Anniversary Thinking …

Settled in 1639, established as the town of Redding in 1644, re-established as the new town of South Reading in 1812, the town changed its name in 1868. All anniversaries, but which is most significant?

Good for what ailed you! Dr. Richardson’s Bitters

A philanthropist as well as a physician, Solon O. Richardson was also a savvy businessman, with a product that was much in demand. Read on to discover why!

Fascinating 1840 Broadside “South Reading”

Some things will have to speak for themselves. This broadside, printed in 1840, was found in the archives of the Library of Congress. Probably written by Lilley Eaton, no other information is presently known about this broadside. But we’re on the hunt… Its description of two churches and the pond that rivals Nahant in its…

Winter in South Reading, 1858-1859

by Nancy Bertrand A 19th Century Journal describes what may have been the town’s first Christmas tree. The custom of Christmas trees originated in Germany and was popularly introduced in England after Queen Victoria’s marriage to the German Prince Albert. In 1848, an image of the Royal Family with their Christmas Tree was presented to…

History of Wakefield’s Old Burying Ground

The truest testaments to the first European settlers in this area are the fascinating carved slate stones that offer a hint of their joys as well as their sorrows, their lives, as well as their deaths. Some of the best examples in the nation of Puritan gravestone art can be found here.