By Joel Emrick
A little known chapter in the history of Leeds was when the MA. State Police Barracks (Troop B) was stationed in the Shepard House which lies between the Grove Hill mansion and the Grammar School. In the early 1920s the State Police were based in the Armory on King Street but were forced to relocate due to the expansion of the National Guard which needed more of the Armory building. The decision to move the barracks in May of 1923 to the Shepard House was partly made due to the existence of a big barn behind the house where the troopers could keep their horses and motorcycles.
On March 28th, 1931 a fire started in the barn. Due to the low water pressure on the hill and the nature of the old wooden structure, the barn didn’t stand a chance. Even though fire trucks from Leeds and Florence arrived promptly their efforts were limited by this lack of pressure. By the time the “Seagrave”, the only good fire truck in the city, showed up from Northampton the barn was a complete loss. My father was seventeen at that time and told of running to the barn with others and dragging some of the motorcycles out of the barn. Unfortunately, the four horses were stabled in the back of the barn where the fire started and they all perished. Two patrolmen, Sergeant John Barnacle and State Trooper Edward McColgan, received bad burns trying to get to the animals. The barracks (the Shepard house) was spared only because they had just cut the tall grass that was between the barn and the house. Some believe that if it hadn’t been cut recently the house might also have been lost. In the summer of 1931, Troop B moved to their present location near Laurel Park in Northampton, but for 8 years we had the State police in Leeds.
Pumpkin Contest Planning Open to All
Come and share your ideas! September 11 at 7:30 pm in the teacher’s lounge at Leeds School.
The fun event will continue, but at a new location. The previous 18 years were hosted by Robin Forsyth and Jim Mias and held at the end of Grove Avenue. Many neighbors offered helping hands with set up, clean up, snacks and baked goods. The pre-Halloween event has been so popular that some years close to 100 carved pumpkins were entered. A big thank you to
Jim and Robin for beginning this incredibly fun Halloween tradition. Stay tuned for upcoming details about the 2012 Pumpkin Carving Contest. Posters will be tacked up and details will be posted on the LCA website, www.LeedsCivic.org. We look forward to seeing this year’s frightful, hilarious, and clever pumpkin entries glowing in the late October darkness. What will you carve?
September 11 at 7:30 pm in the teacher’s lounge at Leeds School.
Leeds Photo of Month- August 2012
A group of Leeds residents at the Ice Cream Social – August 7, 2012. Do you have a great photo that was taken in Leeds? Read more
Neighborhood Traffic Calming Update
This fall, Leonard and Front streets will be getting new signage and pavement markings as part of the DPW’s traffic calming efforts. These improvements are in response to safety concerns expressed by neighborhood residents and will be paid for out of the $50,000 for traffic mitigation paid to the city by the developers of the Beaver Brook project. The signs will mark curves and indicate recommended speeds, while the double yellow center line and white shoulder lines will serve to visually narrow these streets. According to Laura Hanson, the DPW engineer who met with Leeds residents at a traffic-calming forum held at the Leeds School in February, visually narrowing a roadway has been shown to be effective in slowing down traffic. Additional traffic calming efforts in the Yankee Hill neighborhood will occur as determined after further discussions between neighbors and the DPW.
View map here.
Movie Update
We’re looking forward to watching a special holiday film during early October!!! Keep your eye out around the ‘hood for the specific advertisements.
Leeds Photo of the Month – August 2012
A neighborhood deer family on Leonard Street. Photo by Brenda Ryan. Do you have a great Leeds photo? Read more
Backyard Deer Photos
Photos taken by Brenda Ryan
Click on thumbnail to enlarge.
See you at the Leeds Block Party
Invite your Leeds neighbors and friends and join us on the Village Green for a fun filled late afternoon barbeque. There will be free burgers and hotdogs, music an
d games! If you can, bring a side dish or dessert to share, and a chair for relaxing. Soak up the neighborhood vibe while eating, gossiping, limboing, and laughing.
State Police Barracks in Leeds
By Joel Emrick
A little known chapter in the history of Leeds was when the MA. State Police Barracks (Troop B) was stationed in the Shepard House which lies between the Grove Hill mansion and the Grammar School. In the early 1920s the State Police were based in the Armory on King Street but were forced to relocate due to the expansion of the National Guard which needed more of the Armory building. The decision to move the barracks in May of 1923 to the Shepard House was partly made due to the existence of a big barn behind the house where the troopers could keep their horses and motorcycles.
On March 28th, 1931 a fire started in the barn. Due to the low water pressure on the hill and the nature of the old wooden structure, the barn didn’t stand a chance. Even though fire trucks from Leeds and Florence arrived promptly their efforts were limited by this lack of pressure. By the time the “Seagrave”, the only good fire truck in the city, showed up from Northampton the barn was a complete loss. My father was seventeen at that time and told of running to the barn with others and dragging some of the motorcycles out of the barn. Unfortunately, the four horses were stabled in the back of the barn where the fire started and they all perished. Two patrolmen, Sergeant John Barnacle and State Trooper Edward McColgan, received bad burns trying to get to the animals. The barracks (the Shepard house) was spared only because they had just cut the tall grass that was between the barn and the house. Some believe that if it hadn’t been cut recently the house might also have been lost. In the summer of 1931, Troop B moved to their present location near Laurel Park in Northampton, but for 8 years we had the State police in Leeds.
Emmy Award for Leeds Neighbor
Congratulations Julie and thanks for bringing a little piece of Hollywood to Leeds!
Bradford Scholarship Winners Announced
Three senior students from Northampton H.S, Torsten Johnson, Abby Lieberman and Deanna Peterson, were awarded scholarships to continue their education by the Bradford Memorial Trust. The Trust also provided smaller $100 awards to JFK and the Leeds Grammar School for their general fund. The Bradford Memorial Fund was established in 1993 to acknowledge the civic efforts of Leeds residents Mark and Patricia Bradford who died suddenly in Mexico while on vacation. The Trust has provided approximately $20,000 in educational scholarships and donations and will be celebrating its 20th anniversary this January. For more information on this unique Leeds charity, a component of the Leeds Civic Association, contact Richard Greene at 585-5525.