776 Longmeadow Street- #38 (see additional information)
|
This year's cover is a reproduction of an original watercolor painting
of the The Separate Shop at 776 Longmeadow Street, by Longmeadow native,
Peggy Leete Godfrey.Probably few Longmeadow residents realize that the
history of this building, known for many years as the "old country
store", dates back to 1805, by positive record, and probably earlier. During its early existence, a part of the building, now dismantled, was used by the Newell Button Manufactory and later by W.W. Coomes Spectacle Factory. Silver thimbles were also made here and sold all over the country. Until the year 1848, records of deeds show that the store was transferred between members of the Burt and Chandler families during which time it was used for various purposes. In 1898 Charles Allen purchased the store for use in the sale of wood, grain and coal, in addition to groceries. After the death of Mr. Allen, the store was sold in 1911 to Charles L. Wood of Springfield who conducted a grocery store and market. In 1923, Harry Steele became associated with Mr. Wood, and following the death of the later, continued operation of the store until 1945. In that year, Mr. Steele sold the business to Clarence Cooley of East Longmeadow who operated the grocery and market for several years thereafter. Presently, in addition to the The Separate Shop, the building is the home of the Little Shop on the Green and the Beauty Shop on the Green. |
a website of LongmeadowBiz, LLC