Community Corner

A Town, Its People, Their Common: A Foxborough Dedication

Town Historian Jack Authelet shares his dedication in the 2012 Annual Town Report to the town of Foxborough.

Editor's note: The following dedication was written by Town Historian Jack Authelet and published in the 2012 Annual Town Report.

Residents living in what would one day become Foxborough had pushed to the outer limits of their respective towns of Wrentham, Walpole, Stoughton and Stoughtonham (now Sharon). They soon found they had more in common as friends and neighbors than residents of different towns, and a sense of community drew them together with a desire to become a town of their own.

But first, they had to have a Meeting House and hire a minister, a prerequisite to incorporation. Three residents, Nehemiah Carpenter, Samuel Baker and Jeremiah Hartshorn, offered land at the confluence of three dirt roads crossing through the area. The citizens pooled their own resources, secured the lumber, and erected a Meeting House in 1763.

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Incorporation was granted in 1778 and quickly a recurring expense at Town Meeting was the grading of the Meeting House lot and the clearing of brush and briars. The Meeting House was torn down in 1822 and the first formal church was erected by the Congregationalists right there on the Meeting House lot.

Ownership

The three families making land available for the erection of the Meeting House had promised that if the proposed new town was incorporated, they would then make a formal gift of the land. They remained true to their word, but not until Sept. 18, 1783. The conveyance of the land was to Josiah Pratt, Aaron Everett and Nathan Clark, then Selectmen of the Town of Foxborough, “and to their successors in said town forever.” That left ownership of the Common open to question upon occasion, but the matter was resolved with the town obtaining a quick claim deed on May 19, 1853 transferring title to the Town of Foxborough.

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The maintenance of the lot was an ongoing concern of residents. A formal effort to beautiful the area came in 1845. The lot was graded, and a single rail fence erected to encircle the area. Trees were set out, and a cistern dug at the foot of the lot, all at a cost of $490 contributed by citizens in amounts ranging from 50 cents to $50.

The following year, 30 elm and ash trees were purchased at a cost of 40 cents each and 189 stone posts were set in the ground to improve the rail fence at a cost of 75 cents each.

The work was a major improvement, but was not keeping pace with the shops and homes being built up around the area. The town was growing.

The Universalist Church (1843) and Baptist Church (1850) were now facing that area where the Meeting House once stood, together with many stately homes, stores and a hotel, but the brick Congregational Church – the only one actually on the Common – was removed in 1854 when a new church was built at the head of Rockhill Street. That left a somewhat barren empty space in the very heart of the center of town.

Something had to be done, but town resources were strained when, in 1857, a decision was made to erect a magnificent Town House to accommodate all the town offices as well as space for a privately run English and Classical High School, which would reserve some spaces for local students.

A gem is born

That same year, a group of local businessmen came forward, drawn by a sense of community, to make an offer that would change the very face of Foxborough. They offered to form a private group which would raise its own funds to lay out a proper town Common. The offer was eagerly accepted and the rest, as they say, is history.

The group was called the Sylvanian Association and was authorized by vote of the people on April 6, 1857, to “ornament, grade and enclose the Common.” The first order of business, after announcing the plan and requesting public donations, was to set about clearing away the shrubs, trees and rocks.

They also had to petition Norfolk County officials to discontinue the road that ran straight through the area connecting Main and Central Streets. Approval was critical to the effort to ornament and enclose the area, and it was forthcoming.

The Sylvanian Association chose wisely in naming a committee to lay out the Common and supervise the work. The task was assigned to Erastus P. Carpenter, Oliver Carpenter, Albert Fisher, Willard P. Turner and Francis D. Williams, all successful businessmen. E. P. Carpenter had also been involved with the layout of Rock Hill Cemetery, was heavily engaged in the creation of Cottage City on Martha’s Vineyard, as well as the expansion of his own home, the Kerr/Carpenter/Haigis house recently moved from the corner of Central and Liberty Street to Central and Clark Street. He also designed the home at 14 Baker St. as a wedding present for his daughter.

