Milford in the 19th century

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Here's another postcard we found in a Laconia antiques shop. This one shows the Ponemah Hotel. According to the Milford town history, the hotel was popular in the late 1880s when it was "a fashionable resort for wealthy city people who came to enjoy the medicinal qualities of the mineral waters from springs on the site." After the hotel burned down in 1921 "the area where the hotel stood on Ponemah Hill Road became almost a wilderness."

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From The Cabinet files of Feb. 16-23

99 years ago, 1913

The Rev. Willard P. Robinson, pastor of the Baptist Church at Wilton Center, gave a very able address from Proverbs 12:10 called “The righteous man regardeth the life of his beast.”

The Finns at Merrill’s lumber camp in Mont Vernon had a celebration that ended when Erik Mikala took a club and went after Hakala. Mikala then pulled a knife and stabbed Hakala in the shoulder. Then Chief Goodwin of Milford went after Mikala, who had run away. The chief got him and brought him to Milford and he was sentenced to 30 days in jail, but the sentence was suspended when he paid $9.98 in court costs. The wound was not serious.

The discontinuance of the Laurel Post Office caused some embarrassment to the two George E. Hatches in Milford. Formerly, George Edward Hatch got his mail at Laurel (post office), and George Edgar Hatch through RFD (Rural Free Delivery). Now both use the rural delivery and almost every day one gets bills and checks sent to the other.

Alfred T. Willette, a new police officer in Wilton, got his first arrest: a tramp who spent the night in the central station was let out in the morning and about an hour later was found in a badly intoxicated condition. As he had no money and it would cost something to board him, it was thought best to railroad him out of town.

75 years ago, 1937

Clarence Frost, Jr., of Amherst won the finals of the 126-pound class in the Golden Gloves amateur boxing matches in Boston Garden with a knockout to earn him a shot at the All Eastern Finals in New York.

William E. Brown, 65, of Mont Vernon, was killed when a tree fell on him as he was chopping firewood in a lot owned by Joseph Blood in the west part of Mont Vernon village. Evidently the falling tree he cut was deflected by an adjoining tree and struck Brown.

The Strand Theatre in Milford was showing “Return of Sophie Lang” with Gertrude Michael, Sir Guy Standing, and Ray Milland. The Tremont in Nashua was showing “Riders of the Whistling Skull.”

The Wilton Town Band was struggling because of a very small bankroll. A high tax rate and a careful budget committee made it difficult to get an appropriation for band music.

Wilton Selectman Ralph Tuttle was employed in the office of the Abbott Machine Co.

50 years ago, 1962

On the Milford School District warrant was an article seeking permission to accept students from New Boston and Brookline.

Ernest L. Barrett, Jr. filed as a candidate for the Milford School Board.

In his column “The Keyhole: A Peek at Wilton Sports,” Francis Gros Louis wrote that even though there was snow, the Abbott Worsted Mill Pond was scraped off and skating lessons held.

The Latchis theater in Milford was showing “Bachelor in Paradise” with Bob Hope and Lana Turner.

Carnival Hill Ski Tows in Wilton offered “fun for the whole family.”

Mrs. Lorraine Tuttle was in charge of the school lunch menu in Wilton.

Some of the companies in business in 1962 were Wilton Taxi, The Wilton National Bank, and V and L Used Furniture, all in Wilton.

25 years ago, 1987

Maureen D. Winterburn of Milford was promoted to assistant cashier at the Souhegan National Bank in Milford.

Running for the Milford School Board were John Leslie, Peter Basiliere, Stephen Martin, and Stuart Horne.

Julien M. Selles was running the East West Health Club on South Street in Milford.

Robert Brown and Richard Verrochi were running for selectman in Amherst.

The Wilton town budget was up 27 percent.

The Milford Area Senior High School boys ski team won the Division III state title for the third straight year and the girls won for the ninth straight year. The school’s gymnastics team placed fourth in the state.

The Wilton girls’ basketball team advanced to the Class S semifinals by beating Derryfield, 61-37. Kristin Vander-Heyden had 24 points for the Warriors.