properties, Mr. Deli Prescoli said.

As a federally classified Class I track, the trains cannot travel more than
10 mph and cannot carry passengers. He said he envisions at least one round
trip per day, but that it was too early to commit to an operating schedule.

“I would be very excited to have more than that, but it is not cost effective
to run more than one train,” Mr. Deli Prescoli said, adding that a train
would consist of 10 to 30 cars, depending upon customers’ demands, the
shipment
and the season.

He said the frequency of the train trips would be driven by customer needs.
Mr. Deli Prescoli said he did not foresee a need to seek a class upgrade, which
could allow faster speeds along the rails.

As a “common carrier,” he said, the Grafton and Upton Railroad would have to
carry whatever is requested of it, and cannot deny anyone’s request for
transportation service.

“We carry things you use in everyday life,” Mr. Deli Prescoli said, adding
that the railroad is regulated by the Federal Railroad Administration.

The selectmen said they would want further discussion on how the revitalized
Grafton and Upton Railroad will affect the community.

While Grafton alone has some 16 crossings, Mr. Deli Prescoli said the town
can work with the state to improve the crossings or add signals. The trains now
employ a procedure called “stop and protect,” in which a train stops, and a
flagger gets out and waves the conductor on in the absence of traffic.












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There might be a few ways to make it to painfull to operate. Some
states used to require a motor man/conductor to get out & stop traffic
before a cross. Require expensive crossing warning lights & bar. Some
states can give a police ticket to a train not moving and blocking a
road. Requirements on transporting hazardous materials. Storage of
fuel requirements for the engine. Engine fuel leakage along the ROW.
Needs a good old RR man to look the ROW over for loose ends.

    I was a hazardous material Rail transport guy for adjacent RRs next
to DC Metro Subway lines. There are special requirements for getting a
RR radio license that could be chalenged.

    Dick

    Quoting glfjl@...:

> http://www.telegram.com/article/20080701/NEWS/807010598/1101[1]
>
> Tuesday, July 1, 2008
>
> Railroad plan worrying residents
>
> 18-mile line eyed for freight
>
> By Steven H. Foskett Jr. TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
>
>
>
> UPTON— As gently as they could, state and federal officials told a group of
> residents that there isn’t much they can do to stop the Grafton and Upton
> Railroad from being used as a freight line again.
>
> Local developer Jon Delli Priscoli recently bought a stake in the Grafton and
> Upton Railroad, which runs about 18 miles from Grafton through Upton, and has
> said he plans to renovate the tracks — large sections of which have gone
> unused for years — to move freight at a time when high gas and 
> diesel prices have
> businesses eyeing railroads as a viable alternative to trucking.
>
> Mr. Delli Priscoli did not attend last night’s meeting, billed as a
community
> meeting for residents of both towns. But those who attended said they had
> concerns about public safety, quality-of-life issues, and the
> effect  of an active
> rail operation on property values.
>
>
> State Sen. Edward M. Augustus Jr., D-Worcester, said he appreciated the
> residents’ sense of powerlessness, but that besides encouraging 
> dialogue with Mr.
> Delli Priscoli, there was not much he could do to prevent the rail line from
> operating again.
>
> Thomas Cahir, undersecretary for rail transportation in the state Executive
> Office of Transportation, said the state’s hands are largely tied in this
> situation. He said the railroad is privately held, and that 
> regulation of rail
> lines that connect to a main line — as the Grafton and Upton line 
> does — falls
> under the jurisdiction of the Federal Railroad Administration.
>
> Given interstate commerce protections and the fact that the railroad has, at
> least technically, been continuously operating since the 1800s and is
> privately held, the railroad can start back up with few regulatory 
> hoops to jump
> through, according to Frederick Fraini, an administrator with the FRA.
>
> Mr. Fraini said the main concern of the FRA is safety; he tried to assure the
> few dozen residents at the meeting that the rail line would be subject to
> inspections and would be required to submit monthly reports. He
> said  it appears
> to be a Class 1 rail line, out of the eight classes of rail lines, 
> which means
> speeds would be restricted to 10 miles per hour, and passenger traffic would
> not be allowed.
>
> Residents said they were concerned about hours of operations, traffic impact,
> noise, public safety and property values.
>
> Marsha Paul, a former Upton selectman, said an active Grafton and Upton
> Railroad would effectively split the town. He questioned how public safety
> personnel would respond in an emergency if a train were blocking 
> access to a certain
> part of town.
>
> Mr. Fraini said that if the railroad gets up and running again, the owners
> would be required to work out a plan with public safety officials
> to  determine
> what would happen in case of emergency. For example, there would be a plan to
> separate cars on a track, to allow public safety personnel to cross 
> the tracks.
>
> Mr. Augustus, Mr. Cahir, and state Rep. George N. Peterson Jr., R-Grafton,
> said they had met with Mr. Delli Priscoli, and he seemed open to working with
> the community. And Hopedale Selectman Robert P. Burns said he has 
> met with Mr.
> Delli Priscoli as well, and that he was a man of significant 
> character who was
> interested in investing in the community.
>
> “There could be several positives to come out of this,” Mr. Burns said.
>
> Marjorie A. Johnson of Dairy Drive said she feared not being able to sleep at
> night with trains rumbling by, and that her property values would go down.
> She questioned whether the panel members would like to live next to 
> a railroad.
>
> Mr. Augustus said the existence of the rail line predated everyone in the
> room.
>
> “The rail has been here since the 1870s,” Mr. Augustus said.. “Nobody
snuck a
> rail line in.”
>
> Mr. Peterson said he has had an active rail line 200 feet from his home all
> his life, and that he didn’t mind the twice-daily trains going by.
>
> Other residents said they were concerned that the rail line would eventually
> be running 10 to 20 trips a day. Grafton Selectman Mary Ann Cotton asked when
> the railroad might resume operations; Mr. Augustus said the timeline was
> unclear, and would probably depend on Mr. Delli Priscoli’s ability to secure
> customers.
>
> Mr. Augustus said the key for residents would be to work with Mr. Delli
> Priscoli to make their concerns heard. Mr. Peterson recommended setting up a
> contact group, composed of residents from each town, to establish lines of
> communication with Mr. Delli Priscoli.
>
> The Grafton and Upton Railroad is a short line railroad established in 1887
> as the successor to the former Grafton Center Railroad, incorporated in 1873.
> An extension to Milford opened in 1890. The railroad has never been 
> controlled
> by a larger line.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> <BR><BR><BR>**************<BR>Gas prices getting you down? Search AOL Autos
> for fuel-efficient used cars.<BR>
> (http://autos.aol.com/used?ncid=aolaut00050000000007[2])</HTML>
>


Links:
------
[1] http://www.telegram.com/article/20080701/NEWS/807010598/1101
[2] http://autos.aol.com/used?ncid=aolaut00050000000007



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

http://www.telegram.com/article/20080701/NEWS/807010598/1101

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Railroad plan worrying residents

18-mile line eyed for freight

By Steven H. Foskett Jr. TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF



UPTON— As gently as they could, state and federal officials told a group of
residents that there isn’t much they can do to stop the Grafton and Upton
Railroad from being used as a freight line again.

