A restored Charlestown Memorial Hall opened Saturday
A bust of Abraham Lincoln sits on a fireplace mantel in the Abraham Lincoln Post 11-Memorial Hall.
John Tlumacki/Globe Staff
The day was a celebration of the community effort it took to restore the building. In addition to banding together to fundraise, volunteers helped with the physical renovations. Part of the exterior construction was completed by students in the Bennet Street School's Preservation Carpentry program.
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First built in the 1790s, the hall was given to Civil War veterans in 1888 as a symbol of freedom and to honor veterans and military families. The updated building will still be a gathering place for veterans as well as host community activities, including dance and yoga classes
'Lots of blood, sweat and tears went into this building,' Joe Zuffante, the president of the Memorial Hall, Inc. Board of Directors, said as he cut the thick red ribbon that strung across the steps, alongside Mayor Michelle Wu, City Councilor Erin Murphy and other board members.
A photo gallery in the entry hallway showcases the building's transformation over time, highlighting how it has evolved while preserving its historic charm.
Multiple speakers joked about the poor looks of the building before construction began — especially the old shingles. But now, they say it's 'beautiful' both outside and in.
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The group had its work cut out for it. For most of the first quarter of the 21st century, the building faced issues like leaks, animal infestations, and a collapsing soffit.
The work was funded through grants and individual donations, including a 2019 grant from the City of Boston for $500,000 through the
Restoring places like this is not just about physical renovation, but about maintaining a deep sense of respect and gratitude for those who served, Wu said. She added that it helps the city remember the sacrifices of veterans from all eras
'This is a day I've been waiting for,' she told the crowd, smiling proudly as she looked around admiring everyone. Wu still has a piece of the building's shingles from when the physical restoration first began several years ago, before she was elected Mayor.
State Sen. Sal DiDomenico said the community deserved a restored hall that honors the
'This is one of those reminders for folks living in the neighborhood, and folks that are visiting the neighborhood, that the veteran presence in the Charlestown history is alive and well in this community,' he said.
Talia Lissauer can be reached at
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SPRINGFIELD – As a young child, Mary Jo McDonald spent years in foster care and was on the list to be adopted by a new family. That all changed when her troubled mother found the strength to change. McDonald credits her reunification with her mother when she was 7 to help provided years ago by a social service agency, Helix Human Resources. The agency cared for her and gave her mother support to overcome traumas — and become a good parent. Helix, formed just after the Civil War, is marking 160 years of helping countless families as the city's oldest nonprofit agency and one of the oldest social service organizations statewide. McDonald, now 50 and a successful real estate agent, said her mother is a lovely woman who turned to alcohol after facing trauma after immigrating to the United States from Ireland at the age of 18. New to the country, her mother was raped, got pregnant and gave up that child for adoption. Then a son, McDonald's younger brother, died of crib death. 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That program also follows parents after their children return home to ensure the family remains stable and gets any additional help needed, he said. When Helix employees realized they were coming up on the 160th anniversary, staff started doing research and realized the agency was started to help Civil War widows, many of whom came to Springfield to settle with their children, Paglia said. 'It was a difficult time, nationally over 600,000 people were killed and many were husbands and fathers,' Paglia said. 'Women from different churches came together and said, 'How can we help?'' he said. The Springfield Home for Friendless Women and Children was formed. Its first president was Rachel Capem Merriam, of Merriam-Webster dictionary fame, he said. The agency evolved and people started calling it the Children's Study Home. It officially changed its name to that in 2001. 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The schools are designed for students from kindergarten through age 22 who have behavioral or social-emotional problems or learning disabilities that make it difficult for them to achieve in a regular public school setting. It offers additional programs in the Cape Cod area, Paglia said. The SHARP program operates to help youth in the LGBTQ+ community who have faced trauma live healthy, happy and independent lives as they move into adulthood. 'We work to provide counseling for our kids to build self-acceptance in the face of a community where they are typically not accepted,' he said. The program is mainly for older teenagers and includes staff who are part of the LGBTQ+ community. They run support groups, provide counseling and teach clients skills to live independently. 'In many ways we lead from behind,' Paglia said. 'We try to empower them and help them identify who they want to be.' Paglia calls himself 'the new guy,' having led the agency for less than two years. 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