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HudsonMall C1977
Hudson Mall C1977
For many years this Derry Road location was the site of the Abbott home, milk business, and farms. Abbott’s Dairy was operated by George Abbott for many years. After his sudden death in 1929. his son’s Roland and Kenneth ran the milk room. Local dairy farmers would deliver their milk for processing after which milk and cream were delivered by Abbott’s Dairy to homes and businesses in the Nashua and Hudson area. After Roland’s death in 1964, “Kenny” carried on until the property was sold for the new Hudson Mall.
In 1973 Vickerry Realty, owner and developer, publicized their plans to build Hudson Shopping Mall on the east side of Derry Road, just north of St. Patrick’s Cemetery. Estimated to be a 3 million dollar complex of a climate controlled, enclosed sidewalk mall with a large Alexander’s Super Market on the north end. Alexander’s opened for business in 1974; other smaller stores and First Federal Bank soon followed along the indoor mall. This new supermarket created significant competition for other markets in town. By May 1977 McDonald’s Restaurant was added as a stand alone business.
This photo shows Hudson Mall C 1977 at the time of the publication of “Town in Transition” by The Hudson Historical Society. At that time, in addition to the large Alexanders supermarket, the mall included: Books and Cards Unlimited, CVS and CVS Pharmacy, Flower World, Norms Hardware, and First Federal Savings and Loan.
Significant changes have occurred over the years. In 1988 the Post Office was relocated to this mall from 15 Derry Street. In 1990 Alexander’s supermarket moved up in size and out of its original location as a large superstore was added onto the south end of the mall, and Alexander’s, now Hannaford’s, moved into their new quarters. At about this same time, the mall itself was modified to eliminate the interior sidewalk mall. Each retail business had direct exterior access. Photo from the Historical Society collection.
Goodwin’s Fried Clams on Derry Road C1938
By 1931 Fred T. Goodwin and his wife Annimae had moved to Hudson; and by May of that year Fred , a well known amateur actor, opened a place of business on Derry Road. This was located at what was then the Abbott property and directly across from Saint Patrick’ s Cemetery. He specialized in Ipswich fried clams which he obtained fresh from the flats. Fred. and Annimae had the idea that if they served a good meal at a reasonable price, people would come. And they did! After the first week there were reports that business was so great, many were turned away, and more equipment was quickly added. By 1935 free entertainment to the clam emporium was added in order to attract even more people.
Thanks to the Goodwin/Marshall family we have these early photos of the stand. The first, C1938, shows the cars packed into the lot and along Derry Road. You see the band stand for entertainment on the left and the clam stand on the right. The cars to the right, opposite the stand, are backed up against the stone wall of Saint Patrick’s Cemetery in order to enjoy the entertainment. The second photo of about the same time shows a close-up of the front of the stand. Notice the prices!!
Fred was also very active in local theater and politics; serving as selectman and in the state legislature. His approach to the fried clam business gave him great notoriety as people came from all over to the stand. Over the years the front of the stand did not change except for addition of an ell on the right side which served as a soda and ice cream fountain. Also by the 1950’s traffic on Derry Road was such that parking was not allowed in front of the stand.
Fred, Annimae, and later their family operated the stand for over 20 years. After Fred passed in 1952 Annimae ran the stand with her family. Annimae (Grammy) worked the kitchen, Francis (Bud) worked the grill and fryers, Elsie Marshall was the cashier. Fred, Jr had his own business in Nashua and would come to the stand when he could. He routinely balanced the cash and made nightly deposits.
By the late 1950’s into the early 60’s Fred III (Butch) oversaw much of the operation of the stand. The stand employed about 15 people; some of these were high schoolers working a summer job to save for college expenses. In 1961 the stand had a bank of 11 fryers (perhaps the largest in New England), a long mixing bench where all fried foods were prepared, a chef table for preparing salads, lobster, chicken, coleslaw, and tartar sauce.
By the mid 1960’s business slowed and ownership passed from the Goodwin family and soon after closed. By 1969 this property and adjacent acreage was sold by the Abbott family to Phil Lamoy for the 20th Century Shopping Center.
20TH Century Shopping Center Derry Road C 1977
20th Century Shopping Center Derry Road 1977
During the decades of the 1940 and 50’s a business center developed in Hudson along Central and Ferry Streets as you approached the bridge into Nashua. This center evolved, for the most part, in pre-existing wooden buildings many dating back to 1900 or earlier. With the planning of the twin span bridges, new access routes were necessary on both sides of the Merrimack. As a result a large number of buildings in the Hudson bridge area were demolished.
Phil Lamoy, owner of the 20th Century Stores, announced his plans to build a shopping center on the Derry Road. Ground breaking on the 25 acre parcel, which included the site of the former Goodwin’s Fried Clam Stand, took place July 1969. As the buildings in the bridge area were scheduled for destruction, Lamoy moved his 20th Century Market into this center in 1970. The shopping center expanded to include a drug store, beauty salon, barber ship, restaurant, department store, and parking for up to 700 cars. Businesses at the time of this photo included: Bargain outlet, China Village, Clean and Handy Laundromat, Dion Cleaners, Haps Donut and Coffee Shop, Hudson Barber Shop, Hudson News and Card Shop, One-stop auto parts, Photo Island, and Continental Academie of Hair Design. This shopping center continued as the 20th Century Shopping Center, but by 1977 the 20th Century Store itself was no longer doing business in Hudson.
