Smithville, Then and Now
New Ipswich Historical Society
Thank you George Carmichael for an updated aerial photo of Smithville. It doesn’t look all that different.
Then
Now
Ernest M. A. Machado
The “Music Room” photograph was taken by Ernest M. A. Machado. Reader Neil Rhodes noted an embossed signature on the lower left of the photo. MIT has a collection of his photos including one of Barrett House and the Library. His biography is listed on the MIT Library page.
Ernest M. A. Machado was born in Manchester, Massachusetts in 1868. His father was a descendant of one of the oldest families of Cuba, and his mother was similarly identified with prominent Massachusetts families such as the Bradfords and the Websters.
Machado was educated at Salem High School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, graduating from the architectural department in 1890. While at the Institute, he received several prizes for architectural drawing and design, as well as for artistic skill in photography.
Soon after graduation, Machado began active work as an architect in Boston, gaining experience in several offices, until finally entering the office of Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge, the successors of the great architect H. H. Richardson. There his talents began to be recognized and many important pieces of work were entrusted to him. Later, he left this firm to take a position with Boston firm of Winslow & Wetherell.
In the late 1890's Machado opened his own architectural firm, with offices in Salem and Boston. During this period, Machado designed a large number of city and country houses ranging in size from modest dwellings to a large country estates, as well as a large number of other types of buildings.
Machado also opened an office in Ottawa, Canada in partnership with A. L. Weeks of St. John, New Brunswick.
Machado died very young in a boating accident in 1907 in Lower Danforth Lake, Freedom, New Hampshire.
The photographs in the collection include architectural works designed by Machado, as well as photographs from several world's fairs he visited, including the World's Columbian Exhibition (Chicago, 1893), the Pan-American Exposition (Buffalo, 1901), and the Louisiana Purchase Exposition (St. Louis, 1904). The photographs in the collection were taken by Machado himself. They were donated to MIT Libraries as a gift by Elizabeth Osborne on behalf of the family.
Photo in our collection
William Jurian Kaula diary
There will be a brief hiatus of the Kaula diary entries while our transcriptionist resolves a problem with her typing finger. We wish her a speedy recovery.
On this day - November 8, 1908
James Roger diary entry
8th (Sunday)
Drizzly day dull and cloudy. Few at church (16). Mr. Peacock preached on “Loving one another” S.S. after 7 present. C.E. Whittemore leader. Topic Missions and Evangilisary. 7 present. Got telephone from Hamish who has decided to go to Springfield. David telephoned to Shirland about transporting logs from Jowders to Water Mill.
Today November 8, 2022 - Election Day
Mascenic HS from 7 AM till 7 PM
Love the Parker Webber at the Polls image! Wonder if Parker is still a "vocal" individual. LOL.
In the 1960's, the large Memorial Day parades filled with WW2 vets would march in morning on the main street from Smithville Center to Smithvile cemetery and then from the town playground to Central Cemetery in the afternoon. The largest parades were in 1970 but they then began to taper down in size. The largest parade in 1970 stretched from the flagpole by the tennis courts all the way up to the old American Legion building.