Local developer Jon Delli Priscoli recently bought a stake in the Grafton and
Upton Railroad, which runs about 18 miles from Grafton through Upton, and has
said he plans to renovate the tracks — large sections of which have gone
unused for years — to move freight at a time when high gas and diesel prices
have
businesses eyeing railroads as a viable alternative to trucking.

Mr. Delli Priscoli did not attend last night’s meeting, billed as a community
meeting for residents of both towns. But those who attended said they had
concerns about public safety, quality-of-life issues, and the effect of an
active
rail operation on property values.


State Sen. Edward M. Augustus Jr., D-Worcester, said he appreciated the
residents’ sense of powerlessness, but that besides encouraging dialogue with
Mr.
Delli Priscoli, there was not much he could do to prevent the rail line from
operating again.

Thomas Cahir, undersecretary for rail transportation in the state Executive
Office of Transportation, said the state’s hands are largely tied in this
situation. He said the railroad is privately held, and that regulation of rail
lines that connect to a main line — as the Grafton and Upton line does —
falls
under the jurisdiction of the Federal Railroad Administration.

Given interstate commerce protections and the fact that the railroad has, at
least technically, been continuously operating since the 1800s and is
privately held, the railroad can start back up with few regulatory hoops to jump
through, according to Frederick Fraini, an administrator with the FRA.

Mr. Fraini said the main concern of the FRA is safety; he tried to assure the
few dozen residents at the meeting that the rail line would be subject to
inspections and would be required to submit monthly reports. He said it appears
to be a Class 1 rail line, out of the eight classes of rail lines, which means
speeds would be restricted to 10 miles per hour, and passenger traffic would
not be allowed.

Residents said they were concerned about hours of operations, traffic impact,
noise, public safety and property values.

Marsha Paul, a former Upton selectman, said an active Grafton and Upton
Railroad would effectively split the town. He questioned how public safety
personnel would respond in an emergency if a train were blocking access to a
certain
part of town.

Mr. Fraini said that if the railroad gets up and running again, the owners
would be required to work out a plan with public safety officials to determine
what would happen in case of emergency. For example, there would be a plan to
separate cars on a track, to allow public safety personnel to cross the tracks.

Mr. Augustus, Mr. Cahir, and state Rep. George N. Peterson Jr., R-Grafton,
said they had met with Mr. Delli Priscoli, and he seemed open to working with
the community. And Hopedale Selectman Robert P. Burns said he has met with Mr.
Delli Priscoli as well, and that he was a man of significant character who was
interested in investing in the community.

“There could be several positives to come out of this,” Mr. Burns said.

Marjorie A. Johnson of Dairy Drive said she feared not being able to sleep at
night with trains rumbling by, and that her property values would go down.
She questioned whether the panel members would like to live next to a railroad.

Mr. Augustus said the existence of the rail line predated everyone in the
room.

“The rail has been here since the 1870s,” Mr. Augustus said. “Nobody snuck
a
rail line in.”

Mr. Peterson said he has had an active rail line 200 feet from his home all
his life, and that he didn’t mind the twice-daily trains going by.

Other residents said they were concerned that the rail line would eventually
be running 10 to 20 trips a day. Grafton Selectman Mary Ann Cotton asked when
the railroad might resume operations; Mr. Augustus said the timeline was
unclear, and would probably depend on Mr. Delli Priscoli’s ability to secure
customers.

Mr. Augustus said the key for residents would be to work with Mr. Delli
Priscoli to make their concerns heard. Mr. Peterson recommended setting up a
contact group, composed of residents from each town, to establish lines of
communication with Mr. Delli Priscoli.

The Grafton and Upton Railroad is a short line railroad established in 1887
as the successor to the former Grafton Center Railroad, incorporated in 1873.
An extension to Milford opened in 1890. The railroad has never been controlled
by a larger line.































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Here is a near by Grafton event that might be good to pass on to
the schools in area.

    Dick

Reply-To: Rick <Richard.S.Varner@...>
Subject: 1st Annual Goddard Commemorative Water-Rocket Competition
� � � To: CT List Serv <nasact@...>, MA List Serv
<nasama@...>, RI List Serv
<nasari@...>

Colleagues,

On June 7, 2008 Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, MA will host
the first Annual Goddard Commemorative Water Rocketry Competition in
celebration of 100 years since Robert Goddard graduated from WPI.

Teams are invited to register to participate in this event from across the
northeast and a Water Rocketry Workshop will be held on Saturday May 10 from
8-11am for all registered team leaders to learn more about the competition,
to build and test simple water rockets, and to meet the mentors.

Competing teams will be age grouped from kindergarten to college, so
everyone can participate.� Prizes will be awarded in four general
categories: Accuracy, Landing, Design and Theory.

Registration is limited, so check out the WPI web site below for more
information on the competition, access to links for registration and related
rocketry resources.

http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/Physics/Rocket/rules.html[1]

Have a great spring and we look forward to seeing at the launch in June.

Rick

Richard Varner
Aerospace Education Specialist
Educational State Liaison
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Mail Code 130.3
Greenbelt, MD 20771-0001
301-286-9108 office

If you have received this list serve notice in error or wish to unsubscribe,
please, send an email with the title "Unsubscribe" to
majordomo@...

----- End forwarded message -----

Links:
------
[1] http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/Physics/Rocket/rules.html


   ----------

Colleagues,

On June 7, 2008 Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, MA will host
the first Annual Goddard Commemorative Water Rocketry Competition in
celebration of 100 years since Robert Goddard graduated from WPI.

Teams are invited to register to participate in this event from across the
northeast and a Water Rocketry Workshop will be held on Saturday May 10 from
8-11am for all registered team leaders to learn more about the competition,
to build and test simple water rockets, and to meet the mentors.

