By Carla Charter

In the 1850s, Wendell Common was a bustling area, according to Pamela Richardson of the Wendell Historical Society Board of Directors.

“Clearly the center was the hub of town. It was a busy place with lots going on. Today it’s quite quiet,” said Richardson, who with co-author Thomas E. Sawin (1810-1873) authored “Wendell, Massachusetts, It’s Settlers and Citizenry1752-1900.”

Richardson and Wendell Historical Society President Ed Hines came up with the idea of a display, Wendell Center Then and Now, which can be seen at Wendell Old Home Days at the Alistair MacMartin home, 10 Center St. on the East Side of the Common during Wendell’s Old Home Days on Aug. 12.

Among the changes over time, Richardson explained, was that back in the mid-19th century the town common had more tradespeople’s homes and businesses including four shoemakers shops, one of which was also a grocer, at least two general storekeepers and a chair-maker’s shop. Behind the Congregational and Baptist Meeting Houses there were once stables which are no longer there.

“There was also a beautiful old home owned by the most loved and respected man in town, Joshua Green. It was a two story home with eight rooms, a double entry hall, two big brick ovens, beautiful fireplaces and very wide floorboards,” said Richardson.

Green served the town over 40 years as a selectman, church deacon, treasurer and assessor. He was also a prominent judge and senator, Richardson continued.

The property was eventually owned by Green’s grandson, Edward Henry Green, whose wife was Hetty Green, a millionaire more often referred to as The Witch of Wall Street. Green was incredibly stingy and the house fell into disrepair, collapsing in 1911. Although Hetty lived in Bellows Falls, Vermont, there were reports of her occasionally visiting Wendell. Others who lived on the common included Physician Lucius Cook.

There was also a town house—which would today be called a town hall—located right next to the cemetery, Richardson said. That building was later moved across the street to the location where the current Wendell Free Library is located, with the town house later becoming a school house. It was hoped to convert the building into the Wendell Free Library—until a tornado came through in 2006 and destabilized the whole building, and it was determined it could not be repaired.

Thus, a new library was constructed in its place.

Wendell’s population has declined since the 1850s, with people leaving to find more opportunities, said Richardson, adding “With large families back then, by the time the land was divided up there was (often) not enough land to make a living...Wendell hit an all-time low in population in 1960 with 262 people living in town. In 1850 there was a population of 908 people.”

The photographic display is free, although donations to the society are welcome. All donations to the historical society will be used to renovate the recently purchased Wendell Depot Store and Post Office. There will also be Wendell hats and aprons available for sale during Old Home Days, to benefit the society.

“Our goal is to renovate the building and make it a repository for pieces of Wendell history and to have it serve as a museum and educational center,” Richardson stated.

Although there will be no tours at the Alistair MacMartin House, there will be tours offered at Wendell Parsonage at 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. People should pre-register for those tours, as space is limited. Pre-registration can be done by e-mailing at admin@wendellhistoricalsociety.org. More information on the Wendell Historical Society can be found at www.wendellhistoricalsociety.org.

Carla Charter is a freelance writer from Phillipston. Her writing focuses on the history of the North Quabbin area. Contact her at cjfreelancewriter@earthlink.net.

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