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Yearly Archives: 2015

Benjamin Dean House — A House Twice Moved

Benj Dean c1942

This house was built by Abraham Page about 1747 on Bush Hill Road on part of the old  Haselton Farm.  Between 1747 and about 1838 this house was likely occupied by Abraham Page, Jr and early members of the Haselton family whom he helped to raise. In 1838 the owner, Rev. Benjamin Dean, moved and remodeled the house to a location on Hamblet Avenue just north of the Eli Hamblet house and facing the east side of the Hudson Center Common.  The second floor contained a large room with an arched ceiling, referred to as “Dean’s Hall”.  This room was used as a school and a place for public gatherings.  Rev. Dean occupied the home until about 1850.  The home had various owners until being purchased by the family of Claudia and Richard Boucher.  In the early 1960’s when the State of New Hampshire planned out the new route 111 through Hudson Center, this house was simply ‘in the way’.  The Boucher family sold the property to the state and later re-purchased the house and had it moved to its present (and third) location on Windham Road.  This 1942 photo from the Historical Society Collection shows the house at its second location on Hamblet Avenue.

Post Office Square at Central Street c1900

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This is among my favorite pictures!  A view of Central Street from Post Office Square at the bridge c1900.  On the hill  we see the Baker Brothers Store, Cumming Brother’s Shop, and the Methodist Church (now the Community Church).  In the fore ground to the left we see the watering fountain.  Walking across  the square are pedestrians coming and going to the waiting station for the electric trolley.  If you look carefully you can see the electric tracks coming from Nashua and up Central, out Webster, and Ferry Streets.  From this square one could take public transportation to Nashua as well as down Webster Street to Manchester; up Ferry Street to Hudson Center and on to Salem; and up Central Street to Lowell Road and on to Dracut and Lowell.  The waiting station and ticket office is off the picture to our right.  In 1853 the location of the Hudson Post Office was moved from Hudson Center to the bridge area and was located at first in the Greeley Store Building.  As time progressed, the location would shift from that site to the Baker Brothers Store depending upon who was appointed  Post Master.  Photo from the Historical Society collection.

 

Go To The Post Office for a Dozen Eggs

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The expression “Go to the post office for a dozen eggs” was a common one during years of our town history when the Post Office was co-located within a grocery business.  Charles Daniels took over this business site in 1903 and was appointed Postmaster, a position he held until 1921.  Soon after 1903 he was joined in partnership with Charles Gilbert and together they operated a successful grain and grocery business for many years.  The post office remained here until 1921 when it was moved into the  Morey Building. This location previously known as the Greeley Store Building, was rebuilt by owner Elisha Martin in 1877 following a fire the previous year.  This circa 1920 picture is one of a number of post cards of Hudson printed and sold by Daniels and Gilbert.  From the Historical Society Collection.

Post Office at Ferry Street 1923

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The Hudson Post Office moved into the Morey Building in 1923 and remained here until the building  was remodeled.  This building, owned by Henry Morey, was located on Ferry Street just above the intersection with Webster Street.  In addition to the Post Office, this building was the location of The 20th Century Store, a barber shop, a shoe repair shop, and a second hand store. In 1948 the building was remodeled by Henry’s son, Ernest.   While the Post Office was in this location Mrs. Anna Clyde served as Post Master until 1936 at which time Paul Richard was appointed and Mrs. Clyde served as his assistant.  This photo was taken in 1946 and is from the collection at the Hudson Historical Society.

 

Post Office On Ferry Street 1948

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In the spring of 1947 the Hudson Post Office was the center of a controversy.  A plan to consolidate Hudson service into the Nashua office was being considered by the Postal Department.  Town officials and approximately 1,000 Hudson residents submitted a 30 foot long petition expressing the need for and confidence in the existing Hudson Post Office.  The decision was made to not only retain but to enlarge the office.  The Morey Building on Ferry Street, just above the intersection with Webster Street, was remodeled under the  supervision of owner Ernest Morey.  The result was this two storey, brick veneer building.  The new Post Office occupied 1/2 of the first floor; the remainder was rented out to Trombley’s Shoe Repair.  The second floor provided a small number of apartments. This was the location of our Post Office from 1948 until 1959 when town growth required the move to 15 Derry Street.  Those serving as Post Master during this time were Paul Richards and Roger Boucher.  This building was demolished during bridge and road construction in the late 1960’s.  Photo from the Historical Society Collection.

