EVENTS
INTRODUCTION
Throughout its history, Winchester residents have enjoyed many special events, including concerts, fairs, and celebrations. It has endured trying conditions such as epidemics, extreme weather events, and financial depression.. Some of these have come and gone while others have helped shaped the town.
CELEBRATIONS
CONCERTS & SHOWS
CRIMES & MISDEMEANORS
See Murder at the Depot
Policing Prohibition
Bird Battles
EPIDEMICS
See Epidemics and Influenza Epidemic
FINANCIAL DISASTERS
See Great Depression
Jordan Marsh House
FIRES & EXPLOSIONS
Downtown Fires - Although the Brown & Stanton Building at the intersection of Main and Mount Vernon streets currently stands out for its height, this was not originally so. The Lyceum Building and White Building were just as tall, but lost their upper stories due to fires.
Industrial Fires - Several mills, factories and industries suffered and were destroyed by fires, including the Bacon mills, the Blank Brothers tannery on Lake Street, and the greatest fires ever, at Beggs & Cobb and the Whitten Gelatin Factory. One other factory was blown to bits due to an explosion. [Read more: Unitarian Church Fire, Beggs & Cobb Fire and Fireworks factory explosion]
FLOODS
River Floods - The Aberjona River and Horn Pond Brook have frequently flooded. [Read More: Historic River Floods]
Molasses Flood - A local man survived the great Molasses Flood of 1919. [Read More: Winchester Man Escaped Boston's Great Molasses Flood]
POLITICAL EVENTS
Theodore Roosevelt visits Winchester
SPORTS
STORMS & EXTREME WEATHER
The worst ice storm occurred in 1921. [Read more: The Big Storm Worst Known]
The summer of 1816 was known as the Year without a Summer. [Read more: Extreme Summer Weather]
All the hurricanes which have hit New England impacted Winchester. The most destructive was the Hurricane of 1938. [Read more: Hurricane of 1938]