In the early 1980s, Wendell citizens came together to wage a battle against the state’s intended plans to take a slice of the Wendell State Forest in order to widen Route 2.
There had been other routes considered over the years — at least one that involved Erving on the other side of the Millers River — but ultimately, planners initially decided to build the thoroughfare through the northern edge of Wendell State Forest.
In response, a coalition of concerned citizens and activists banded together to sway the decision. The group, which included the Wendell Concerned Citizens, the Sierra Club, the Audubon Society and many others, produced an alternate and low-profile alignment for Route 2.
In order to divert the state’s Route 2 plans, the group held demonstrations that included liming a plea onto Greenfield High School’s athletic field — “Hay Duke no Rt. 2.” The message was directed to Gov. Michael Dukakis, who arrived in the region later that day via helicopter and could not fail to see the message. Surviving volunteer lists show that scores of people signed up to help lime the field.
Key Wendell players who contributed to this effort included Michael Idoine, Anne Zak and Jonathan Von Ranson, who notably mustered an impressive array of volunteers to carry out fundraisers and demonstrations for the cause.
All of the demonstrations were accompanied by Josh Dostis, who often wore a magnificent bear costume befitting the cause’s battle cry, “Save Bear Mountain,” over which the new road was scheduled to travel. The Full Moon Coffee House, which still operates in Wendell these days bringing quality musical entertainment to the area, was founded in order to raise money for the effort. Today, it chooses a different local group each month as a beneficiary for events that it hosts.
Their efforts paid off, and the state decided to implement the alternate route instead, saving the forest. On October 23, 1987, then-Transportation Secretary Fred Salvucci announced that the state had chosen to rebuild Route 2 through Erving; Wendell’s struggle was over.
But the question that demonstrators asked back then — “What to do with Route 2?” — still lingers today.
The stretch of road between Greenfield and Phillipston is still only two lanes and a cause for safety concern. Additionally, there are economic issues facing an area made more remote by its lack of connection to bigger cities and the commerce they bring. The state revisits these concerns frequently, most recently in Athol’s attempts to persuade the state to widen the road through their town.
A big part of these challenges are in part caused by an unwillingness on the part of those towns through which the present route runs to carve up land, both conservation and residential. For many, the Mass Pike has obviated the need for another west-east corridor.
With this in mind, the Wendell Free Library at 7 Wendell Depot Road will host “The Saga of Route 2,” a presentation about the town’s Route 2 diversion efforts on Thursday, July 18, beginning at 7 p.m.
People who led the campaign, including Idoine, Zak and Ranson, will share memories of the effort. Throughout the library, there will be displays of some of their activities, including The Full Moon Coffee House, as well as maps of the areas of Wendell and Erving involved in the dispute. There will be examples of T-shirts, buttons, posters and photographs of many townspeople who participated. For more information call 978-544-3936.
Johanna Bartlett is a member of the Wendell Free Library’s Friends of the Library.