116 years ago, 1898

Isaac Brothers took over the old shop of Charles Tarbell on Elm Street in Milford, under Fletcher’s laundry. He was to provide bicycle repairing and wheelwright work.

Passenger traffic over the Fitchburg and Milford railroad line was said to have been the heaviest in history, during the summer. One Saturday night, the train left Ayer with nearly 100 passengers.

The Grand Hotel in Mont Vernon closed for the season with the owner and his wife and the balance of their help, returning to Boston.

Miss Anna L. Melendy, a musician from Nashua, was in Perham Corner in Lyndeborough with relatives from Milford. Peaches from the Parker fruit farm were sampled and the talented young lady played the piano.

H.H. Barber of Milford was selling corsets for 69 cents a pair, down from $1.

The Hillsborough County Total Abstinence and Temperance Educational Society was planning a temperance conference in Wilton Town Hall.

66 years ago, 1948

Wilton would visit Milford on Dec. 3 in the opening night of Monadnock League basketball. The teams would close the season on Feb. 15 with Milford playing at Wilton.

The State Theatre in Nashua was showing “Feudin’, Fussin’ and a Fightin’” with Donald O’Connor and Marjorie Main, plus “Man Eater of Kumaon” with Sabu.

Miss Catherine Finnegan, of Nashua, was in charge of paint, linoleum, wallpaper and other products at the Ray-Bar showroom on Nashua Street in Milford. She would also sell appliances displayed on the showroom floor.

Several members of the Wilton Knights of Columbus attended the baseball game at Fenway Park between the Philadelphia Athletics and the Red Sox.

Miss Eva Lorette, of Lyndeborough, was hired at Berube’s Luncheonette in Wilton to replace Miss Jean Hurley.

50 years ago, 1964

Peter Voorthuyzen was to be installed as minister of the First Baptist Church of Amherst.

The Laura G. Heald Club of Milford was to hear Mrs. Harold French of Hudson talk on “The Gifted Child.”

Mrs. Eva Bernasconi, of Milford, resumed her work at the House by the Side of the Road in Wilton after having a full summer vacation.

In Lyndeborough, 109 voters cast ballots in the state primary with Republicans casting 99 and Democrats 10. The total was about half of the town’s registered voters.

Mrs. David Wright was starting her ninth year as head of the Wilton Brownie Scouts.

The Pelham Transportation Service was running buses from Wilton News at 11 a.m. and 4:15 p.m., stopping at Milford Square at 11:07 and 4:22, and then going to Nashua.

The Gage families celebrated 175 consecutive years as residents of Abbot Hill in Wilton with a family reunion. The original house was settled by Pierce Gage in 1789.

25 years ago, 1989

A committee was studying the possibility of extending passenger train service from Boston to Nashua.

For his Boy Scout Eagle project, Normand Bergeron, 17, of Milford, built a sidewalk leading to the clothing barn at St. Patrick Church with the help of Scouts from Troop 407. It took a month to build.

The Town Hall Theatre in Wilton was showing “Chocolat” and “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.”

In the football season opener, Milford Area Senior High School fell to Dover, 21-2. Milford quarterback Jared Philbrick ran for 49 yards and threw for 110, and running back Nick Paradis ran for 97 yards, but it wasn’t enough.

The Mad Dogs won the Hillsborough County Softball League title. Team members were Jeff Young, Dave Greene, George Ashley, Brian Carter, Mike Mannino, Tom Remillard, Bill Brown, Jerry Jorgensen, Sam Homoleski, Phil Lovejoy, Dave Kass, and Steve Erdody. Coaches were Dan Yohe and John Bica, Jr.

The ninth annual Wilton 15-kilometer
road race and two-mile fun run was planned with $7,500 in cash awards for the runners.