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^ 3 8134 0010 siSsT 0 History of the Banks in Palmer by Jane E. Golas ]an. 25, 1851 Call forameetingofthe"Friendsofa Bank" tobeestablished inDepotVillage. Feb. 8, 1851 $40,000subscribed tothestockofthe"PalmerSavingsBank". $100,000neededbeforethelegislaturemav bepetitioned foraCharter. March 8, 1851 Allmoneyissubscribed. May 17, 1851 Legislaturewould ha\etorefusetheCharterbecauseofoppositionmadebycitizenswhoclaimeci thatthemoneysubscribed towould onlybefulfilledbyhalfofthesubscribers. March 1870 7, PalmerSavingsBankreceived itscharterand isnow incorporated underMass.Laws. July 1, 1870 PalmerSavingsBankopened intheCrossBlock(Faulkner's)inthesameroomasBrooksJewelry Store. Oct. 15, 1870 PalmerSa\ingsBankremoved totheupperroom in the Lawrenceblock (WintonManor). April 15, 1873 Bankdirectorsvoted tobuildablockonJamesG. Allen lotonChurchStreet,provided itcanbe builttoplanof$16,000. 1874 AllenBlock,socalled,wasbuiltbyJamesG.Allen,abankdirectorand trialjudgeoftheEastern HampdenCountyCourt. 3875 PalmerSavingsBankremovedtotheAllenBlock. 1876 Newly incorporated PalmerNational Banksharingcommodiousbankingroomonfirstfloorof AllenBlockwithPalmerSavingsBank.Second floorofsaidblockisoccupied bytheCourtRoom andLawyer'soffices. Third floorhousesalargehall forpublicgatheringsandthebasementhas beenec^uippedaslock-upforconvenienceoftheCourt. 1880 PalmerSavingsBankhastakenoverownershipoftheAllenproperty. June 19, 1903 PalmerSavingsBankbuyssiteforbusinessblockknownasThompson'sCorner.Thispropertyis oneof,ifnotthemostvaluableonMainStreetandextendsabout70ft.onMainStreetand 100ft. onTliorndikeStreet.WiththepassageoflawwhichcompelledseparationoftheSavingsand NationalbanksbyJulyofnextyear,camethedesiretosecurealocationonMainStreetnearerthe businesscenter. Fourbuildingsnowoccupythisproperty: 1) E.GoodsShoeStore2)J. H. HamiltonGroceryand A.D.Thomas,Grain3) F.A. Hamilton,Wood &CoalOfficeand4)ontheThorndikeStreetside,a buildingoccupiedbyMonsonGraniteCo.&JamesSummers,Blacksmith. Theshapeandsizeof theBankBuildingwillbedeterminedbythewantsoftheSavingsBankand thedesiresofthe publicprovided thebankwillreceiveafairinterestreturnonitsinvestment. Numerous applicationsforofficesandquartersintheBankBuildinghavebeenreceivedandwillbe considered. Nomatterwhatthefinalstructurewill looklike,theonethingthatcanbecertainis thatthechangewillbeforthebetterintheappearanceofMainStreet. (PalmerJournal) mm A Rendering by Margareett MMaannssffiieelldd local artist INDEX ACCOUNTANT 20 ANIMAL INSPECTOR 83 APPEALS, BOARD OF 84 ASSESSORS, BOARD OF 85 BUILDING INSPECTOR 87 BURLEIGH PARK 88 BY LAW COMMITTEE 89 CEMETERY COMMISSION 90 CIVIL DEFENSE/EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 91 CLERK 93 COLLECTOR 132 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT 136 CONSERVATION COMMISSION 138 COUNCIL ON AGING I39 CULTURAL COUNCIL 141 DOG OFFICER 142 ELECTRICAL INSPECTOR I44 FACTS ABOUT PALMER 6 FINANCE COMMITTEE 145 FORESTRY DEPARTMENT 146 FOREST FIRE WARDEN 147 GAS INSPECTOR 148 GOVERNMENT DISTRICT & REPRESENTATIVES 5 HEALTH, BOARD OF 149 HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT 150 HISTORICAL COMMISSION 151 HOUSING AUTHORITY 153 LIBRARY 154 LICENSE COMMISSION 157 MEMORIAL PAGE: PATRICK LANDERS F. 2 ALVIN RONDEAU 3 GEORGE E. TURNER, JR 4 MILK INSPECTOR 158 OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES APPOINTED BY SELECTMEN 12 PALMER PUBLIC SCHOOLS 159 PALMER REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY 167 PARK DEPARTMENT 168 PATHFINDER REGIONAL VOCATIONAL TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT 170 PLANNING BOARD 182 PLUMBING INSPECTOR 184 POLICE DEPARTMENT 185 SAFETY COMMITTEE 201 INDEX SEALER OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES 202 SELECTMEN, BOARD OF 203 TELEPHONE NUMBERS 8 TOWN OFFICERS 9 TOWN MEETINGS 93 TREASURER 206 TREE WARDEN 207 VETERANS' SERVICES 208 VITAL STATISTICS: MARRIAGES 124 DEATHS 127 WATER