Military/ Veteran Stories

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Longmeadow Minute Men to Arms!

We’ve all been hearing about the Revolutionary War commemorations happening across the Commonwealth, including the pivotal battles at...

Betsy McKee

Apr 192 min read

Rev. Samuel Wolcott's Civil War Letter

"I have just returned from the front line, having really no business there..." Early last fall, the Longmeadow Historical Society...

Bob Abel

Feb 95 min read

Dr. Hazel Richards: World War II Doctor

Dr. Hazel Richards Inspecting an X-Ray, Springfield Armory, NHS When you think of an Army medical doctor during World War II, you...

Lenny Shaker

Jan 162 min read

Letter from Call Field

Recently, a fellow researcher discovered and alerted me to a letter in our archives from Berkeley Taylor to his friend, James D. Booth of...

Beth Hoff

Sep 12, 20245 min read

Great Guns!

Fourth of July Fireworks in downtown Springfield are a treasured part of people’s holiday celebrations. But you may be surprised to learn...

Melissa M. Cybulski

Jul 19, 20243 min read

Gettysburg 1913: A 50th Anniversary Reunion

One hundred and sixty years ago, Union and Confederate armies fought The Battle of Gettysburg from July 1-3, 1863. The Union victory is...

Lenny Shaker

Jun 29, 20233 min read

April 1775: Longmeadow Reports

Battle of Lexington 1775 by Amos Doolittle This week Massachusetts celebrates Patriots’ Day, a holiday commemorating the Battles of...

Melissa M. Cybulski

Apr 20, 20233 min read

Emma's Essay: A Soldier Boy in the Army

In honor of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, we thought we would look at an item in our collection from the era of his presidency: a child’s...

Melissa M. Cybulski

Feb 9, 20233 min read

Berkeley Taylor and the Barn Fire

On June 9, 1933, brothers Joseph C. and Eugene L. Marcure of Springfield confessed to burning a 300-foot barn in the Longmeadow meadows...

Beth Hoff

Jan 12, 20235 min read

Cannon on the Green 1926-1942

Image from Annie Emerson Papers, Vol 2 In 1920 it was decided to construct a war memorial to honor the almost 340 Longmeadow veterans who...

Lenny Shaker

Dec 15, 20222 min read

Paying for the Great War

"Over the Top for You" by Sidney H. Riesenberg, 1918. How do you pay for a war? Waging war is expensive and when the United States...

Beth Hoff

Nov 22, 20223 min read

Kenneth B. Page's WWI Service Medals

Service Medals awarded to Pvt. Kenneth Page of Longmeadow during WWI Kenneth Bausman Page was born in Springfield, Massachusetts on June...

Lenny Shaker

Nov 21, 20223 min read

A Soldier's Letter Home: Thomas Francis Cordis, 1843-1915

Thomas (Tommy) Francis Cordis was born in Longmeadow in 1843 and enlisted in the 46th Mass. Volunteers in September of 1862, at the age...

Betsy McKee

Nov 21, 20221 min read

Longmeadow’s Medal of Honor Recipient: Cpl. Edward G. Wilkin

Col. Wilkin’s Medal of Honor Collection of the Longmeadow Historical Society As we close out a week that began for many with Memorial Day...

Lenny Shaker

Nov 20, 20223 min read

Memorial Day

This coming Monday, May 30th, is Memorial Day. Although the exact origin of the holiday is unclear, it was widely celebrated beginning...

Betsy McKee

Nov 19, 20222 min read

From eBay Back to Longmeadow: An Image of Elias Coomes

Elias Coomes, in Militia Coat Recently Acquired by Longmeadow Historical Society Every once in a while, we add a new item to our...

Al McKee/ Melissa M. Cybulski

Nov 19, 20224 min read

April 1775: Longmeadow Reports

Battle of Lexington 1775 by Amos Doolittle This week Massachusetts celebrates Patriots’ Day, a holiday commemorating the Battles of...

Melissa M. Cybulski

Nov 19, 20223 min read

Longmeadow's Irish

Today's History Note takes a look back at the history of the Irish in Longmeadow in honor of St. Patrick's Day. "Irish emigrants leaving...

Melissa M. Cybulski

Nov 18, 20224 min read

Sentenced to Death for Treason: Alpheus Colton of Longmeadow

Jonathan Hale Daybook: Jan 25, 1787 On January 25, 1787, a Longmeadow merchant, Jonathan Hale, recorded in his daybook a debit to Alpheus...

Melissa M. Cybulski

Nov 16, 20225 min read

John Akley and Sarah Forbus

Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze Who were John Akley and Sarah Forbus? They are pauper children from Boston whom Ensign...

Beth Hoff

Nov 13, 20227 min read

Longmeadow Historical Society

Want to have the latest History Notes delivered right to your inbox weekly? Head over to Sign Up for Our Newsletter to get History Notes sent to your email every Thursday morning!

Longmeadow Minute Men to Arms!

Rev. Samuel Wolcott's Civil War Letter

Dr. Hazel Richards: World War II Doctor

Letter from Call Field

Great Guns!

Gettysburg 1913: A 50th Anniversary Reunion

April 1775: Longmeadow Reports

Emma's Essay: A Soldier Boy in the Army

Berkeley Taylor and the Barn Fire

Cannon on the Green 1926-1942

Paying for the Great War

Kenneth B. Page's WWI Service Medals

A Soldier's Letter Home: Thomas Francis Cordis, 1843-1915

Longmeadow’s Medal of Honor Recipient: Cpl. Edward G. Wilkin

Memorial Day

From eBay Back to Longmeadow: An Image of Elias Coomes

April 1775: Longmeadow Reports

Longmeadow's Irish

Sentenced to Death for Treason: Alpheus Colton of Longmeadow

John Akley and Sarah Forbus

Address