John Putnam was the orchestra leader of John Putnam’s Orchestra which was well known and much sought after. They often played at local dances not only in Greenfield but in surrounding towns as well. John Putnam was a skilled fiddle player. An article featuring John Putnam’s Orchestra was written by a former orchestra member J. A. Taggart in the Gazette and Courier on April 16, 1929.  Putnam lived on Wells Street in Greenfield in a house that may have also been part of the underground railroad alongside his shop. He had several of these barber shops that supposedly were used to share information. A tunnel was discovered beneath his house in the 1970s. This has potential ties to the railroad, but nothing can be confirmed of this connotation.

John Putnam lived from 1817 to 1895. He was an African American who operated out of many various locations along Main St. According to the Historical Society of Greenfield John Putnam was known to cut the hair of Civil War soldiers, pass military secrets, and was a popular fiddle player, being hired at many events. He was also rumored to be involved in the Underground Railroad. Although we can't fully prove this due to being a federal crime, we have strong reason to believe he helped enslaved people in their journey to freedom.

John Putnam's Barbershop

An Eagle Scout Project that takes you on a walk throughout downtown Greenfield, highlighting important parts of Greenfield's history. This highlights houses of people who made an impact on the town, important locations where fighting against slavery occurred, factories that fueled the town through WWII, and many more. 

Diving more so into the roots of the Tower “Contrary to public belief, the name predates the era of poet Frederick Goddard Tuckermann, who is commemorated with a plaque on the current stone tower.” (Images of America Greenfield, 122). This poses a contradiction to what was previously discussed, however, we can't say exactly where this may have originated believing it predated Tuckermann. The Rural Club was responsible for creating the first wooden tower on Poet’s Seat in 1879. The club was created to encourage tree planting along public streets in town.The wooden tower was set on fire in 1908 after it had fallen into disrepair. Rebuilt as a sandstone tower in 1912, it’s now a tourist destination and the location that Greenfield uses to set off the 4th of July fireworks.

If you look up eastward toward the nearby mountain, you'll see Poet's Seat Tower perched towards the top.This tower was influenced by the local poet Frederick Tuckermann, and possibly other local writers, who frequently used the location that the Tower now stands upon while writing, thus inspiring the name Poet’s Seat. Tuckermann called this site “Poet’s Rock” in a poem of his titled, “The Stranger” published in 1860.  Throughout his time writing, Tuckermann was drawn to the transcendentalist beliefs of people such as Ralph Waldo Emerson. He studied many of these transcendentalist beliefs alongside his own. Transcendentalism was a belief that societal institutions corrupted people and as a result, it favored ideas of personal independence.

Poet's Seat Tower and Rocky Mountain

The Weldon Hotel established a reputation as a luxury hotel at the same time the community served as a popular winter vacation spot because of its proximity to local skiing, sledding, toboggan runs, skating, and Greenfield’s Winter Carnival. The hotel was also popular as a summer stopover with the rise of simply driving for leisure because it was located on the scenic Mohawk Trail. In 1927, the Weldon was expanded, adding 60 more rooms to the property. After the expansion, the building housed four dining rooms, a bar/lounge, a hairdresser, and shops for gifts, dresses, and furs. Strand Mikkelson, a ski jumping Olympic medalist, was in charge of the ski shop on site. He taught skiing from a wooden slope he built from the porch of the Weldon.  George Grennel, whom we will be talking about next initially lived across the street from The Weldon Hotel at 53 High St until 1846. We'll be moving to his second house now before we talk more about his life and impact.

The Weldon Hotel was built by F.O. Wells in 1905 using a similar design to his Greenfield Tap and Die Corporation. The hotel was originally used as company suites and residential apartments and later became a hotel serving the public in 1914. The structure is believed to be the first all-concrete hotel in the United States, with a metal frame surrounded by concrete to make the building fire resistant in an era where apartment and hotel fires claimed many lives. The Weldon Hotel closed as a hotel in 1977 when the interstate bypass reduced the number of travelers to the city center. The building now serves as a senior living facility composed of apartments.

Weldon Hotel

Grennell owned much of the land that is in the current High Street and Spring Terrace area of Greenfield spanning the area of both of his houses.In 1811, Grennell gave a 4th of July speech in Northampton, MA. In his speech, he accused Thomas Jefferson of being anti-business and claimed that the Revolution had been fought primarily “to establish an extensive foreign commerce, on a secure and liberal basis”.  In the election of 1830 for US Representative, Greenfield gave all 115 votes to Republican candidate George Grennell Jr. and 0 votes to the anti-masonic Israel Billings.  In 1877 at the age of 87, George Grennell Jr. died peacefully in his sleep.

This is Grennel's second house, of which he made in 1846 at 500 Main St, where we are now.In 1808, George Grennell graduated from Dartmouth College with high honors. Grennell studied law at Dartmouth and became a prominent lawyer and president of the Greenfield-Troy Railroad. Grennell was a Massachusetts state senator from 1824-1827 and a member of Congress from 1832-1838. He was also a Register of Probate from 1849-1853 and a Clerk of Courts from 1854-1861.

