Backhistorical.jpg (15121 bytes)THE MILFORD
HISTORICAL SOCIETY

6 UNION STREET
MILFORD
NEW HAMPSHIRE

Founded 1895

DOWNTOWN MILFORD - HISTORIC TOUR

Note: Click on any numbered item below to get a history - Scroll down for all information.
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Map of Downtown Milford

 

To Map1. CAREY HOUSE.

The building is the Milford Historical Society museum displaying artifacts and exhibits of local value. One room is reserved to exhibit articles and information on the famous Hutchinson Family Singers. The Carey House is open to the public on Wednesday afternoons and by appointment. The house is named for Dr. W. 0. Carey, a dentist who used this house both as a dwelling and as a dental office.

To Map2. FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH;

In 1833 the Congregational Society bought the land on which the church now stands. Prior to this the society shared Its meeting house with the town (now Eagle Hall). Rev. Humphrey Moore. first minister, was ordained in 1802 and served until 1836. The meeting house was enlarged in 1850 by cutting it In two sections and moving the back section toward Railroad Pond. A fire in 1947 gutted the interior of the church and an extensive program of repairs and remodeling followed.

To Map3. COMMUNITY HOUSE.

This elegant white pillared building was built in 1842 by Squire Solomon K Livermore. Milford's first lawyer. The last Livermore. Elizabeth, conducted a private school on the third floor. Upon her death in 1910 a family friend and Milford native, Albert E. Pillsbury, purchased the building. In 1921 he donated the property "for the benefit of the town" to be administered by a board of trustees. In 1928 the house was taken over by the Milford Woman's club. Arrangements were made for a caretaker to live in the house as a manager. Rooms are rented for meetings.

To Map4. UNITARIAN CHURCH.

The granite exterior of this Impressive building was done in 1878. The granite was from Milford and the roof slate from quarries In Maine. Ten years later the interior was completed and the building dedicated.

To Map5. BALES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (CENTENNIAL HIGH SCHOOL)

In 1894 the town of Milford celebrated Its centennial and the new Centennial High School was opened. The cost of the whole project was $47,000 of which $10,000 was for the land. The new school contained the latest in equipment and building features. Because of its excellence, students from surrounding communities were attracted to it and the tuition was welcomed by the town. Eleven graduates were in the first graduating class in 1896 and the last class to graduate was in 1961 with eighty graduates. In 1961 high school students were housed in the new AREA high school on West Street and the old high school was given over entirely to Junior High students. The building was remodeled In 1969 and became the elementary school. It was renamed the Bales Elementary School In honor of Harold C. Bales who served as superintendent from 1919 to 1939.

To Map6. SITE OF HISTORIC SAW AND GRIST MILL.

This was the second mill in the area prior to the formation of the town of Milford. For many years it was owned and operated by Jonathan Buxton. After 1895 it became the Kendall and Wilkins grain mill and store. Business was carried on until 1938.

To Map7. SITE OF THE MILFORD INN

Jonathon Buxton built a home here when this area was the Southwest Parish of Amherst. Later he enlarged it to a tavern to accommodate travelers going by along the stagecoach line. The building was used as a hotel over 150 years under different names. It burned in 1959.

To Map8. OLD FIRE STATION.

The town voted to build a fire house in 1857. As originally laid out the first floor housed the engines (pulled by horses or men) and the second floor was the meeting room. A 60 foot tower was built on the top of the building for drying fire hose. This building served Milford until a new fire station was built under the new library (town hall annex) in 1892. Three generations of the Jacques family have since owned this building. It is now owned by Ralph Porter.
[Note: picture is of the new fire station.]

To Map9. FIRST SCHOOL.

A little wooden school stood on this site before the incorporation of the town. It was used as the District 1 school for about 50 years until the town built a two story brick school on the same site. A new school, the "Old Brick". (the present Cabinet Press building) was built in 1853. The old school has been used commercially since that time and has had additions, fire damage and repairs.

To Map10. The BRIDGE.

The settlers had built bridges across the Souhegan River to provide access to Amherst center and to haul grain to Shepard's Mill. At least three had been flooded away before the present structure was built. Before the bridges. people forded the river at this spot and everyone knew of the ford at the mill. Thus this became the name of the new town. The first stone bridge was built in 1845. At one time the sidewalks were out over the water. A major rebuilding and widening was done In 1931. At that time the Iron railing was replaced with the granite wall.

To Map11. MILFORD POST OFFICE

This Is an example of WPA work in the great depression. The granite came from the Kittredge quarry and Rossi Brothers did the granite work. The mural inside focuses on riverside activity. The artist. Philip Von Saltza was the winner in a government competition and the mural was once featured in Life Magazine.

To Map12. UNITED METHODIST CHURCH.

The existing building was originally built on Granite Street in 1816 by the Baptist Church . It was moved to its present location in 1836. In 1839 It was the site of the first public concert of the Hutchinson Family Singers. In 1877 the building was purchased by the First Methodist Episcopal church.

To Map13. COLONEL SHEPARD INN

In 1757 John Shepard. Jr. oldest of ten children of John Shepard built this house for his wife. Mercy Wilkins. on a piece of the original 120 acres granted to his father in 1741. The imposing two story wooden structure remained in the Shepard family through three generations. The house is presently owned by two brothers. Steven and Charles Burns. They opened It as a restaurant and inn in January. 1992.

To Map14. SHEPARD MILL AND FORD.

