Maureen - We do have a town beach in Mendon. It's a small area off of Taft Ave on the Millville Rd end of the street. It's got a small sandy beach area, a bath house, and a snack stand. They've been giving swimming lessons there for years - I thought everyone in Mendon learned to swim there LOL The people who live on the lake do swim in it, but I understand there is quite a drop off in the area of the Ballroom - probably in other sections too - so I'm sure it's not wise to swim anywhere other than the beach area. Where's White's Pond? There used to be a merry go round at Silver Lake in Bellingham too. Lisa ----- Original Message ----- From: "Maureen Cooley" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, March 06, 2006 7:53 PM Subject: RE: [MAWORCES] Dear Old Mendon > > Yes I do....MIscoe Springs SODA....There are all natural underground springs > in Mendon. Miscoe Springs was a bottleing Company that made SODA= ROOT > BEER....LIME-ADE....COLA...GINGER-ALE AND ORANGE CRUSH with real orange > pieces in it...Occassioanly Sasperalla and 7-UP > ALSO there was a drive in on ROUTE 16....which is still there...the ONLY one > left in this area...They have a 56 CHEVY sticking OUT of their refreshment > STAND > MISCOE springs NOW offers water to Garelick Milk Company of Bellingham Mass. > and ALSO local Shaws and Stop and Shop Supermarkets... THats where I buy my > water... > THERE is NO more swimming in Mendon MAss. BOTH sides.... Whites Pond and > Lakeview because of the drowning AND also the underground currents > > >From: [email protected] (Marcia Payne) > >To: [email protected] > >Subject: [MAWORCES] Dear Old Mendon > >Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2006 18:27:36 -0600 > > > > > >Maureen I enjoyed your story. I too grew up in the '60s, but I lived in > >Florida. Almost every summer we visited my Dad's parents in Uxbridge and > >our treat would be Milly Mitchell's, you remember that place don't you. > > > >Fried clams & onion rings & Misco orange drink. We were in heaven. It > >usually was on Friday's because of Gramma's Catholic faith was still > >observing Fish for Fridays. At least that's what I was told. Even though > >those delicious clams were't fish, it was a nice change from her salmon > >patties :-))). > > > >How about the Drive-in movies, that was excellent too. > > > >Marcia

Hi All: I kep wondering about the "lake" as mentioned, and I am beginning to think that Nipmuck Pond is now called a lake? I've been to the Myriad Ballroom. I attended a Taft reunion there a few years ago, and of course a couple of times when I was little for a family gathering of some sort. I never did get to swim in Nipmuck Pond. I've traveled the back roads to and from Mendon and Uxbridge many times. I miss doing that, but then there's something to be said when moving. You lose things you like and gain new things to love. In my case, it a fantastic view of the Sandia Mountains here in Albuquerque, and the fact that it is high desert and no humidity. I can breathe much better. Here I am closer to the military base (I can look out the back of my apartment building and see Kirtland AFB). There is a gate at the end of my road. Living in Providence, I had a 31 mile drive to Newport to the Naval Base. No fresh clam chowder, baked scrod, nor fried clams here. Red Lobster and Long John Silvers doesn't count. I also miss stopping in at Old Cemetery in Mendon to visit Rev. Grindall 2 Rawson's grave. The stone is a portrait stone, one of a very few left in New England and has been in the cemetery since 1725. Regards, Alison Franks Archivist, Rawson Family Association

Hi Allison - I've only heard it called Lake Nipmuc, but then again I've only lived here for 17 yrs.... Speaking of the Tafts - The other restaurant that's been here next to forever is the Cocke n'Kettle in Uxbridge. I work with a woman who is a Taft - she's 94 - yes, that's correct - 94! She told me that the Cocke n' Kettle was originally her uncle's farm. I want to say his name was Raymond? but that might not be correct. Her family descends from the Matthew Taft. She grew up on the family farm in Upton on Taft and East Streets. Her parents were Elmer Taft & Gladys Bruce. And don't forget Lowell's Restaurant - they are now re-opened at a new location - Rte 140, Mendon, in between Hopedale & Bellingham. I've never been to the old cemetery because I have no family there. After the snow is gone, I'll have to go over there and look at that Rawson stone. I've seen stones with photos attached - from the 1920's or so. I've never seen anything like you are describing here. Lisa ----- Original Message ----- From: "AGFranks" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, March 07, 2006 4:51 AM Subject: RE: [MAWORCES] Dear Old Mendon > Hi All: > > I kep wondering about the "lake" as mentioned, and I am beginning to think > that Nipmuck Pond is now called a lake? I've been to the Myriad Ballroom. > I attended a Taft reunion there a few years ago, and of course a couple of > times when I was little for a family gathering of some sort. I never did > get to swim in Nipmuck Pond. > > I've traveled the back roads to and from Mendon and Uxbridge many times. I > miss doing that, but then there's something to be said when moving. You > lose things you like and gain new things to love. In my case, it a > fantastic view of the Sandia Mountains here in Albuquerque, and the fact > that it is high desert and no humidity. I can breathe much better. > > Here I am closer to the military base (I can look out the back of my > apartment building and see Kirtland AFB). There is a gate at the end of my > road. Living in Providence, I had a 31 mile drive to Newport to the Naval > Base. No fresh clam chowder, baked scrod, nor fried clams here. Red > Lobster and Long John Silvers doesn't count. > > I also miss stopping in at Old Cemetery in Mendon to visit Rev. Grindall 2 > Rawson's grave. The stone is a portrait stone, one of a very few left in > New England and has been in the cemetery since 1725. > > Regards, > Alison Franks > Archivist, Rawson Family Association > > > ==== MAWORCES Mailing List ==== > Need to UNsub for vacation or summer?? > Forget How to UN sub??? > http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/usa/MA/worcester.html > >

