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The medical staff at San

1 pp 1899

The medical staff of the South Lancaster Sanitarium take time out to pose for a photograph.

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photograph

The Lancaster Bank was established in 1836 and, in 1864, became the Lancaster National Bank. In 1882, it was moved to Clinton. From 1883 to 1967, the building was used as the Lancaster Fire Station. Most recently, it has been used to house to ambulances and as a communications center.

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The old Phelps house

1 pp 1850

The old Phelps House was built c.1720 on Harvard Road. Originally, the exterior was plastered in imitation of granite. With exposure to the elements, it developed a discolored and weather-beaten look, making it appear very ancient. The last of the family to occupy the house was William Phelps. Born there in 1805, he lived to be over 90 years of age.

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The old town hall

1 pp 1852

Standing on the center of the present Lancaster Town Green is the old Lancaster Town Hall. It was built in 1848 and, in 1852, a second story was added and used for schoolrooms. The building was demolished c. 1907 and a "new" Lancaster Town Hall, which is now almost 100 years old, took its place.

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The pocketbook making shop

1 pp 1850

This shop was founded by B.M. Cobb c.1835 and was located on Main Street in Lancaster Center, opposite Carleton Place. In 1852, G.A. Johnson entered the business and became the sole proprietor from 1866 to 1875. The large building was later converted into a private dwelling.

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The reading room

1 pp 1868

Here is an early view of the handsome and finely appointed former reading room of the town library. On the back center wall is a plaque honoring the town's Civil War dead. During the recent renovation, the plaque and reading table were relocated to the library's new south wing. Note the circular staircase on the left draped to accommodate the modesty of female patrons.

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The remodeled Fairlawn

1 pp 1920

This view shows Fairlawn as it looked after remodeling in the 1920s.

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The town hall

1 pp 1908

The stately Georgian Colonial town hall, designed by Boston architect A.W. Longfellow, was constructed in a work period of 13 months. Donated by the three remaining sons of Nathaniel Thayer II, it was dedicated on September 11, 1908, on what would have been their father's 100th birthday.

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The town pound

1 pp 1850

In early times, wayward animals were kept confined until the owner came to claim them and pay a fee for their release. At one time, the Lancaster Town Pound was located in front of the Middle Cemetery. In 1842, it was relocated to a spot near the intersection of Back Road and Route 117. At the town meeting on March 3, 1964, an appropriation was made to reconstruct the Lancaster Town Pound. It deteriorated and, in 1993-1994, Gregory Philbin and the Lancaster Boy Scouts again refurbished the construction.

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The town seal

1 pp 1900

The present town seal was adopted at the annual town meeting in 1900, the year all towns were requested to do so by the state. The seal adopted was the ancient coat of arms of Lancaster, England, substituting for the Latin motto the legend "Lancaster on the Nashua, 1635." In the center, a golden "rampant" lion with paw raised is shown on a shield with a background of blue and red.

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The train depots

1 pp 1850

The Lancaster and South Lancaster Depots were busy places in the early 20th century. The Worcester and Nashua Railroad first entered Lancaster in the mid-19th century, and Boston and Maine Railroad had regular routes through town. For many years, the Thayer family, among others, made frequent commutes into Boston from Thayer Station as the South Lancaster Depot was known.

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The train depots

1 pp 1850

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The medical staff at San

The old Lancaster Bank

The old Phelps house

The old town hall

The pocketbook making shop

The reading room

The remodeled Fairlawn

The town hall

The town pound

The town seal

The train depots

The train depots