The Casper Ranger Company was formed in 1880. It became one of the preeminent construction companies in the northeast, performing projects throughout New England, New York State, and as far west as Ohio.
From homes to major industrial complexes, the company was available for a wide range of construction work. The company undertook numerous water projects, including dams, power plants, and canals. Government buildings, such as post offices, and complete villages, including housing, shops, and theaters, were constructed. Over twenty buildings at nearby Mt. Holyoke College had been built since 1897. Other major college construction occurred at Smith, Amherst, Williams, and Yale. Department stores, banks and financial institutions, libraries, and essential municipal buildings were part of its vast portfolio of accomplishments. When time permits, I hope to write additionally about this company, which was estimated to have built 70% of Holyoke's early factory buildings. However, this story concerns the property on 6 Newton Street.
In the 20th century, the company evolved into a multigenerational family business, which carried forward nearly three-quarters of the century.
A devastating fire on April 28, 1930, considered Holyoke's most financially devastating to date, destroyed much of the companies' property along Appleton and Bond Street (now Nick Cosmos Way). This is the approximate location (as of 2025) of the Holyoke Police Department headquarters and Holyoke Boys and Girls Club, where Casper Ranger employee housing was located.
The fire was so severe that airborne embers landed on the Holyoke City Hall tower, causing $10,000 damage. The Skinner Mill suffered $100,000 damage, the Farr-Alpaca Mill also suffered damage, and the Casper Ranger businesses suffered over $600,000 damage from the fire started by an overflowing tar kettle. In total $1.25 million was the estimated financial damage.
There was an immediate need to relocate the business offices so that the construction business could continue fluidly, at least on an interim basis, until a rebuild could take place.
Within two days of the fire, the company relocated to the second floor of the Bosworth Building at the corner of Appleton and Newton Streets. Its new address was 6 Newton Street, an address and location it would maintain for the remainder of its history.
On September 25, 1943, Casper Ranger Construction Company purchased the building from Franklin Savings Institution, which had foreclosed on and acquired from various owners three times since 1928. It would be Franklin Savings Institution's last significant involvement with this real estate.
The company continued in the Ranger family with Casper J. Ranger as president and treasurer from 1937. He was the grandson of the company's founder, Caspar Ranger. The company ceased operations in early 1971. The 6 Newton Street real estate was sold at a bankruptcy auction on April 27, 1971, to Eugene Tamburi, who is the subject of the next installment of Appleton & Newton.
Addendum: I vividly recall the late Casper J. Ranger, who was a customer at a High Street pharmacy where I worked during the early 1970s. He was a kind and humble man who made those around him feel welcome and at ease.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; Springfield (Massachusetts) Morning Union; publication dates and pages are shown.
Ancestry.com (paid subscription), Price & Lee City Directories, Holyoke, Massachusetts.
Assessors' Office, City of Holyoke, Massachusetts
Registry of Deeds, Hampden County, Springfield, Massachusetts
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