Snow-shoeing parties are getting to be quite the thing in many cities and it is not improbable that one may soon be arranged for in this city. According to the enthusiasts there are several parties each week containing but from two to five of their number. This should be larger they believe with the large number of snow-shoeists in this city. “Rich” Hunnewell, the well-known fur man has orders enough for all the snow shoes he can get made, it is understood, and with a great many pair shipped into the city each week there are those who believe that a club should be organized and daily journeys planned before daybreak.

50 Years Ago, 1956

• A Massachusetts mining engineer has found “some place in Maine” that shows promising signs of yielding radio-active ore. Arnold M. Wyman of Swampscott, Mass., came into the secretary of state’s office yesterday and took out a Maine prospector’s license and got maps of State land from the Forestry department.

• Planners of the International Snowshoe Congress in Lewiston-Auburn, Jan. 26-29, reported last night they have received a “wonderful response” from appeals for housing accommodations but at least 200 more rooms are necessary to meet immediate anticipated registrations.

25 Years Ago, 1981

WESTBOROUGH, Mass. – Westborough State Hospital may be transformed into a Disneyland-scale amusement park if a St. Louis businessman has his way, and the plan would be the largest single change in this Worcester County town’s 263-year history.

The $300 million to $500 million project would be completed over a 10-year period as the hospital was phased out and would include, as well as the park, office space, a convention hotel and an 10-hole golf course.

The reaction of townspeople to the plan range from enthusiasm to derision when they talk about the project which would bring about 10,000 new jobs and an estimated 40,000 tourists a day to their town of 13,610.