Sponsor Program Launched for Repairs to Memorial Hall
By Patrick DeVivo
Photo From Friends of Melrose Memorial Hall
Melrose has always been a city that takes immense pride in its past, even as it plans and builds for the future. There is no better manifestation of this spirit than Memorial Hall, located on Main Street adjacent to City Hall. The building’s formal name is The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building, but over the years Melrosians have come to shorten the title as if it were a close friend - and so most residents simply know it as Memorial Hall.
The structure was completed in 1912, during an era of unbridled development and expansion across the American continent. Even in that era, Melrose citizens did not lose sight of the legacy of those who had fought a bloody and costly civil war some 50 years earlier - a conflict that saved the union and ushered in this era of growth. These were the soldiers who, in President Lincoln's words, "gave the last full measure of devotion." By 1912 their surviving comrades were rapidly passing from the scene.
The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building was constructed, as the engraving on its stage declares, “To honor the soldiers and sailors who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country.” Melrose city leaders envisioned a space to honor the past and a venue for the events, performances and celebrations of future Melrose generations.
Ever since its doors opened, Memorial Hall has been at the center of political and cultural life in Melrose. It has provided space for Melrose veterans to conduct meetings and commemorative ceremonies and has been the setting for countless events honoring the famous and not so famous.
Statesman and political leaders who have visited include Calvin Coolidge, who attended a flag raising ceremony as lieutenant governor of Massachusetts in 1918, and Massachusetts governors John Bates and Channing Cox, who attended ceremonies in 1919 and 1922, respectively. More recently, Massachusetts governors Deval Patrick in 2007 and Charlie Baker in 2010 and 2016 held campaign events in the Hall. In 2012 Arizona Senator John McCain attended a rally supporting senatorial candidate Scott Brown.
The acoustics of the hall have made it a suitable home for the Melrose Symphony Orchestra. Guests of the MSO over the years have included Arthur Fiedler, actress Maureen O'Hara, cellist Martha Babcock, soprano Sharon Baker, jazz artist Gary Burton, baritone Robert Honeysucker, the West Point Chorus, the New Black Eagle Jazz Band, Boris Goldovsky, and guest conductor Gunther Schuller. The Makem Brothers stopped in for a series of St Patrick’s Day celebrations in the early 2000s. Arlo Guthrie in 2008 and the Dropkick Murphys in 2018 are other notable musicians who have performed here.
However, it has been the citizens and families of Melrose whom Memorial Hall has most faithfully served by providing a setting for the gatherings and celebrations that mark the important passages in the life of the city and its citizens. From the inaugurations of Melrose’s city councilors and mayors to youth sports award presentations; from dance recitals, plays, and concerts to high school wrestling matches and boxing events; from graduation ceremonies and art and craft fairs to fundraisers of all kinds, the granite edifice of Memorial Hall has stood as a timeless witness.
Repair work on Memorial Hall earlier this month
But like all of us who survive the New England weather year after year, the grand old building has shown signs of its age and constant use. Over the past two years costly and extensive cleaning and patching of the building’s exterior has been completed. Now, additional funds are needed to repair the interior walls, floors and ceilings of both the Main Hall and the Grand Army of the Republic Room. At the same time, clean-up and restoration of paintings, a colonial era American flag, and the plaques that adorn the “Wall of Honor” is long overdue.
In 2023 the Friends of Melrose Memorial Hall, an all-volunteer not-for-profit group that raises funds to support the Hall, organized a 1920s-themed gala that raised $50,000 and provided an entertaining night out for all who attended.
This year the Friends have established a Legacy Donation Program. While donations of any amount are always welcome, individuals, families and organizations donating at one of the amounts below will have their generosity permanently recognized with a plaque engraved with the individual’s, family’s or organization’s name to be permanently displayed at Memorial Hall.
- John C. F. Slayton Sponsor: $ 10,000 and up
- Admiral Forrest P. Sherman, USN, Sponsor: $ 5,000 - $ 9,999
- General Ulysses S. Grant, USA, Sponsor: $ 2,500 - $ 4,999
The names of the sponsorship levels pay tribute to noted past leaders with ties to Melrose. John C. F. Slayton was a Melrose alderman, the first member of the Melrose Planning Board and chairman of the Memorial Hall building committee. Admiral Forrest P. Sherman, born and raised in Melrose, was a distinguished officer in the United States Navy and one of the most prominent naval leaders in the mid-20th century. And Ulysses S. Grant, in addition to serving as the commanding general of the Union Army during the Civil War and later the 18th President of the United States, visited Melrose on August 24, 1880, during his post-presidential tour of the United States.
Julie Nolan, a longtime Melrose resident active in the Melrose community, was an early contributor to the Legacy Donation Program along with her five siblings. Julie credits the legacy of her late father, Jim Driscoll, with being her touchstone. “My father loved Melrose and was always involved in projects, like the Victorian Fair and Home for the Holidays, that promote the city he was so proud to live in. He passed on this love for the city to us and he also instilled in us a deep appreciation for those who give back to their community. He would often caution us against just complaining about a problem or waiting for others to act. ‘Things don’t happen on their own, he’d say.’”
To help the repairs to Memorial Hall happen, or for more information about the Legacy Donation Program, please call 617-600-8175 or email memorialhallrestoration@gmail.com. The Legacy Donation form contains additional information. Checks should be made payable to: Friends of Melrose Memorial Hall c/o Joan Cassidy 61 Clifton Park, Melrose.
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