Seven Bridge Road, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This road, which actually has seven bridges, was built sometime after 1800 as a toll road or turnpike. It was not accepted as a town road until years later. The view of what is present day Route 117 shows some ... More
The old Phelps house, Lancaster, Massachusetts
The old Phelps House was built c.1720 on Harvard Road. Originally, the exterior was plastered in imitation of granite. With exposure to the elements, it developed a discolored and weather-beaten look, making it... More
The Rand-Huntington-Dorr house, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Located on Main Street in Lancaster Center, the Rand-Huntington-Dorr House, c. 1810, was occupied by Nathaniel Rand. In 1832, Rand sold it to Joseph Huntington. His daughter Julia married Mr. Dorr; their son, p... More
The General John Whiting house, Lancaster, Massachusetts
The General John Whiting House, c. 1775, is on North Main Street across from Creamery Road. Whiting, who died in 1810, served through the Revolutionary War. He was lieutenant colonel of the 4th U.S. Infantry an... More
The early meetinghouses, Lancaster, Massachusetts
None of Lancaster's early meetinghouses remain. The first two built c. 1654 and 1684, were located near the Old Settler's Burial Field and were burned by the Native Americans. The third meetinghouse, located on... More
Jared Sparks, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Jared Sparks (1789-1866) was a master of the Lancaster Academy for one term, starting in the autumn of 1818. He later became president of Harvard University, serving in that capacity from 1849 to 1853. Earlier ... More
Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Thayer, Lancaster, Massachusetts
A lineal descendant of John Cotton, Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Thayer, was the sixth pastor of the First Church of Christ on the Lancaster Town Green. Renowned for his eloquence in the pulpit, Thayer was influential in... More
The Hosmer family home, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This home (no longer standing) was situated on the site of Atlantic Union College's Preston Hall on Main Street in South Lancaster. The house was occupied by members of the Hosmer family. Henry F. Hosmer, great... More
The Turner family homestead, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Posing in front of their house are members of the Turner family. The house (no longer standing) was located on the south corner of Sterling Road and Sawyer Street. From left to right are the following: an unide... More
Capt. Anthony Lane house, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This house, located on the northeast corner of Harvard and Seven Bridge Roads, was built by gentleman farmer Anthony Lane in 1809. He also built a cabinet factory on the northwest corner about 1832 and was know... More
The Elias Danforth house, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Originally the Elias Danforth House (built in 1833), the dwelling at 634 Main Street is very close to the site of the town's fourth meetinghouse, which was constructed c. 1743. Later, it was the home of Mrs. Ed... More
A title page, Lancaster, Massachusetts
The Lancaster firm of Carter and Andrews dealt in such things as book publishing, map printing and coloring, wood engraving, and lithography. At the height of the company's success, from 1827 to 1834, they prod... More
Miller Chapel, Lancaster, Massachusetts
In honor of early Advent pioneer William E. Miller, the chapel on the second floor of Founder's Hall was remodeled in the mid-1970s. The chapel was redone in the Federal style because of its use during Miller's... More
Rev. Edmund Hamilton, Lancaster, Massachusetts
The Rev. Edmund Hamilton Sears was the seventh minister of the First Church of Christ, serving the congregation from 1840 to 1847. Also a poet, he is perhaps best known for having written the well-known Christm... More
Julia Fletcher Carney, Lancaster, Massachusetts
A Universalist, early feminist, teacher, and writer for children, Julia Fletcher Carney (1823-1908) composed a poem in 1845 entitled "Little Things," which was once well known and widely memorized by American s... More
The Burbank homestead, Lancaster, Massachusetts
The Burbank Homestead was built c. 1800 by Simon Willard. "Plant wizard" Luther Burbank, born in 1849, lived here until he was about 21. In the 1930s, Henry Ford came to Lancaster and negotiated with the Dexter... More
Goodrest, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Built in 1800, this stately home on Old Common Road was the dwelling of Thomas Safford, who was a baker. Beginning in 1890, and for many years afterward, the philanthropic Pauline Revere Thayer maintained the p... More
