1974 – A Celebration Year
Some 48 years ago the town was gearing up to celebrate its 250th Anniversary. The events were chaired by Frank Perrin with Nancy Norris and Bill Hamlet as co-chairs. Carol Bell served as secretary, Tom Stuart, treasurer, Bill Ley, auditor, Mel Warshaw, legal advisor, Mary Greendale, publicity and Ron Geltman as the program chairman.
And who can forget the 95-degree day on June 9th when 50 thousand lined Washington street to see marchers dropping like flies from the heat. The town appropriated $17,750 to fund the activities that year, while the committee raised $31,449.36 from various activities.
1974 also saw the opening of Cole Court. The housing facility was named after Ernestine Cole who conceived the idea in 1966. Cole was the former director of welfare in town. At no cost to the town, the project cost $1,017,000.
Another year of multiple births on the same day. Listed are births of 3 or more. January 16th, Elizabeth Walker, Kimberly Marshall, and Lynn Damigella. February 11th, Alison Dufy, Trina Juliani, Jessica Mayo, and Debra Pratt. April 18th, Kathryn Kennedy, Anthony Culcasi, Heidi Johannesen. June 5th, Mark Anderson, Amanda Kardasis, and Caryn Isenburg. October 27th, Jennifer LaRosa, Frank Strange, and Christopher Cummings. November 4th, John Blanchette, Matthew Cudmore, and Michael Jones.
1974 also saw marathon town meetings. And you thought one was enough. Town Meetings (7) (not a typo- that was seven) were held between March 8th and June 19th.
Some of the town committees seem to have gone the way of Elvis. Namely the Industrial Development Committee, Sewer Study Committee, Industrial Development Financing Authority and the Holliston Bicentennial Committee.
The Board of Health in 1974 issued licenses, 5 in all for the serving or sale of margarine and oleo. Can you still buy oleo? Communicable diseases reported were: Strep Throat 173, Chicken Pox 194, Venereal Diseases 5, and Salmonella 5.
Investigations by the police department reported by Chief Henry Holbrook included: Accidents 251, Burglary-Larceny-Theft, 280 Domestic Problems 101, and Vandalism 168. Yikes
8 Comments
Holliston history is so interesting.
Thank you.
The sewer study question came up one more time in the early 80’s and it seems to have been banished for some reason.
If I recall correctly, [ late 1970s or early 1980s] the residents living in Mudville at the time banded together to vote down a million dollar road and sidewalk improvement over ride in hopes of directing funding towards much needed sewer relief.
Needless to say, neither was ever voted in.
Perhaps, Bobby Blair, Mary Greendale could shed more light on this situation.
In 1986 there was a proposal that was just under $1 million to install a communal septic system for downtown that would have piped the sewage to under camp Patoma. That was first put forth by the Board of Health and supported by the select board but was defeated at town meeting. If I recall correctly the complaint was that it wasn’t fair to solve the problem for one section of town and not the other. There was also a town wide sewer proposal in the 70s, which failed for a variety of reasons and then again in the 90s.
In 2018 HCAT did an interesting show summarizing the 1974 event. Go to HCATTV.org, find SHOWS, scroll down to archives and search for 250 Anniversary Retrospective to find the show.
It was a great time. Best of luck to the Committee for the 300th.
I remember that parade we lived in an apartment next to the Holliston pediatrics we had alot of people who had to come early just to get into town. We had a long wait and people got very thirsty. Some people didn’t see the parade and others thought it was the best parade they ever saw!! It was a great time!
Any Idea who the Selectmen were at this time?