Asa Waters Mansion P.O. Box 367 Millbury MA 01527 508-865-4192
Millbury: Gateway to the Blackstone Valley
Nostalgic Millbury for Sale
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Matted/Plastic-Wrapped Prints of the FLYING SAUCER Car Hop and THE CENTRAL DINER are available in a 9” x 12” off-white, museum-quality mat with a bold French line around the opening.
“Diner Don” Sawyer is a New England watercolorist who is well known for his stylized renditions of regional diners, roadside attractions, and pastoral scenes.
Each print is titled, geographically-identified, and signed by the artist, “Diner Don” Sawyer.
These colorful, treasured prints are available at the Museum of the Millbury Historical Society during museum hours (or call Frank at 508-865-4192) OR at Gloria Schimke’s space at Live Flea or Buy (774-578-7919).
9” x 12” Prints of the Flying Saucer and The Central Diner $35
10” x 20” Print of the Flying Saucer only $40
The Recent Historical Presentation of the Millbury Historical Society
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On Thursday, September 15th, The Millbury Historical Society presented the program “Zosia, Immigration and Industry” to a large crowd.
Helen Rawinski Blazis portrayed her Polish grandmother Zosia who arrived in the Blackstone Valley to work in the woolen mills in 1912.
Helen expertly led the audience through the immigrant experience in the mills: the hours, the work and the pay that a hard-working young woman could put aside for a bright future if she were thrifty.
Helen also explained that the Blackstone River was the swiftest river in the country which made it most desirable as a power source. Unfortunately, in time, it also became the most polluted river in the country.
Other topics covered by the speaker were the many different mills in Grafton and Sutton, their hierarchy of workers, and the many Polish families that worked in them and lived in the villages provided by the factory owners.
Afterwards, there were refreshments of Polish pastries and breads, and Helen Rawinski Blazis was available if people wished to buy her book “Zosia” for $25. (If interested, please message the Millbury Historical Society at https://www.millburyhistory.org/)
They're here!
The immensely popular calendar of the Millbury Historical Society for 2023! Still only $5!
Twelve nostalgic scenes of Millbury's favorite locations, people and events with an especially touching photo of The Grass Hill School taken by Millbury's Edd Cote.
The calendar may be purchased at Goretti's Supermarket, Panache Beauty Salon on Millbury Ave, Ray's Barber Shop on Main Street, and Gloria Schimke's space at Live Flea or Buy on West Main Street.
MILLBURY HISTORICAL SOCIETY AWARDS SCHOLARSHIP
The sixth Annual Grace M. Laflash/Millbury Historical Society Scholarship was recently awarded to Emma Schillinger, an eighth-grade student at Assumption School in Millbury.
Emma was the top history student in the eight grade. She will be attending St. Mark's School this fall.
Grace Laflash was a Charter Member of the Historical Society and its Secretary for nearly forty years. She was the unquestioned expert on Millbury History.
Grace taught fifth-grade at Assumption for over twenty-five years, and she instituted a Millbury History Class into the curriculum. Hundreds and hundreds of students learned about this Town from Grace. Her classes often put on plays and skits about events from Millbury’s early history and took part in every Town historical celebration.
When the bridge spanning the Blackstone River and the railroad tracks needed replacing in 1983, Grace’s class researched the history and found that the accepted name of “McGowan Bridge” was incorrect. Instead, it was originally
named the “Gowing Bridge” in honor of a prominent businessman in Town. At the grand opening ceremony, Grace and her students were given the honor of cutting the ribbon for the new “Gowing Bridge.”
Grace passed away in 2015, and her family asked that donations be made in her name to the Millbury Historical Society.
The Board of Trustees of the Society voted to use the funds to establish a scholarship in her name at Assumption School and President Frank Gagliardi made the presentation at Awards Night in the Church.
Emma Schillinger
Grace M. Laflash
Millbury Historical Society Presents Program about World War II's LCI 713, Millbury's Ship
Be proud, little town of Millbury, because in August of 1944, your seven-thousand residents (one-thousand of whom were in the armed forces) raised over one-million dollars in the Fifth War Bond Drive of the war! Enough to sponsor its very own naval landing craft: the LCI (L) 173!
Recently, The Millbury Historical Society presented a program about this this long-forgotten, patriotic feat and how it was accomplished by our town! Learn where the idea arose, how the funds were raised, when the ship was commissioned, and where it is TODAY!
Watch the video below to access the program. It begins with an eight-minute introduction to the LCI-713 itself.
ELSIE ITEM and the DECK LOG OF THE USS LCI(L) 713 is a magazine about Millbury's own Landing craft!
The WINTER 2022 issue has a special column about Doug Bowker, grandson of Harold Bowker, who began the War Bond drive to fund the craft.
Below is a link to the magazine. Be sure to read pages 13, 14 & 15 about Doug and his tribute-model!
https://www.amphibiousforces.org/News/2022DecElsieDecklog119.pdf
LCI-713 Commissioning: September 19, 1944
LCI-713 in Portland, Oregon TODAY
The Millbury Historical Society would like to acknowledge and thank all who turned out for our Veterans' Day program about Millbury's very own World War II vessel: The LCI-713!
The event was exceptionally well-attended, and the citizens of Millbury donated generously to the welfare of the landing craft for the second time in its existence!
In particular the Society would like to thank all the Veterans who stopped in; The Charles F. Minney Post for hosting the program (Bob & Barbara Roy: great job!). Kevin Krassopoulos, Public Access Director, thank you for filming the entire event, and Maureen Sullivan Editor of The Millbury-Sutton Chronicle did a wonderful job with the advanced Publicity.
Watch Video ^
A History of 60 Elm Street
From Lynch's Garage to the Franco-American Club to A & D Pizza
A 1967 article (with a 1951 photo) about the silver anniversary of the Franco-American Club (1943-1968).
A 1958 photo of Senate re-election candidate John F. Kennedy's appearance at the Franco-American Club.
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