Tea Room from Central Street 1931

My interest in the June Arbor Tea Room started when the society received some 1931 photos from Gayle Zelonis of a family event which occurred at the tea room. Along with the photos came the question: “Where Was It Located”? This led to research using city directories (1928-1934), census records, vital records, Registry of Deeds, cemetery records, and old editions of The Nashua Telegraph, The results give us this week’s story!

The June Arbor Tea Room was operated for just a few years around 1931 by Mrs. June W. Taylor at her residence on Central Street . She offered receptions for weddings, anniversaries, etc. as well as serving meals for organizations which scheduled their meetings at the tea room. One such organization was the Giddings Fellowship, the Men’s group of the Hudson Community Church. Edna June Wallace was born in Nashua about 1880, her parents were Alonzo Stewart and Mary F. (Maynard) Wallace. She married John Taylor, a native of VT, in November 1909. By 1920 they had divorced. June and her 6 year old son Wallace made their home with her parents in Nashua and later with them in Hudson.

Alonzo Stewart Wallace was born in Bristol, ME, a son of David and Margaret Wallace. He was a self made man in every sense of the word. His early education was from district school and later the high school in Bristol. After that he attended Lincoln Academy at New Castle, ME. For this education he walked 10 miles from his home on Monday and returned home on Friday. He took with him food for the five days. During the summer months, to help with family expenses, he took to the sea as a sailor.

After graduation from the academy he taught at the Maine Conference Seminary; holding a number of positions from teacher, to principal, and superintendent. As he had an interest in anatomy he studied at and received his medical degree from Dartmouth College in 1874. He married Mary F. Maynard in 1876 and they moved to Nashua, NH in 1888 where he began a 35 year medical career; retiring from active practice to his home in Hudson about 1923.

Dr. Wallace passed away at his home in Hudson April 1930, he was 83 years of age; his wife Mary had pre-deceased him by about 1 year. He had been a member of many organizations and medical societies. He had an active role in establishing Nashua Memorial Hospital. At the time of his passing he was survived by two daughters and a son. His daughter Edith M. Wallace was engaged in biological research in CA; his son Dr. Arthur Wallace was a physician in Nashua; and daughter Mrs. June Taylor of Hudson with whom he made his home.

The Wallace home on Central Street in Hudson was purchased by Mrs. Mary F. Wallace in October 1923 from Rufus Winn; a portion of the property Rufus received from his father John about 1876. The house was likely built about 1910. After her parents had passed, June W. Taylor and her family continued to live there Until June 1937. At that time June and her sister Edith sold the property to Paul and Isabel Hill. In December 1955 the property was sold to Leo and Janice Bergeron. The Bergerons owned the property only a few years; transferring it in August 1957 to her aunt, Mrs. Maude Priske.

Maude Harwood was born October 1884 in Nashua, a daughter to Walter J. and Thea (Hanson) Harwood. She had been a Hudson resident since her early childhood. Maude graduated from Nashua High in 1905 and then from the Massachusetts General Hospital School of Nursing in 1908. She received further training in maternity care at a New York hospital and in physiotherapy at Harvard Medical School. In June 1911 Maude Harwood married John Priske in Hudson; but, after 20 plus years of marriage they divorced.

Maude Priske was a pioneer in the field of public health. She was the first school nurse in this state for rural communities which included Litchfield, Pelham, Hudson, Hollis, Milford, and Merrimack. She served as a school nurse until 1921 when she joined the Nashua Community Council to supervise the nursing phase of this new organization. She retired from the council in 1953. Following her retirement she operated an antique shop, “The Liddens”, in Hudson. Initially this was located at her summer residence on Wason Road; her winter residence being on Chase Street. She purchased the 59 Central Street home from her niece and husband, Leo and Janice Bergeron in 1955. She moved her antique shop “The Liddens” to her new home. Here she enjoyed her hobbies of antiques, rug hooking, cooking, and helping others. Maude (Harwood) Priske passed July 1974 and is buried in the Harwood lot at Sunnyside Cemetery on Central Street.

Since 1975 when the 59 Central Street home was sold by Maude’s estate to Gordon Tate, the property has been owned by Maurice and Evelyn Viens, Robert and Dianne Haywood, and is now a three family residence owned byClegg Real Estate.

59 Central Rear View 1931

These 1931 photos of the Tea Room are a part of the collection of the Historical Society; a donation from Gayle Zelonis. The first photo shows the front of the June Arbor Tea Room from across Central Street. The second is taken from the side and shows the back of the building and lawn area.