This Week in Belmont History: Widening Route 2

Belmont Citizen

May 13, 1949

Russell MacLeod Wins Cornell Scholarship

A Cornell National Scholarship with a total value of $6,000 has been awarded to Russell Allan MacLeod, son of Stanley Mercer MacLeod of 92 Sycamore st., President Edmund E. Day announced this week.

 A senior at Belmont High School, MacLeod plans to enter Cornell’s five year course in civil engineering next fall.

(Editor's note: Russell MacLeod passed away in June 2010 at 78. His obituary is included here.)

Belmont Citizen

May 12, 1950

Belmont Wins 1^st Prize For Pedestrian Protection

Belmont, which has been without a traffic death on its highways since February 19, 1946, ranks high for a second year in three national safety contests.

Belmont Citizen

May 14, 1954

Belmont Woman Heads Eastern Star In State

Mrs. Margaret K. Benger Takes Office At Worcester

Mrs. Margaret K. Benger, of 71 Oak Ave., was last evening installed as worthy grand matron of the Grand Chapter of Massachusetts, Order of the Eastern Star, at colorful ceremonies which climaxed the three-day 78th annual session of the state chapter in the Worcester Municipal Auditorium.

She is the first woman from the Belmont chapter to head up the state-wide organization.  Her younger sister, Miss Ruth Holly Kruger, was appointed by Margaret Benger to serve as her grand marshall. 

This is the first such sister combination in Grand Lodge history. 

Belmont Citizen

May 13, 1955

3 Bridges, Access Roads In Route 2 Plans Here

Early Studies Propose Carrying Concord Turnpike Over Pleasant Sts. And Under Park Ave.,With Widening of 80 Ft. To Provide Access Roads On Either Side

Proposed widening of the highway by eighty feet on either side would necessitate the removal of about seven houses in Belmont, between Park ave. and Princeton rd., and of many more homes in Arlington.

Tentative plans for the turnpike widening were outlined by Commissioner of Public Works, John A. Volpe, to town officials of Belmont and Arlington at a meeting Wednesday at his office to which other interested citizens were admitted.

Belmont Citizen

May 13, 1960

Signs Come Down at Model Farm Location

Attorney for Hillcrest Home Owners Proposes Amendment of Court Order that Building Permits Must Be Revoked

Though the legal skein surrounding the structures has yet to be untangled, it appeared this week that Hillcrest homeowners had accomplished their object of preventing a single house and attached expanded garage built by developer Richard C. LaCroix on Stony Brook rd. from being put on well advertised public display with livestock as a model 'farmette.'