City Hall

YMCA

The Young Men's Christian Association served the city starting in 1885. The cornerstone of this building was laid on April 23, 1892, and it opened in 1893 on the corner of High Street and Appleton Street. William J. Morgan invented volleyball here on February 9, 1895 (then called Mintonette). A fire claimed the YMCA in December of 1943.

Passenger Station

The Passenger Station was built on the east side of the Connecticut River Railroad, on Bowers Street between Mosher Street and Lyman Street. It was designed by Henry Hobson Richardson, an architect responsible for many Romanesque Revival style structures throughout the Northeast. The building still stands today and is owned and used by Holyoke Gas and Electric.

Original Holyoke Dam

Holyoke's wooden dam was constructed in 1847-1848 and portions still exist today upstream from the present dam. The first construction attempt, over 1000 feet in length, immediately failed and washed down river to Williamansett. In 1849 laborers built a much stronger dam.The Gatehouse and Aqueduct were built at the same time. The Holyoke Water Power Company took over the dam and canal system in 1859.  The Aqueduct carried water to the town reservoir on Maple Street, but was demolished when the reservoir was filled in and major repairs were made to the dam in the early 1870s.

Shaker Block

A colony of Shakers, a Christian religious sect originally led by Ann Lee, erected this structure in 1856. It was taken over by Daniel O'Connell's company shortly after. The structure still stands today on Chestnut Street, as an apartment building, across from the former William Whiting School.

Whiting Street Homestead

The Whiting Street Homestead was built on County Road, now Northampton Street, in the mid to late 1700s.

Present Holyoke Dam

The present dam, the stone structure which replaced the wooden dam, began construction in 1893, and began service in 1900. Well over 1000 feet in length, and nearly 30 feet tall, it was built of cemented stone rubble and faced with granite blocks from local quarries. Major repairs occured in 1936, and the Hydro-electric station seen in this picture was erected in 1949. There are many stations located along the canal system today, producing enough electricity for more than 20,000 homes. This dam has the capability and potential to provide safe, affordable, and environmentally friendly electricity for the entire city of Holyoke.

Hampden Park Gazebo

In 1880s, this structure sheltered the Hampden Park drinking fountain. Although it only survived a few years, the gazebo was rebult for the 1973 Centennial Celebration, at the same time Olsen created the drawing. It was subsequently removed and is preserved at the Wherehouse?

Third Mt. Tom Summit House

The first Mount Tom Summit House was completed in June of 1897, but was consumed by fire on October 8, 1900. May 15, 1901 marked the quick completion and opening of the second Summit House, equally as elegant as the first. The city of Hartford could be seen from the Summit House. On May 2, 1929 the fire which claimed the second Summit House was dubbed "the pathetically beautiful sight." That same year, although a replica of the legacy houses could not be built, the third smaller, two-story metal structure seen in this drawing was contructed. It survived until 1938.