Competing teams will be age grouped from kindergarten to college, so
everyone can participate.  Prizes will be awarded in four general
categories: Accuracy, Landing, Design and Theory.

Registration is limited, so check out the WPI web site below for more
information on the competition, access to links for registration and related
rocketry resources.

http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Depts/Physics/Rocket/rules.html

Have a great spring and we look forward to seeing at the launch in June.

Rick


Richard Varner
Aerospace Education Specialist
Educational State Liaison
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Mail Code 130.3
Greenbelt, MD 20771-0001
301-286-9108 office

If you have received this list serve notice in error or wish to unsubscribe,
please, send an email with the title "Unsubscribe" to
majordomo@...



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Thanks Dick, I did find a photo of J. R. Leeson and a paperweight that is
similar to it on the old industry and business of Grafton, Mass web site
HYPERLINK
"http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~history/grafton/industrybusiness.htm
l"http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~history/grafton/industrybusiness.ht
ml Thanks for the fast response �



    _____

From: graftonma@yahoogroups.com [mailto:graftonma@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf
Of dickbolt@...
Sent: Thursday, January 03, 2008 8:24 AM
To: graftonma@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [graftonma] Flax Mills, Grafton, Mass





No, but I have seen what I assume was an add on e-bay for it going
on several yrs without it selling! I would think a Worcester County
directory for the period (yrs) would have a company add in it. See
your local city library. I think I have a photo copy of the building
stored some where on my PC to be put up on History site.

Dick in MD, not MA

Quoting ibovnu <HYPERLINK "mailto:ibovnu%40comcast.net"ibovnu@comcast.-net>:

> Hi,
> I have an old paper weight with advertising that reads:
> J. R. Leeson & Co ~ Linen Thread Importers, Boston ... Selling Agents
> For The Flax Mills, Grafton, Mass ... Sanborn & White Agents ...
> Haverhill and on it is a picture of what looks like a spinning wheel,
> on the back it is stamped Pat. Sept 8th 1889(?) Barnes & Abrahm Co.
> Syraquse, N.Y.
> Does anyone know anything or have any information about this?
> Here is a link to a photo and Thanks for any help ...
> HYPERLINK
"http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r196/ibovnu/LeesonPaperWeight001.jpg"htt
p://i144.-photobucket.-com/albums/-r196/ibovnu/-LeesonPaperWeigh-t001.jpg[1]
>
>
>

Links:
------
[1] HYPERLINK
"http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r196/ibovnu/LeesonPaperWeight001.jpg"htt
p://i144.-photobucket.-com/albums/-r196/ibovnu/-LeesonPaperWeigh-t001.jpg

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]




No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
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11:29 AM



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11:29 AM



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

No, but I have seen what I assume was an add on e-bay for it going
on several yrs without it selling! I would think a Worcester County
directory for the period (yrs) would have a company add in it. See
your local city library. I think I have a photo copy of the building
stored some where on my PC to be put up on History site.

    Dick in MD, not MA

    Quoting ibovnu <ibovnu@...>:

> Hi,
> I have an old paper weight with advertising that reads:
> J. R. Leeson & Co ~ Linen Thread Importers, Boston ... Selling Agents
> For The Flax Mills, Grafton, Mass ... Sanborn & White Agents ...
> Haverhill and on it is a picture of what looks like a spinning wheel,
> on the back it is stamped Pat. Sept 8th 1889(?) Barnes & Abrahm Co.
> Syraquse, N.Y.
> Does anyone know anything or have any information about this?
> Here is a link to a photo and Thanks for any help ...
> http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r196/ibovnu/LeesonPaperWeight001.jpg[1]
>
>
>


Links:
------
[1] http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r196/ibovnu/LeesonPaperWeight001.jpg



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi,
I have an old paper weight with advertising that reads:
J. R. Leeson & Co ~ Linen Thread Importers, Boston ... Selling Agents
For The Flax Mills, Grafton, Mass ... Sanborn & White Agents ...
Haverhill and on it is a picture of what looks like a spinning wheel,
on the back it is stamped Pat. Sept 8th 1889(?) Barnes & Abrahm Co.
Syraquse, N.Y.
Does anyone know anything or have any information about this?
Here is a link to a photo and Thanks for any help ...
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r196/ibovnu/LeesonPaperWeight001.jpg

From the Worcester Telegram & Gazette - Friday, November 16th


http://www.telegram.com/article/20071116/NEWS/711160604/1008/NEWS02


Article published Nov 16, 2007

Hallowed structures die, thrive

Surviving mills offer stages for living, working, creating

OUR CHANGING WORLD

By Aaron Nicodemus TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

In their heyday a century ago, the dozens of mill villages in the Blackstone
Valley were self-contained societies. Life’s rhythms in those company towns
revolved around the clang of the mill bell. There was company-built housing a
short walk from the mill, a company store for buying all of life’s
necessities,
as well as churches, schools, dance halls and barns, all company-built and
company-owned.

That way of life dissolved when cotton manufacturing moved south from the
1920s through the beginning of World War II. The mill villages of Fisherville
and
Farnumsville in South Grafton, and Manchaug in Sutton, were literally sold at
auction.

To varying degrees, the Blackstone Valley’s mill villages have struggled ever
since.


Some of the mills that were the hearts of these villages are now ghosts,
living only in memory. Some remain, hulking darkened shells, reminders of
industry
lost. And yet some mills are alive and thriving today, beating with the
modern pulses of homes, businesses and art.

The mill at Rogerson’s Village in Uxbridge was converted into senior housing
decades ago, and the village around it has thrived.

Draper Mill in Hopedale has remained vacant for nearly 20 years. However it
was active much longer than most mills, and so its village has been
well-maintained.

But other mill villages have suffered from neglect and from the loss of their
centerpiece mills to fire or demolition.

“There are some communities where the wealth of the town plays a role in the
general upkeep of the neighborhood,” said Kevin Klyberg, a park ranger with
the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission.

In South Grafton, only one of three large mills is left standing. Eight years
ago, the Fisherville mill burned down in a spectacular fire, leaving behind
one of the most contaminated sites in the state. Its owner, Eugene N. Bernat of
Upton, has proposed an ambitious redevelopment plan that includes retail,
office space and condominiums. Mr. Bernat, whose family founded the yarn company
once housed in the since fire-ravaged Bernat Mill in Uxbridge, said 16 of the
40 acres on the Fisherville site are clean and ready for redevelopment.

