Scottie Industries on Roosevelt Avenue
Scottie Industries Roosevelt Ave. C 1975
Researching the history of an area makes one aware of the changes which occur over time. This is as true with Hudson as perhaps any other town; particularly along our major roadways like Lowell Road where we have seen a major shift from agricultural use to industrial use. By the 1960’s land use was changing and land values were on the increase. As a result taxes were also on the increase and local farm families were finding it harder and harder to earn a living. Younger generations were attracted to good jobs and professions off the farm. At the same time the older generations were of retirement age and were attracted to selling their land at what was, for that time, a good profit.
By 1969 a small industrial area off of Lowell Road on Roosevelt Avenue was under construction. By the summer of 1970 Scottie Industries, Inc was operating a plant for manufacturing canvas footwear. The facility included a warehouse, office area, and an outlet store. For the employees and their families Scottie’s also had a 42×18 foot indoor swimming pool maintained by reliable personnel. New Hampshire and Hudson offered an excellent business climate: lower acquisition costs, lower taxes, and an available labor force. Many from Hudson, particularly women, were employed here. In time full operation was moved to Hudson from Lowell, MA. Scottie’s also had a line of custom neck ware.
Scottie Industries remained in operation into the 1990’s when once again we see changes brought on from competition from larger shoe/sneaker manufacturers. The building at 8 Roosevelt Avenue is currently used as a warehouse for Ashley/Ashbrook Furniture.
This photo of Scottie Industries on Roosevelt Avenue was taken c1975 for use in preparation of “Town In Transition”.
Frank A. Winn Farm on Lowell Road
Home of Frank A, and Effie May Winn
This week we visit the homestead of Frank Almon and Effie May (Wyeth) Winn on Lowell Road. Frank moved to Hudson from Pelham with his parents, Franklin A. and Lizzie Winn, about 1883 when he was 8 years old. His family purchased a farm of over 70 acres which stretched from Lowell Road to the river. Across one part of the farm was a large brook which traveled through fields and woods, making it’s course through the rocky gorge to the river. This is where Frank played, grew, and worked with his family. By today’s landmarks, this farm includes most, if not all of , the land between Winn Avenue and Winnhaven Drive (between 35 and 49 Lowell Road) and extending westward to the river. Between these roads and adjacent to Lowell Road was a large tilled field for growing vegetables for market. The family home with the large attached barn was located at what is now 1 Winn Avenue and faced this field. On December 24, 1958 the barn was destroyed by a spectacular fire. The fire fighters were able to save the house.
As a young man Frank made his way across the United States, but he soon returned to his home here in Hudson. Along with his parents, he tilled the farm fields all his life. In due time he came into possession of the farm. In September 1915 he and Effie May Wyeth were married; and it is here that they raised their family. Frank was a tireless worker with both his hands and his head. He not only knew about agriculture, he also knew about the wider world of business and economics.
Effie May was born in Nashua, May 1886, and educated in Nashua schools and Keene Normal School. Prior to their marriage in 1915, she taught school in Nashua. She later did substitute teaching in Hudson, Pelham, Merrimack, and Nashua. Frank and Effie May raised a family of 3 girls; Lillian Emma (b: about 1918), Effie May (b: about 1921) and Frances (b: about 1923).
Frank passed in September 1935, at the early age of 60; Effie May and her daughters continued to live at the homestead. By the end of 1942 all three daughters were married. Lilliam Emma was married to Walter Schindler; Effie May married Clayton Oban; and Frances Stebbins married Alton Drown. Mrs. Winn, Effie May, was a resident of Hudson most of her 97 years. She passed in 1983 at the home of her daughter Frances (Drown) Hosmer, with whom she had lived for a few years. Many Hudson residents remember Effie May; particularly with her involvement with the Hudson Fortnightly Club for over 50 years.
As time advanced and the land usage changed, the Frank A. Winn farm was developed. At first with the apartments and residential buildings in wooded area and adjacent to the river. Later the farm field between Winn Avenue and Winnhaven Drive were developed. The earliest development occurred in 1963 with the construction of LNL Bowl at what is now 8 Winn Avenue. Named for the three owners: Earl Libby, Leon Noel, and Adrien Labrie; LNL bowl offered candlepin bowling lanes, a sport unique to New England, The lanes operated until 1978. By 1979 this site became the home of Dessault Engineering Associates. It is now home to Opti-Sciences.
