1905-1907 – Knabenshue’s Airship at the Brockton Fair

Augustus Roy Knabenshue (July 15, 1875 – March 6, 1960) American aeronautical engineer and aviator and on October 24, 1904, in St. Louis, became the first to make a dirigible flight.  He is considered one of the fathers of aerial transportation and also worked with the Wright Brothers during his career.  He brought his airship to the Brockton Fair each year from 1905 to 1907.     

Read the article Sky Pilot by Mary Gorman about A. Roy Knabenshue’s fights at Brockton.

1905 – OLD COLONY -and- BROCKTON & PLYMOUTH TROLLEY TRIPS

A small folder (Folder #1) issued by Passenger & Advertising Dept. of the Old Colony & Brockton & Plymouth Street Railways

MASS PO Stamps (Collection 1)

Collection 1

Orange in Sewing

Some pictures, postcards and trade cards related to Sewing Maching factories in Orange.

1930 – Flag-pole Sitting in Brockton

According to the 1930 US Census, Ralph Dagostino was born in Italy in 1902 and came to the US in 1912.  His wife, Consigla, was born in New Jersey to two Italian immigrants.  At the time of the Flag Pole Sitting, Ralph and Consigla had two children, Mary, 4, and Ralph Jr., 1 and Ralph was listed as a Laborer.

Unfortunately for Mr. D’Agostino, that same year, Bill Penfield in Strawberry Point, Iowa, sat on a flag pole for 51 days and 20 hours, until a thunderstorm forced him down.  Since then many new records have been set.

Pin – Jimmy Carter’s 1977 visit to Clinton

Matchbook – 1940’s-50’s Cock Horse Luncheons and Dinners

This video features a man reading a Cock Horse menu from the 1940’s – the back of the menu features the restaurant’s history.  (WARNING: snickering about name of restaurant in video – still a good find)  

Cock Horse?

“Cock Horse” can mean a high-spirited horse, and the additional horse to assist pulling a cart or carriage up a hill.  From the mid-sixteenth century it also meant a pretend Hobby horse or an adult’s knee. 

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Historian and Genealogist Lynda Ames remembers her grandmother reciting the old rhyme, Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross

Says Lynda, “You cross your legs and place your small child on your extended foot.  Holding their hands, you lift and lower your foot (in a riding motion) and recite to them”:

Ride a Cockhorse to Banbury Cross
To see a fine lady upon a fine horse
With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes
She shall make music wherever she goes.

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The Village Blacksmith – Longfellow – click to read the PDF!

June 1983 – Brockton – St. Colman’s Family Parish

St. Colman’s was located at 42 Wendell Avenue in Brockton – it is now called Christ The King Parish.

1897 New England League – Jimmy Sheckard’s Dream Season in Brockton

The New England League was a mid-level league in Minor League Baseball that played sporadically in five of the six New England states (Vermont being the exception) between 1886 and 1949.  In 1897 the league counted 6 teams including the Brockton Shoemakers.  Each team played between 105-108 games during the season but did not have a playoff.  The final standings were:

TEAM:                                       Wins         Losses

Brockton Shoemakers              70              37

Newport Colts                            70             37

Pawtucket Phenoms                 54              51

Fall River Indians                      47              59

Taunton Herrings                      40             68

New Bedford Whalers               38              67

18 year-old Jimmy Sheckard of the Brockton Shoemakers led the league in Batting Average, Runs and Hits.  Tom News of Pawtucket led the league with 17 Home Runs, Scott Hawley or Newport  led all pitchers with 24 wins and Frank Todd of Pawtucket led all pitchers in Strike Outs with 99.

At the season’s end Sheckard was signed by the Brooklyn Bridegrooms (later Dodgers) and he finished their season with the team.  From there Sheckard played 17 seasons in the big leagues putting together a stellar career during which he led the league in several categories several times.  He even owned the record for being walked the most times in a single season (147 in 1911) which stood until another man with strong Massachusetts connections came along, Mr. George Herman “Babe” Ruth.

Samuel James Tilden Sheckard

Bats: Left, Throws: Right
Height: 5′ 9″, Weight: 175 lb

Born: November 23, 1878 in Upper Chanceford, Pennsylvania, US

Died: January 15, 1947 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, US (Aged 68)

Where was Gilman’s?

These images came from a stack of old realtor post cards.  They are all unlabeled.