The Saundersville mill was demolished decades ago. The Farnumsville mill,
while still standing, is mostly vacant.

“We have looked at a lot of ugliness and decay in my lifetime,” said Ralph
“Skip” Michniewicz, a retired Shrewsbury police officer who has spent most
of
his life in Farnumsville and has committed much of his free time to improving
it. “Some of us are trying to save the Farnumsville School and the firehouse.
We’re working very hard with very few funds to make a difference.”

While new development has sprouted up in other parts of Grafton, its mill
villages are falling behind, according to a master plan for South Grafton
approved last year.

“Most of this development pressure falls on undeveloped farms and woodlands,
while the old river villages continue to deteriorate,” the report said. The
master plan laid out a framework for preserving the villages’ historic
structures, and for new zoning to provide incentives for redevelopment. The new
zoning
was approved by town meeting last year.

The plan encourages recreational uses of the river, and the construction of
walking trails.

The town is struggling to reuse some of the buildings still standing. The
Farnumsville company store, known locally as “The Moxie Building,” is
boarded
up. Across the street from the beautifully restored mill agent’s house is a
house with boarded-up windows.

Ten years ago, the old Farnumsville firehouse, known as the Blackstone Engine
Co. No. 3 firehouse, was near collapse. Mr. Michniewicz has restored it to
its 1880s glory days, complete with period furniture, settees and spittoons.

“It’s been a labor of love,” he said.

Two years ago, South Grafton residents successfully fought a plan from the
town to knock down the former Farnumsville School for affordable housing. A
group of volunteers is now trying to convince the town to repaint the building,
called the South Grafton Community Center, without peeling off its original
clapboard siding.

About 10 miles away, in Sutton, the Manchaug Mills building is an economic
engine for the village of Manchaug. It boasts an 85 percent occupancy rate with
an eclectic mix of Internet companies, light manufacturing, retail and office s
pace.

“Our plan was to take this monstrous complex and make it work for individual
small businesses,” said operations manager Neal F. Crites, who lives in the
house built for the agent, or supervisor, who ran three 1840s-era cotton mills.
(Only one of the original mills in Manchaug survives today. One washed away in
the hurricane of 1938, the other burned down three decades ago.)

In the 15 years Mr. Crites has managed the mill, it has gone from nearly
empty to nearly full. More than 25 businesses call the mill home; together they
employ about 100 people.

A big part of the mill’s success, Mr. Crites said, was that mill owner Harvey
Howell allows all the mill’s profits to be reinvested back into the mill. And
Mr. Crites said he personally manages every renovation project.

Gary F. Vaillancourt, co-owner of Vaillancourt Folk Art, said he and his
wife, Judi, looked at mills throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island before
choosing to relocate the company’s manufacturing, store and museum a year ago
to
Manchaug Mills from their farmhouse six miles away on Armsby Road in Sutton.
They said Manchaug Mills is beautifully restored, has a proven track record and
clean bathrooms.

“You laugh at that, but things like that really matter,” Mr. Vaillancourt
said. “So many mills have potential. The difference is, this mill is really
doing what it needs to for its tenants.”

Just down the road, Ed and Rebecca Le Couteur have restored the granite,
three-story former mill store into their home and interior design business. They
had rented space in Manchaug Mills, until their space needs, and their rent,
increased. After their own house was destroyed in a fire, they bought the mill
store.

“It’s been a work in progress. We never stop,” she said.

The top floor of the building is their home, each room decorated in a
different style so customers can see possibilities. The first floor is more
display
space, while the basement is their workshop.

Mr. Le Couteur manages the American Legion hall next to the store.

“This little corner of the world is our whole world,” said Ms. Le Couteur.

Part of the challenge of redeveloping mill villages is convincing developers
that preservation — rather than demolition — makes financial sense.

Massachusetts recently expanded its historic rehabilitation tax credit
program from $10 million to $50 million per year, which should help offset some
costs and make historic renovation projects more attractive. The program gives
developers of income-producing historic properties, such as apartments,
commercial space and restaurants, the chance to be reimbursed up to 20 percent
of their
rehabilitation costs with state historic tax credits. The developer can use
the credits to offset future taxes generated from the project or sell the
credits to investors.

A September analysis of the economic and fiscal benefits of a similar Rhode
Island tax credit found that $384 million of private funding was invested in
historic buildings over 10 years, resulting in 1,700 new permanent jobs and $122
million in new tax revenue for cities and towns. The report also said that fo
r every unit of housing built in an existing mill, two acres of open land was
saved from development.

Ted Sanderson, chairman of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage
Corridor Commission, said renovating old mills is more than just preserving the
past.

“If you don’t fix up the old mills, they sit as blight in the neighborhood
until somebody lights them on fire,” he said. “These are beautiful buildings
that will last another hundred years. This is a real investment in the
future.”

Copyright 2007 Worcester Telegram & Gazette Corp.
<BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> See what's new at
http://www.aol.com</HTML>

US Government Farm Subsidy Paid to Grafton Residents in period
1995-2005. More information is available on line for rational by
year for payments.It tells where the farm is located & what was not
grown!

1 Henry Magill Trust
Grafton, MA 01519 $ 37,712.71
2 Arthur F Marando
Grafton, MA 01519 $ 33,497.92
3 Marshall E Knowlton
Grafton, MA 01519 $ 13,500.80
4 Raymond Nydam
Grafton, MA 01519 $ 5,937.00
5 Avis Cox
Grafton, MA 01519 $ 4,996.36
6 Lee Knowlton
Grafton, MA 01519 $ 4,178.00
7 Mary Wray
Grafton, MA 01519 $ 1,185.00
8 Joe Meichelbeck
Grafton, MA 01519 $ 1,000.00
9 Iva E Knowlton
Grafton, MA 01519 $ 165.00
10 Teresa D Johnston
Grafton, MA 01519 $ 16.00
11 J Christopher Cutler
Grafton, MA 01519 Farm Owner

There is another fellow that sent me photos of the church that
should see this post! I hope to search my old e-mail to find him
unless he is on this list. I have the two photos to put up.

