15 Central Street Future Home of DeSalvo Construction
C&R Warehouse at 15 Central C1975
The Cumming Brothers began their business in 1882 as a blacksmith and wheelwright shop, later expanding to the manufacture of carriages. With the advent of the auto they transitioned to building truck bodies. This building at what is now 15 Central Street was built about 1930 as a garage and repair shop for their business. In 1950, after the business closed, it was sold to C&R furniture of Nashua and used by them for a warehouse for several years. In 2017, after remaining idle for some time, this 21/2 story wood frame building was purchased by Peter DeSalvo and has been remodeled both inside and out to current building codes. This building will soon be used for the headquarters for the Peter DeSalvo Construction Company. Lets explore the history surrounding this location.
The Cummings Brothers was not the first business on this site nor was it the first blacksmith in Hudson Village near the bridge. About 1842 James Carnes moved to Hudson from Henniker, NH and built his home at the corner of Main Street (now Ferry Street) and Lowell Road (now Central Street) using materials from the old South Meeting house which was located near Blodgett Cemetery on Lowell Road. Using additional materials from the old meeting house he built a store building on the opposite side of Central Street and uphill from his home. He operated a grocery store for some years with little success. About 1851 he closed the grocery and immediately began to manufacture wheelbarrows; later he changed the business to a wheelwright. Unfortunately, by 1859 this building with all contents and tools was destroyed by fire. Mr. Carnes rebuilt re-established the wheelwright business.
In 1882, Willis P. Cummings purchased the shop, tools, and business from James Carnes. He and his younger brother Charles E. became partners in the Cumming Brothers. This was the beginning of a business which expanded and changed with the times until sometime after 1946.
Willis was 32 years of age when he partnered with his 19 year old brother in 1882. He was born 1850 in Lowell, MA the oldest son and child of Hiram and Abby (Clark) Cummings. He came to Hudson at the age of 6 with his parents. He was educated in public schools of Lowell, Hudson, and later at the Nashua Literary Institute.
In 1869, when he was nearly 20 years of age and soon after the completion of the railroad to the Pacific Coast, he went to California to assist his uncle with the supervision of his herd of 10,000 sheep! Willis remained for 2 years and then returned home; after which he established a carpenter and building business at North Chelmsford, MA. In 1873 he married Hattie D. Lawrence, daughter of Hartwell and Sarah (Blood). Their daughter Bertha Ella was born 1875. He moved his family to Hudson in 1876. Meanwhile his uncle in California passed away. At the request of the executor he returned to California in 1877 to assist with settlement of the estate. He returned to Hudson after 3 months.
In 1885 his wife Hattie passed and he married a second time in 1885 to Francis M. Clement. Willis continued with his building business until September 1880 when he established a wheelwright and carriage business near the bridge in Hudson. Then in 1881 he and his younger brother Charles became partners and purchased the wheelwright shop, tools, and lot from James Carnes.
From 1881 until the mid 1940’s the Cumming Brothers operated in Hudson Village; first as a blacksmith and wheelwright and expanding to a carriage manufacturer. When the automobile became of age the business transitioned to the manufacture of truck bodies. Willis P. passed in June 1939 at which time he was the holder of the gold headed Boston Post Cane as the oldest male resident of Hudson. He was particularly proud of this as his father Hiram, some years earlier also held the cane. Following his passing his daughter Bertha (Cummings) Nokes became active along with her uncle, Charles, in the management of the business. Poor health forced Charles to retire from the business in the early 1940’s. By 1948 the Cumming Brothers was no longer in business and in December 1950 the land and buildings of 15 Central was sold to C&R furniture of Nashua. Charles passed in February 1953
C&R Furniture was a three generation, family owned business of the Hebert family with a retail store on Elm Street in Nahsua. They used this building as a warehouse. In 1954 the Hudson Community Church had plans to build a parish house on property they owned between their present building and the driveway to the C&R warehouse. C&R sold a triangular piece of land of about 980 square feet which enabled them to erect the parish house. C&R retained to right to pass over by foot or vehicle, any portion of this piece not used by the church.
Our first photo of the warehouse was taken about 1975.. The building could be entered from the driveway into the first floor. It was also possible to enter the building via a bridge from the high point of the driveway into the second floor.
In March 2017, after a number of years of no-use, the old C&R warehouse was sold by the Herbert family to Peter Desalvo. Since that time the building and driveway have undergone extensive modifications to meet current building codes. Basement walls were restored, original beams were retained but structurally enhanced. The interior has been reconfigured to include a reception area, conference room, office space, and a break room for the employees. The exterior has a new roof, dormers, windows, and siding; all with low maintenance in mind.