By 1964 construction began for the first of many restaurants to operate at 49 Lowell Road, likely owned by members of the Winn Family. The Winstead Restaurant began operation in 1965. By 1969 this was the site of Hayward Farms Restaurant. Over the succeeding years a number of restaurants were located here. From what I can piece together the list is as follows: 1972 – Pizza by Giovanni; 1980 Straw Hat Restaurant; 1984 Primo’s. Following Primo’s there were Ziggy’s, Stevie P’s, Yaght Club, Charman’s, and presently SOHO.
Construction for Nashua Federal Savings and Loan at 45 Lowell Road began in 1979. A bank has remained at this site; becoming Bank of America and more recently Enterprise Bank.
More recently, two additional sites have been developed. First the retail/office mall at 43 Lowell Road known as Bell Tower plaza. The second is the two unit mall at 35 Lowell. This later unit was actually constructed on the portion of the original parking area for LNL Bowl.
The Winn House at 1 Winn Avenue razed about 2006 and replaced with the current building. The first occupant was European Deli with a speciality menu including European style ice cream, coffee, and sandwiches. It has since been used as Tokyo Joe’s Karae Studio. It is currently doing business as Dojo Sante; karate, kickboxing, and fitness.
Our photo is courtesy of the Winn Family and is a part of the Historical Society Collection.
Cemetery of the Unknown
Perimeter Fence
The Cemetery of the Unknown was a part of the town poor farm located in the north west section of Hudson on what is now Old Derry Road. For this cemetery there are no monuments, no headstones, and no records to identify the individuals buried there. The farm was purchased by the town in 1828 in the days when the resident poor were kept at the town farm. Those who could worked the farm in an effort to produce food for all residents on the farm. The town maintained this farm for some 40 years until 1868 . At that time the farm was sold and the few paupers which did exist at the time were boarded out to private homes at the expense of the town. The only known records of activity at the town farm was recorded by the Overseer of the Poor in the annual town reports. It is estimated from these records that over the course of 40 years the number of residents at this farm varied from 6 to 12 per year. Any of them who spent their final months at the farm likely found their final resting place within the Cemetery of Unknown. Some of these folks had been prosperous citizens of Hudson but due to reversal of fortune or conditions, spent their final times here and were laid to rest in the yard at the end of the farm.
The number of deaths which occurred here during these 40 plus years in not known; but it is estimated there was an average of at least 1 per year. There are no records to indicate who they are, when they passed, and where within the cemetery each was laid to rest.
As time progressed the land upon which the burial yard existed continued in private use. Fewer and fewer residents of town retained any memory of this cemetery. Perhaps the stage was set for the Cemetery of the Unknown to be lost to history forever.
100 years after the town poor farm and the site of the Cemetery of the Unknown was sold by the town of Hudson, Paul Gauvreau and his family purchased their homestead on Old Derry Road. In talking with family of the previous owner, Paul was told about the Cemetery of the Unknown and that only a few people were still alive to remember that it existed; soon it would be grown over and all traces of the cemetery gone forever.
In 1982 plans were made to construct a new road, Twin Meadow Drive, and to build a number of duplex residences. Aware of the existence of the cemetery but not sure of it’s exact location, Paul informed the Hudson Planning Board of the cemetery. The developer agreed to stop excavation if burial sites were unearthed. None were found and several duplexes were constructed along Twin Meadow Drive bordering the field off Old Derry Road.
In 1990, Paul along with some of the neighbors on Twin Meadow Drive did some local detective work in the fields behind Twin Meadow Drive. After removing brush and mowing the tall grass on a flatter section of the field, they discovered what appeared to be several sunken grave sites. These depressions measured about 2 1/2 feet wide and about 6 feet in length and faced east and west; consistent with grave sites. The depressions were likely caused by the collapse of the wooden enclosures over the years. Paul contacted the town Executive Administrator, town Planner, and the Town Librarian . Upon visiting the site, all agreed the site was worthy of further study; but, since the form of town government was about to change, all agreed to postpone the matter until the new government was in place.