    Dick

��� Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2007 07:10:48 -0500
� � From: Dennis & Sandra Blalock <hblalock@...>
Sent were two photos of
2nd baptist church in N Grafton & his�father Howard Blalock� who was
pastor in 1945 he is 88 years old now and lives in Oakwood GA

Dennis Blalock

----- End forwarded message -----

   ----------

here is a photo of 2nd baptist church in grafton my Father howard blalock  was
pastor in 1945 he is 88 years old now and lives in oakwood GA

dennis blalock


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Have you considered asking a Grafton Jordan? I went to
Zabasearch.com ( put in Jordan for Grafton Massachusetts) and quickly
found Ruth on Worcester St near the garage & several others I
recognized. I think one of the Clark's or Buxtons (my moms family)
married into the Jordans. Possibly Ruth? Did you call or go to garage
yet? Did you look a our Grafton "names" section in the Grafton History
site? I assume you saw the section on Jordan's garage. The road behind
the town hall was a major short cut between North St & Worcester St to
Worcester.

    Dick

    I live in MD, not MA!

> 10/24
>
> Jordan's Garage was mentioned at the recent Grafton Town Meeting (October
> 15th) in connection with the discussion about One Grafton Common.
>
> Would anyone have any recollections as to approximately what dates/years
> gasoline may have been sold at Jordan's Garage?
>
> Would anyone know how the street behind One Grafton Common came to be called
> "The Boulevard?"
>
>
> http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~history/grafton/jordan.html[1]
>
>
> John LaPoint<BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> See what's
> new at http://www.aol.com[2]</HTML>
>

Links:
------
[1] http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~history/grafton/jordan.html
[2] http://www.aol.com/



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

10/24

Jordan's Garage was mentioned at the recent Grafton Town Meeting (October
15th) in connection with the discussion about One Grafton Common.

Would anyone have any recollections as to approximately what dates/years
gasoline may have been sold at Jordan's Garage?

Would anyone know how the street behind One Grafton Common came to be called
"The Boulevard?"


http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~history/grafton/jordan.html


John LaPoint<BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> See what's
new at http://www.aol.com</HTML>

See
http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~history/grafton/GraftonPlaneAccidents.htm\
l[1]

    I don't know where to link them for the Grafton History site &
still not found the accident I saw in North Grafton as a kid in late
40s or early 50s!

    Thanks agn to the Worcester City Library, the clippings came in to
scan & put up. The info is very lean on them & one was likely
Westborough, not Grafton!

    Dick in MD

Links:
------
[1]
http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~history/grafton/GraftonPlaneAccidents.htm\
l



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi, I finally got the info on the Grafton airplane accidents in the
40s! We have had several discussions on this in past yrs up here!
Grafton old times playground!

    None of these however fit my memory of the P-40 stuck in the power
lines near the Daulphanse (sp?) entrance & old fruit stand. These are
part of an on line airplane database.

    I expect to ask the Worcester Library for any info on these & scan
in for the Grafton Web site.

    Dick

    > DATE: DECEMBER 6, 1942> AIRCRAFT: P-40F
> SERIAL NUMBER: 41-14095
> PILOT: Howard T Cook
> LOCATION: Grafton Airport
> REMARKS: Pilot was lost and tried to land on a small field.� He over
> shot and came up on a stone way, hit his brakes, and flipped over.

    > DATE: NOVEMBER 26, 1943> AIRCRAFT: UC-78
> SERIAL NUMBER: 42-58407
> PILOT: Richard G Law
> LOCATION: Grafton, MA
> REMARKS: pilot/crew were lost and bailed out (does lost mean died or
> lost from plane ?)


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

A final, friendly reminder......


With the weather forecast now looking good for this Thursday evening,
we invite your family and friends to join us down by the
"always cool" Blackstone River for this year's.....



National Park Service Thursday Night Ranger Walkabout
Farnumsville Mill Village in South Grafton
Thursday, August 2nd, 2007
Starting at 6:30 PM



Join National Park Service Ranger Peter Coffin for a free, open to the public
walking tour that begins at the Farnumsville Mill at the corner of Providence
Road Route 122 and Depot Street in South Grafton.

Speaking of the Farnumsville Walkabout on Thursday evening, August 2nd,
Ranger Coffin said,


"There is a great story to tell about this mill village that still has so
many of its original buildings, and about how we have an opportunity to return
all this into a vital village center. This short walk is appropriate for all
ages and we’re looking forward to having Grafton families come out and join us
and learn about the history of their community.”


Farnumsville is one of a chain of three historic mill villages situated along
the Blackstone River in South Grafton. The August 2nd Ranger Walkabout will
detail the influence of the Blackstone River and the adjacent Blackstone Canal
on the century long evolution of this village from Peter Farnum's 1827 mill to
a major place for the manufacture of cotton products.


The program is free and begins at 6:30 PM. For more information about the
Thursday Night Ranger Walkabout programs, please contact the Heritage Corridor
office at The John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor,
One Depot Square, Woonsocket, RI. 02895 (401) 762-0440.


  http://www.nps.gov/blac/planyourvisit/2007-ranger-walkabouts.htm

<BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> Get a sneak peek of
the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour</HTML>

http://www.aikenstandard.com/news/302260306581420.php


Sportman's legacy lives on through family
Sat, Jul 28, 2007

By BEN BAUGH

Aiken Standard
(South Carolina)
  Staff writer

Harry Worcester Smith was a renaissance man, he was an author, sportsman,
financier, art collector and loved life. A member of the Aiken Winter Colony,
Smith helped to found the Aiken Steeplechase Association in 1930.

Smith's great-granddaughter Angela Shaw visited Aiken for the first time this
past week, and shared stories and her extensive memorabilia collection with
area historians, and interested parties, who had an opportunity to learn more
about an accomplished man who had a passion for life.

"I never knew him, my mother was an authority and had all of this
memorabilia," said Shaw. "I was the executor of her estate, and she left a lot
of
memorabilia. I'm intrigued by family history."

Smith's father was a distinguished inventor, and developed a widely used
cotton-loom, said Shaw.

"His father was an inventor," said Angela. "He invented the Crompton Loom."

An inventor himself, Smith's visionary ideas were put to practical use. "One
of his inventions was the slipless napkin," said Shaw.

A Master of Foxhounds of the Grafton Hounds, his hounds were recognized on a
number of occasions by different kennel clubs.

"Lord Vale was his home in Grafton (Mass.)," said Shaw.

Smith was renowned for his love of horses, sport, history, writing, art and
poetry. A voluminous author, his tome "Life and Sport in Aiken — And Those Who
Made it," was written in 1935, and his two volume series, "A Sporting Tour:
Through Ireland, England, Wales and France," was published in 1925, and recounts
his sojourn to Europe, describing the foxhounds, hunts, horses, riders and
observations, while touring the different nations during his travels in 1912-13.
He also contributed the foreword in a number of books, and wrote a number of
periodicals, said Shaw.

