McCarthy's Restaurant

Thomas McCarthy had a background in food service. In the mid-1920s, he operated the first cafeteria at the National Blank Book Company. In the 1930s, he owned a lunch wagon at 1552 1/2 Northampton Street while he resided nearby at 1550 Northampton Street. 

On August 31, 1939, McCarthy's Restaurant opened for business at 1557 Northampton Street. The proprietors of the new restaurant were Thomas J & Helen McCarthy. 

The newly built restaurant was located on the western side of Northampton Street, across the street from his lunch wagon. The McCarthys purchased the restaurant site in two transactions, two parcels from Winifred J Phelps and a third parcel from Edward Whithill. Both purchases were recorded at the Registry of Deeds on September 9, 1938.

D. J. Guilbault was the restaurant's building contractor, and J. F. Cunniff Company was the engineering firm. The restaurant has two wings: one side with booth and fountain service and the other for table service and functions. 

Newspaper accounts showed the restaurant was busy for several years with many functions, including weddings, bridal showers, anniversary parties, and civic and social banquets.

Thomas J. McCarthy died on January 6, 1943, at age 47. 

Alfred Terranova then operated the restaurant under a lease arrangement in June 1943, and the McCarthy Restaurant name remained. 

A fire occurred at the restaurant on April 13, 1944. Repairs and renovations were made, and the restaurant reopened in late June 1944.

Also, in 1944, talks continued about constructing a school on the western side of Northampton Street on the restaurant's property. This included possibly taking a welding shop that was part of Reardon's Garage, the former First Congregational Church, and the McCarthy's Restaurant building.

On January 28, 1946, Mr Terranova purchased the real estate from Helen McCarthy. In late 1946, the restaurant was renamed McCarthy's Eatmore Restaurant, and in 1947, it was again renamed The Toll House Grille.

The equipment and furnishings were sold at a public auction on November 8, 1948, and the real estate was sold to the 1557 Northampton Street Corporation on November 12, 1948. The building was modified for Springfield Clothing Market, a women's apparel shop.

On October 9, 1950, the City of Holyoke took ownership of the property by eminent domain to build a new junior high school. The restaurant building was purchased by John T. Oleksak, owner of the City Paint Factory, and relocated across the street for his business. A photo of the current location is shown below.

Citations:

Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; publication dates are shown.

Holyoke (Massachusetts)Public Library, History Room, online Holyoke City Directories

Registry of Deeds, Hampden County, Springfield, Massachusetts

Google Maps Online

Google Maps View (June 2023) The now-altered former McCarthy's Restaurant building.           1548 Northampton St

 

Transcript-Telegram Mon. Jan 8, 1940

 

Holyoke Belting Company (Away from the Canals, Edition 13)

According to the History of Massachusetts Industries (Orra L. Stone, published in 1930), Holyoke Belting Company was formed in Chicopee in 1869. It remained in that city until the 1880s when B. F. Nichols & Company purchased the company and moved it to Holyoke. 

City Directories identify B. F. Nichols operating in the Hale Block in Indian Orchard in 1875 and in Holyoke Water Power's Cabot Street Mill from 1881. I could not locate Holyoke Belting Co. in Chicopee for the indicated years. It may have operated under another name.

Initially, the business manufactured roll coverings. However, for most of the years, the company produced all sorts of industrial leather belts and rubber hoses for equipment and machinery. It had an excellent reputation in its field. In the early 20th century, Holyoke Belting had contracts with Cuban and South American companies and distributed to much of the United States. 

The company was heavily reliant on the availability of leather. When automobiles converted from mainly leather to woolen and mohair seat covers, the stress on the supply side lessened. 

The business chronology:

The business was incorporated under the name B. F. Nichols Company in 1891. In 1895, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts approved the corporation's request for a name change to the Holyoke Belting Company. B.F. Nichols had left the company, and the current owners wanted to recognize the city where they were located by its name.

On March 31, 1900, Holyoke Belting Company moved into the former Seymour Cutlery Building at the southeastern corner of Appleton and Bigelow Street. The company remained there and expanded its business and square footage until 1909.

A four-story mill building on Winter Street, constructed in 1907 for Barlow Manufacturing Company, was transferred to Casper Ranger in mid-1908. At the time, Barlow Manufacturing was experiencing financial problems.

Holyoke Water Power (HWP) purchased the mill from Mr. Ranger, and in 1909, Holyoke Belting Company moved in under a lease agreement. The lease arrangement allowed Holyoke Belting Co. to sublease space at its discretion. 

Holyoke Belting was one of the first manufacturing concerns in the country to produce a waterproof belt.

Holyoke Belting purchased the building from HWP on May 1, 1923, and sold the plant on December 30, 1957, to J. T. Downing Realty Corporation. Holyoke Belting's parent company, Grattan & Knight Co. of Worcester, absorbed the business operation in 1958. 

The Holyoke Belting Company was honored by the Holyoke Chamber of Commerce in March 1958 on its 90th anniversary.

Citations:

Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; Springfield (Massachusetts) Republican); publication dates and pages are shown.

Holyoke Public Library, Holyoke, Chicopee & Springfield, Massachusetts, City Directories.

History of Massachusetts Industries, Orra L. Stone, 1930, p. 596

photo taken by author in 2016