Memories of Ashland DVD A portion of the proceeds from sales of "Memories of Ashland" will benefit the Historical Society.

The reel Ashland
By David Riley/TAB staff
Wed Dec 05, 2007, 01:55 PM EST

Decades have passed since Kay Powers last heard Ashland singer Helen Giargiari, who ran a World War II-era nightclub called Crosti's Grove on Pleasant Street with her husband, Hugo.

"She sang everywhere," said Powers, a lifelong Ashland resident and member of the town's Historical Society. "I'd love to hear her again."

Thanks to a new DVD on the town's history, Powers can do just that.

"Memories of Ashland" features a recording of Giargiari from an old 78 RPM record, along with photos, music, stories from longtime residents and comparisons of how the town's neighborhoods have changed over the years.

The video is the second to delve into Ashland's history, created by local design shop Art By Herring. Owners Dave and Linda Herring released a compilation in 2005 called "Rediscover Historic Ashland."

The Herrings worked closely with the Historical Society to track down materials and stories for both projects. And in both cases, a portion of proceeds from DVD sales go to the Historical Society.

After the first video, which focused largely on the downtown area, Linda Herring said residents asked about history in other parts of Ashland.

"This was our year to do another one," she said.

Powers, who is 84, narrated the last video. "This one, I'm doing very little of the talking," she said yesterday. "They've got an awful lot of people involved who know a great deal.

"They will be saving a lot of stories that otherwise would get lost," Powers said.

The video includes a talk with Annie Thurston, who was secretary to Henry E. Warren, for whom the Warren School is named. The Herrings also caught up with Hugo "Scooch" Giargiari - Helen's son - who quarterbacked the Clockers in an undefeated season in 1952 and coached them to their next no-loss streak 25 years later.

There are also the stories of Gabe Mugerian, who rode his horse into a drugstore on Main Street in 1946, and Mavis Crawford, whose family ran Yesteryear Farm on High Street from the '60s until 2005.

The video also visits areas like Tri Street, which the town used to close for children to sled, to see how they have changed, Linda Herring said.

"Rather than just focus on one area, we decided to show what Ashland looked like 50 or more years ago, and here's what it looks like today," Herring said.

Other sites include the Cutler Mill Herb Farm off Fountain Street, Frankland Road, Romeo's market on Rte. 135 and Spyglass Hill.

Dick Fannon, a lifelong resident who sits on the Historical Commission, graces the cover of the video, playing a bass drum for St. Cecilia's Church's old marching band.

Fannon also recalled how steam engine trains had to be turned around by hand in downtown Ashland to reverse direction on the tracks.

"They spent a lot of time at the (Historical) Society, going over things and putting them together," Fannon said of the Herrings. "A lot of time went into it. It's a rather deeply involved thing."

Both "Memories of Ashland" and "Rediscover Historic Ashland" are available in DVD format. The Herrings are accepting orders now and hope to start shipping the video by Dec. 15.

To order, visit www.artbyherring.com or call 508-881-7213.

(David Riley can be reached at 508-626-3919 or driley@cnc.com.)