Bradford (MA) The End of an Era (MA) (Images of America)

In 1674, William Pynchon of Springfield purchased land extending to the Springfield Mountains from the Nipmuc Indians. This area, called Minnechaug or Berryland, became the town of Wilbraham with its incorporation in 1763. The name Wilbraham is derived from the towns of Lesser and Greater Wilbraham, located in England, near Cambridge. The town is located in western Massachusetts in the Pioneer Valley, which is a part of the Connecticut River Valley. Today, it is a vibrant town with an active population involved in local history, sports, and its historical heritage.Wilbraham, a unique collection of more than two hundred vintage images, reveals how the area started as a rural town-with mills located along the rivers of its northern and southern borders and with agriculture spread between the two rivers. This volume also shows how Wilbraham evolved into a residential community, why the town holds a three-day Peach Festival each year, and how the Wesleyan Academy moved to the center in 1823 and became an integral part of the town.