A. F. Goodhue residence, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This large stone dwelling was once the summer home of Mr. and Mrs. F. Abbot Goodhue. Mrs. Goodhue was the former Nora Thayer, daughter of Col. John E. Thayer. The picturesque setting included a front entrance d... More
Jane Richardson house, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This dwelling, located near the entrance to Ponakin Road, was built about 1840 in the Classic Revival style by George K. Richards, In more recent times, the property belonged to Jane Richardson. A registered nu... More
Rev. Benjamin Whittemore house, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This home was built about 1840 near the top of Ponakin Hill, also called Whittemore Hill. Reverend Whittemore had returned to his native town in 1843 to preach at the First Universalist Church. The church stood... More
Little red house, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Dating from c. 1730, this home, located near Harvard Road, was restored to excellent condition by F. Abbot and Nora Goodhue before the surrounding land was taken by the government. The building was then dismant... More
The great elm, Lancaster, Massachusetts
During the 18th and 19th centuries, Lancaster was famous for its huge elm trees. Considered the largest in New England, the Great Elm, in 1888, had a circumference of 23 feet at 5 feet above the ground. The hei... More
The Sears home, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This was the home of Rev. Edmund Hamilton Sears, D.D., who wrote the well-known Christmas carol "It Came upon a Midnight Clear." Sears was the seventh pastor of the First Church on the Lancaster Town Green, ser... More
The Ward Park School, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Located near the South Lancaster Fire Station and the intersection of Main Street and Bolton Road is the Ward Park School (no longer standing). It was used for public elementary education in the late 19th centu... More
A street scene in Lancaster Center, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Children are pictured face to face with two vendors and a cart outside the A.L. Safford Store and Post Office, located on Main Street. Note the cobblestone street and trolley tracks in the foreground. The elega... More
The Fred A. Hanaford store and post office, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Pictured is the Fred A. Hanaford Store and Post Office, which was located near Prescott and Main Streets in South Lancaster. In earlier times, the establishment had been run by Henry F. Hosmer. When Atlantic Un... More
Ancient home, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This wood-frame home is typical of those located on property taken over by Fort Devens in the late 1930s and 1940s. More than 200 properties were purchased, forcing residents to move. Courtesy of Lancaster Hist... More
The Lancaster Hotel (rear view) and gymnasium, Lancaster, Massachusett...
This is an east, or rear, view of the Lancaster Hotel from the Harvard Road side. On the left is the stable, which was later converted into a gymnasium by the Thayer family for use by the townspeople. Courtesy ... More
The Lancaster Hotel, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Built in 1786, the Lancaster House (also known as Lancaster Hotel or Lancaster Inn) was located on the east side of Main Street just north of the First Church. The handsome building was four stories high, surmo... More
Deershorn name, Lancaster, Massachusetts
The name "Deershorn" (pronounced deers horn) came into use after a large horned animal was shot by 16-year-old settler Jonas Fairbanks around 1800. The horns were posted at a place called Sly's Corner, where th... More
Turner's blacksmith shop, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This is the blacksmith shop of S.H. Turner & Son, which was on a triangle of land between Mill Street and Sterling Road. After this building burned in 1909, a new shop (no longer standing) was built very near t... More
The main parlor, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Numerous rocking chairs furnish the spacious main parlor of the Lancaster Hotel on Main Street. An abundance of natural light floods through many floor-to-ceiling windows. Courtesy of Lancaster Historical Society
The Captain Samuel Ward house, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This house (no longer standing) was already an old place when acquired by Capt. Samuel Ward of Worcester in 1768. In Lancaster, he ran a large mercantile establishment and was a prominent citizen of the town fo... More
James MacDonald, Lancaster, Massachusetts
