Dr. Robert Brown will present a lecture titled “A History of Downtown Westfield” on Nov. 18 at the First United Methodist Church. He is seen here showing the Professional Building on Elm Street in the early 1950s and when it was destroyed by fire in 1952. (Photo by Lori Szepelak)
WESTFIELD – David Mosher, now in his 80s in a local nursing home, donated a treasure trove of photos spanning more than 60 years that is considered invaluable, according to Dr. Robert Brown.
Brown, a local historian and retired professor of history at Westfield State University, has spent a year cataloguing the hundreds of slides and black and white and color photos that were taken by Mosher and donated to the Westfield Athenaeum for its archives.
“This is the first significant collection of late 20th century photos of the city to be donated to the Athenaeum,” said Brown. “At first glance it is a record of the last 60 years which includes factories, building fires, trolley barns, churches and schools.”
Brown will select 75 photos from the collection that will bring back memories for those who lived in the city in the 1950s and present a lecture titled “A History of Downtown Westfield” on Nov. 18.
The 45-minute lecture begins at 6:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 16 Court St. Registration is required due to limited seating and reservations can be made starting today by calling Joyce Peregrin, (413) 568-7833, x. 111, at the Athenaeum. People attending are asked to start arriving after 6 since the program will start promptly at 6:30.
Brown explained that Mosher lived on Birge Avenue over the years, as well as on Chapel Street. Mosher attended Westfield Vocational High School and was employed by Columbia Bicycle for many years.
“As a child Mosher was given a camera by his parents,” said Brown. “He was always wandering the streets with his camera and when something caught his eye, he took a photo.”
Brown said the lecture will showcase the factories, businesses and schools that were part of the vibrant downtown of the 1950s.
“I’ll show the realities of the downtown in the 1950s and why it’s not coming back,” he said.
Brown came to the city in 1966 and remembers the physicians and lawyers in particular who had upstairs offices on Elm Street.
“The Coffee Den was particularly popular with those working downtown,” he said. “The diner was an important establishment with many starting their day having breakfast.”
Brown said his lecture will explain how zoning and tax changes over the years changed the downtown landscape.
“I’ll show how we went from factories to parking lots through pictures,” he said. “We’ve wiped out downtown by policy changes.”
For those who remember the days of Landau’s, Kittredge Jewelers, The Coffee Den, Kellogg Brush and many other businesses, the lecture will invoke memories of a bygone era.
“Mosher’s collection of photos is a reminder of a time when there were hundreds of people working on Elm Street,” said Brown. “This collection will be increasing important to the next generation.”
