In 1875, J. Hoag once again harnessed the water power of the lake to run his small but prosperous saw mill.
In 1898, the Bellingham Board of Selectmen granted a franchise license to the Milford, Attleboro and Woonsocket Railway Company to operate a rail line in Bellingham. In 1899, the M.A. & W. Railway Company purchased the lake and surrounding area.
On May 18, 1900, work progressed on the construction of a 1,200 seat summer theatre. The theatre was 130 feet by 66 feet wide and was completed and opened on June 26, 1900. In the summer of 1900, a merry-go-round was set up and a $1000 bridge was built to the island. The photo below shows our lake as it was in 1910.
During the early 1900's there were boat rentals, a roller skating rink and band concerts. Top vaudeville acts from New York performed at the lake and as the years passed, a bath house and penny arcade were built. There were live animal acts including monkeys, lions and diving horses. Marathon dances were frequently held, and the Imperial Ladies Orchestra (pictured below) played. Famous visitors included Carry Nations and Helen Keller.
In 1920 and 1921, the trolley system began to decline which led to fewer people visiting the lake and less revenue coming into this once beautiful resort area. In 1922, there were many fires at the lake. The once magnificent theatre and carousel were burned. Since then, the lake has never again captured the popularity of a forgotten era.
Silver Lake was recently purchased by the Town of Bellingham and since 1995 has been open for recreation-- once again.
I made a mistake when I said I was baptized in Millis, it was in Medway. At 87 years old, I get mixed up.
I left Bellingham in the 6th grade and moved to Rhode Island, where I finished school and graduated High School in 1931.
George Bourcier
Nothing in Bellingham was the same on my recent visit. I wanted to find out about the Thayers as when I was there, things seemed to revolve around the Thayers. They were good friends of mine.. But things were not the same--as I looked at my old home, it is no home anymore. I knew you were around because of the letter you sent me some time ago.
I still remember Bellingham as a youth. We had the dance hall at Nipmuck and also one at Lake Pearl. In the summer time we were at one or the other. A girl named Lillian was my partner 90 percent of the time.
I was in the construction business 20-25 years, building LaGuardia Airport plus other big jobs. There was no baloney on the boy from Bellingham. It would be a great pleasure if L.F. could see this--he would faint.
Working for these big companies 45 years ago was a big story, but today I'm just an old man--92-Yours,
Proctor Cooke
P.S. I'm very proud of what I was able to do......