The layout of the new Common would consist of pathways reaching out in every direction from the center, much like the roads in Foxborough reaching out from the center to all the outlying neighborhoods. There would also be a pathway encircling the area just inside the fence. Still in place today, the fence is a story in itself, being cast in the Cary Foundry on Mill Street by local craftsmen. Sections would be mounted between granite posts and cast iron posts

were placed across the entrances to the Common. That assured accessibility to pedestrians but blocked access via horse and wagon. At the very center of the Common, the first flag pole was installed and a small bandstand was built around the base several feet off the ground.

The work of ornamenting and fencing the Common was funded totally by private subscription and several fairs were held to raise money. Residents were eager to participate in the beautification project which was completed for $4,000. Members of the Association continued the annual upkeep of the Common until the March 1864 Town Meeting. Voters approved an article under which the town accepted responsibility for maintaining the area while thanking the Sylvanian Association and its members for what had been done for the community.

As the town continued unprecedented economic growth and citizens served with distinction in the Civil War, grateful citizens raised their first war memorial in 1868 known as Memorial Hall honoring those who served in the Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and the Civil War.

Centennial

All grand events were celebrated on the Common and the town’s Centennial in 1878 was one of the most impressive. Orations were lengthy, but most significant, and when the community was called a gem among many, it gave rise to Foxborough being called the Gem of Norfolk County.

They also erected a Centennial marker near where the Meeting House stood, promising once the celebration was over to place their records under the stone for future generations. (A search a century later during our Bicentennial revealed nothing, an indication perhaps something else had been done with the records if, in fact, they had been saved.).

Change was rapid and significant in a town driven by an industry (hat manufacturing) that enabled women to become a social, political and economic force within the community. In 1890, a large drinking fountain was erected at the foot of the Common with a large basin from which horses could drink and two tin cups on a chain for thirsty pedestrians. This was a project of the Women’s Relief Corps. which had been formed to assist the GAR Veterans Group following the Civil War.

The Common was a popular gathering place and many civic and fraternal organizations held a variety of fairs within the graceful oval to raise money for local programs. The central location of the Common also afforded it great visibility but by 1907 town leaders had become dismayed over the number of notices being posted on the Common about upcoming events.

The town erected two bulletin boards on the Common and all future postings were limited to the boards. The problem was cured, but for some reason the bulletin boards eventually faded from sight a spontaneous celebration broke out on the Common in 1918 with news of the Armistice being signed, ending World War I.

Weeks passed before word was received about local casualties and when the town erected its memorial on the traffic island in front of Memorial Hall to honor those who had fought and died, there would be a star beside five of the names.

Sesquicentennial

The town continued to grow as well as age, and in 1928, the Common was once again alive with activity as Foxborough noted its Sesquicentennial. A highlight of the celebration was the erection of a large sign on each end of the Common reading in big, bold letters “FOXBORO.”

Each sign, with black letters on a white background, was mounted on two metal poles raising it about 10 feet in the air.

The signs were immediately a statement of community pride, leaving no doubt to passersby as to where they were while driving, bumper to bumper along Route 140 through town on their way to and from Cape Cod every weekend, but the elevated mounting of the signs still allowed an unobstructed panoramic view of the Common and it was admired by many.

Second World War

During the terrible years of World War II, when 639 men and women from Foxborough would proudly serve their nation and residents lent active support to the war effort on the Home Front, the Common was a critical rallying point.

A small plaque posted a blue star with a number, indicating the number of residents in the military.

A gold star and number indicated those had made the Supreme Sacrifice. For each War Bond drive, there was a large display on the Common designed by Bud Dudley with a graph showing the purpose of that particular bond drive and how close we were to reaching the goal.

Residents had Victory Gardens, held paper drives, bond rallies, and schools were presented a special flag if all students participated in the purchase of War Bonds and stamps.

Foxborough exceeded its quota each and every time and the people, who willingly accepted the realities of rationing to help win the war, were proud of their contributions that helped assure a victory for the Allied forces.