James MacDonald moved to Lancaster 1900 and worked at the Center Railroad Depot as the Lancaster freight agent. From 1900 to 1938, he also took pictures of the town by carrying with him his camera, tripod, and ... More
The Red House, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This is the only known photograph of the Red House, located on the site of the present Atlantic Union Conference Building in South Lancaster. The house, situated on an elevation, was built for Nathaniel Thayer ... More
The old town hall, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Standing on the center of the present Lancaster Town Green is the old Lancaster Town Hall. It was built in 1848 and, in 1852, a second story was added and used for schoolrooms. The building was demolished c. 19... More
The Deershorn School, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This is the former Deershorn School, built in 1852. Located near the Four Ponds area, it was the last one-room schoolhouse in town and was used as such until the 1920s. It was then adapted for use as a private ... More
The Rowlandson Pine, Lancaster, Massachusetts
When Lancaster was resettled after the attack that destroyed the Rowlandson garrison during King Philip's War in 1675-1676, resident Philip Goss built a house on the same site. It was burned by the French and N... More
The Lancaster Industrial School for Girls, Lancaster, Massachusetts
The Elm Cottage was one of many at the Lancaster Industrial School for Girls, located on Old Common Road. Established in 1854, the school was very progressive for the times and the first correctional institutio... More
Rev. Charles Packard, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This is Rev. Charles Packard, who was the first minister of the Evangelical Congregational Church in Lancaster Center. Also trained as a lawyer, he served the congregation from 1840 to 1854. Considerations rega... More
An early common view, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Shown here is the Lancaster Town Green as it was represented in Ballou's Pictorial Drawing-Room Companion in 1856. Shown from left to right are the First Church, the Lancaster Town House, and the Lancaster Acad... More
The Victorian villa, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This is an early view of the Victorian villa that Nathaniel Thayer II (the banker) built on the site of his father's parsonage, probably very shortly after his mother's death in 1857. Sentimentally called the H... More
The First Universalist Society, Lancaster, Massachusetts
In 1838, a First Universalist Society organized in New Boston (as South Lancaster was known) and a brick church was built near Bennett Lane across from the junction of Sterling Road and Main Street. After Clint... More
The five corners, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Shown here without a buggy in sight is a late-19th-century view of well-traveled Five Corners intersection in the Old Common area of town. Courtesy of Lancaster Historical Society
The Peter Thurston house, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Located on the south side of Mill Street near the Main Street intersection in South Lancaster is the Peter Thurston House, built in 1784. Thurston, who was a hatter, bought a portion of farmland from his father... More
The Hawkins hen yards, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This brochure shows the former Hawkins Hen Yards, located on the Neck Road, as they looked in the late 19th century. In 1895, the Riverview Poultry Yards, run by Arthur C. Hawkins, was described as "the largest... More
Rowlandson locker, Lancaster, Massachusetts
When the Rowlandson locker was purchased by the Lancaster Town Library in 1876 with money bequeathed by native Mary Whitney, it no doubt awakened an interest in the early history and daily lives of settlers. An... More
Chant Hall, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This showy Victorian house was built about 1860 by Daniel Goss and was later occupied by Mrs. Charles R. Chant. It was originally located on Main Street in South Lancaster. To make way for Preston Hall in the 1... More
A lawn party, Lancaster, Massachusetts
A turn-of-the-century afternoon party is in full swing on the back lawn of the Nathaniel Thayer estate, the Homestead, in South Lancaster. Courtesy of Lancaster Historical Society
Main Street and Bolton Road, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This late-19th-century view shows the unpaved intersection of Main Street and Bolton Road, with the South Lancaster Hose House and the Ward Park School in the center. Courtesy of Lancaster Historical Society