Paul researched the Hudson town reports for the years 1845 through 1870; specifically the Reports of the Overseers of The Poor which lists the activities and financial transactions of the Poor Farm. It should be noted that reports from 1828 through 1844 were not available. He was able to compile a list of some 32 names of individuals that died as paupers associated with the poor farm during these years, either living at the farm or being boarded in private homes at town expense. Of these 32, 3 were buried in Nashua or Litchfield. Most, if not all if the remaining 29 were buried on the farm. It is not possible to discover the exact number or identity of the individuals laid to rest in this cemetery during it’s 42 years of operation. The names we do have include individuals from well known Hudson families: Barrett, Hamblet, Johnson, Marsh, Parker, Robinson to name a few.
In August 1994, as agreed with the town officials, Paul contacted Mr. Gary Hume, State Archaeologist, and asked him to conduct archaeological probings. These probings and investigations took place during the fall months of 1994. Present at each of these sessions were representatives from the state, officials from Town of Hudson, the Historical Society, various neighbors in the area, and Paul Gauvreau. Paul had previously shared the results of his findings with both town and state representatives. In March 1996, the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources issued a report of their findings to Hudson Cemetery Trustees. In essence this report confirmed the location and existence of the Cemetery of the Unknown. The report did not make specific recommendations as to how this cemetery should be preserved; but did direct the town of Hudson to proceed with the recognition and protection of the property. In the months to follow, the town of Hudson led by the Cemetery Trustees, purchased from the landowners the Cemetery of the Unknown (also known as Poor Farm Cemetery) along with an access easement from Twin Meadow Drive to the cemetery. On September 1, 2007 the cemetery was dedicated and a single monument placed there in memory of the estimated 62 individuals buried there over the years.
Single Monument for All 62 Nameless
The author and Paul Gauvreau visited the cemetery this past weekend and met with Susan Bauman whose home abuts the cemetery. Both Paul and Susan have maintained chronology of events leading up to the confirmation and dedication of this cemetery. Our thanks to them for sharing information with us.
Holy Cross Cemetery on Ledge Road
Entry Sign and Flagpoles at Holy Cross Cemetery in Hudson
The Church of the Immaculate Conception at what is now 119 Temple Street, Nashua was consecrated in 1857 as an Irish Catholic Community. By the early 1900’s the Lithuanian Community was on the increase and a pastor was added to this church to minister to them. As both communities continued to grow it became evident that a new church was needed. By 1909 the Irish Community moved into the newly constructed Saint Patrick’s Church on Spring Street. Soon thereafter The Church of the Immaculate Conception was transferred to the Lithuanian Community and the name of the church changed to Saint Casimir’s in honor of the Lithuanian saint.
One of the first additions made by Saint Casimir’s church was the purchase of property on Ledge Road in Hudson for a cemetery; Holy Cross Cemetery. At the entrance to this cemetery from Ledge Road there are two flagpoles: one flies the US Flag the other the Lithuanian Flag.
Saint Casimer’s church was closed in 2003 and the congregation merged into Saint Patrick’s on Spring Street. The property at 119 is now Casimir’s Place, an affordable housing complex. Holy Cross cemetery retains it’s original name but the management and operations have been combined with Saint Patrick’s Cemetery. In a sense the congregations of Saint Patrick’s and Saint Casimir’s have gone full circle. Originally the Irish and Lithuanian congregations shared The Church of the Imaculate Conception on Temple Street. As congregations grew, the Saint Patrick’s Church was built on Spring Street and the Lithuanian community remained on Temple Street as Saint Casimir’s. Some 90 plus years later in 2003, Saint Casimir’s has merged with Saint Patrick’s.
Initially this cemetery offered burial space to members of the Lithuanian community. Until recently the policy of this cemetery was to offer burial space to members of the Catholic community. This has changed and space within Holy Cross, like Saint Patrick’s, is available to any member of the Christian community. The contact person is Elaine Poulin at 881-8131.
The photo of the entrance to Holy Cross was taken by the author and is part of the Historical Society collection.
Remember Hudson NH When... 