At times, I come across an item that piques my interest while researching another topic in the Holyoke Transcript-Telegram. This is the story of the Sons of Italy Grove.
Holyoke's Galileo-Galilei No. 1401 of the Sons of Italy in America was identified as a voluntary unincorporated association on a deed recorded for the land purchased on Easthampton Road on October 17, 1928.
The National Lodge was founded in New York in 1905, and the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts was chartered in 1914. The organization's foundation fosters philanthropy, education, language, and preserving and sharing Italian culture. The Holyoke chapter was organized in 1925. Today, 43 lodges remain in Massachusetts.
Marius Canova, a lodge member, initially acquired this parcel from Bertha Dietz on September 17, 1928. Within a month, he transferred the land into a trust for the benefit of Galileo-Galilei #1401.
Lodge members gathered and volunteered their time and skills to ready the property for use. A road was added, the property was fenced, and a pavilion for dancing was erected. More would be added later. The Sons of Italy Grove opened on July 21, 1929.
The Galileo-Galilei No. 1401 of the Sons of Italy in America hosted the Massachusetts state convention of the Sons of Italy in America in August 1931. This was the first time Holyoke was chosen as a host city for the festivities. Significant state and local political figures and dignitaries attended this three-day event.
The gathering and meetings were held at the Hotel Nonotuck. The first day featured a parade through the city in the afternoon and a banquet at night. The second day was highlighted by an outing held at the Holyoke Sons of Italy Grove on Easthampton Road.
On June 25, 1932, a newly constructed pavilion opened for dancing. This was a popular spot for the Galileo-Galilei Juniors. During the summer months, dances were held on Thursday and Saturday evenings until midnight.
The association opened to the public with concerts and games. The auxiliary members served spaghetti dinners, and the events were well-advertised in the newspaper.
The club was not exclusively for use by its members. Benevolent organizations and social groups such as the Polish Falcons, Ladies Hebrew Free Loan Society, Boy Scouts, Brian Boru Club, bowling leagues, and Italian Veterans held get-togethers at the grove.
On Friday, June 14, 1940, a fire of suspicious origin razed the one-story wooden building and the kitchen. The open pavilion was not affected. Firefighters were hampered by a lack of water to fight the blaze.
The grove was advertised for sale in 1945. The number of events had declined during World War II, and the building had fallen into disrepair. There was no caretaker, and vandals were impacting the property. The grove at the time included a 30' x 40' pavilion and an 11' x 14' kitchen
In 1948, the grove was made available to the public free of charge.
On June 17, 1949, a grand opening celebration featured barbeque chicken and macaroni with musical entertainment. In 1950, the organization assembled a team to enlist new members. With the approval of the City of Holyoke, the name was changed to simply The Grove to attract a wider audience for use of its grounds. Dances and dinners resumed through 1952.
The Grove was advertised for sale on June 18, 1953. On December 13, 1955, the real estate was sold to John J. Dowd of Holyoke. The 1964 land survey and the current Holyoke Assessors' MapGeo (2025) are shown below to identify the grove's location.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; publication dates and pages are shown.
Registry of Deeds, Hampden County, Springfield, Massachusetts
City of Holyoke, Massachusetts, Assessors' Office
Registry of Deeds: 1964 Land Survey performed for Daniel Curran and John J. Dowd
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