Even as the war was raging, work commenced on a memorial designed by Wendell Dodge to honor those who fought and died in World War II. It would be the first memorial erected on the Common. As men and women entered the conflict, plastic name tags were inserted on the memorial with a commitment to make them permanent once the conflict ceased.

Firefighters Memorial

Firefighters fulfilled a long-held dream in 1961 of erecting a memorial to all firefighters who have served the Town of Foxborough with pride as the protectors of life and property.

The memorial, facing School Street near where an earlier bandstand once stood, remained general by intent and design. A later decision was made to add the names of Arthur Josselyn, his brother George, and Joseph Walkins, the three firefighters who were killed in the line of duty when the Town House and Foxborough High School wing burned in 1900.

In a later decision, the names of three others who died while on duty, Ralph Smith, Earle Godfrey and Chief Ralph Barton, were added.

Save the Common Fence

During the turbulent sixties, as the town was doubling in population, the Common fell upon hard times. Automobiles had become longer, the height of the curbing was reduced due to repeated resurfacing of the road, and fence sections were frequently damaged as vehicles were parked. Over the years, the cast iron had become brittle, and could not be repaired.

Highway Supt. Al Truax approached the editor of the Foxboro Reporter to solicit support at town meeting for $2,500 in funding to have a pattern made from which new sections of fence could be cast just as the originals had been.

The editor opted to let history be our guide, following the example set by the Sylvanian Association, and an appeal was made for public donations through the Foxboro Reporter. When Dick Leggee, who shared responsibility for the Save the Common Fence effort, opened the bank that Thursday morning, there was a line of people waiting to make donations.

First in line was the late Betty Morse who remembered her husband Howard lifting her over the fence in their courting days to attend events on the Common. They had collected quarters for many years and she felt the Common Fence effort would be a most appropriate donation.

The entire community became caught up in the effort. The Jaycee Wives had a fashion show. The Young Life group at Bethany Church held a paper drive while children on Villa Drive set up a refreshment stand. The Foxborough State Hospital employees took up a collection, the

Foxborough Historical Society held a flea market, and members of the Fire Department made a donation as did many businesses. Jerry Rodman shared proceeds from the parking lot on Route One in use for stadium events.

As funds poured in, local craftsman and Water Commissioner Archie Hanna hinted he might be able to make the pattern for a section of Common fence.

Making epoxy molds of some of the intricate sections, fashioning other parts from wood and other materials, he reproduced the exact shape of the fence that would be impressed into a box of sand at the foundry to make a cavity into which molten metal could be poured to form the section. His pattern was a few inches over-size to allow for shrinkage when cooling.

When Archie’s successful effort was announced to the community, the word ‘Fence’ was dropped and the effort became Save the Common and donations continued. With costs reduced and donations mounting, monies were then available for making reproductions of the original lanterns which craftsman Mo Drury created, working from old photographs.

Once they had the specifications on the lanterns, skilled craftsmen in the Highway Dept. set about installing concrete bases for the lanterns along the walkways and around the center of the Common.

The restoration effort was having almost as much impact as the original ornamentation by the Sylvanian Association and virtually every civic and fraternal organization in town played some part. But it wasn’t over. The temporary nametags were still on the World War II tablet.

Sufficient funds remained for a bronze casting and then it was time to ask very supportive and generous people to please stop sending donations: the project had exceeded all expectations and it was time to celebrate with a rededication of the Common.

As a final gesture, since no additional war memorials had been raised as yet, a small plaque was placed at the base on each of the lanterns on the center walkway of the Common for each of the Foxborough servicemen who lost their lives in the Vietnam War.

In a moving program, with high school musicians filling the bandstand and grateful town residents in attendance, the Common was rededication on Veterans Day in 1972.

Music Heptagon

During this effort to refurbish the Common and assure its longevity, Selectman Ed Fox expressed a long-held desire to return band concerts to the village green when making an address to the Foxboro Jaycees.

