Local historians Robert Madison and Cynthia Gaylord, who is holding a mockup of the larger signs donated by Madison to the Westfield Historical Commission, marking two locations of the Westfield Canal. Madison is also holding a painting he did of the Canal. (Photo by Amy Porter)
WESTFIELD – A motion was made to suspend the rules at the City Council meeting Thursday and introduce Robert Madison of Feeding Hills and Cynthia Gaylord of the Westfield Historical Commission. The Council was being asked to accept a gift donation for two street plaques from Robert Madison to the Westfield Historical Commission on behalf of the Southwick Historical Society.
Madison, who described himself as a Westfield High School graduate, Class of ’61, said the plaques will mark the locations on the corner of Cardinal Lane and Shaker Road, and on Arch Road at Armbrook, through which the Westfield Canal passed.
Madison said the plaques are double-sided aluminum, and based on the street sign design of School St. and Church St. in the Gas light district. They cost $320 each, and the money was raised from the sale of a book written by Madison about the bicycle trail from New Haven to Westfield. Previously, Madison also wrote a book about the Westfield Canal.
“We’re particularly excited about this, because in another week and a half we will be celebrating Westfield’s 350th anniversary,” Gaylord said. She said Madison will also be giving a talk about the history of the Westfield Canal on Jan. 16 at the Westfield Athenaeum as a part of the 350th anniversary lecture series
The City Council unanimously voted to accept and thank Madison for the gift.