15 Central Street 2018
In recognition of his this project to retrofit and re-purpose this facility of the past, Peter DeSalvo was the recipient of the Third Annual Hudson Historical Society Community and Cultural Service Award. This award was presented to Peter during the Annual Charity Auction to benefit the Historical Society held at the Hills House grounds this past Sunday June 24. Peter and his workmen can be justly proud of the transformation to this building. Desalvo Construction recently passed their 10th anniversary. Peter and his young family reside in Hudson. Our second photo, complements of Zach Piotrowicz (ZMP Photography) shows the 15 Central Street property soon to be home to Peter Desalvo Construction.
Steam Railroad Tracks at Greeley Street
Greeley Street Crossing Looking West
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.
192 Central Street – The McCoy Home
The McCoy Home on Central Street
This house which stood at 192 Central Street was home to as many as 5 generations of McCoys. The earliest McCoy we find that lived here was James Otis McCoy, born 1788 in Windham, NH. He purchased this location and a corresponding site on the opposite side of the road from Abigail Chase in 1859 when he was 71. Ownership of this homestead passed from James Otis to his grandson James (B:1846), then to Herman Richards (B: 1878) and then to Herman’s daughter and son-in-law,Thelma McCoy Ives and Merrill ‘Joe’ Ives, Herman’s widow, Ethel Augusta Woodward, continued to reside there until she passed in 1968.
The younger James McCoy was born in Boston, MA in 1846 and came to Hudson with his parents, Daniel Gregg and Harriet (Barrett) McCoy, at the age of 6 weeks. By 1856 his father Daniel Gregg passed at the age of 41. James was 10 years old. By 1863, when James was 17, his mother Harriet passed at the age of 51. When he was 19 James enlisted in Company I First NH Heavy Artillery volunteers. Returning to Hudson after his service in the Civil War he purchased the McCoy homestead on Central Street from his grandfather, James Otis, in 1867.
On December 2, 1868 at the age of 21 James and Emma Cinderella Richards were married in Hudson. They lived their 26 years of marriage in this McCoy home. During this time they raised a large family. James passed in January 1915 after a period of poor health. He was survived by six children: James Otis of Manchester; Mary Haselton of Hudson, Herbert W. of Shirley, MA, Herman Richards, Daniel Gregg, and Elgin Leon all of Hudson. He had been predeceased by his wife Emma Cinderella Richards. James was known as a quiet man who was well liked by his fellow townspeople. Of his surviving children Herman, Daniel, and Elgin are significant to the history of 192 Central.
Herman received title to this Central Street home in 1915; 1/3 by will from his father James; 1/3 from his brother Elgin; and 1/3 from his brother Daniel. In October 1916 at the age of 37 Herman and Ethel Augusta Woodward were married in Nashua. Herman and Ethel made their home in the house where he was born. They raised a family of 2 daughters, Mildred (b:1918) and Thelma (b: 1925) and 1 son, Robert (b:1922). Mildred married and moved to Nashua. Robert moved to Illinois. Thelma married Merrill “Joe” Ives and they remained local.
Herman was employed with B&M Railroad, Maine Manufacturing, and later with Beede Ruber Co. For many years he served as superintendent and secretary of Westview Cemetery which was located adjacent to the rear of his house. His widow, Ethel, continued to reside here until she passed in February 1968. Thelma and “Joe” Ives purchased the McCoy home and resided there until the time of their divorce when it was sold to John C. Graichen who resided there for several years. Following the passing of Mr. Graichen it was sold to the family of Michael Dumont and later to his son Donald. Our photo of the house was taken by the author in 2010, following several years where the house was unoccupied. Soon after this photo was taken the building was razed. The lot at 192 remains vacant to this day. Thelma (McCoy) Ives remarried to Al Carroll. Thelma Carroll passed in 2017.
It is difficult to determine when this house was built. We do know there was a dwelling on the property when it was purchased by the McCoy family in 1859 from Abigail Chase. Prior ownership has been traced through various owners to Paul Tenney in 1834 at which time there was also a dwelling on the property.
Revisit Hudson’s Railroad Station in the Center
Hudson’s Busy Railroad Station
Here we see Hudson’s railroad station in it;s original position slightly off Greeley Street and behind the Town Hall (now Wattannick Hall). This station was used as a dwelling and later moved onto the Benson’s property. After many years of no use the station exterior has been restored and can be seen just inside the entrance to Bensons Park.
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 are 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.
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