The Jaycees were quick to respond and called upon Harry Bowditch to design a structure. We promised to call the unique design a Music Heptagon (seven sides) but common usage deferred to “bandstand” and it was grand.

It facilitated the annual singing of Christmas Carols on the village green and a series of concerts throughout the summer which meant not only an enjoyable evening to hear a variety of music but to bring the lawn chairs or spread a blanket and watch the young children dance the night away.

Bicentennial

Foxborough’s 200th birthday in 1978 was a time to celebrate, and Bicentennial activities stretched over many months with the grand finale slated for the Common where it all began.

From time capsules to speeches and folks in period costumes, it was a celebration of community. And what could have been more symbolic of our beginning when gaining freedom for the Colonies than an opportunity to tar and feather the highest ranking Women Voters held an historic recreation of the first Town Meeting.

Our roots were very much in evidence as well with a changing of the signs. The iconic FOXBORO signs, in place for 50 years, gave way to recognition of the official name of the community, first spoken at the time of incorporation, when the new town was given the federal official in town, Postmaster Carl Kusch?

Alma Conway, tireless community volunteer over the years and leader of the West Foxborough Mothers Club, was named our Bicentennial Mayor and given a symbolic key to the town.

Diane Ciasullo was crowned Miss Foxborough in the annual Jaycees pageant and had the honor of cutting the official Bicentennial cake. Brothers of the Brush were spirited celebrants and soon had many men growing beards for the occasion while the League of Women Voters held an historic recreation of the first Town Meeting.

Our roots were very much in evidence as well with a changing of the signs. The iconic FOXBORO signs, in place for 50 years, gave way to recognition of the official name of the community, first spoken at the time of incorporation, when the new town was given the name FOXBOROUGH.

More veterans honored

Throughout the history of our community, residents have answered the call each time our Nation took up arms and went to war. It was in 1984 that those who had served in conflicts since World War II would be recognized.

A combination Korean/Vietnam Memorial was raised on the south end of the Common to honor the 224 men and women who served during the Korean War and one who was killed in action and the 409 who responded to the war in Vietnam, eight of whom made the Supreme Sacrifice.

On the back of the panel were listed 16 credited to Lebanon/Granada era service, Panama 14 and the Persian Gulf 56. The effort was organized by Veterans Agent Carl Kusch working with the Lawrence W. Foster Post 93, American Legion, and the VFW Post 2626 of East Foxboro.

Shortly after, the World War I tablet was moved from the traffic island in front of Memorial Hall to the south end of the Common in line with the other memorials.

Message Boards

History does repeat itself, and 1996 brought a recurrence of the problem of organizations placing posters for upcoming events along the Common fence, beneficial promotion of their activities but a general state of disorder around the Common.

Members of the Foxboro Lions Club came forward with a solution, that of erecting a Community Message Board at each end of the Common. The Message Boards made for a better informed and more aware community as local events were posted for all to see.

With the large Foxborough name spread across the top, the boards were intended as a functional replacement of the familiar Foxboro signs that had graced each end of the Common since 1928, and they were removed.

They were missed, as was the general view of the Common when looking under the traditional signs which was now blocked by the Message Boards. But without question, the new norm when planning an event was to quickly reserve space on the Message Boards.

One of the traditional FOXBOROUGH signs was restored and brought back to the Common, appropriately by citizen petition, and when it later needed replacing, the Foxboro Jaycees stepped in.

Police memorial

Police officer Chuck Gallagher found an outpouring of community support when he proposed a Foxborough Police Memorial for the Common, honoring the long blue line that had been in place in Foxborough since the first town meeting and those who would serve in the future.

The memorial also included the name of Officer Fred Pettee, the only local police officer killed in the line of duty. The memorial was dedicated on Memorial Day in 1998.

Chuck was also instrumental in having Officer Pettee’s name added to the national memorial in Washington, D. C.

Flowers, benches

Beautification and ornamentation of the Common continued to be driven by the private sector just as it had from the beginning.

