Historical Society studies gas stations, garages and autobody shops

The first meeting of the Westminster Historical Society's new season will feature a program on "Gas Stations, Garages and Autobody Shops." The meeting will be on Tuesday, Oct. 16, at 7 p.m. at 110 Main St.

Ever since the invention of the automobile businesses have been established all over the country on fixing them or providing gasoline. In Westminster there were dozens of businesses that serviced cars, many of them located on Route 2 from the Gardner line to the Fitchburg line.

The Historical Society is seeking information about all of these businesses and would also like to have photos of them, to put into an upcoming book chronicling 1959 and 2008.

If anyone has information but is unable to attend this meeting, please call Betsy Hannula at (978) 874-0430.

This meeting is open to the public.