This is part of a series of Hamilton and Wenham, Massachusetts, oral histories of the towns, produced by William Heitz and Edmund Josephs from 1986 through 1995. It was originally taped in May of 1989. It was uploaded to the Internet Archive by Sarah Lauderdale, Head of Reference at Hamilton-Wenham Public Library, on Thursday, August 13, 2015. Our thanks to William Heitz for permission to upload this content to the Internet Archive. Our thanks also to volunteer John Brucker for his description of the interview, included below.
Summary:
Experience in the Hamilton Schools, Larry’s teachers, Participation in sports, Growing up on the family farm, Wintertime activities, Offices held in the town, Experience as Fire Chief, Fire equipment and fire trucks used, Experience as a selectman, Changes in the town since retiring from Town Hall, Family history and genealogy, Memories of the downtown as a boy, Population growth, Nature of industry in Hamilton, Entertainment in the old days, Transportation options in Hamilton, Snowplowing methods after World War I, Town dump and ash disposal, Famous residents that Larry met, Meeting counterparts from major cities, Hamilton’s role during World War II, Funny stories, Halloween stories, Changes in the character of the town over time.
Keywords:
The following names and terms were used in this interview: West School, South School, Old High School on Linden St, Pickup games, Six man football, Pingree Field, Single horse hay rake, Fordson tractor, PIngree Farm, Bradley Palmer estate, Winthrop farm, George Adams farm, Stone walls, Merrill Cummings, Twilight baseball league, Boy Scouts, The Community House, Hamilton fire of 1910, United Shoe, General Electric, Mannings Mills, Manning High School of Ipswich, Norwoods Mill, Isinglass Factory, Atwater Kent radio, The Prom, Community House, Electric cars, Steam train, Phoenix express, FDR, Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy, Raymond Saunier, General Patton, World War II memorial plaque at Town Hall, Minstrel shows, Ice man, Fish man, Milk man.
"Old Days In Hamilton"