Hi Lisa: I don't know much about the Matthew Taft bunch, only that they are also in the area, and not certain if there is a relation between him and Robert 1 Taft, who I do descend from. Both the Cock and Kettle and Lowells have excellent food. It all depends on what your interested in for food at the time. About Old Cemetery. If you want to see the portrait stone of Rev. Grindall 2 Rawson, once you get to the cemetery, walk towards the old barn. You will see a raised stone foundation. That is what the portrait stone is sitting on. Besides Grindall, his wife, Susannah (Wilson) Rawson is there too. Susannah {Wilson) Rawson's father was Rev. John Wilson, Minister of Medfield, and her grandfathers were Rev. Dr. John Wilson, Minister of Boston, and Rev. Thomas Hooker, founder of Hartford, CT. Grindall and Susannah were second cousins. Her grandfather, Rev. Dr. John Wilson and Edward 1 Rawson's mother were siblings! Grindall is Pres. William Howard Taft's ancestor too. Alison

Lisa, That was my error. The Beach in Mendon that you took swimming lessons from is on Taft Street. That is called White's Beach. On the OTHER side of the lake is where the MYRIAD or FORMER name of Lakeview.(There use to be life gurads and swimming on BOTH sides) I forgot all bout that restaurant that buned down in there. I think it was owned by some people in Milford that had a dance studio. Lakeview and that restaurant And Milly Mitchel'sRestaurant was at another angle of the lake. There are all small houses all around the Lake >From: "Lisa Lepore" <[email protected]> >To: [email protected] >Subject: Re: [MAWORCES] Dear Old Mendon >Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2006 23:43:18 -0500 > >Maureen - > >We do have a town beach in Mendon. It's a small area >off of Taft Ave on the Millville Rd end of the street. >It's got a small sandy beach area, a bath house, and >a snack stand. They've been giving swimming lessons >there for years - I thought everyone in Mendon learned >to swim there LOL > >The people who live on the lake do swim in it, but >I understand there is quite a drop off in the area of >the Ballroom - probably in other sections too - so >I'm sure it's not wise to swim anywhere other than >the beach area. > >Where's White's Pond? > >There used to be a merry go round at Silver Lake >in Bellingham too. > >Lisa > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Maureen Cooley" <[email protected]> >To: <[email protected]> >Sent: Monday, March 06, 2006 7:53 PM >Subject: RE: [MAWORCES] Dear Old Mendon > > > > > > Yes I do....MIscoe Springs SODA....There are all natural underground >springs > > in Mendon. Miscoe Springs was a bottleing Company that made SODA= >ROOT > > BEER....LIME-ADE....COLA...GINGER-ALE AND ORANGE CRUSH with real >orange > > pieces in it...Occassioanly Sasperalla and 7-UP > > ALSO there was a drive in on ROUTE 16....which is still there...the >ONLY one > > left in this area...They have a 56 CHEVY sticking OUT of their >refreshment > > STAND > > MISCOE springs NOW offers water to Garelick Milk Company of >Bellingham Mass. > > and ALSO local Shaws and Stop and Shop Supermarkets... THats where I >buy my > > water... > > THERE is NO more swimming in Mendon MAss. BOTH sides.... Whites Pond >and > > Lakeview because of the drowning AND also the underground currents > > > > >From: [email protected] (Marcia Payne) > > >To: [email protected] > > >Subject: [MAWORCES] Dear Old Mendon > > >Date: Mon, 6 Mar 2006 18:27:36 -0600 > > > > > > > > >Maureen I enjoyed your story. I too grew up in the '60s, but I >lived in > > >Florida. Almost every summer we visited my Dad's parents in >Uxbridge and > > >our treat would be Milly Mitchell's, you remember that place don't >you. > > > > > >Fried clams & onion rings & Misco orange drink. We were in heaven. >It > > >usually was on Friday's because of Gramma's Catholic faith was >still > > >observing Fish for Fridays. At least that's what I was told. Even >though > > >those delicious clams were't fish, it was a nice change from her >salmon > > >patties :-))). > > > > > >How about the Drive-in movies, that was excellent too. > > > > > >Marcia > > > >==== MAWORCES Mailing List ==== >To UNsub go here: >http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/usa/MA/worcester.html > _________________________________________________________________ Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/