Post Office Corner Derry and Highland Streets

 

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Remember when all services of the US Post Office in Hudson were located in a single building located at the corner of Derry and Highland Streets?  By the late 1950’s growth of our town was reflected in the increased demands on postal services; revenues had increased from $10,000 in 1949 to $39,000 in 1959. This building on 15 Derry Street was dedicated as the new US Post Office in Hudson on March 28, 1959.  Those serving  as Postmaster at this location were Roger L. Boucher, Clayton E. Smith, and Gerald Winslow.  By 1976 postal revenues had exploded to $341,490.  About 1986 the service locations were moved to 36 Executive Drive and 77 Derry Road.  The Derry Street  building was re-purposed  for commercial uses and is now the home of Showtime Computers.  Tune in next week to see where the Post Office was located before 1959!  Photo from the Historical Society Collection.

Railroad Station at Hudson Center 1896

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In this 1896 photo, we are looking east from the Greeley Street crossing  at  the Hudson Center Station (left) and the rear of the Town Hall (now Wattannick Hall) on the right.  From this point the tracks  the headed towards the crossing at Windham Road, on to the crossing at Clement Road and then to West Windham.  A Post Office was established in this station in 1876 and Eli Hamblet was the Postmaster; a position he held until his death in 1896.  It was at this station  that animals and patrons arrived to go to Benson’s. Animals were shipped here and some were walked along the road to the farm. The Jungle Train from Boston brought people on excursions. There was a freight house (center right)  and siding for handling goods. At the height of railroad traffic there were as many as 13 passenger trains plus freight activity each day on this line.  Considering a single track line, this made for a very busy and dangerous section of the line.    The railroad station was later made into a dwelling, but when it was no longer in use it was moved to Benson Park and can still be seen there.  Photograph from the Historical Society Collection.

Steam railroad crossing at Greeley Street in 1896

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The steam railroad crossed the Merrimack River into Hudson just south of what is now Veterans Memorial Bridge as you cross from Nashua into Hudson.  It then made a path easterly and slightly north through Hudson.  The tracks crossed Lowell Road at Central Street and then on to Hudson Center and West Windham.  The one railroad station in town was at Hudson Center just off Greeley Street and behind the Town Hall (now Wattannick Hall).  In this 1896 photo we are standing on the tracks near the station looking west along the tracks and the Greeley Street crossing.  The corner of the station house can just be seen in the  right of the photo.  Greeley Street is a narrow dirt road and the area on the opposite side of Greeley appears as a wooded area or field.  Today there are few reminders of the railroad bed.  The area on the left is now the parking lot of the Baptist Church and the  area on the right is the Greeley Street playground.  Photo from the Society collection and courtesy of Len Lathrop. (Published in HLN October 24,  2014.)

Friends and Neighbors

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John T. Benson(L), founder of Benson’s Wild Animal Farm, and Dr. Henry O. Smith(R), beloved medical doctor, were friends and neighbors as both lived in Hudson Center.  John T. came to Hudson in 1922 when he purchased property as a representative of the Hagenbeck Company of Germany.  He was known world-wide as an animal trainer and trader.  After accompanying President Theodore Roosevelt on a trip to South Dakota, Roosevelt presented him with 2 Great Dane pups which John T. raised and enjoyed for many years. John T. passed away in 1943.  Henry O. Smith was born 1864 in Hudson, studied medicine and returned to his home town.  A dedicated country doctor, he was fondly called Dr. H O or Dr. Harry.  He served the town not only as a doctor but also as historian and member of the School Board. Dr. Smith passed in 1945. Mr. Benson and Dr. Smith are shown here with one of the Great Danes, Freda. Photo from Society collection and courtesy of Len Lathrop. (Published in HLN October 17, 2014.)

Number 9 School House Built 1886

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Before 1886  the No 9 house  (Kidder District) house was located on what is now Robinson Road.   The approximate location was on the left side of Robinson (as you turn up the hill from Old Derry Road) towards the top of the hill.  The No 10 house (Hills Row District) was located on what is now Old Derry Road (earlier Derry Road) just north of the intersection with Greeley Street.  These two districts were merged into a single district and this  No 9 School House was built by the town of Hudson in 1886.   It operated as a one-room school house until 1932.  In the mid-1930’s Grant Jasper purchased the property from the town.  The No 9 Schoolhouse is the only one  which survives intact as a school house.  In the late 1970’s it was renovated by Mr. Jasper’s grandson, Shawn.  The school house is owned by Jasper Corporation. (Published in HLN October 10, 2014.)