History | Mark Sardella

Archive for the ‘History’ Category

Fire Finished Off the Old Walton Mansion

03Sep13

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] Suspicious 1940 blaze linked to union activity On the afternoon of July 18, 1940, the Wakefield Fire Department received a frantic call from the caretaker of the former Arthur G. Walton property at 108 Main St. Hans Meyer, who still lived in the caretaker’s house, reported that the old […]

Filed under: Columns & Essays, Feature stories, History, Profiles, Wakefield | Leave a Comment
Tags: A.G. Walton, Arthur G. Walton, fire, Lake Quannapowitt, Mark Sardella, Massachusetts, Pasquale DeCristofaro, unions, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield MA, Walton, Walton Family

The Walton Family of Wakefield, Massachusetts

29Aug13

[Part 1 of 3] [Part 2] [Part 3] Daring payroll Robbery of Walton shoe factory compared to Sacco & Vanzetti When it comes to Wakefield’s prominent old families, chances are you’ve at least heard of the Hartshornes, the Beebes, the Wakefields and the Eatons. But what do you know about the Walton family of Wakefield, […]

Filed under: Columns & Essays, Family, Feature stories, History, Profiles, Wakefield | 8 Comments
Tags: AG Walton & Co., Arthur G. Walton, Chelsea, Mark Sardella, Mssachusetts, robbery, Sacco & Vanzetti, shoes, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield MA, Walton, Walton Shoes, Waltons

“The Remarkable Cyrus Wakefield”

24Feb13

A Talk by John Wall Many people know the story of how the town of South Reading, MA came to be renamed after industrialist Cyrus Wakefield. But most people probably don’t realize the extent to which he shaped the town of Wakefield as we know it today. In a talk on Feb. 20, 2013 to […]

Filed under: Feature stories, History, Profiles, Wakefield | Leave a Comment
Tags: business, Capt. Henry Bancroft, Cyrus Wakefield, furniture, History, industry, John Wall, Mark Sardella, rattan, South Reading, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield MA, Wakefield Massachusetts

New Portrait Kicks Off Civic Center Centennial

23Aug12

On January 15, 2013, the Wakefield, Massachusetts building now known as the Americal Civic Center will turn 100 years old. Last night, it received an early birthday present. In ceremonies held last night in the Heritage Room, a new portrait of the historic building, painted by local artist Elizabeth O’Neill Lowry, was unveiled.

Filed under: Art, Columns & Essays, Feature stories, History, News, Profiles, Wakefield | Leave a Comment
Tags: Americal Civic Center, Armory, Art, artist, centennial, Elizabeth Lowry, House Proud Portraits, Massachusetts, Massachusetts State Armory, painting, State Armory, Wakefield MA, Wakefield Massachusetts

Quannapowitt Players Present a Moving Diary of Anne Frank

24May12

With a cast of 15, the Quannapowitt Players‘ “The Diary of Anne Frank” captures the terror, tension and tenderness experienced by two Jewish families being hidden from the Nazis in Amsterdam during World War II, as told by Anne Frank in her diary of her family’s two years in hiding. The production is directed by […]

Filed under: Art, Columns & Essays, Feature stories, History, Reviews, theater, Wakefield | Leave a Comment
Tags: Anne Frank, Becky Klein, community theater, Daily Item, Diary of Anne Frank, drama, Nancy Curran Willis, play, QP, Quannapowitt Players, Quannapowitt Playhouse, Reading, Reading MA, Reading Massachusetts, stage, theater, theatre, Wakefield, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield Item, Wakefield MA, Wakefield Massachusetts

As War Raged, Victory Village Was Born

10Mar12

In the spring of 1942, as World War II was being fought on two fronts, local soldiers and sailors serving overseas were much on the mind of their hometown. The Wakefield Daily Item ran a regular feature, “With Our Boys in the Service,” complete with photos and updates. Meanwhile back in Wakefield, Factory Field, where […]