A program was launched that gave residents an opportunity to plant and maintain a half barrel of flowers at each of the walkway entrances around the Common.

The barrel at Memorial Hall was also included, together with the Memorial to those who rest in Unknown Graves and the Memorial Hall marker. Heather Harding now coordinates that program.

Residents or businesses could also opt to make a memorial donation to support one of the new benches on the Common, their fee covering installation and maintenance.

Numerous Eagle Scout projects over the years involved painting the fence and replacing damaged or worn benches.

The drinking fountain that had been a mainstay in the center of the Common for decades also needed replacing. In recognition of Rotary International’s 100th anniversary, the Foxboro Rotary Club stepped up to install a new fountain that also had a lower unit to serve those in wheelchairs.

In appreciation

The Common was the theme of the Founders Day celebration in 2006 and many floats in the parade featured scenes from the village green. A program held on the Common included presentations by Lindsey Cullen, Michael Garrety, Patricia (Randall) Spinney and June O’Leary, winners in the “What the Common Means to Me” essay competition.

Certificates were presented to Al Truax, former Highway Supt., members of the Highway, Tree and Park Depts., the Jaycees, Lions Club and Rotary Club for their support over the years.

Also honored were the Foxboro Police and Fire Depts., Harry Bowditch, bandstand designer, Veterans Agent Carl Kusch, electrician Ed Noonan and Arthur Reynolds for placing yellow ribbons on the lantern.

Ray and Janelle Lyons were recognized for planting the flowers around the base of the flagpole each year, and Town Manager Andy Gala for his support and encouragement. Music was provided by the Serenading Seniors.

Nighttime illumination

In more recent times, the beautification and ornamentation of the Common took quantum leaps forward that one feels would have had the approval of the Sylvanian Association members.

Working with Town Manager Andy Gala, wiring around the Common was rerouted and funds were made available to replace wooden light poles with antique style metal street lights around the Common and through the center of town.

Wiring for the lights was placed underground, which opened the opportunity for one additional tribute to the men and women who had answered our Nation’s call, that of illuminating the memorials at night with a soft blush of light as a renewal of our commitment that we would never forget.

Edward Noonan, an electrician by trade and a Foxborough firefighter by profession, provided expert assistance in the selection and installation of the lighting. The illumination also included the Firefighters Memorial and Police Officers Memorial.

As an extension of that effort attention then turned to the most challenging tribute, that of also bathing Memorial Hall in a soft blush of light to
honor the veterans recognized there.

Dave Laliberte of the Tree and Park Department added his expertise to that
of Ed Noonan’s (and the equipment by which to reach the roof) and after working with Chairman Bob Hicks and the Foxborough Historical Commission through weeks of testing, final choices of lights were made and installed.

The people of Foxborough could then enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that no effort had been spared to bring the highest possible recognition to those who had given so freely when their Nation called.

A continuum

One hundred and fifty-five years have passed since the citizens of Foxborough came forward with an offer to form a group – the Sylvanian Association – to beautify and ornament that often “unlovely” area in the center of Foxborough and to do it at their own expense.

The sense of community and personal commitment that drove members of that group has been passed, generation to generation, and has come to include thousands of others who now call Foxborough home. One must also acknowledge

the dedicated labor and caring of the Foxborough Highway, Tree and Park Departments, members of which maintain the crown jewel in the very heart of this place we are privileged to call home.

Those who first dared to dream the dream of an ornamented place of welcome that would become the physical and philosophical center of the community saw their dream come true.

In that same sense of community spirit, others have taken up the challenge to carry their dream forward throughout the decades until the day it became our dream, and it is good because that is who we are, and who we strive to be in this place called Foxborough. We can, in time, pass that dream to others, who will carry it forward as we showed them how.

They built well, so that we might carry on the dream of our founders as a reaffirmation of our faith in the future of those who follow us.

May we be found worthy of having preserved the tradition and shared the dream that others might come to know and experience the sense of community that has made Foxborough so unique throughout the years.


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