About this column:
In this weekly Milford Patch feature, we'll show you scenes in Milford as they were years ago, and what they look like today.This week's "then" photo, from 1907, shows the former Oliver Street School, which had four rooms for children in grades 1-4, according to Lyn Lovell of the Milford Historical Commission. The building was used as a school until the 1970s. Today, it serves as housing.
This week's "then," photo, kept on file at Memorial Hall, shows Supple Square, with the World War I Doughboy statue in the forefront. There was no date on the photo, but it is believed to be from the 1950s, judging by the car parked across from the park. The "now," photo is taken from Calzone Park, across from Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish.
This week's "then," photo, borrowed from one of the many volumes of historic photos at Memorial Hall, was taken in 1857. It shows the area of Upper Main Street from which Old Academy Congregational Church and Mansion House were visible. Today, the church still stands, as First Congregational Church. The most noticeable difference in the photo is the absence of any memorials in what is now Draper Memorial Park. The equestrian statue of Gen. William Draper was presented to the town in 1912.
In this circa 1950 photo, large storefronts, including that of Werber & Rose Furniture, line Main Street. Community Development Director Susan Clark provided this week's "then," photo, which was given to her by Milford resident Robin Philbin.
Standing at the intersection of Routes 16 and 140, you can look at Milford Regional Medical Center, which is blocked slightly by trees. A hundred years ago, you would see the first image shown in this week's "Then and Now," photo. Local historians were not sure exactly when this picture was taken of Milford Hospital; it was on a postcard printed by Frank W. Swallow Post Card Co. Inc, out of Exeter, NH. The company was incorporated in 1911. One of the buildings shown in the postcard served as a house for the hospital's nurses. Editor's Note: Milford Patch thanks Milford High junior Daniel …
OK, so it's just a coincidence that we're again featuring a predecessor of the Milford Daily News in this column. Milford has been publishing a newspaper since 1831. The newspaper hasn't been in the same location all that time; nor has it been the same newspaper. First, it was the Independent Messenger, then the Milford Journal, which is shown in the 1865 photo we borrowed from Memorial Hall. It was the Milford Gazette next, and since 1887, has been the Milford Daily News. The photos shown in this week's Then and Now slideshow are at Main and Exchange streets. Century 21 now occupies an …
The Milford Gazette used to sit at Main and Central streets, as seen in this early 1900s photo. It is replaced today by an office building. (Disclaimer: to get an exact "now," shot that mirrors the one taken more than 100 years ago, I would have needed to stand almost in the middle of Main Street. In the interest of safety, I chose not to do that.)
Kept at Memorial Hall, a sketch of the Town Hall as it appeared in 1854 shows Milford's governmental center as it appeared when first built. The first picture doesn't include the addition as seen on the building today; that was built in 1900.
In the late-1800s, The Milford House, on the corner of Main and Pearl streets, was one of a half dozen hotels in town, according to Lyn Lovell, member of the Milford Historical Commission. See that intersection in town how it was then, and what it looks like now. (Historical photo courtesy of Memorial Hall.)