An opportunity to learn more about her family compelled Shaw to visit Aiken.

"Family history is of great interest to me," said Shaw. "I had to come to
Aiken to see it myself. There's a lot to be learned from the past."

An avid art collector, Smith owned a number of paintings by Troye and
Audubon, said Shaw. "He loved to exhibit his art, and he was an expert on the
art of
Edward Troye," said Shaw.

His grandson Crompton (Tommy) Smith, Jr. was an accomplished horseman, and
steeplechase rider, said Shaw. Smith won a number of major races, including the
Grand National and the Maryland Cup on Jay Trump.

"The one thing about his character that really intrigued me was that he
wasn't afraid to meet new people, especially prominent people, and congratulate
them on their most recent accomplishments," said Shaw. "He had an ability to
seize the day, capture the moment and live life to the fullest."


<BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> Get a sneak peek of
the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour</HTML>

Friday, July 20th



For those who could not attend last evening at the Community House........

FYI - as of today, the Farnumsville Urban River Visions (final) Action Plan
Report is up on line at:
(Note - careful -  it's a 1.6mb PDF download)


https://www.communicationsmgr.com/projects/1224/docs/GraftonPoster.pdf



http://www.urbanrivervisions2.org/vision.asp?comm=grafton#grafton



There are full color (paper) copies of the Farnumsville River Visions plan
and ...
they'll be available for handout for everyone attending Thursday evening,
August 2nd in South Grafton......


(Please forward this as a reminder to your family and friends)




----------------------     REMINDER - GREAT FAMILY NIGHT!
-------------------


National Park Service Thursday Night Ranger Walkabout
Farnumsville Mill Village in South Grafton
Thursday, August 2nd, 2007
Starting at 6:30 PM


Join National Park Service Ranger Peter Coffin for a free, open to the public
tour that begins at the Farnumsville Mill at the corner of Providence Road
Route 122 and Depot Street in South Grafton. The Ranger Walkabout will detail
the influence of the Blackstone River and the adjacent Blackstone Canal on the
century long evolution of this historic mill village from Peter Farnum's 1827
mill to a major place for the manufacture of cotton products. For more
information call the Heritage Corridor office (401) 762-0440.

Meet at the intersection of Depot Street and Providence Road
Walkabout starting at 6:30 PM



http://www.nps.gov/blac/planyourvisit/2007-ranger-walkabouts.htm



The 2007 Grafton Ranger Walkabout poster in PDF format
is on the home page of the Town of Grafton web site:


http://www.town.grafton.ma.us/public_documents/index


<BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> Get a sneak peek of
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54th ANNUAL NATIVE AMERICAN FAIR

SPONSORED BY  NIPMUC NATION

HASSANAMESIT NIPMUC RESERVATION
80 Brigham Hill Road
Grafton, Massachusetts

SUNDAY, JULY 29, 2007


Crafts and Food for Sale

GATES OPEN AT 10:00 A.M.

OPENING CEREMONY AT 2:00 P.M.

DONATION:  Adult $3.00       Child $1.00


For Information:  Chief Natachaman Walter Vickers (508) 393-8860


Web Site: http://www.nipmucnation.org/


NO PETS, DRUGS, OR ALCOHOL                 PARKING AT THE LIONS’ CLUB


<BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> Get a sneak peak of
the all-new AOL at http://discover.aol.com/memed/aolcom30tour</HTML>

Boston.com
The Boston Globe

Specters of old state hospitals vanish as new uses take shape

By Robert Preer, Globe Correspondent  |  July 8, 2007

Scattered across Massachusetts are imposing brick and stone buildings that
resemble castles, set on hundreds of acres of meadows, fields, and woods --
places once thought to be ideal for the care of the mentally ill and disabled.

Nearly all of the sprawling state hospitals and schools, once called insane
asylums and other names that sound cruel today, were closed in the 1970s and
1980s as mental health treatment and residential facilities switched to smaller,
group settings. After several decades of neglect, most of these unusual
properties finally are now finally being redeveloped.

Now, from new municipal facilities to retail complexes to sprawling
residential developments, the abandoned hospitals and their grounds are
undergoing
renovation for an extraordinary range of uses. One property alone, the former
Boston State Hospital in Dorchester and Mattapan, is host to multiple
developments. It already has a new nature center, state laboratory, and dozens
of
suburban-style homes, with hundreds more condominiums and apartments, a fitness
center, nursing home, and community garden to come.

Grafton State Hospital houses a veterinary school. Restaurants and stores are
coming to former state hospitals in Lakeville and Foxborough. Danvers will
have an out patient medical center.

"Each one is its own story," said Peter Norstrand, deputy commissioner of the
state Division of Capital Asset Management, the state agency overseeing the
properties. "They are mostly mixed uses with a preponderance of housing."

Each of the sales took years to accomplish and required legislative votes to
transfer ownership of the properties. Danvers State Hospital sold for $19
million and Metropolitan State Hospital for $10.6 million; a 50-acre slice of
the
1,000-acre Grafton State Hospital recently sold for nearly $2 million.

"We've certainly generated proceeds, but when you factor in costs of
maintaining the properties over the years, it's hard to say we've made money,"
said
Norstrand.

Among the hospitals being redeveloped:

Boston State Hospital. At the far end Boston's Emerald Necklace, near Forest
Hills Cemetery and Franklin Park, this 250-acre campus was closed in 1979. A
light-filled Nature Center for the Massachusetts Audubon Society, the
Massachusetts Medical School biological laboratory, and approximately 100 one-
and
two-family homes are completed. The two residential projects are a 99-unit mix
of
single-family housing and duplexes, called Harvard Commons, by Cruz
Development Corp., and Olmsted Green, a 500-unit condominium and apartment
complex, co
developed by Lena Park Community Development Corp. and New Boston Fund. The
development also will have a community center, nursing home, and community
gardens.

Danvers State Hospital. This Victorian-era campus was one of the most
notorious state mental institutions before its closure in 1992, and its Gothic
setting played host to the shooting of a horror movie in 2001. AvalonBay
Communities
Inc. is now building a neighborhood on around 75 acres of the grounds,
including 433 luxury apartments and 64 condominiums. Some are already occupied
but
construction on others was delayed when a fire swept through several buildings
in May. Portions of the historic Kirkbride building, with its steeply pitched
slate roofs and spires, will be preserved.

