Our Town, Your Story
Item set
- Title
- Description
- Coverage
- Contributor
- Date
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Our Town, Your Story
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Who is the Town of Reading? We are all ages, backgrounds, histories, and perspectives – we all have our own story. All of Reading was invited to bring in photos to added to the collection. Participants also had the option to “tell the story” behind the photos on video.
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Massachusetts--Middlesex (county)--Reading
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Institution: Reading Public Library
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2019
Items
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A Welcoming TownTwo days after we (The Carey’s) moved to Reading in August 2015, we got a welcome card in our mailbox from two of the little girls, Chloe and Sam, (our daughter Marlie’s age) who live down the street. You’ll notice they drew a map of the street to show where each house is so Marlie would know where to find them. We now have the card-drawing framed in our parlor.
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Haven St. apartmentsExterior view of upper floor apartments at 30 Haven
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Deputy ChiefDeputy police chief David Clark at his office in the police station
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Daily News in the reading roomLibrary patron Bill Brown with newspaper
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Leaf rakingDPW Leaf Raking Forest Glen Cemetery
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DPW workerDPW worker directing leaf raking operation
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Leaf rakingDPW raking leaves at Forest Glen Cemetery
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Countdown to kindergartenRPD visits storytime Police Officer Kristen O'Shaughnessy, Children's Librarian Olivia McElwain
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CommunicationsDesirée Zicko, Communications Specialist
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CollectionsJamie Penney, Head of Collection Services
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Administrative assistantKathryn Melesciuc, Library Adminstrative Assistant
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Research and Reader ServicesAndrea Fiorillo, Head of Research and Reader Services
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Library AdminMichelle Filleul, Assitant Library Director, Kathryn Melesciuc, Library Administrative Assistant
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Shelving booksLisa Eng, Library Technician, shelving books
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Teen ServicesReference & Teen Services Librarians Susan Beauregard and Renée Smith
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Zucca Italian Restaurant table settingDining room picture of Zucca Italian Restaurant
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Watching over the storeP&S Convenient Store owner Gary's dog "Runner"
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Auto shop repairmenTwo mechanics at work
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Auto shop repairsRobert from Kings Complete Auto Repair at Service Counter
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Main Street apartmentsEntry way of the 625 Main St. apartment in Reading
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Back alley businessesDisplay window of Aine's Boutique in the "Back Alley"
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Apartment balconies in ReadingGeneral Washington Apartments balconies
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Lincoln St. apartmentsOngoing construction of the Lincoln St. apartments by the train depot
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SM Hodson Oil CompanySmith Oil Heating company location and trucks
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Old Reading Post OfficeOld Reading Post Office prior to being turned into apartments
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Portrait of runnerP&S Convenient Store owner Gary's dog "Runner"
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Main St. Methodist ChurchAn evening view of Old South United Methodist Church
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Memorial Park ice skatingSkating and playing ice hockey
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Playing basketball at Memorial ParkTwo teenagers playing basketball
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Basketball at Memorial ParkTwo teenagers playing basketball at the park
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Doorway of 49 High StreetEntrance to the Last Corner Restaurant
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Town Forest walkwayThe entrance way to the Reading Town Forest in early January
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86 Salem StreetPhotographer's home at 86 Salem Street
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Browns Auto RepairAn outside view of Browns Auto office near the train depot
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Haven St. apartmentsExterior view of upper floor apartments at 30 Haven
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Green St.Houses located by the Rite Aid on Green St.
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Dog walking in Memorial ParkWalking a dog in Memorial Park
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Mattera Cabin benchA sitting bench with a view of the forest at Mattera Cabin entrance area
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Pleasant Street centerRuth Goldberg at the Pleasant Street Center
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Reverend Samuel Whiting obeliskContributor's brother took the picture of the memorial obelisk. In May (28th?) of 2011 some of the descendants of Rev. Samuel Whiting got together at the Western Burying Ground in Lynn to celebrate the 375th anniversary of the arrival of Rev. Whiting in the Lynn area. At the time (1636), the area was known as Saugust - but they changed the name to Lynn in honor of Rev. Whiting, because he had come from Kings Lynn in Norfolk, England. Attendees of the 2011 gathering included descendants, members of the Lynn Historical Commission, as well as the first church in Lynn, now the First Church of Christ in Lynn, Congregational. The territory that is now Reading was part of Lynn, so some of the original European residents of Reading in 1639 would have known Rev. Whiting.
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4 West Street looking towards Reading 2019Current view of 4 West street, showing the 93 overpass, note the Towle house no longer exists. Towle house was from the 1700's?
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4 West Street "new station"4 West Street MobilGas rebuilt in 1962 behind the original. At this time Hanson family house moved to 26 South Street ,which became 26 Border Road. Jay Leno bought his first car here in 1964 at age 14, a 1934 Ford Truck.
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4 West Street 19564 West Street prior to Route 93 bridge, house is attached to station
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4 West Street 19464 West Street prior to lube pit being covered by moving garage over it, a small office building moved closer to house, and connecting showroom between garage and office.
