One Winter in Melrose
Written and Photographed by Nancy Clover
As we brace for a severe snowstorm this weekend, it’s interesting to look back at how earlier generations in Melrose endured winter in a very different way.
In Goss’s History of Melrose (page 71), there is a remarkable piece of local folklore about the Lynde family that puts today’s preparations into perspective. The book tells of the first house in Melrose at the base of Boston Rock. The house built by Deacon Thomas Lynde , was located near the entrance to what is now Wyoming Cemetery.
During one especially brutal winter, a long-lasting snowstorm reportedly buried the house completely from sight. According to the story passed down among Lynde descendants, relatives and neighbors had to reach the home on snowshoes. With the house entombed in snow, the only way to communicate was from the top of the chimney, through which food and supplies were lowered, keeping the Lynde family from starvation.
This story is a powerful reminder that Melrose has always been shaped by New England winters—and by neighbors helping neighbors when conditions were at their worst.
As the snow falls, we’re continuing a long tradition of resilience and community that stretches back centuries. Stay safe, stay warm, and check in on one another.
