From the files of Jan. 26-Feb. 2

Thursday, January 26, 2012

From the collection of Polly Cote Today, Jan. 26, is the 100th anniversary of the fire that destroyed the French and Heald furniture factory, located on the banks of the Souhegan River, where the Granite Square apartments are now. The plant was rebuilt on the property that now holds the Edgewood Plaza. This 1933 GMC truck delivery truck was driven by Everett Bellew and Loring 'Skip' Langdell.

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From the files of Jan. 26-Feb. 2

99 years ago, 1913

The Milford Progressive Club held its annual dinner in Town Hall with Dr. Edward H. Taft, club president, calling the gathering to order and the Rev. Mr. Craig of the Methodist Church saying grace.

Ray Brown of Lyndeborough was in St. Joseph Hospital, Nashua, getting treatment for sores in the head following an attack of measles.

A large auto truck got stuck in the mud in front of A.E. Howatt’s place on Nashua Street, Milford, where it was loading furniture for transportation to Plympton, Mass. It took two hours to get it out.

Donald B. MacMillan, the Arctic explorer who went to the Pole with Admiral Peary, lectured at Wilton Town Hall.

Wilton selectmen sent out notices to all property owners to remove their browntail moth nests.

Wilton selectmen were complaining about the number of dogs running the streets without collars.

75 years ago, 1937

There were 125 weddings in Milford in 1936, 56 deaths and 57 births.

Fire destroyed the Milford house owned by Roland D. Pollard on Nashua Street.

The Milford Pros beat the Oklahoma Indians 43-39 in basketball, led by Bam Luongo and Charlie Lizien.

Mrs. Perry Joslin of South Lyndeborough gave a pleasing party in honor of her daughter Kathryn’s and son Perry’s birthdays.

A Superior Court jury in Manchester awarded $2,700 to Norman Conrad of Wilton, former New England light heavyweight boxing champion. The verdict was against Nashua police officers Herbert Mears and John Webster who allegedly assaulted Conrad while they were on duty at the high school winter carnival. Conrad was said to have been intoxicated when trying to enter the dance and was arrested.

The Strand Theatre in Milford was showing “Border Flight” with Frances Farmer and John Howard. The advertisement read, “Fighting Coast Guardsmen taking the war on crime into the clouds.”

50 years ago, 1962

A new ski tow opened on Whiting’s Hill in Wilton, operated by William Whiting, Jr. It was 750 feet long and known as Carnival Hill. At Temple Mountain ski area, one could ski for three hours on weekdays for $2.

Seventy-five couples attended the Amherst Firemen’s Ball.

Bologna and baked beans were on the school lunch menu for a Wednesday in Amherst.

Wilton sports correspondent Francis Gros Louis predicted that the Wilton High gym would “probably rock and roll more than it has all year” when the Warriors met the Milford Spartans in basketball. “The game should be a humdinger,” he wrote.

The Latchis Theater in Milford was showing “A Thunder of Drums” with Richard Boone, George Hamilton, Luana Patten, and Arthur O’Connell (EDITOR’S NOTE: We’d love to hear from anyone who has memories of seeing movies at the Latchis.)

25 years ago, 1987

Incidents involving alcohol at the Milford Middle School led to the suspension of some students, Principal James Stetson told the School Board. He said students were getting liquor at home and carrying it to school in things like shampoo bottles.

Doug Bolduc was student of the month at Milford Area Senior High.

The Amherst Middle School group Students to Offset Peer Pressure (STOPP) held a dance. Photographed attending was Holly Grugnale, a ninth-grader.

The Wilton Town Hall Theatre was showing “Blue Velvet” and “Crocodile Dundee.”

Eddie Mottau was playing the Folkway in Peterborough and would be followed by Aztec Two-Step. Carol Young, a senior at Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School, was one of 10 state finalists for the DAR’s Good Citizen award.

The Wilton-Lyndeborough High girls’ basketball team beat Weare and Hinsdale to extend its streak to 12 straight wins.

Doug Newbert of Milford Area Senior High’s basketball team scored his 1,000th point.

In Mont Vernon, Police Chief Mark Schultz asked for a four-wheel-drive vehicle to handle the town’s terrain.