I am the youngest of 4 chilren I have 6 children 2 boys 4 girls one grandson I grew up in a small village called "Griswoldville" in one of the hill towns in Western Massachusetts. The village of griswoldville is a part of a small town called Coleraine named after Coleraine Ireland. Later the town was renamed Colrain The town was broken into villages east and west Colrain Colrain Center. Lyonsville, Adamsville, Shatucksville,Foundry Village,Stewardsville,Wilson Hill, Catamount Hill and Lastly Christian Hill. There was 100 miles of roads and perhaps 50 miles of abandon roads.My village Griswoldville was a factory Village.Everyone in the village worked at the factory.There were about 30 houses.Each house had from 2-4 kids. This is truely a place where it could be said that it Takes a whole Village to raise a child.I am greatful to say I am one of many children raised there.
My parents of course were factory workers along with the rest of the population.I don't think the money was great as we were growing up. however no one in the village was richer than the other .I recall counting out 39.66 cents every month to pay the mortgage which was always paid and never late. Before all else the bank was paid.Mother would say that way we would always have a roof over our heads.We bought part of the Griswold Mansion.The mansion was tore town but the huge barns and carriage Sheds remained.Dad made one of the buildings into our home.The factory was Griswolds mill sold to Kendall Mills.It was Kendall as I was growing up.The factory became part of Coligate but was still called Kendall after the sale.It was then the houses the factory owned were sold off Tenant blocks were torn down and the factory was expanded . Mother and Father bought what was left of the Griswold Mansion property.He bought two lots of the old Griwold Place.The huge barn was made into a house. The carriage shed barn was left in tact as it was built in the early 1900's
The factory Had the post office on the end and General store.We had a gas station and a church.The village was into parts Main st and High street. upper and lower Grisavillions!
As a kid growing up you were given free soda and ice cream from the factory from the canteen area.This was available 24/7 365 as they say .
Also the factory owned about 2000 Acres of wooded area . This was to be used as your own.All the kids from the village had at least one fort.The factory suppiled the kids with hammer nails and boards to make our version of a little place of our own. You had to go to the tool crib with your request for boards hammer and nails that had to be taken to the plant manager and approved . Once approved then you could load up your goodies and carry them off. Life was very good.
They also if you were a tinker head and you made your own go carts and coasters Jack jumps or what ever comtramption. The Machine shop would help you from begining to end with a project. They were called Goverment Jobs .Later when I grew up and went to work in the plant I found myself doing Goeverment Jobs. No Kid from the village was ever turned down or not awarded a scholarship for college if one was requested. If you worked there you were also given scholarships to attend colleges or night courses to better your life .
We also had a lake that was privite then bought by the state located on Catamount Hill.It was hard to get to but I grew up fishing there.When the State bought or took it by land grab they had a boat there. Being I was always there I was given a key to the boat and told to use it as my own which I did.I spent most of my summers on the lake either hunting or fishing.My parents would come up in September and drag me home to start back to school.Another thing the factory did for us who wished they made us rafts to float on the North River. They used glycerin barrels 50 gallon drums for floatation with a wooden deck . We used push poles to run up and down the river.Sort of Huck Finn type stuff.The decks were big enough to sleep on in a sleeping bag.
The spring rains always came the North River flooded and your raft headed toward its 100 mile journey to the Atlantic ocean.I know of none that were ever recovered.However the Factory maintainace department would make you a new one.
The plant is gone now part of the consolidation of plants and operations were moved to Augusta, Ga. The Brick buildings were razed
Still under the tar road through the village of Griswoldville are the trolly car tracks dating back to 1909 Colrain and Shelburne railway.Cotton and supplies and people we hauled about by electric motor car from metropolis Shelburne FAlls.It was there where the Colrain&Shelburne railway made connections to the Boston and Maine Railroad Station and switching Yard. There is a movememnt now by the state to widen the highway RT 112 and remove the old tracks which are buried somewheres under the tar. SF&Colrain Street Rail way |