In 1741 John Shepard was given 120 acres of land beside the Souhegan River on condition that he build a grist mill and sawmill. All that remains today is the name given the site: the mill by the ford, or Milford. The mill was located just east of the stone bridge, between what is now the Church of Our Saviour and the river. A sawmill of sorts occupied the site for many years. known at times as the Berry mill and later the Merrill mill, which made barrel staves. This mill was taken down in 1915 and a year later the tall brick chimney. steam power having replaced unreliable water power, was demolished.

To Map15. EAGLE HALL.

The residents of the Southwest Parish of Amherst built a meeting house to avoid the inconvenient trip to the church in Amherst village. The meeting house was built in 1784 "between two pine stumps" on the west side of the oval. In 1802 a bell cast by the Paul Revere Foundry was given by Mr. Perkins Nichols in honor of his friend Rev. Humphrey Moore. In 1837, when a town was no longer required to support a church. this became the town house and was moved to the north end of the oval. It was raised and a first floor was added to provide space for two stores. For many years one store also served as the post office and library. A basement was later added to house the fire department equipment. In 1846 26 citizens subscribed to purchase the wooden eagle at the cost of  $55. to be placed upon the Town House. When the present Town Hall was built In 1869. the Paul Revere Bell was moved to the new Town Hall but the eagle remained and gave the name to this hall At that time Eagle Hall was moved to its presesnt location. It Is currently owned by the IQOF and the first story Is again used for a church.

To Map16. MILL APARTMENTS.

This building has had attractive affordable and convenient housing for Milford senior citizens since 1983. It once housed looms and machinery for a thriving textile Industry which began In 1810. It was first established as the Milford Cotton & Woolen Manufacturing company. Business flourished and various products were produced and sold throughout the country. Material woven at the mill was used in the production of army uniforms for both world wars. Owners throughout its history Included names still familiar to Milford residents such as Humphrey Moore. William Lovejoy. Frank Kaley and Samuel Goldman.

To Map17. SWING BRIDGE.

The first foot bridge at the site of the present picturesque Swing Bridge was built in 1850, connecting Souhegan Street with Maple Street, now Bridge Street. A wooden walkway and railing allowed for precarious crossing, since the whole structure swayed. The present iron bridge was built in 1889 at a cost of  $3.500.

To Map18. GRANITE SQUARE.

Opened in May 1990. this building has apartments for senior citizens. It is on the former site of the French and Heald Furniture Company.

To Map19. FIRE STATION

Built in 1974 this building protects the valuable and functional cquipment owned by the town. Chief Tortorelli and a secretary are full time employees. The Firewards are elected. The town is most fortunate to have a Fire Department consisting of 4 Engine Companies. 1 Aerial Ladder Company, and a Rescue Company.

To Map20. CABINET PRESS (OLD BRICK SCHOOL)

This school was considered the wonder of the town when built in 1853. The second floor provided for high school students with primary and intermediate students on the first floor. Few towns had high schools at this time. After 1894 when the Centennial High School was built the "Old Brick School" was used for elementary grades only until the Garden Street School was built. The school bell Is still In residence and the bell rope may be seen as part of the printing museum on the second floor. The offices of the Cabinet Press. Inc. are here where the weekly newspaper The Milford Cabinet and Wilton Journal is published. It has been published every week since 1802 and been In the same family since 1809.

To Map21. WADLEIGH MEMORIAL LIBRARY.

The library was built in 1950 on the grounds of the Luliwood Estate. The fountain which was part of the original estate Is a memorial to Col. Oliver Lull who lost his life in the Civil War. The library trust fund was created by Fannie Boynton Wadleigh in memory of her husband. The ncw addition tripling the size of the library was opened In 1986. The library is fully automated and uses current technology to supplement a broad collection of books, videos, magazines. tapes and CDs. Use of the library has doubled since 1986. Historical features of interest include the 0. W. Lull History Room, the Worcester collections of town histories. the conserved scrapbooks of the famous Hutchinson family singers and microfilms of local newspapers dating from 1796. The library also has numerous old town records including the original 1794 record book.

To Map22. SOUHEGAN NATIONAL BANK

The first bank building, built in 1854 was small and has been expanded several times to serve the needs of the town. The most exciting event of the bank's early years. was the Great Robbery" of 1874 in which an estimated $130,000. in money, bonds and valuables were stolen. The Historical Society has samples of money issued by the Souhegan Bank which became part of the First NH Bank in 1992. The lobby features a large aerial view of downtown Milford in the early 1950s.

To Map23. OLD LIBRARY (TOWN HALL ANNEX).

Milford citizens were Justly proud of the library built in 1892 on the east end of the Town Hall. The new library had the town's first full time librarian. The building of the annex provided expanded space to store the town's fire equipment. The fire trucks exited on to Middle Street from the basement. The area under the annex is now used as headquarters for the ambulance service and houses the town's two ambulances.

To Map24. TOWN HALL.

Designed by Gridley J. F. Bryant. this grand building was built in 1869. It underwent an ambitious remodeling starting In 1989 to provide safe and pleasant offices for town business. Of historical Interest are the Paul Revere Bell. the marble tablets in memcry of those who died in the War of the Rebellion, the Charter from the New Hampshire Legislature to the town of "Millford". and the Auditorium. An authentic restoration of the auditorium was done with private funds and received a National Trust for Historic Preservation award in 1993.

To Map25. THE MILFORD OVAL.

The land was a gift of William Crosby. whose home stood on the site of the Town Hall.. The World War I monument (built of Milford granite), the William Crosby Memorial. a stone marking the site of the first town meeting house and the Pillsbury bandstand are all here.

Milford Home Page©1998  Milford Historical Society in connection with the Bicentennial Celebration of the Incorporation of the town of Milford, New Hampshire.