George Grennell Jr’s House 

In the process of relocating the church, two 6-ton granite blocks were also moved so that the base would remain unchanged. The only difference from the original building was the increased height of the church’s steeple. In 1938, the Cold Spring Baptist Church donated its bell to the Second Congregational Church to replace its cracked bell since their congregation did not use a bell for services. The Second Congregational Church melted down their cracked bell and recast it into small dinner bells and sold those bells to area residents. Some of the bells were used as signal bells for local schools. In 2023, the former church was purchased by the Franklin County YMCA. They plan to use the church to expand their services.

The Cold Spring Baptist Church was built in 1842 in the town of Barre MA, now on the banks of the Quabbin Reservoir. This meeting house served as the location of many anti-slavery speeches, including lectures by the prominent abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison. In 1936 when faced with possible destruction owing to the creation of the reservoir in its original location, this New England church was saved by members of the community. The historic building was disassembled and then reassembled board by board on Main Street by the Christian Science church.

Cold Spring Baptist Church

During the Leavitt's ownership of the house, it earned the nickname “The Social Villa” because of all of the social gatherings in the gardens at the rear of the house.  One of Leavitt's major actions in Greenfield was in 1809, Leavitt worked with Gilbert, an investor, and Russell, a local merchant, to draft a petition opposing an embargo enacted by the Massachusetts legislature. This petition was supported by George Grennell Jr. who we just touched on.The house was later owned in the 1800s by Doctor George Hovey and inherited by his wife in 1888 after Hovey passed away. The left wing of the house was used as Hovey’s doctor’s office.The building was purchased in 1909 by the town of Greenfield. After the purchase, they rebuilt the wings, gutted the interior, and added an addition to properly house the town’s library. On June 9, 1928, the Spanish American War monument was added at the front of the library.    Unfortunately, nothing of the original interior remains in the current building.

The Leavitt-Hovey house was built in 1797 for Jonathan Leavitt who was one of the first two lawyers in town. Jonathan Leavitt was a 1786 Yale graduate. Leavitt married Emelia Stiles, the daughter of the president of Yale at that time.  The building was designed by Asher Benjamin, a prominent early 19th-century American architect. Leavitt’s law office was housed in the left wing of the building and his dining room and kitchen were in the right wing.  In August 2023, ownership of the building was transferred to the Greenfield Savings Bank.

Leavitt-Hovey House

The Mansion House housed both a tavern and a hotel which was popular because it was situated on the crossroads of the North South and East West lines of the Boston and Maine Railroad. It was a modern hotel with elegantly furnished rooms, train service, a large dining room with excellent meals, cool and pure water from the Town’s water supply, reasonable nightly rates, friendly service, and a great location. In two years, it was furnished from top to bottom at a cost of $25,000.On May 15, 1938, WHAI went on the air for the first time. The station operated two studios, a reception room, a control room, and four offices all housed within the Mansion House.The Mansion House was used for many different businesses. At one time it housed the Cutler grocery store and a post office. An unfortunate salesperson parked their car behind the Mansion House on the day of the fire. Because of the spray of water from the fire and the cold temperatures, the car became encased in ice, and a wallpaper steamer was required to thaw and open the vehicle

The Mansion House was built in the late 1820s and stood here on the site of the town’s first tavern, Calvin Munns Tavern. Munns was a Revolutionary War soldier who purchased the house in 1792, and he was the owner and landlord until 1815 when he sold the property. The building and land surrounding it were later purchased and developed by Isaac Newton Jr. He built a 3-story 64’x49’ building, which became the Mansion House in April 1825. The tavern and building to the east, which both ended up becoming the Mansion House, were used in 1795 as a printing office for the Greenfield Gazette, the post office, a bookstore, and as a town meeting spot in the early 1800s. On January 8, 1959, flames were discovered by a former reporter who wrote the history of the hotel for the bicentennial edition of the Recorder Gazette. The fire was discovered in a bathroom on the third floor of the Mansion House hotel. Fourteen towns sent firefighters to fight the fire and ensure that it did not spread to the Public Library and other nearby buildings. However, the Mansion House itself burned down. The empty lot which was the site of the Mansion House remained vacant until 1963 when Greenfield Savings Bank was constructed.

Mansion House

Many things occurred at the Hall besides basic legislature:On February 22, 1854, a ceremonial ball was held at Washington Hall. More than 1,000 people were in attendance as part of the dedication festivities. On March 6, 1854, it was voted that the new town hall be called, “Washington Hall”.  On April 20, 1861, just days after the Civil War, a war focused meeting was held at Washington Hall. In 1863, the Montague, Colrain, Greenfield, and Shelburne Falls companies of the 52nd Regiment arrived in Greenfield by train. They were greeted by many people with torches, a band, and engine company No. 2. Sick soldiers were transported to Franklin Hall or their homes while those who weren’t were taken to Washington Hall where they were greeted by friends and refreshments. Frederick Douglass spoke here in 1866 about the assassination of Lincoln. Original flyers for this event can be found at the Greenfield Historic Society. As early as 1904, short films were being shown in Washington Hall on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings for small gatherings since there was a lack of theatrical entertainment in town. Only small gatherings were allowed because previously in 1894 it was determined that the building could not support large crowds. In 1908, it could no longer accommodate movie goers.