The North Village Tavern, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Built by Maj. Jacob Fisher c. 1800, this establishment on the south corner of North Main Street and Lunenburg Road was later known as Fairbank's Inn and as Dwyer's Tavern. In the 1930s, it was a single-family d... More
Dr. J. L. S. Thompson house, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Located at the corner of Neck Road and Main Street, this home was long ago occupied by Dr. Thompson, who had moved from Bolton to Lancaster in 1846. Thompson, serving as the town clerk in 1860, was active in to... More
An early view of the green, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This is the Lancaster Town Green as it looked in the latter half of the 19th century. Note the drab trims on the First Church and Memorial Hall as it looked before any additions were made. The extra horsesheds ... More
The Reverend Amos Lawrence residence, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This residence, on Main Street in Lancaster Center, was built in 1861 for Rev. Amos E. Lawrence, who was the pastor of the Evangelical Congregational Church. It later became the home of Rev. George M. Bartol, D... More
The Capt. Samuel Willard home, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This dwelling is on Neck Road near the railroad tracks and Current Topics Club in Lancaster Center. It was built in 1727 by Capt. Samuel Willard. During the Revolutionary War, a descendant, Col. Abijah Willard,... More
Civil War veterans on Memorial Day, Lancaster, Massachusetts
A dignified group of veterans poses on the steps of Memorial Hall. They are, from left to right, as follows: (front row) Linenkemper, Sargent, Farnsworth, Nash, McNamara, Lyman, Brockelman, Bliss, Blood, and Pr... More
Luther Burbank at age 19, Lancaster, Massachusetts
One of Lancaster's most famous sons, Luther Burbank was born on his family's homestead in 1849. As a young man of 21, he purchased a farm in in Lunenburg. After developing the famous Burbank potato, he moved to... More
Abbey Carter Lane house, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Perhaps the noise of the trains and dust from the old toll road were too much for Mrs. Anthony Lane, for right after the death of her husband in 1869, the widow built herself a lovely new home on Main Street in... More
The Stephen Haskell house, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This house (no longer standing), built in the 1850s, stands on the north corner of Main Street and Narrow Lane. It was one of the homes lived in by Adventist pioneer Stephen Haskell in the 1870s. At one time, H... More
Joseph Breck, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Originally from Pepperell, Joseph Breck (1794-1873) came to Lancaster and became the superintendent of the Lancaster Horticultural Gardens, serving from 1833 to 1836. Breck was also a member of the state legisl... More
Ponakin Bridge, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Built in 1871, the Ponakin Bridge appears here with an ice-clogged North Branch of the Nashua River in the foreground. The bridge still stands but is no longer in use. The Native American word "Quasaponikin" is... More
The Immaculate Conception Church, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Shown here is an early view of the Catholic church in Lancaster Center. Built and consecrated in 1873, it was first associated as a mission of St. John's in Clinton. In 1915, it became the Immaculate Conception... More
Elder Stephen Haskell, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Born in Oakham, Massachusetts, in 1833, Stephen Haskell, who moved to South Lancaster in 1864, was an ambitious minister, missionary, and organizer within the early Seventh-Day Adventist Church. He is credited ... More
Rev. Dr. George Murillo Bartol, Lancaster, Massachusetts
During a pastorate that lasted an extraordinary 60 years, Rev. Dr. George Murillo Bartol served the congregation of the First Church from 1847 to 1906, through the reign of Queen Victoria to the beginning of th... More
The pocketbook making shop, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This shop was founded by B.M. Cobb c.1835 and was located on Main Street in Lancaster Center, opposite Carleton Place. In 1852, G.A. Johnson entered the business and became the sole proprietor from 1866 to 1875... More
The Colonel Francis B. Fay house, Lancaster, Massachusetts
The home of prominent Lancaster citizen Col. Francis B. Fay (1793-1876) was once located in an Elm Grove near the corner of Main Street and East George Hill Road in South Lancaster. After his death, the propert... More
The Rowlandson locker, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This locker was never part of the Rowlandson family's Lancaster furnishings. According to one tradition, it was brought from England by Mary's parents and came into her possession after she left Lancaster. Othe... More
The South Lancaster Village Church, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Although Advent believers had been meeting in homes and various other locations in South Lancaster as early as 1856, it was several years before they had a designated meetinghouse. To accommodate their growing ... More
A musical burlesque, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Shown here is the cast of The Sack of Lancaster, a musical burlesque presented by the Theatre Lancaster Social Union on Friday evening, May 16, 1879 at the Lancaster Town Hall. These live burlesques, in which t... More
Elm Grove, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This view shows the corner of Main Street and George Hill Road as it looked around 1879. About that time, the Thayer family acquired the property, building Fairlawn on the site shortly thereafter. The Fay resid... More
Ogden Codman Jr. (1863-1951), Lancaster, Massachusetts
Boston-born Ogden Codman Jr. acquired quite a reputation among the cultured and social circles of Boston, Newport, and New York as a top-notch interior designer and architect. He was known for his elegant and r... More
The Cunningham family home, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This home, built c. 1800 and located near the intersection of Back (Langen Road and Route 117 in North Lancaster, was occupied by the Cunningham family in the late 19th century. Pictured from left to right are ... More
Fairlawn, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Fairlawn, the heavily gabled and brown-shingled estate of Eugene V.R. Thayer, was built c. 1880 on South Main Street. The architect was most likely John Hubbard Sturgis, who was often commissioned by the family... More
The H.F. Hosmer store and post office, Lancaster, Massachusetts
The H. F. Hosmer Store and Post Office was located n the Main Street in South Lancaster. Hosmer opened his store in 1879 and was appointed as South Lancaster postmaster in 1881. Courtesy of Lancaster Historical Society
Miller portraits, Lancaster, Massachusetts. Portrait painting.
The chapel's full-length, larger-than-life portraits of William Miller (1782-1849) and his wife, Lucy Paulina Miller, were painted by American primitive artist Horace Bundy. Miller had predicted that the second... More
Nathaniel Thayer II, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Nathaniel Thayer II (1808-1883) received his early education at the Lancaster Academy but then opted for a business career rather than attending Harvard. According to family legend, he and his elder brother Joh... More
The old Lancaster Bank, Lancaster, Massachusetts
The Lancaster Bank was established in 1836 and, in 1864, became the Lancaster National Bank. In 1882, it was moved to Clinton. From 1883 to 1967, the building was used as the Lancaster Fire Station. Most recent... More
"That New England school", Lancaster, Massachusetts
Originally a carriage house, this was the first building designated a school by Seventh-Day Adventists in South Lancaster. The first term opened on April 19, 1882. At first, it was referred to simply as "that N... More
Out with Daddy, Lancaster, Massachusetts
A. E. Harriman and his young son C. H. appear in front of the Lancaster Drug Store around 1884. The building was located on the west side of Main Street in Lancaster Center. It is no longer standing. Courtesy o... More
A town farm, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Lancaster's first almshouse, established in the early 19th century, was located in a remote section of town near the Old Slate Quarry. Later, it was moved to the Ballard Hill area. This card shows the last "poo... More
She Stoops to Conquer, Lancaster, Massachusetts
The Theatre Lancaster Social Union presented a revival of the English drama She Stoops to Conquer on May 6, 1885. Members of the cast are, from left to right, as follows: (front row) Charles Vickery, Mary Dix, ... More
Mary B. S. Bailey, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Mary Belle Sophronia Bailey (1871-1957), a native Lancastrian, was born in the Ponakin area of town. Before her 1938 retirement, she devoted 35 years of her life to the teaching profession, serving as a music t... More
Lancaster High School, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Students in attendance during 1886 pose on the steps of the Lancaster Town House on the green. Courtesy of Lancaster Historical Society
