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Date: 8/5/2022
BLANDFORD – The Blandford Historical Society and its president Pliny “Chips” Norcross is planning a week’s worth of activities leading up to Labor Day to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the building of the iconic White Church of Blandford, 4 North Rd., built in 1822 by prominent 19th century architect Isaac Damon of Northampton.
“The White Church of Blandford is on the town seal; it’s on the town flag. It’s a real iconic symbol,” Norcross said. He said activities during the week will also celebrate the town of Blandford, which came together to save the church in the 1990s when it had fallen into disrepair and the local congregation could no longer maintain it. Since its restoration, the White Church has become a venue for concerts, events, weddings and private occasions.
The week-long celebration begins on Aug. 27, with the annual performance of the Bel Canto Opera at 2 p.m. in the White Church, its first-ever afternoon performance.
The Bel Canto Opera was created as part of the effort in the 1990s to save the White Church by Maestro Eve Queler, a world renowned conductor based in New York City, who said she would bring up four rising opera stars to raise money for the restoration. That was 27 years ago, and the tradition continues.
Tickets for the Bel Canto opera, a longstanding fundraiser for the White Church, are $30, and have been selling strong since February, Norcross said.
Many of the events during the week are free, such as the Blueberry Tea and Art Show at the Blandford Country Club on Aug. 28 from 12 to 4 p.m. Norcross said the Blueberry Tea will echo the popular Blueberry Bridge Teas of the 1950s, 60s and 70s at the club, without the bridge.
The evening of Aug. 30, Blandford resident Peter Curro will serve as emcee for an open mic at the White Church, with more details to follow. Norcross said a lot of people have expressed an interest in participating this year.
On Aug. 31, 5:30 p.m. there will be a Hymn Sing at the White Church by area Mennonites that is open to all to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the building. Afterward, everybody is invited to a free dinner on the lawn, prepared and served by the Mennonite community.
Norcross said local Mennonites have adopted the venue, and seven or eight years ago started to invite Mennonites from across the western world to hold a kickoff concert in Blandford after Labor Day as the start of a 10-day East Coast tour that included a memorial concert at the 9-11 Memorial in New York City. Norcross said they were active up until COVID-19, but are not ready yet to resume the tour.
On Sept. 1 at 7 p.m. there will be a round table and reunion for anyone who attended school at the Deane Memorial Building in Blandford, another piece of local history, this one torn down in the 1970s. Everyone is welcome to come and hear their stories.
Dr. Wallace H. Deane was a doctor and philanthropist in Blandford, who remained unmarried but maintained an office in the home of Electra Watson, another unmarried philanthropist, after whom Watson Park was named. When Watson died in 1910, Deane watched over her estate for the town, who named the two-story brick schoolhouse after him.
Sept. 2 is the opening of the Blandford Fair. Norcross said the Blandford Historical Society will have a booth at the fair.
The highlight of the 200th anniversary celebration of The White Church of Blandford is a parade on Sept. 3 that steps off at Town Hall at 10:30 a.m. and marches around the corner and up to the church. The parade will be led by the Holyoke Caledonian Pipers as a recognition of their support in the history of the restoration of the church.
In 1994, when the church had been jacked up off of its crumbling foundation for four years and needed saving, committee member Peter Langmore came up with the idea of a Scottish Festival in recognition of Blandford’s Scottish roots, to raise funds for the restoration of the church. That was the start of the Glasgow Lands Scottish Festival, now the second largest in New England, which drew 6,000 people to Look Park this year.
The parade will stop at the church, where history reenactor Dennis Picard, the head of the Storrowton Museum for many years, will perform. Also at the White Church will be State Rep. Smitty Pignatelli and other special guests.
From there, the Holyoke Caledonian Pipers will march to and around the Blandford Fair.
Finally on Sept. 4, as part of the Wyman family reunion, a Wyman family pastor will put on a church service open to all, in the style of an 1822 service. The last Wyman reunion was held five or so years ago and brought together 250 people from five generations, Norcross said.
For anyone who would like to know more about the history of the church, the Blandford Historical Society, located at 1 North Rd., has copies for sale of the book, “The White Church of Blandford,” written by Westfield State University Dean of History Nicholas J. Aieta of Westfield, with a foreword by Norcross that was published in January 2022 by Arcadia Publishing. The book will be available for sale during the 200th anniversary observances.