Filed under: Columns & Essays, Community, Feature stories, History, Wakefield | 1 Comment
Tags: Daily Item, development, Factory Field, FederalHousing Authority, FHA, Gilbert & Varker, Mark Sardella, Second World War, Victory Village, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield Item, Wakefield MA, Wakefield Massachusetts, World War 2, World War II

Remembering Paul Faler

22Dec11

There are certainly many who knew Paul Faler better than I, although I had the privilege of knowing him for a good long time. When we spoke on the phone two days before Thanksgiving, it did not even cross my mind that it would be our last conversation. I first met Paul Faler in 1970 […]

Filed under: Columns & Essays, Feature stories, History, Opinion, Politics, Profiles, Wakefield | Leave a Comment
Tags: Assessor, Board of Assessors, Boston, Boston Massachusetts, History, Paul Faler, Paul G. Faler, professor, property tax, tax, tax assassor, taxation, taxes, UMass, University of Massachusetts, Wakefield, Wakefield MA, Wakefield Massachusetts

A Fitting World War II Monument

15Nov11

A grateful town paid tribute to its veterans on Friday, especially those who fought in World War II, as a huge crowd packed Veterans’ Memorial Common for the unveiling and dedication of the new granite World War II Monument. The Veterans’ Day crowd, which some estimated at more than 1,000, included World War II veterans […]

Filed under: Columns & Essays, Feature stories, History, News, Wakefield | Leave a Comment
Tags: ceremony, Colonel Michael Zarbo, Daily Item, dedication, Donald Wong, Fred Marshal, Gen. Gary Pappas, John Tierney, Katherine Clark, memorial, memorials, military, monument, mounuments, Patrick Glynn, Paul Brodeur, Phyllis Hull, Second World War, Sen. Scott Brown, Senator Scott Brown, soldier, soldiers, veteran, veterans, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield Item, Wakefield MA, Wakefield Masachusetts, Wakefield Mass, Wakefield World War II Memorial, World War 2, World War II, World War II Memorial, World War II Monument

Columbus: the Man and the Myth

06Oct11

Another holiday, another opportunity to vilify the United States. Actually, the upcoming Columbus Day holiday is just a warm-up for the Thanksgiving main event. We know the narrative by now. Christopher Columbus was not a heroic explorer who discovered a new world. He was a villain who set in motion the centuries-long American reign of […]

Filed under: Columns & Essays, History, Opinion, Politics, Profiles | 3 Comments
Tags: America, Americans, Christopher Columbus, Columbus, Columbus Day, discovery, explorer, explorers, Genoa, holiday, holidays, Indians, Italian, Italians, Native Americans, United States

Remember How We Felt on 9/11

08Sep11

Every generation has one of those “always remember where you were” dates. For the Greatest Generation, it was Pearl Harbor. For the Baby Boomers, it was the JFK assassination. September 11, 2001 is one of those dates. The 10th anniversary of 9/11 is upon us, and even more than any of the preceding anniversaries, the […]

Filed under: Columns & Essays, History, News, Opinion, Politics | Leave a Comment
Tags: 9/11, 9/11 attacks, America, Daily Item, Ground Zero, Lorne Michaels, Mark Sardella, New York, New York City, Rudy Giuliani, Saturday Night Live, September 11 2011, SNL, terrorism, terrorist attack, terrorist attacks, terrorists, Twin Towers, United States, Wakefield Daily Item, Wakefield Item, World Trade Center

	Johnny D'amico on TOODY’S RETURNS TO WATER…
	edcutting on Future tense
	edcutting on Lost in translation
	Virginia Hale on Faux Kings Day
	Robert Rainville on Faux Kings Day

Archive for the ‘History’ Category

Fire Finished Off the Old Walton Mansion

The Walton Family of Wakefield, Massachusetts

“The Remarkable Cyrus Wakefield”

New Portrait Kicks Off Civic Center Centennial

Quannapowitt Players Present a Moving Diary of Anne Frank

As War Raged, Victory Village Was Born

Remembering Paul Faler

A Fitting World War II Monument

Columbus: the Man and the Myth

Remember How We Felt on 9/11

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