1894 Map of Longmeadow

Scope and Content Note
The Longmeadow maps and atlases collection documents the growth and development of Longmeadow from the early 19th century to the late 20th. Highlights in the collection include an 1831 map of Longmeadow, an 1835 map of Springfield, MA, an 1844 topographical map of Massachusetts, and an 1855 map of Hampden County, Massachusetts. In addition to plans, maps, and atlases for Longmeadow and East Longmeadow, there are plans for Colony Hills, Glen Arden, and Laurel Manor, early 20th century developments in the area. Bound atlases dating from 1894 to 1933 for Longmeadow and the surrounding area are also included. A more detailed item-level listing follows.

Five of the maps of Longmeadow have been photographed and are available as prints suitable for framing: http://www.longmeadowhistoricalsociety.com/category-s/102.htm.
 
Box and Folder Listing: Maps

Box and Folder Listing: Atlases

On Depot Road (Emerson Street)

Background Note
Emerson was born in Hopkinton, MA on February 10, 1832, the oldest child of William Goddard Emerson and Susan (Perkins) Emerson. He began work as a boot maker in Ashland; a nearby town to Hopkinton with many boot and shoe shops.

In 1863, at age 31, Paesiello enlisted as a private in the 5th Independent Battery, Massachusetts Light Artillery. While his unit was in action on June 8, 1864 at Rappahannock Wilderness, Spottsylvania near Bottoms Bridge, Paesiello was wounded by a ten pound parrott shell. He recovered and saw further action until his unit returned home after the surrender in 1865. His father, stepmother, and their three young children, William, Annie, and Henry moved to Longmeadow in 1872. They purchased the home of Captain Luther Colton at 476 Longmeadow Street — now known as the Cooley-Emerson house as it was built by a Cooley in 1760. Paesiello moved to Longmeadow to live with his half-brothers and half-sister shortly after 1900.

Paesiello’s interest in photography began soon after reaching his 70th birthday in 1902. Not only are there extensive photographic images of Longmeadow a century ago, but the collection includes images of Paesiello’s hometown of Hopkintown, his later town of Spencer, and many other communities.

In August 1925, Paesiello was presented with the gold-headed ebony cane as the oldest resident in Longmeadow. At his death on December 28, 1927, he bequeathed his photographic collection to his half-sister Annie, who later gifted the entire collection to the Longmeadow Historical Society.

Scope and Content Note
There are 66 boxes of glass plate negatives, dating from early 20th century, taken by local photographer Paesiello Emerson.  As part of the Digital Commonwealth project our large collection of Emerson glass plate negatives were scanned at high resolution by the Boston Public Library.  The large majority of these photos were taken in Longmeadow but some of them were taken in other Massachusetts communities including Spencer, Holyoke, Springfield, Framingham, and East Brookfield.  The entire collection of 1,500+ photos are online on the Digital Commonwealth project website. 

A listing of the first postmasters of Longmeadow compiled by William Fenton

Biographical Note
William G. Fenton was a resident of East Longmeadow and a member of the Longmeadow Historical Society. Fenton worked for the U.S. Envelope Company for 44 years and retired in 1960.

Scope and Content Note
This collection consists of research notes, rough drafts, and correspondence with people Fenton thought might be able to provide him with information related to his study of the postal history of Longmeadow. Fenton’s research resulted in two artfully arranged scrapbooks containing envelopes with Longmeadow cancellations, letters, several photographs of mail carriers from the early 1900s to 1940, brief histories of postmasters and post office locations, and a list of post office box holders from 1902. The scrapbooks also include a letter written by Mary Reynolds Schauffler, the American wife of the German missionary William Gottlieb Schauffler, while they were living in Turkey. Although Fenton’s interest was primarily in the envelope received by Amelia Reynolds of Longmeadow, Mary’s description of a plague in Turkey and general hardships is also valuable.

The collection also includes a typescript history of the first Longmeadow post office, which was in operation from 1814 to 1902. The history has biographical sketches of each of the eleven postmasters. There are also chapters on related subjects: “Post Riders and Early Colonial Posts,” “Early Roads and Paths,” “Stage Coaches,” “The Railroad,” “Longmeadow Industries,” and “Early Longmeadow History.” There is no evidence that his work was ever published.
 
Box and Folder Listing