Celebrations
Hadley has celebrated the anniversary of
its founding every 50 years in grand style since at least 1859. Yearly, the
Town celebrates Memorial Day with ceremonies at all the cemeteries
in town followed by a parade down Russell Street.
1859
The 200th anniversary of the town was
celebrated on June 8, 1859 at the site of the first meetinghouse on
the Town Common. There were addresses, poems read and a
dinner. A committee of 13 had been appointed by the town in
1857 to plan for the event, and $700.00 had been appropriated to pay
for the expenses. The various committees help us understand
what was involved in planning the event. The names read right
out of Hadley's history.
President of the Day: Erastus Hopkins,
Esq. of Northampton
Vice Presidents: Rev. Dan Huntington, Giles C. Kellogg, Esq., Deacon
Jason Stockbridge, Deacon Sylvester Smith, Rev. John Woodbridge,
Deacon Ashley Williams, Mr. Chester Gaylord, and Mr. Cotton Smith.
Treasurer: Eleazer Porter
Chief Marshal: William P. Dickinson
Assistant Marshals: P.S. Williams, Benjamin Adams, Charles H. Smith,
Levi Stockbridge, Rodney Smith
Toast Master: Eratus Hopkins, Esq.
Assistant Toast Masters: Arthur D. Phelps, Oliver E. Bonney
Committee of Finance: T. G. Huntington, Eleazer Porter, George
Dickinson
Committee on Invitations: CP Hitchcock, James B. Porter, L. N.
Granger, Rev. R. Ayres, F. Tuxbury, Rev. W. H. Beaman, Joseph Smith,
Parsons West
Committee on Music: Ezra Thayer, Charles Cook, 2d, Francis
Smith, Frederick Bell, Edward Stebbins, A. H. Cook
Committee on Printing: Wm. S. Shipman, C. E. Lampson, J. E. Porter
Committee on Receptions: Joseph Smith, Eleazer Porter, J. R.
Davenport, s. C. Wilder, T. P. Huntington
Executive Committee: The Committee of Arrangements
"The day opened by the discharge of one
hundred guns, the roll of the drum, and the ringing of the church
bells at dawn". At 10:00 am, a procession marched from Town
Hall to the Common. The procession was lead by a volunteer
corps of fifty horsemen, and included the Governor and Lieut. Gov.
of the Commonwealth, the Secretary of the State, Soldiers of 1812,
Selectman and Town Clerks of the five towns (Hadley, Hatfield, South
Hadley, Amherst, and Granby), floats, citizens of Hadley, more
floats, and citizens of other towns. The Rev. Prof. F. D.
Huntington, D. D. gave the address. It must have been a very
patient crowd that gathered on the Common, as the address covers 50 pages in the
1859 Commemorative Book. Prof.
Huntington could not rely on Sylvester Judd's History of Hadley, as
it was not yet written. He did, however, rely heavily on Mr.
Judd himself for the material in his address. Prof.
Huntington gave a rather thorough history of the town's founding and
the years after. Other addresses followed, and then
a dinner.
1909
Hadley celebrated its quarter millennial August 1st through
4th, 1909. A company came through selling banners and
installing them on buildings. The town looked very festive.
The Goodwin Memorial Library
The McQueston home on West Street
Sunday, August 1, "Memorial Day".
10:00 AM: Anniversary sermons in all churches in Hadley and in
daughter towns.
4:00 PM Commemoration Service in a tent on West Street Common
7:30 PM Vespers at the First Congregational Church and at St.
John's Church
Celebration tent set up on the Town Common
Monday, August 2, "Reunion Day"
Morning: Registration of Visitors in Town Hall, Historical and
literature exhibits, trips to the cemeteries, Mt. Holyoke and Mt.
Tom (by electric car)
Noon: Family gatherings at ancestral homes
3:00 PM: Joint reunion in Tent on West Street Common, tribute
to John Russell, addresses
7:30 PM: Historical address by Hon. M.F. Dickinson at Amherst,
observances of Amherst's separation from Hadley 150 years ago
7:30 PM: Reception and Dance of Hopkins Academy Alumni in the
Town Hall.
Tuesday, August 3, "Third Day"
9:30 AM: Fireman's Muster with hose races between Hadley and
Hatfield
2:30 PM: Hopkins Academy observances, dedicating the school,
open house at school
4:00 PM: Baseball game on new field between Hopkins Academy
and Alumni teams
7:30 PM: Patriotic Rally, addresses
Wednesday, August 4, "Last Day"
9:30 AM: Street Pageant. Division 1: Floats depicting
events in Hadley History; Division 2: Floats contributed by daughter
and sister towns; Division 3: Ancient modes of travel; Division 4:
Hadley of today: societies and industries; Division 5: Decorated
carriages; Division 6: Decorated automobiles. 25,000 viewed
the parade.
11:00 AM: Anniversary exercises
1:00 PM: Dinner
2:30 PM: Speeches in the tent by representatives of mother,
sister and daughter towns and by other distinguished guests.
1959
Most of the tercentenary celebrations
were during July and August. The churches in town had special
services and dinners. Between July 26 and Aug 3 there was a
Fireman's Muster, Garden Judging Contest, Ladies Tea, Fashion Show,
Pageant titled "The Town in the Midst of the River", an art show at
Russell School, a tour through historical buildings and nine homes,
a band concert, Hopkins Alumni reunion, a Ball, and a big parade.
John Gnatek's painting "The Angel of Hadley" was unveiled. It
was a gift from the Hopkins Alumni Association to Hopkins Academy.
300th Celebration at the First Church
the cake was a replica of the church, baked by Margaret Barstow
Roger Johnson
Roger's great granddaughter rode
this bicycle in the 350th parade
The Hockanum Villager's Float
The same float was used in the 2009 parade
The Farm Museum Stage Coach
The stage coach was proudly at the beginning of the 2009 parade, too
Memorial Day Parade
Hadley celebrates each Memorial Day with a parade down Russell
Street from the American Legion to the Common. The American
Legion organizes the visits to all the town cemeteries and the
parade. The children come with bags to collect all the candy
thrown to them from the floats.
1963 Memorial Day Parade
Courtesy of Doug Hahn
2009