Foxboro State Hospital. A new public safety building for Foxborough's police
and fire departments is already under construction on this 160-acre property.
And site work has begun for Chestnut Green, a 93-acre community with playing
fields, 60,000 square feet of retail space, five office buildings, and 203
residences, a mix of condominiums, apartments, and single-family. The developers
are VinCo Properties, Intoccia Construction Co., and Douglas A. King Builders
Inc.

Grafton State Hospital. This 1,000-acre property in the central Massachusetts
hills near Worcester already has Tufts Veterinary School on half of it. Also
on the property are the Federal Job Corps offices and residential facilities
run by the state Department of Youth Services and state Department of Mental
Retardation. A business park is being developed on 121 acres, and housing is
planned for a 50-acre parcel. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority has
a commuter rail station there, too.

Lakeville State Hospital. Closed in 1992, this 72-acre property near the
Lakeville-Middleborough town line and a commuter rail station sold for $2.4
million at auction in 2002 to the Newton real estate firm National Development,
with
proceeds to fund the state Clean Elections program. The existing structures
are scheduled to be demolished later this year, and National Development is
planning to build a supermarket, department store, restaurant, two office
buildings, and 100 units of senior housing.

Metropolitan State Hospital. AvalonBay won the rights in December 2003 to
redevelop a 23-acre portion of this 490-acre campus near Route 2 in Lexington,
Belmont, and Waltham. The company is building 387 apartments on the Lexington
land, and about 250 more acres are preserved for open space and recreation.

Northampton State Hospital. This 126-acre campus was closed in 1996. Non
profit developer Community Builders Inc. and state agency Mass Development plan
to
build 100 single-family homes, 107 apartments, an assisted-living facility,
child-care center, open space, and 476,000 square feet of office, light
industrial, and retail space. Demolition of existing buildings began this year.

Robert Preer can be reached at preer@....

� Copyright 2007 The New York Times Company

<BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> See what's free at
http://www.aol.com.</HTML>

For Release Upon Receipt
Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Media Contact:
John LaPoint
Member - Volunteer in Parks Program
JHC Blackstone River Valley
National Heritage Corridor

Phone: 508-887-5809
E-Mail: glfjl@...


National Park Service Ranger Walkabout Series Returns To Historic South
Grafton On Thursday, August 2nd


GRAFTON: National Park Service Ranger Peter Coffin of the John H. Chafee
Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor will lead a Thursday Night
Ranger Walkabout through the historic mill village of Farnumsville in South
Grafton on Thursday, August 2nd beginning at 6:30 PM. The free, open to the
public
tour begins at the Farnumsville Mill located at the corner of Providence Road -
Route 122 and Depot Street in South Grafton.

Farnumsville is one of a chain of three historic mill villages situated along
the Blackstone River in South Grafton. The August 2nd Ranger Walkabout will
detail the influence of the Blackstone River and the adjacent Blackstone Canal
on the century long evolution of this village from Peter Farnum's 1827 mill to
a major place for the manufacture of cotton products.

Each week during the summer the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage
Corridor Park Rangers and Heritage Corridor volunteers give guided tours that
explore different Blackstone Valley villages or that head down a trail you might
not know. Join them and discover some of the people and places that make the
Blackstone Valley such a fascinating place!

Speaking of the 2007 Series of National Park Service Ranger Walkabouts,
Heritage Corridor Ranger Kevin Klyberg said, “We really enjoy doing these
Walkabouts because it gives us a chance to take people to some of the often
overlooked
jewels of the Blackstone Valley. Some of these tours are old favorites, but
these tours also give us a reason to do some more research and learn new stories
to share.”

All of the programs are free and begin at 6:30 PM. For more information about
the Thursday Night Ranger Walkabout programs, please contact the Heritage
Corridor office at The John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage
Corridor, One Depot Square, Woonsocket, RI. 02895 (401) 762-0440.

###

Event Summary:


National Park Service Thursday Night Ranger Walkabout
Farnumsville Mill Village in South Grafton
Thursday, August 2nd, 2007
Starting at 6:30 PM

Join National Park Service Ranger Peter Coffin for a free, open to the public
tour that begins at the Farnumsville Mill at the corner of Providence Road
Route 122 and Depot Street in South Grafton. The Ranger Walkabout will detail
the influence of the Blackstone River and the adjacent Blackstone Canal on the
century long evolution of this historic mill village from Peter Farnum's 1827
mill to a major place for the manufacture of cotton products. For more
information call the Heritage Corridor office (401) 762-0440.



Driving Directions to Farnumsville, South Grafton, Massachusetts

Meet at the intersection of Depot Street and Providence Road
Walkabout starting at 6:30 PM


From Route 146:

Take the Boston Road exit in Sutton towards Wilkinsonville.

Travel 1.3 miles on Boston Road to the Wilkinsonville Fire Station at the
intersection of Boston Road and Providence Road. (Route 122A)

Turn RIGHT onto Route 122A which becomes Main Street in South Grafton.

Drive 1.9 miles to the intersection of Routes 122A -Main Street and Route
122- Providence Road at Cumberland Farms / Polish National Home / Farnumsville
Firehouse.

Continue SOUTH on Route 122-Providence Road 0.2 of a mile - just past the
Schotanus Design Center. The next right hand turn is Depot Street.


Traveling on Route 122 North:

At the Northbridge-Grafton town line continue heading north 0.9 miles on
Route122 -Providence Road.

You will pass a small cemetery on the left hand side of the road coming into
Farnumsville Village. The next left hand turn is Depot Street.

<BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> See what's free at
http://www.aol.com.</HTML>

Another of the Grafton Clark family cousins has passed! She would
have likely been in the GHS class of 1959. Her sister told me she did
not graduated from GHS however.

    Dick

Carolyn Louise (Clark) Sughrue
(July 8, 1941 - April 11, 2007)

Carolyn Louise Sughrue (65) passed away April 11, peacefully in her home,
Sandy, Utah. She was born to Harold Harvey Clark and Gertrude Hannah Doerr
in Worcester, Mass. on July 8, 1941. She lived in the Farm District in
Grafton. He mother's sister married a Parker & another�married a Hassen.

