Easton Historical Society

06/20/2026

Biweekly Newsletter June 20, 2026

Gilmore Gymnasium, Northampton, MA

This is a story about the gift of an Easton family that made a difference in the lives of the hearing impaired. In 1867 the Clarke School for the Deaf was founded in Northampton, Massachusetts by Gardiner Greene Hubbard and John Clarke. It was the first school for the deaf that focused on lipreading and speaking as opposed to signing. This was a progressive philosophy in the 1860’s. It was a residential school, forward thinking for the time, and the school attracted much attention. Alexander Graham Bell, whose mother was deaf, taught at the school in 1871 and served as its president from 1917-1922.

At about the same time, Edwin William Gilmore (1828-1904) of North Easton, was a machinist and manufacturer in Easton. In 1854, a partnership had begun between Edwin W. Gilmore and the Ames family to manufacture various articles of hardware, such as washers, hinges, and ship scrapers. Later, in 1871, Gilmore purchased the interests in the E.W. Hinge Factory from Oliver Ames, Jr. and Oakes Ames. A new factory was constructed that year, and Gilmore also built a large home on the corner of Elm Street and Main Street. He was a very successful businessman.

E.W. Gilmore had a deaf grandchild, Wallace Schouler Gilmore. In 1899 Gilmore and his second wife donated money to be used for a gymnasium for the school. The cost of the construction of the building and all the equipment was paid for by the Gilmores. Included were two bowling alleys, showers and lavatories, a children’s gym with a running track and gallery. In 1899, 150 pupils were enrolled at the school, which was very successful. Many of the students went on to some type of further education. In 1900 Wallace Gilmore was enrolled at the Clarke School.

Times have changed and so has the school. The Clarke Schools for Hearing and Speech are located on five different campuses, including Northampton; the school is no longer residential. It still serves the deaf community in many ways. Today the emphasis is on the early mainstreaming of deaf children and the use of hearing aids and cochlear implants. Speech is still the goal.

E.W. Gilmore used his wealth to support a cause dear to his heart and in doing so helped many in the hearing-impaired community.

Anne Wooster Drury

Sources:
Clarkeschool.org
Wikipedia
Boston Globe, March 20, 1899
Easton Historical Society and Museum

06/19/2026

Thank you to Mrs. Maffeo and her 5th-grade students at the Richardson/Olmsted school, for truly acing their reading of the Declaration of Independence as we approach the 250th anniversary of our nation.
It was a wonderful and memorable experience for all of us at the Easton Historical Society and Museum, and we are grateful for their hard work, enthusiasm, and patriotism.
Thank you to all who attended this incredible event! Please share this Patriotic event if you could.

Celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence ...

06/09/2026

Our Summer Quarterly Newsletter is now available!
https://www.eastonmahistoricalsociety.org/quarterly-newsletters.html #/

06/01/2026

Our Special Presentation held last month was filmed by ECAT. A wonderful informative presentation!

Topic: SAILING TO FREEDOM - MARITIME DIMENSIONS OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD
Speaker: Timothy Walker
Professor of History, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
1 hour and 18 minutes

https://youtu.be/XUagYhw6VjA

05/30/2026

Happy 250th Birthday, America!
Open House, June 14, 2026
Program begins at 1:00PM
Doors open at 12:30!

Join us as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and honor this historic milestone in our nation’s history with a special community gathering.

Event Highlights
> Collaboration with Mrs. Maffeo's 5th Grade Class from the Richardson/Olmsted Elementary School.
> A special ECAT film presentation featuring the students and Mrs. Maffeo reading the entire Declaration of Independence and the names of all 56 signers, recorded right from their classroom.
> Open to all — students, family members, members, and guests.
> Limited seating — early arrival is encouraged.
Community Singing of "God Bless America" led by our students, with everyone invited to join in as we conclude the celebration.

We hope you will join us for this meaningful and patriotic celebration.

