History of Middlesex County, Massachusetts - citizen hylbom blog

dauce of water-lilies, whose white blossoms cover
its surface in the summer season. It is said that
the swallow makes its earliest appearance on the
borders of this lake. An attempt was made in
1860 to change the name of Wedge Pond, and
after much deliberation it was christened Echo
Lake in September of that year, with appropriate
ceremonies. The new name was short-lived, as it
was not generally satisfactory. It is now known
by its original name, and is quite a noted place of
resort for boating and sailing during the summer
season, and for skating in the whiter. Several of
the prominent citizens have their residences on its
borders, among whom is Admiral Henry Knox
Thacher, a distinguished officer in the naval service,
now upon the retired list.
When the town was incorjwrated Alvin Taylor
was the postmaster for South Woburn, and he was
continued in the office under the new town. He
was followed by Horace Holt, Josiah Hovey,
J. A. Coolidge, and the present incumbent, George
P. Brown. The business of the office has greatly
increased, having nearly doubled within the last
six years, so that the number of mails now sent
and received daily is thirteen.
Lyceum Building was erected soon after the in-
corporation of the town, by private enterprise, and
the large hall has been used for religious services,
lectures, concerts, and entertaiiunents of all kinds,
it being the only large hall suitable for such pur-
poses. The lower part of the building is occupied
by stores ; the upper stories are used for various
purposes.
Masonic Hall is in the upper story of Brown
and Stanton's building, on the corner of Main
and Pleasant streets, and is very handsomely fur-
nished.
Livingstone Hall, opposite Lyceum Building,
was formerly called Union Hall, and is now oc-
cupied by the Grand Army Post and the Eeform
Club as their regular place of meeting.
The Knights of Honor Hall is in the upper
story of Richardson and Tyler's building on Main
Street, and is appropriately fitted up for their
uses.
At the opening of the Boston and Lowell Rail-
road, in 1835, a depot was established opposite
Lyceum Building (then iu South Woburn). The
depot remained in that location until 1872, when
the present one was erected some distance further
south. The location of the station in this place
WINCHESTER. 515
in town-meetings and otherwise. It is neat in
design and finish, and an ornament to the town.
Convenient station-houses on the line of the rail-
road are established in the southerly and northerly
sections of the town, — the former being named
Mystic, and the latter the Highlands.
The railroad facilities have kept pace with the
jjrogress of the town, and now some thirty-six pas-
senger trains stop daily at the centre station, and
a less number at the branch stations. There are
two hundred and thirty-eight season-ticket passen-
gers to and from the several depots.
A branch railroad, to connect with the Boston
and Maine Railroad at Medford and run through
this town to Stoneham, was laid out several years
ago, but after being partially built was abandoned,
and the land given by the owners for this purpose
was taken back by them. It made an ugly scar
upon the land, without accomplishing any good
results. Since then a branch has been built which
extends to Stoneham, and connects with tlie Bos-
ton and Lowell Railroad at the Highlands.
The Mystic Valley Railroad is partially con-
structed, and passes through the westerly section
of the town. It will give additional facihties for
transportation of freight and passengers, and bring
within easy reach of the city quite an area of de-
sirable land for dwellings and farms.
In May, 1855, the town received five hundred
dollars in an anonymous letter, to purchase a town
clock to be placed on the Congregational Church
edifice, and to be the property of the town. It has
recently transpired that the gift was from Ebenezer
Smith, then a resident of the town, but since de-
ceased.
In March, 1860, ground was broken for the
laying of pipes by the West Cambridge (now Ar-
lington) Gaslight Company, and the principal
streets were piped, and gas introduced about Sep-
tember of that year.
A savings-bank was opened August 28, 1871,
and has continued in successful operation to the
present time. It has about five hundred and fifty
depositors, and is carefully and prudently managed.
At a town-meeting, April 7, 1851, a committee
of ten was appointed to purchase a lot of land for
a cemetery, not exceeding ten acres, to make out
a plan of the same, with the estimated cost, and
report to the town. At a town-meeting, Septem-
ber 15, 1851, the committee reported that they
had purchased a lot of land containing about ten
gave rise to long and earnest discussions, protests acres, situated west of the canal, and over against