In the late spring of 1915, a quiet transformation began in Granville Center. On a rise nearly 1,200 feet above sea level, workmen gathered at an old colonial house—once the home of Eleazur Levi Brown. The structure, originally built circa 1805 by Joel Root, had stood for more than a century. Now, under the direction of Mrs. John M. Stevenson—Hattie (Cooley) Stevenson, a summer resident with deep ties to the nearby Cooley homestead—it was being brought into a new age, with as many modern conveniences as possible being added. Steam heat was installed. The best in modern plumbing followed. Hardwood floors replaced worn surfaces, and yet—despite these updates—the mansion retained its old-fashioned fireplaces and historic charm. By mid-summer, the work was complete. On July 10, 1915, the doors officially opened to the Oriole Inn and Tea Room. A Modern Inn with Old New England Charm Managed by Mrs. F. E. Walker of Short Hills, New Jersey, the Oriole Inn was never intended to be a year-...

⚠️ Sensitive Archival Image: This article includes a historical photograph that some readers may find unsettling.      — A Southwick Time Machine Original On June 27, 1931, Miss A. Bruna Gavioli of Southwick, Massachusetts, sailed from New York City on the RMS Cedric for a tour of England, Switzerland, Ireland, Belgium, France, and Germany. Bruna was accompanied by her cousin, Corlina Cassari, and Miss Margaret Judge of New Haven, Connecticut.    After nearly two months abroad, Bruna departed Cherbourg, France, aboard the Westernland on August 15 and arrived back in New York City on August 24, 1931.   A. Bruna Gavioli, circa 1930     During her trip abroad, she met a young Italian man named Carlo Benea. He had earned his high school diploma in 1927 and worked as an accountant at the Banca Agricola in Cavezzo in the province of Modena. On December 14, 1935, Bruna once again sailed from New York City, this time aboard the luxury Italian ocean line...

Publisher’s Note:  This story draws on publicly available records and historical accounts from newspapers and public documents. It tells the story of a local family who endured multiple tragic events. The story has received numerous messages from readers — some charged with emotion, but many recognizing the remarkable strength and resilience of the family. The Southwick Time Machine’s goal is to keep the memory of those who passed alive and tell their story , preserving the lives and experiences of the people connected to these events. The STM honors the memory of those who are no longer with us .      — A Southwick Time Machine Reader-Requested Tragedy     A Branch of the Bardsleys Alan Bardsley was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, on December 22, 1915. By September 1937, he was working as a sheet metal worker when he and Miss Phyllis Ruth Morse—who lived just down the road from him—filed their marriage intentions. Their first child, Kenneth A. Bards...