POLLUTION CONTROL FACILITY 211 TOWN THE ^ ^ REMEMBERS WHO y^THOSE SERVEDiW 1 PATRICK LANDERS F. ^NbvemBer 11, 1932-JuCy 7, 1999 & Patrick was a lifelong resident ofPalmer, he was chairman ofthe Palmer Fire Water District Prudential Committee where he served over 20 years. He was a member ofthe Palmer Safety Committee, St. Thomas Cemetery Commission, the Community Policing Advisory Committee, the Charter Commission. Palmer Council on Aging, the Democratic Town Committee. Palmer Knights ofColumbus, Post 130 American Legion and Club 13. He was also retired from the Palmer Police Department. He participated in Junior Achievement at Old Mill Pond Elementary School and served on the St. Thomas Parish Council. He married the former Diana George, they have six children and nine grandchildren. Family, friends, and the community sadly miss him. 2 RONDEAU ALVIN "MIKE" (Decem6er28, 1916-January 1999 6, Born in Palmer and a life-long resident ofPalmer, Mike was a long-time Town Official. He was the longest elected official in Palmer serving for 48 years on the Board ofAssessors. He was a member and helped organize the Thomdike Water District and was the founder ofthe Palmer Beagle Club. He also was a corporator for Country Bank for Savings. He married the formerNora Tyburski ofThomdike. They have two children, Richard and James, and five grandchildren. He was the former president ofAlvin Rondeau's Ice Cream & Ice Corporation in Palmer, which was established in the 1940, and also owned and operated Rondeau's Dairy Bar for 57 years until retiring in 1997. He was a communicant ofSt. Peter & Paul's Church, a 50-year member ofthe Palmer Knight ofColumbus and a member ofSt. Jean the Baptist Society. He was a member of the Massachusetts Association ofAssessors. An avid deer and moose hunter, Mr. Rondeau was a member ofthe Ten Point Hunting Club in New Hampshire. He was also a member ofthe National Rifle Association. GEORGE TURNER, E. JR. January 27, 1947-JuCy 1, 1999 George was a Technician at the town's Wastewater Treatment Plant since 1987. He was a member ofthe Three Rivers Fire Department since 1980 and previously served in the Bondsville Fire Department. Born in Vermont, he was a longtime resident, and a member ofthe Swift River Sportsmen's Club. George married the former Catherine Charette, he has three sons, Scott, Jeffrey and Alexander. He will be truly missed by family and friends. 4 GOVERNMENTAL DISTRICT AND REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE TOWN OF PALMER UNITED STATES SENATORS John F. Kerry, Boston Edward M. Kennedy, Boston COUNCILOR Seventh Councilor District Dennis P. McManus STATE SENATOR Worcester, Hampden, Franklin and Hampshire Senatorial District Stephen M. Brewer REPRESENTATIVE IN GENERAL COURT First Hampden Representative District Reed V. Hillman REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS Second Congressional District Richard E. Neal DISTRICT ATTORNEY William M. Bennett, Springfield 5 FACTS ABOUT PALMER SETTLED 1716 INCORPORATED AS A DISTRICT 1752 ACCEPTED AS A TOWN 1776 LOCATION About 15 miles east ofSpringfield on Route 20 HIGHEST ELEVATION Colonel's Mountain 1 179 feet POPULATION 12,546 FORM OF GOVERNMENT Town Meeting TAX RATE -FY 1998 TOWN 17.64 FIRE DISTRICT TAX DISTRICT #1 1.39 DISTRICT #2 1.38 DISTRICT #3 2.97 DISTRICT #4 2.13 NUMBER OF DWELLINGS Approximately 3,814 PROPERTY VALUATION $527,281,869 AREA Approximately Land 20,1 10.0 acres; Water 457.5 acres. Total 20,568.4 acres; Square Miles: 32.14 STREETS AND HIGHWAYS Approximately 150 miles PUBLIC SCHOOLS Palmer High School Converse Middle School Old Mill Pond Elementary FIRE PROTECTION Well equipped and established fire station at Walnut Street, Palmer, with a 43 member call force headed by Alan J. Roy, Chief, (Civil Service); Springfield Street, Three Rivers with a 34 member call force headed by ChiefPatrick O'Connor. Main Street, Bondsville, with a 22 member call force headed by ChiefJohn Sullivan. 6