Washington Hall was built in 1854 at a high cost and the building was to become Greenfield’s 2nd town hall. However, it wasn't just a town hall, it was also a meeting space and an auditorium that hosted many performances, lectures, and meetings. It stood in the location of the current Veteran’s Mall before being demolished.In 1935, Greenfield’s police station was added to the back of Washington Hall. It stood there until 1999 when the station moved to High St.Washington Hall was razed in 1964.

Washington Hall

This is simply a marker to ensure the correct path is taken.

Marker

The creation of a new rethreading tool patent allowed the company to come back strong. A few years later, World War II further boosted their success when they were manufacturing taps in high quantities for the Allied Forces due to British factories being destroyed by Nazi Germany during the Blitz.Because it was a major supplier of taps and British standard threading tools during the war, the rooftop of the building which housed the Threadwell Tap and Die Co. was outfitted with anti-aircraft guns.  During WWII, Threadwell was the third largest employer in Greenfield, employing roughly 400 people.A portion of the brick building that Threadwell occupied was Good Cheer, a national monthly magazine for women. Later the magazine changed its name and moved its offices to New York City.

Threadwell Tool Co. was formed in 1925 through the consolidation of Walter Nichols’s America Tap &amp; Die and the Williamsburg Manufacturing Co. It went under in 1930, but, leased some of their patents to the Mechanics Tool and Wrench Co. These included thread taps (thread cutting tools), Stillson wrenches, miter boxes, and hacksaw frames. In 1934, Threadwell reappeared as Threadwell Tap and Die Co.In 1946, the Threadwell Tap and Die Co was sold to Sheffield Corp. of Ohio. Later in 1972, it was sold to the Bendix Corp.

Threadwell Tap and Die Co.   Arch St Factory 

While hiking the Donner Pass in California, Theodore Judah realized that the grade of the land would easily allow a steam train to pass over the Sierra Nevada Mountains which was previously impassible. This important discovery would eventually complete the Transcontinental Railroad.Theodore Judah also designed a three-arch stone span bridge which is the only known surviving structure from the Early Industrial Period (1830-1870) in Bernardston. He was also responsible for bringing the railroad tracks to Greenfield.  While in port in Panama on a business trip to secure financial backers to keep railroad construction going, Theodore Judah became ill with yellow fever. He made it back to New York where he died in the presence of his wife, Anna. Unfortunately, he never saw the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad.Anna buried her husband in the Pierce family plot in the Federal Street Cemetery in Greenfield

The Pierce family burial plot is located in the Federal Street Cemetery. Theodore Judah was born on March 4, 1826, and died on November 2, 1863, at the age of 37. As a boy, he studied civil engineering and became a railroad surveyor by age 18. While in Greenfield building bridges and receiving metal supplies through John Pierce, Theodore met Anna Pierce, John’s daughter. At the age of 21, Judah married Anna Pierce, who was born June 30, 1828, in Greenfield and died September 2, 1895, at age 67.

Theodore Judah's Grave

In 1917, because of their economic growth and the company tying themselves to war production, GTD was scared workers would strike. With many Americans returning from war and demand for union recognition the fear of strike was at a high. They held a vote to appoint 22 police officers to guard their manufacturing buildings. The police watch lasted only 3 months and no threat materialized.In May 1917, the Russell Manufacturing Co. donated 1 acre for employee gardens so as a result GTD donated 20 acres and free fertilizer for their employees.In 1937, GTD bought out Russell Manufacturing Co.During WWII an anti-aircraft gun was installed outside the plant. The government financed the new facility, Greenfield Tap and Die #2 on Sanderson St during World War II. The machine tools they manufactured were essential to the war effort. Before the war even started they turned out tens of thousands of tools that would be used during the war. Shortly after the atomic bombs were dropped, on August 15, 1945, GTD displayed a float in the WWII victory parade in Greenfield.In November 1953, GTD had its first strike in 37 years.

In April 1912, the two largest tap and die companies in town, Wiley &amp; Russell and Wells Bro Co., merged creating Greenfield Tap and Die Corp (GTD).  GTD manufactured thread cutting tools (taps and dies), and between the years of 1912 and 1921, GTD purchased many local companies to guard against competition and to help diversify their current product lines/offerings.While GTD went through many mergers through the years, the factory still exists and operates in Greenfield as a small division of Kennametal, Inc

Greenfield Tap and Die Corp, Sanderson St Factory

Follow this to go back to the start.

Historic Walk of Greenfield MA

John Putnam's Barbershop

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources