Looking Back: 1983
Excerpts from the Hollis Times
February 1983
Under the headline "Times Article Arrives by Pony Express" was a photograph of the columnist with pony Trixie, delivering her column to the Times office. Next to this photo was the headline "New Traffic Light at 4-Corners." State Highway Department personnel were pictured drilling test holes for "a new traffic light at 4-Corners [which] should help alleviate severe traffic problems present for some time at that location."
Another headline — "Town Budget Hearing Draws Small Crowd" — remains familiar. Between 30 and 35 people attended, and "Before the meeting ended, the audience was down to thirteen – the night was cold and the hour late."
Article 3 on the town warrant, primarily targeting the Hollis Flea Market operations, was defeated at the March Town Meeting by a two to one margin, with 371 ballots cast.
March 1983
An election anomaly occurred which has never happened before and probably never will again. A Planning Board request for a recount of votes on a petition amendment resulted in a "turn-around in the tallies" when a 357-vote margin in favor was replaced by a 36-vote defeat. The Planning Board chairman suspected that 197 votes might have been put into the wrong pile.
The Planning Board was also considering a municipal parking lot "to be located off Cleasby Lane in back of the Town Hall."
May 1983
The front page featured photos of a very successful Balloon Day at Hollis Elementary School and an article on the HEP-sponsored June Jamboree, across which was the announcement, "Cancelled Due to Lack of Response." Four other school events — the Hollisaires Variety Show, Junior High School Science Fair, Arts Festival, and Foreign Language Night — were successful and well attended.
July 1983
"Hollis Market Day, July 23" was announced as a "first annual" event where "participating merchants will operate from their own business addresses, but they will set up displays outside, offering sales and promotions."
Of the 16 merchants listed, only Blue Lantern Antiques and Brookdale Fruit Farm operated continuously since 1983. Others remembered include the Stove & Stave Shop, Munroes Bakery, Calico Cat, Four Corners Hardware, and the Hollis Community Store — all gone by the late 1990s.
August 1983
The planning board public hearing on the Holly Hill Farms proposed gravel excavation was attended by more than 100 people on one of the hottest evenings of the summer in the "extremely stuffy upper town hall." A Youth Center was being established in the Nichols Field House.
September 1983
The traffic light at the Four Corners was installed. The editor admitted, "The first few days of living with the new lights we stopped for a green light at least once when going west on 130 and almost went through a stop light going south on 122."
The school board voted to spend $21,000 on brand new, state-of-the-art Apple IIE computers. And Milton Place was struggling to be conceived — what is now Milton Place was "a wooded hill, made of sand and gravel."
October 1983
The 1983 Apple Festival was held on October 2 on a beautiful fall Sunday, and the Apple Cider 10K Run drew many local runners. The Holly Hill Farms gravel pit operation continued to dominate the news with more than 100 people attending another public hearing.
November 1983
The Hollis Grange was still very active, awarding Gold Sheaf certificates to 50-year members. The Country Christmas Fair was held at the Congregational Church on November 5.
The Community Christmas Card was being prepared, with donations funding scholarships for Hollis High School seniors — a tradition that continued.
December 1983
Preliminary plans for Hollis to provide public kindergarten were discussed. The Police Building Committee reported on their studies, recommending "a 3200 square foot building" on Depot Road. David Peckham briefed the Selectmen on a planned "1700s village-style mini-mall of shops and a restaurant" off Ash Street.
One resident wrote about the new traffic light that she appreciated the increased safety but felt "four lights, instead of eight, would have been sufficient!"
