Dedham Tales

My sister got these for everyone in the family. It pretty much sums up the whole experience.

Today it’s Joe’s American Bar and Grill. When I worked there for a month as a sophomore in high school in 1975 it was Boraschi’s Villa, and the decorative sign from that incarnation can still be seen in the main dining room of the Route 1 eatery. But in 1978 it was J.C. Hillary’s, and for several days during the Great Blizzard it became home to stranded motorists who trudged up from their abandoned cars on Route 128. Over 500 motorists stayed at both Hilary’s and the Showcase Cinema across the street, which became a Red Cross shelter for several days. Another 20 refugees from Route 128 made their way to the Caulfield home on Vincent Rd. where they were given shelter.

The lobby of the old Showcase Cinema with stranded motorists

Roads were closed by order of Governor Dukakis, and both state and local police were busy handing out citations to people who disobeyed the order.

School in Dedham was closed for 7 days, with Dukakis declaring that the days did not have to be made up, so Dedham students only went to school 176 days that year.

A portion of the roof of the Dedham Mall collapsed over Cummins, a women’s clothing store.

During the storm burglars broke into The House of Sports on Eastern Ave. and made off with $5000 worth of sporting goods, including the toboggans that they used to transport their plunder.

And I walked around with my little camera, taking fuzzy pictures of the Tower St. neighborhood.

Below: The house on Tower St. after the Blizzard of ’78. The bottom picture was taken after another memorable storm, the April Fool’s Day Blizzard of 1997.

Rte. 128 at East St.
Driving around the narrowed streets of Dedham and listening to the news stories of buildings collapsing under the weight of snow naturally causes one to think back to the Blizzard of ’78, which occurred 33 years ago this week. Now 33 years isn’t all that long ago, yet I find it hard to recall many specific details about the storm. Some of my recollections include: walking out to Rte. 128 near East St. to look at all the abandoned cars- people walking from Roche Bros. in Westwood pulling sleds with groceries-watching some guy in a tiny jeep try to plow Tower St. (he finally gave up and left the jeep there in front of the mountainous pile of snow he’d created).

I was working at Wrangler Wranch in the Mall at the time, and I remember some time after the blizzard getting a check from the state for the missed work days due to the state of emergency that kept the Mall closed. What are your Blizzard of ’78 memories?

Etna Rd. and Capen School
LATER THIS WEEK- Blizzard Tales from Dedham!

It’s been a long time since the last post, but now as Dedham celebrates 375 years as a town, it is time to share more tales from old Shiretown. If you are new to the blog, be sure to read all the old posts. Let me know what you think- suggest possible topics- send photos. Let’s celebrate Dedham’s birthday together!