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Sweetie in the windowPhotographer unknown, but almost certainly with contributor's camera (etc.). Carolyn Whiting [contributor] and Louis Ventola with Sweetie in the window. From Fall of 1993. Sweetie was Carolyn Whiting's brother's cat until Carolyn adopted her. The foundation of the house was probably built in 1917 (the water service line went in in 1917, and first appears in the town street list in 1917 as being on Park Street). Originally the house had no number on Park Street, but would become 7 Park Street. They then changed the name of the street, and the house address became 7 Chestnut Road. Between 1936 and 1937, they renumbered many of the houses in Reading, and this house became 17 Chestnut Road. As far as the contributor (Carolyn) knows, the house in the photograph was built in 1947, and so is a bit older than the contributor herself. Carolyn bought the house in January 1985. Carolyn changed the color of the trim from gray to purple and orchid. She painted the trim not knowing that Reading would be using the same colors (purple and white) to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the town. Louis came into Carolyn's life in 1992 and died of cancer in 2003.
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Going for ice cream in the 1950sThe Birmingham siblings (4 of 7 pictured here) going out for ice cream.
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Birmingham family birthday party in the 1950sBirmingham family and friends in their backyard in Reading
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Birmingham family photoKing Street - this is a casual everyday family photo taken by Jeanne's mother, Virginia.
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Rios familyEaster Sunday at St. Athanasius
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Rios familyTown Forest walk
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Learning to skateEileen Barrett teaching Alexander to skate Mill Street, Ipswich River
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2008 MIAA Div 1A Super 8 champions - RMHS boys Ice hockey 2007-2008Team photo at the Boston Garden following the championship game. Back row: Erica Sanchez, trainer; Dave Huster, asst. coach; Mark Doherty, asst. coach, Charlie Driscoll, asst. coach; Jason Penkethman, manager Players: Ryan Tierney, Nick MacDonald, Eric McNeill, Geno D'Avolio, John-Michael Leach, Tyler Silvey, Brian McCabe, Brett Sweeney, Jon Kaine, Garrett Collins, Michael Shea, Michael Lozzi, Rob Toczylowski, Quinian Junta, Patrick Kiley, Travis Busch, Sean McGoldrick, Ryan Arsenault, Brett Lepore, Bill Cataldo, Devin Albert, Jeff Wyer, Matt Stratton
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Time zone mapThe Millennium Party began at 5 AM on December 31, 1999, and ran for 24 hours. As each time zone reached the New Year, that part of the map lit up.
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Hot Spot on Haven StreetHot Spot on Haven Street served as party headquarters for the Millennium Party. Hot Spot was owned by Anna "Ace" Foulds, and closed in June 2012. It was in business for 19 years.
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Millennium party programProgram for a town-wide party run at the end of the century. It was an offshoot of the 350th anniversary of the town 6 years earlier.
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Souvenier button for millennium party December 31, 1999Souvenier button for Millennium Party December 31, 1999. Button sold as a souvenier for the Millennium Party it was also used as a fundraiser and used as an dmittance button to all downtown events.
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Millennium tent on the CommonA big tent on the common for the millennium party. This was the center of the celebration. The crowd watching the performances before midnight
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1999 /2000 New Year's confetti at Old SouthMidnight celebration on the Common as eastern time zone hit midnight we set off confetti to celebrate the new year.
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Daily Times Chronicle news coverage 1/1/2000This is a composite photo of the newspaper's coverage of the Millenium
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Millenium party Old South ChurchThe party was fantastic, this photo shows the Clock Tower at Old South Church
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Millenium party ice sculptureParty on the town common - ice sculptures were found around downtown - this may have been near the electric box on the common.
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Future voters want you to vote yes for Reading"Francis Drive Five" outside of Killam School reminding eligible voters to vote Yes For Reading for town-wide schools.
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Reading375 tavern at the tavernLarry Meuse and Peter Maguire (as the historical figure Dr. John Brooks) at Parker Tavern
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Larry Meuse in third grade I got to help build the school.I [contributor] got to spend a week with him because I spent more time looking out the window than at a book.
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Joshua Eaton School Mrs. MurphyClassroom Picture
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Miss McDonald's Kindergarten ClassBirch Meadow Kindergarten Class of 1997 / 1998 who were bused to a Barrows School portable classroom for the year, due to lack of space at Birch Meadow school. It was a difficult year for parents and kids.
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RMHS Band pre-renovationOne of the last times the RMHS band marched to the football field over the crest of Oakland Road. It was always a thrill to see them come up over the hill, as you would hear them before you would see them. After the high school renovation they no longer used this route.
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Parker Tavern and signThis photo depicts the heart of Reading, and combines an image of the structure and informational sign
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Reading town sign-winterIn front of Clock Tower, after a snowstorm
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Reading banner with flagNear Northern Bank on Haven Street. This was a tricky shot, in order to get the flag fully unfurled.