Development of trolley system and transformation of Longmeadow into a streetcar suburb. This article was written by Susan and Christopher Hall.,The Streetcar Suburb The end of the nineteenth century brought about a dynamic transition for Longmeadow, transforming it from a quiet, rural village into a suburban community. A map published in 1894 shows just over one hundred homes in all of Longmeadow, with the vast majority being clustered around the Green on Longmeadow Street. Most of the rest are liberally peppered along the north and south portions of the street, with only a handful of farms located in the outlying regions east of Route 5. Only thirty years later, in 1924, the Board of Assessors listed 842 dwellings. What caused this massive building boom? In the 1890's three major events set the stage for rapid development. In 1896 tracks for an extension of the Springfield Street Railway were laid along Longmeadow Street. This suddenly made Springfield easily accessible from Longmeadow, paving the way for urban professionals to bring their families to the "country," yet easily commute to their places of employment in the city. In Western Massachusetts: A History 1636- 1925, it is noted that "Longmeadow has always been the home of retired, refined and well-to-do people of intellectual tastes and tendencies." The streetcar created even more opportunity for gracious living in the new suburbs. Another contributing factor to the development of Longmeadow as a quiet suburb was the creation of Forest Park, just to the north of Longmeadow. The park was dedicated in 1890 when a portion of Longmeadow land was ceded to Springfield to supplement the sizable donation of land from the estate of Everett Barney and others. This 756-acre park, designed by the noted Olmsted Brothers firm, quickly became a green buffer between city and suburb, enhancing the quality of life for Longmeadow residents as well as for city dwellers. The third event of major significance occurred in 1893 when the western, rural part of Longmeadow requested an official separation from the eastern, more industrial part of town. The third of the population living in the western section of town paid more than half the municipal taxes. Socially, the west was composed of wealthier businessmen, farmers and professionals, while the eastern part of town, with its active quarries and small businesses, was populated by workers' families living in smaller homes. In 1894, when East Longmeadow became incorporated as a separate town, Longmeadow immediately appropriated $30,000 for a modern public water system. The reservoir, located in the present day Laurel Park, and updated water delivery and sewer systems, prepared the town for the denser, suburban development which soon followed. Ground was broken in 1898 for South Park Terrace, the first of many still extant suburban neighborhoods along the northern portion of Longmeadow Street. Built on 45 acres between the Springfield line and Converse Street, it was the first planned suburban development outside the city of Springfield. Advertised as "Springfield's most beautiful suburb" by its developers, J. William Cheney, Theodore Leete and Edward Murphy, it was promoted as a residential area that would "afford people of moderate means a wealth of health-giving qualities of pure air, pure water, dry soil and the perfect contentment of village life." , Description: Development of trolley system and transformation of Longmeadow into a streetcar suburb. This article was written by Susan and Christopher Hall., Additional Info: , Date: , Creator: , OCR Text: The Streetcar Suburb The end of the nineteenth century brought about a dynamic transition for Longmeadow, transforming it from a quiet, rural village into a suburban community. A map published in 1894 shows just over one hundred homes in all of Longmeadow, with the vast majority being clustered around the Green on Longmeadow Street. Most of the rest are liberally peppered along the north and south portions of the street, with only a handful of farms located in the outlying regions east of Route 5. Only thirty years later, in 1924, the Board of Assessors listed 842 dwellings. What caused this massive building boom? In the 1890's three major events set the stage for rapid development. In 1896 tracks for an extension of the Springfield Street Railway were laid along Longmeadow Street. This suddenly made Springfield easily accessible from Longmeadow, paving the way for urban professionals to bring their families to the "country," yet easily commute to their places of employment in the city. In Western Massachusetts: A History 1636- 1925, it is noted that "Longmeadow has always been the home of retired, refined and well-to-do people of intellectual tastes and tendencies." The streetcar created even more opportunity for gracious living in the new suburbs. Another contributing factor to the development of Longmeadow as a quiet suburb was the creation of Forest Park, just to the north of Longmeadow. The park was dedicated in 1890 when a portion of Longmeadow land was ceded to Springfield to supplement the sizable donation of land from the estate of Everett Barney and others. This 756-acre park, designed by the noted Olmsted Brothers firm, quickly became a green buffer between city and suburb, enhancing the quality of life for Longmeadow residents as well as for city dwellers. The third event of major significance occurred in 1893 when the western, rural part of Longmeadow requested an official separation from the eastern, more industrial part of town. The third of the population living in the western section of town paid more than half the municipal taxes. Socially, the west was composed of wealthier businessmen, farmers and professionals, while the eastern part of town, with its active quarries and small businesses, was populated by workers' families living in smaller homes. In 1894, when East Longmeadow became incorporated as a separate town, Longmeadow immediately appropriated $30,000 for a modern public water system. The reservoir, located in the present day Laurel Park, and updated water delivery and sewer systems, prepared the town for the denser, suburban development which soon followed. Ground was broken in 1898 for South Park Terrace, the first of many still extant suburban neighborhoods along the northern portion of Longmeadow Street. Built on 45 acres between the Springfield line and Converse Street, it was the first planned suburban development outside the city of Springfield. Advertised as "Springfield's most beautiful suburb" by its developers, J. William Cheney, Theodore Leete and Edward Murphy, it was promoted as a residential area that would "afford people of moderate means a wealth of health-giving qualities of pure air, pure water, dry soil and the perfect contentment of village life." , Longmeadow Historical Society,Documents,Articles,post-1900,The Streetcar Suburb.pdf,The Streetcar Suburb.pdf Page 1, The Streetcar Suburb.pdf Page 1