This shopping center has evolved over time. Today it is knows as 102 Plaza. Photo from the Hudson Historical Society collection.
Looking North From 23 Derry Road – 1946
23 Derry Road Looking North in 1946
In this photo we are standing at 23 Derry Road and looking north in the year 1946. On the left we see Fuller’s Service Station at 26 Derry and just prior to that one can barely see the intersection with Leslie Street. Opposite the service station is the intersection with Haverhill Street. The quiet country road is a sharp contrast to the busy state highway we experience today. Photo compliments of George Fuller and now a part of the Historical Society Collection.
Alvirne Memorial Chapel c1909
Alvirne Memorial Chapel c1909
The Alvirne Memorial Chapel at 160 Derry Road is one of the most popular and widely known historic sites in Hudson. In this photo we see the chapel as it looked soon after it was built. In November 1908 Dr. Alfred Hills announced his plans to erect a chapel in memory of his wife Ida Virginia Creutzborg who had passed away suddenly in May that year. He named this chapel Alvirne, after their nearby summer home. The stones used for the exterior walls were weathered granite; made available as a result of a recent addition to the cemetery. A belfry in front provided a resting place for the bell.
Architect Hubert A. Ripley published the drawings and specifications for this chapel in the January 1910 edition of Architectural Review. In these drawings was a note: “Bell Not Included”. Upon seeing this the question became Why? We have just recently learned the answer. A close up photo of the bell, taken from a elevated bucket, showed that the bell in the Alvirne Memorial Chapel is the very same bell donated to the Chapel of the Holy Angels by Dr. and Mrs. Hills in 1890. Dr. Hills saved the bell from the Holy Angels Chapel only to have it to place in the Alvirne Chapel some short time later.
Mrs. Hills passed May 19, 1908; by November of the same year Dr. Hills announced his plans to build the Alvirne Chapel in her memory, and by November 1909 the chapel was consecrated. This leads me to speculate that perhaps the plans for the Alvirne Chapel were in the minds and discussions ob both Virginia and Alfred before her death. Photo from the Historical Society Collection.
Connie’s Country Store
Connie’s Country Store – Derry Road (click pic to enlarge)
Let’s meet at Connie’s!! A widely popular spot for Hudson and Litchfield folks is shown in this 1977 photo. As you enter the building you had Connie’s Country Store and Restaurant on your right and the Garden Center and Green House on the left. By the late 1950’s the State of New Hampshire re-routed Route 102 (Derry Road), just north of the Hills House, to proceed north through parts of Litchfield, then back into Hudson, then forward to Londonderry and Derry. Before this time Route 102 followed the route of what is now Old Derry Road. The construction of this New Derry Highway extended traffic onto much previously undeveloped land in Litchfield and Hudson.
In 1959 Connie and Amadee “Midee” Desmarais purchased property at the corner of Derry and Cutler Roads and went into business. In the early years they had a fruit and vegetable stand and soon expanded to include a variety of products, food, and services. In 1965 fire destroyed the Desmarais home and business. Connie’s was rebuilt as shown in this week’s photo.
The Desmarais family operated Connie’s for over 25 years until 1985 when they considered retirement and sold the business; only to be ‘called’ out of retirement. This occured not just once, but twice!! They finally sold again in 2002.
Still known to some as Connie’s Plaza this site at 297 Derry Road is now home to Rocco’s Pizza, Klemm’s Bakery, Findeisen’s Ice Cream, Second Look Consignment, Rhino Tax preparer, and Moonlight nails. Photo from the Historical Society Collection.
French Home on Derry Street 1956
After Hudson adopted a unified school district in 1896, a number of local school houses were purchased and converted into private dwellings houses. Such was the case with the house shown in this 1956 photo. The #6 (Farms District) school house was built in 1852 on what is now the vacant lot just north of 107 Derry Street and almost opposite Hudson Hardware. By 1898 the school house was converted into a dwelling by Menzell French. It remained in the French family until destroyed by fire in January 1980. For years this was the home of Harold and Maude French and family. Harold began The French Insurance Agency in the front room of this home; notice the sign along Derry Street. Maude is fondly remembered for her work with the 4-H clubs, Fortnightly Club, and her prominent role in securing funds for and the beginning of Alvirne High School. The insurance agency was continued by their son, Gordon, and now by grandson Rick and family at 12 Derry Street. Photo compliments of the French family and now a part of the Historical Society Collection.
Alvirne High School c1949-50
Aerial view of Alvirne School circa 1949-1950. Initially Alvirne housed grades 7 through 12. As population increased Hudson Memorial School was built on Central Street and Alvirne used for grades 9 through 12. The first class to graduate from Alvirne was in 1951. The roadway from the right of the school and running parallel Derry Road leads to the farm pond, barn, and farmhouse. (Published in HLN August 29, 2014.)
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