SOMERSWORTH – “Neighborhood” is a word we are starting to hear a lot in recent months, which got me thinking about the neighborhoods of old that are often referred to in the Summersworth Historical Museum by Somersworth seniors.
There was the Brickyard, the Hill, Smokey Hollow, The Plains, Long Swamp, Bloody Corner, The Pines, New Dam, Tanguayville and Petite Canada, and for many of these seniors they offer unique memories, memories of a place where they belonged. At one time, Somersworth neighborhoods had a convenience store on what seemed like every corner and sometimes more than one.
Those neighborhoods each had an identity of their own. Little or Petite Canada as the name suggests was the preferred neighborhood of many of French Canadian origin. Located off Main street and Indigo Hill Road, the neighborhood was not far from TanguayVille which could be found on Buffumsville Toad. The area was named after the Tanguay family that populated that section of Buffumsville and was well known and respected in the city.
TanguayVille was just down the road from New Dam, which was situated in what today we call the Baxter Woolen Mills. Another neighborhood that existed back in the 1950s and ’60s was the Brickyard. That can be found off Indigo Hill Road and is so named because as anyone who has lived and gardened in that area can attest, there is a lot of clay. At one point in time, there was to be a brickyard built in the area, but it was discovered that there was not enough clay to support such an endeavor but the name stuck.
Bloody Corner was found on the corner of Constitutional Way (which was once called Orange Street ) and Washington Street where the American Legion corner stands now. Pre-1965, the Chandler building which held the public library stood there. Somersworth legend has it that the name came from the fact that for many years the corner was a meeting place for all of the ethnic groups that had populated Somersworth at the time. These included the Greeks, French Canadians and Irish. There was a great rivalry between the groups and fights would break out on a regular basis at the corner or so the legend goes.
Of course, the Hill area is the one that many think of when we think of Somersworth and that is where you could and still can find “The Pines.” Back in the day, many of Strafford County’s best lawyers, judges and big wigs could be found living on the Hill. This prestige made it unique to the other neighborhoods in the city and for many years there was a rivalry between the Hill and other areas of the city.
Many of these neighborhoods were very tight-knit, according to the seniors I have spoken to, and were almost a city within a city. If your neighbor down the street needed a helping hand, the street collectively came together and helped them. I would love to hear your stories of older Somersworth neighborhoods as I think they are a very special part of our history.
Save The Dates:
On Saturday, Oct. 23, the Somersworth Festival Association held the first of too craft fairs at the Somersworth High School on Memorial Drive. The second craft fair will take place on Saturday Dec. 4 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Somersworth High School
Municipal elections take place on Tuesday, Nov. 2 and polling stations will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. this election. Absentee ballots are available from City Clerk Johnathan Slaven until the day of the election.
St. Ignatius of Loyola will hold its craft fair at Holy Trinity Church on High Street on both Friday and Saturday, Nov. 12 and 13. Friday sees the fair run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The fair will feature all your Christmas favorites including food.
The Festival Association will also be holding its annual Penny Sale on Sunday, Nov. 14 again at the Somersworth High School with doors opening at 11 a.m. Drawings will start at 3 p.m
Saturday, Dec. 4 will see the return of the Somersworth- Berwick Christmas Parade. The theme for this year’s parade will be “Joy to the World.” This year the parade will start at 1.30 p.m.
Beginning Saturday, Nov. 20, the Winter Farmers Markets will return to Wentworth Greenhouses on a monthly basis. This is a great opportunity to grab some fresh from the farm produce and just in time for Thanksgiving.
That’s all I have for this week but as we continue to navigate our way out of this pandemic, please stay safe. Above all, please remember to be kind to one another as you never truly know what someone else is going through.