    Her 4 children; Patrick, Denis, Coreen
and Michael are deeply saddened to announce the passing of their mother.
She is also survived by 9 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. A
special time of sharing was held at the family home on Saturday, April 14,
2007 between 1 and 4pm. Special thanks are extended to Sunny and Bill of
IHC Hospice. Condolences may be made to the family online at
www.serenicare.com

   ----------


Carolyn Louise Sughrue
(July 8, 1941 - April 11, 2007)

<http://www.meaningfulfunerals.net/fh/obituaries/tribute.cfm?o_id=107103&fh_id=1\
0812>Sign
Guest Book |
<http://www.meaningfulfunerals.net/fh/condolences/home.cfm?o_id=107103&fh_id=108\
12>Send
Private Condolences

Carolyn Louise Sughrue (65) passed away April 11, peacefully in her home,
Sandy, Utah. She was born to Harold Harvey Clark and Gertrude Hannah Doerr
in Worcester, Mass. on July 8, 1941. Her 4 children; Patrick, Denis, Coreen
and Michael are deeply saddened to announce the passing of their mother.
She is also survived by 9 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. A
special time of sharing was held at the family home on Saturday, April 14,
2007 between 1 and 4pm. Special thanks are extended to Sunny and Bill of
IHC Hospice. Condolences may be made to the family online at
www.serenicare.com



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Looks like the nursing home on the Brigham Hill Road Ext. north of the
Community Barn. HR


**************************************
  See what's free at
http://www.aol.com.


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Anyone know whose farm this was in 1912?

    See e-bay add 280075320003

    Dick


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

> The Washington Post (1877-1954) - Washington, D.C.
> Date:
> Apr 8, 1932
> Start Page:
> 1
> Document Types:
> front_page
> Text Word Count:
> 280
>
> Worcester, Mass., April 7 (U.P.). -- Capt. Frank M. Hawks, renowned
> speed flier, cracked up today in an attempted take-off from Worcester
> Airport at North Grafton, a few hours after he had made a speech before
> Boy Scouts warning them against any but "fool-proof" airplanes.
>
> � ###########################################################################
>
> Little Frills and Furbelows Aflutter in Social World Episodes of Smart
> Set's Varied Rounds in World's Capitals and Outdoor Colonies Blown in
> From Many Quarters.
> The Washington Post (1877-1954) - Washington, D.C. Date: Mar 9, 1915
> Start Page: 7 Document Types: article Text Word Count: 740
> HARRY WORCESTER SMITH, a wealthy sportsman, known as one of the best
> amateur equestrians in the country, has announced that he has invited
> the inmates of Worcester county jail to enjoy Memorial day with the
> bluest blooded society folk of Massachusetts at a mammoth party at
> Lordvale, his 600-acre estate at North Grafton.

Dick


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi Dick, thanks for your reply.  I had a few photos from around town and
thought I'd start a page.  Nothing "official", just for fun.  There are
already a few Graftonites at flickr, so thought I'd mention it here.  There
are a couple of other nearby towns represented as well as a "Middle
Massachusetts" group at:  http://www.flickr.com/groups/midmass/pool/.
Flickr is pretty popular for photosharing and will be around for a while,
since it's now owned by Yahoo.

Anyway, have fun at your reunion!  WOW 50 years, probably no one will
remember that you only went to 10th grade (except you just posted it here;-)
Enjoy the weekend everyone.

Cindy Bissell


   _____

From: graftonma@yahoogroups.com [mailto:graftonma@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf
Of dickbolt@...
Sent: Friday, March 09, 2007 1:17 PM
To: graftonma@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [graftonma] Share Grafton Photos on Flickr





Cindy, I saw your photos on Flickr. I backed in via Wicapedia (sp?)
for Grafton Massachusetts. Saw the 10 or so photographers showing
Grafton photos. I have a new ( Nov06) Nikon D80 & two lenses that are
burning up the electronic film! Hi

I do not think that site is as good for any Grafton photos, but a
link might be good. The Grafton News (cousin Don) likely publishes a
few also. I don't see the paper any more, but try to get Don out for
Class reunions. My Grafton 50th is this fall. I really only went to
10th grade in Grafton!

I experienced at Xmas time what a (annual event ) Grand Reunion (
all GHS alumni) can do for a small city (town) once a yr. It both
brings the town folks back together & is good for local economy. I saw
this of all places in Dagupan City in the Philippines! Grafton could
do this at their annual 4th of July event period. Each Batch yr had
their separate events as well. There were parades through the city
with alumni by yr on flat bed trucks (like cheep floats). Dinner &
dancing. All alumni evening concert & dancing. Medical mission another
day ( not for Grafton of course).

Dick

Quoting Cindy Bissell <cindy@bissells. <mailto:cindy%40bissells.com> com>:

> Share your Grafton Photos at Flickr!
>
> If you would like to join The Grafon, MA group, click on the following
link
> (or copy and paste it into your web browser). Then you can see what this
> group is all about!
>
> http://www.flickr. <http://www.flickr.com/welcome/3123597/747062/>
com/welcome/3123597/747062/[1]
>
>
> Sincerely,
> Cindy Bissell
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Links:
------
[1] http://www.flickr. <http://www.flickr.com/welcome/3123597/747062/>
com/welcome/3123597/747062/

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Cindy, I saw your photos on Flickr. I backed in via Wicapedia (sp?)
for Grafton Massachusetts. Saw the 10 or so photographers showing
Grafton photos. I have a new ( Nov06) Nikon D80 & two lenses that are
burning up the electronic film! Hi

    I do not think that site is as good for any Grafton photos, but a
link might be good. The Grafton News (cousin Don) likely publishes a
few also. I don't see the paper any more, but try to get Don out for
Class reunions. My Grafton 50th is this fall. I really only went to
10th grade in Grafton!

    I experienced at Xmas time what a (annual event ) Grand Reunion (
all GHS alumni) can do for a small city (town) once a yr. It both
brings the town folks back together & is good for local economy. I saw
this of all places in Dagupan City in the Philippines! Grafton could
do this at their annual 4th of July event period. Each Batch yr had
their separate events as well. There were parades through the city
with alumni by yr on flat bed trucks (like cheep floats). Dinner &
dancing. All alumni evening concert & dancing. Medical mission another
day ( not for Grafton of course).

    Dick

    Quoting Cindy Bissell <cindy@...>:

> Share your Grafton Photos at Flickr!
>
> If you would like to join The Grafon, MA group, click on the following link
> (or copy and paste it into your web browser). Then you can see what this
> group is all about!
>
> http://www.flickr.com/welcome/3123597/747062/[1]
>
>
> Sincerely,
> Cindy Bissell
>
>
>
>
>
>
>


Links:
------
[1] http://www.flickr.com/welcome/3123597/747062/



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]