Without delay, the town has the go-ahead to knock down the building at 39 West Main St. The Historical Commission voted unanimously on Wednesday night that the structure is not considered "historically significant." When demolition of a structure in town is requested, and the structure is more than 100 years old, the Historical Commission is required to vote on its significance, and then make suggestions to the owner based on its findings. If it is deemed significant, this automatically institutes a delay on the demolition of 180 days. The town, which took ownership of the condemned property …

According to local resident Kathy Dalgliesh, who lived in the UK for several years, "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" is very famous in Britain. It is the theme song, in fact, for the famous West Ham United Football Team.  "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" was written by John William Kellette, who, according to Wikipedia, was born in Lowell and died in 1922. The Historical Museum in Northborough, however, features an exhibit on Kellette, as at one time he lived at 67 Main St. while he was a news reporter for the Worcester Telegram and Gazette. According to the Historical Society, he wrote many …

For years, four cannons (and their 16 cannonballs) sat in Monument Park in Fitchburg. According to this article in the Boston Globe, after lending them out to a reenactment group, the cannons made their way around the state—and country—went missing, were recovered, and went missing again. At one point, one was found in Northborough during the '60s. This story follows the trail of these Civil War era cannons, two of which are still missing. Have you seen a cannon?

With a five to one vote, the Historical Commission voted to declare the property located at 130 Main St. to be "significant." The commission took the vote after a public hearing held on Wednesday. The property, known by its historic name as the Stephen Hunt House, is technically already listed on Northborough's significant properties (along with some 200 others), but the vote ensured that it continued to stay on that list. Normand Corbin, chair, was the only member who voted against keeping the house listed in significant standing. It is the first time the commission has come to this finding…

Many residents are protesting the proposed development set to be built at 130 Main St., as is evident by recent attendance at Zoning Board of Appeals public hearings. Builder Tim Shay plans a mixed use building on the property, both residential and commerical. A public hearing that was held by the ZBA two weeks ago has been continued; the board has fielded overwhelming resistance from neighbors concerned with issues of traffic, population and privacy. On Wednesday, March 7, the Historical Commission also holds a public hearing on the property to determine if the property is considered "…

This fall, the Historical Society has a variety of displays and exhibits. Supplied by Carolyn Squillante, here are some of the remnants of Northborough that can be viewed. Some of the exhibits include woodworking tools, some used here in Northborough, kitchen utensils and upholstery tools.Portraits include Isaac Davis (1759-1826) who ran a tannery business on Davis Street and later owned two cotton mills. His son, Col. Joseph Davis (1814-1883), ran the businesses with his father and his house is still standing on Davis Street. Another portrait is of his brother Governor John Davis. A portrait…

On July 18, 1912 the Peerless CombCompany moved from Northborough to Fitchburg. This company had earlier been led by Farnsworth at Hudson and River streets. This move ended 73 years of combmaking in Northborough. Since Bush & Haynes opened the business on the site of the later Laurence Candle Factory on Whitney Street in 1839, millions of combs had been made in Northborough. Originally, many of the combs were made of tortoise shell and animal horns, but by the early twentieth cenurythey were made of celluloid. These pieces of history are supplied to Northborough Patch by Bob Ellis of the …

As Hurricane Irene crawls, or rather barrels, up the coast, East Coasters are getting ready. What that means is different for everyone, depending on his or her housing situation and, well, level of fear. It's not the first time, and won't be the last. Churches - hold on to your steeples. Thanks to Town Clerk Andy Dowd, Northborough Patch can relay some interesting facts on another hurricane that pounded the town years ago. In their report, the Selectmen called the hurricane of Sept. 21, 1938, "the biggest thing that has happened in this town since no one knows when." "Almost without warning…

In July of 1971 Dawn Braman, still a teenager, was appointed by Moderator James Baird to the Northborough Appropriations Committee, and began a career of public service which has now lasted forty years. She is better known today as Dawn Rand, a member of the town selectmen, and former chairman. Submitted by Bob Ellis, Northborough Historical Society

It's been more than 30 years since there was a murder in town. A murder-suicide case on June 16, 1977, it occurred after husband and wife James and Patricia Burns, who were from Clinton, left an apparently-unsuccessful marriage counseling session in Northborough. "After the session, the husband went to the car and obtained a rifle," said William Lyver, lieutenant with the Northborough police. "As the wife came down the driveway, she was shot several times. The husband then turned the gun on himself." In the context of a violent crime resulting in the death of another, this is the only one in …

A number of people know that the house at 97 Main St. in Northborough was thehome of Captain Samuel Wood, captain of the Northborough Mintemen, who on April 19, 1776, marched off for what turned out for most of them to be temporary revolutionary duty. His younger brother Abraham was clerk of the unit and drummer. Today he is better known nationally than Samuel.Abraham was best known in Northborough as a fuller. A fulling mill used water power to perform such operations as compressing, shrinking, dyeing, and otherwise finishing fabric to make durable cloth for clothing. That meant that Abraham…