B.K. Gallup and his calico horse, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Ready to go out on the road are B.K. Gallup (in wagon) and his horse. They are seen here in Lancaster Center, just off Main Street and near the general store. This photograph was taken c. 1886. Courtesy of Lanc... More
Former North Village hose house, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Constructed in 1888, this hose house was first called C. F. Tufts Fire Company. With the beginning of the cold war in the late 1940s, a Lancaster branch of the Ground Observer Corps of the U.S. Air Force was or... More
James Carter house, Lancaster, Massachusetts
A house built by James Carter saw several owners before Anna Whitney, a teacher who had retired from Lancaster High School in 1889, bought the property and did extensive work, giving the house in this image its... More
The Sanborn Blacksmith Shop, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Pictured here in the 1890s is a group of men at the Lyman B. Sanborn Blacksmith Shop, which was located on the southwest corner of Packard Street and Harvard Road in Lancaster Center. Courtesy of Lancaster Hist... More
Early Department of Public Works, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Sanford B. Wilder is pictured here with the "Town Team," which was used jointly by the road and fire departments. This photograph was taken near the entrance of the North Village Cemetery about 1890. Courtesy o... More
The George Parker estate, Lancaster, Massachusetts
An 1890s photograph shows the George A. Parker (1822-1887) residence, which is no longer standing. It was located on Sterling Road near the Deershorn Road intersection. The well-respected Parker was an accompli... More
Memorial Hall, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Built at a cost of $30,000 (most of which was a gift from Nathaniel Thayer II), Memorial Hall, on the Lancaster Town Green, was dedicated in 1868 to the 39 Townsmen lost in the Civil War. In 1929, a north child... More
Churches in Lancaster Center, Lancaster, Massachusetts
This early view down Main Street shows the Immaculate Conception Church (left) and the Evangelical Congregational Church (center) as they appeared in the 1890s. Both buildings were subsequently destroyed by fir... More
Uncle Sam and Lady Liberty, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Sanford B. Wilder and his granddaughter Marion Burrage, dressed as Uncle Sam and Lady Liberty, are ready for a Fourth of July festivity as they head out on the vehicle Wilder used on his rounds as lamplighter o... More
Bennett Bridge, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Looking toward Lancaster from the Back (Langen) Road, this view of the Bennett Bridge span was taken in 1890 by Alice Greene Chandler. Courtesy of Lancaster Historical Society
The Carter-Washburn house, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Near the intersection of Route 117 and North Main Street, the gracious, Federal-style Carter-Washburn House was built in 1812 by Dr. Calvin Carter. It was later occupied by retired Boston businessman John M. Wa... More
The Rice-Pickman mansion, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Located on the east side of Main Street just north of the Immaculate Conception Church, this dwelling was built in 1794 by Maj. Merrick Rice, who was a lawyer. Having built the place for a woman he hoped would ... More
Pauline Revere Thayer, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Pauline Revere Thayer (1862-1934) great-granddaughter of Paul Revere and second wife of Nathaniel Thayer III, lived in the Homestead for many years after her husband inherited it. Known for her many philanthrop... More
Kilbourn family portrait, Lancaster, Massachusetts
The Kilbourn family poses for a portrait on July 23, 1892. From left to right are the following: (first row) Arthur (16 years) and dog Oscar Wilde (11 years); second) Martha (20 years), Alice (10 years), Walton... More
The train wreck of 1893, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Two Worcester & Nashua freight trains collided head-on about 3:35 a.m. on September 21, 1893. The crash, which occurred in back of the Middle Cemetery, killed a fireman, injured an engineer, wrecked the engines... More
The Deacon Jonas Lane house, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Between Harvard Road and the railroad tracks near the Route 117 intersection was the Deacon Jonas Lane House, which was built in 1786. Deacon Lane (1761-1848) was said to have been a "man of influence" in town ... More
The train wreck of 1893, Lancaster, Massachusetts
Two Worcester & Nashua freight trains collided head-on about 3:35 a.m. on September 21, 1893. The crash, which occurred in back of the Middle Cemetery, killed a fireman, injured an engineer, wrecked the engines... More