05/28/2026

Easton Historical Society & Museum - Annual Meeting Recap

05/23/2026

Soldiers in the Barbershop, 1953
by Don Almeida

I was hired to deliver newspapers for an early morning paper route and took on a daily job of cleaning a nearby barber shop after school. My day started at five a.m. and a one mile walk to open the barber shop for cleaning. I then picked up a canvas bag of Boston newspapers to walk my two-mile paper route. I got home by 7:15 am to wash up, change clothes, and was due at school before 8:30 am. School ended at 2:30. I cleaned the Barber shop daily at 3 pm when I didn’t have after-school activities.
Once, I was asked by the barber-manager to help him remove a large venetian blind needing repair. It was Monday, his day off, and we met late in the afternoon to avoid the glaring sun. We took the cumbersome, heavy blind down and placed it on some chairs. He then started to erupt into one of his many coughing fits, but this time he couldn’t stop. He wheezed while struggling to breathe in between coughs. His face turned red, and then purple. He started foaming at the mouth. Suddenly, he collapsed and landed on his back. The foam continued to flow as he quietly moaned.

I ran outside to O’Conner’s lunchroom paper store screaming for help! A local doctor just happened to be sitting at the lunch counter sipping coffee while holding a newspaper and chatting with a police officer. We all ran to the barber shop. The doctor then rushed to his nearby car and returned with a bag, gave the barber a shot and felt his pulse. The barber stopped breathing and died peacefully. Ironically, it was just after sundown, and darkness had just set in. I suddenly realized that I was the last person he saw and had spoken to in his lifetime before he passed away. I wept softly and was driven home by the police officer.
This poor man was a World War One veteran. It was called The Great War. He was a victim of chemical warfare, a foot soldier who was attacked by a floating cloud of mustard gas drifting toward his unit on a battlefield in France causing permanent damage to his lungs which led to a fragile, lifelong heart condition. His head was bald on top with wisps of snow-white hair on the sides, and a pale, wrinkled face, aged far beyond his years -- an old man at fifty-five. The war had ended in 1918 yet prematurely took his life away in 1953 as if the war had never ended for him. And here we stood silently, a doctor, a policeman, and a young paper boy witnessing the death of this wounded soldier on his final day, across the street from the town’s World War One Memorial.

Gold stars are added next to the engraved names of soldiers, sailors and marines killed in battle. Yet, many veterans returned home and eventually died after suffering from their battlefield wounds. I call them the invisible Gold Stars. They are honored at their funerals with the sharp, crackling rifle bursts of a firing squad followed by a nearby bugler’s slow, delicate melody of Taps echoed hauntingly by another distant bugler’s notes eloquently trailing off.
This quiet man originally came from the South and the only family he had was a wife. The funeral was private, without Taps, without honors, as if he were unknown. His name was Charles Ford. Rest in peace Charlie. Rest in peace Doctor Brenner and Officer Carl Palm, all veterans of The Great War.

Thank you Don for a moving tribute.

Anne Wooster Drury

05/21/2026

As we head into Memorial Day weekend, we pause to honor and remember the brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. Their courage, sacrifice, and dedication will never be forgotten.
The Town of Easton invites the community to attend its annual Memorial Day ​Ceremony as we come together to honor our fallen heroes

05/09/2026

Biweekly Newsletter May 9, 2024
A Glimpse of the Past, the Bravo Dunbar House

In the mid 1800’s Bravo Dunbar was a successful Easton man. His house was known as one of the town’s most historic residences and it was rumored that years prior, when it was a tavern, George Washington had spent the night there. In 1853 there were 5 buildings on Bravo’s property of 5 acres, where he kept 2 horses and 1 carriage.

Bravo was a large handsome man who carried himself well. His home was described as one of the most refined on the Bay Road between Boston and Taunton. Bravo traded horses, built carriages, and sold rum, calico, tea, sugar, and many other items in the variety store he kept. In addition, on his property he had a hall in which community events were held, everything from dances, balls, temperance meetings, and dramatic exhibitions. Apparently, he was a jolly landlord, and his daughter Almira was very pretty and could sing as well as play the piano. At temperance meetings young men would sign pledges to win her favor. In later years the “Know Nothing” party held initiations and meetings here.
Bravo Dunbar moved on- “went West”- and the house changed hands, eventually being held by John Randall. In 1903 Orzo Randall was living in the house when a fire broke out that destroyed the house and barn, killing 2 horses and 4 cows. Possible causes included spontaneous combustion of new hay and arson.

Interestingly, the fire was first spotted by young Walter Beasley who was sleeping in the locked barn when he heard the crackling of the fire. Fortunately, he found a way out. Beasley was just one of several orphans who were living on the property that summer. He raised the alarm, but it was too late to save property. Such was the end of the “Bravo Dunbar House.”

Anne Wooster Drury

Sources:
Boston Sunday Globe, Aug. 4, 1895
Boston Globe, Sept. 4, 1903

05/08/2026