• 1816 - Jonas R Proctor established a wheelwright shop on the west side of Central Square with purchases of land, water rights, and a small "factory" straddling Beaver Brook in 1816, 1817, and 1828 (deeds 241/267, 241/268, and 289/360 South Registry). His sons Charles and Alfred were also wheelwrights.

• 1822 - Jonas bought a garden on the north side of his wheelwright shop from Roxanna Hastings, administrator of Col Walter Hastings estate, on June 2nd (deed 243/155, South Registry).

• 1838 - Charles married his first wife Genett this year, and they moved into a house built on Jonas' garden lot, now address 15-18 Central Square. Charles earned a very good reputation building sleds and wagons and being able to fix any damaged equipment with his wood craftsmanship, with blacksmith Dadmun across the street supplying the metalwork.

• 1844 - Jonas R Proctor died intestate, and Charles was assigned as administrator of his estate. In order to pay off debts, Charles held an estate auction on July 8, with Floyer G Kittridge being the highest bidder for the house and garden lot (deed 446/392 South Registry).
• Jonas' widow, Sibel H Proctor, purchased the house and garden lot from Floyer about two weeks later on July 23 (deed 446/397 South Registry)

• 1850 - Charles purchased the house and garden lot from his mother Sibel on February 1st (deed 663/103 South Registry).
• Charles married his second wife Harriet Parker on February 28.

• 1880 - Charles Proctor died and his sister Julia (Proctor) Spaulding inherited the garden lot and house.
• The glass plate negative image below shows the wheelwright shop with boards in front covering Beaver Brook before it passes under the road through Central Square. The view of the Charles Proctor House on the garden lot next door is obstructed by a tree. The First Parish Unitarian Church steeple and Central House windmill can be seen above it.

• 1897 - James P Emerson's son Ralph Waldo was appointed postmaster on August 6 at the beginning of the William McKinley administration. The Emersons constructed a two-and-a-half story house in between the wheelwright shop and Charles Proctor house with a post office on the first floor and Ralph's residence on the second.

• 1898 - James P Emerson purchased the 15-18 Central Square propety with buildings from Charles Proctor's sister Julia (Proctor) Spaulding on September 1st (deed 328/253 North Registry).

• 1905 - The post office, second floor residence, and former Charles Proctor house are seen in the image below during the town's 250th year celebration. Note the photo of President Theodore Roosevelt in the bunting above the post office, and the sign listing ice cream and soda for a nickel.

• 1913 - Ralph Emerson's term as postmaster ended on July 24 at the end of the William H Taft presidency.

• 1915 - In December James Emerson moved the Charles Proctor house from Central Square to his farm land at 22 Fletcher Street as a rental house.
• The first image below shows the house crossing the tracks on North Road on its way to Fletcher Street.
• The second image shows the house as a rental unit at 22 Fletcher Street, prior to its demolition in 1972 to make room for a commercial strip mall development.

• 1916 - Ralph Emerson built a concrete commercial building on his father's vacated house site. The front was a brick faced display room for auto supplies and other goods, and a repair garage around back was accessed by a road on the left side of the building.

• 1919 - Ralph W Emerson and James L Byam were operating The Village Shop, a garage and store in Central Square with a Socony Gasoline pump out front.

• 1921 - Ralph Emerson was now a clerk in Lowell and living in a house he built at 10 North Road.

• 1925 - James P Emerson died in June, and his son Ralph W inherited the 15-18 Central Square propety with buildings.
• Ralph W Emerson, as treasurer, and Loring R Kew opened Puritan Motor Sales with Ford auto and Fordson tractor sales and service. Ford sold cars, trucks, and Fordson tractors starting in 1917.
• As seen in the image below there is a fuel pump out front and service entrance on the left. Walter S Fletcher and John B Donovan plumbing and heating contractors occupied the first floor of the former post office.

• 1932 - Pratt Motors, Inc purchased the 15-16 Central Square propety and building from Ralph W Emerson on April 2nd (deed 812/182 North Registry).
• E Stirling Pratt continued the Ford dealershiip business with the fuel pump out front and service center out back. Loring Kew moved to Lowell and Ralph Emerson followed in his father's footsteps as an auctioneer.
• The First National Stores chain store with Frederick Cole as grocery manager took over the first floor of 18 Central Square around this time.

• 1936 - Charles F Carroll leased the 15-16 Central Square propety with buildings from Pratt Motors, Inc. on March 14, and established the Carroll Motor Company.
• Pratt Motors, Inc, voted to sell the 15-16 Central Square propety with buildings to E Sterling Pratt of Chelmsford and Murray H Pratt of Lowell on December 29 (deed 812/182 North Registry).

• 1937 - Frank J Durant was manager of the First National Stores this year.

• 1938 - Ralph W Emerson purchased 15-16 Central Square from E Sterling Pratt of Chelmsford and Murray H Pratt of Lowell on August 10 (deed 917/244 North Registry).

• 1940 - Ralph W Emerson transferred ownership of the 15-18 Central Square property with buildings as Parcel 5 of 6 to himself and his wife Mabel F Emerson on July 25 (deed 948/162 North Registry)
• In the image below, the First National Stores market extends out to the sidewalk with the green awning, in front of the former post office. Theodore J Szmyt was a clerk there this year
• The Carroll Motor Company Ford dealership is behind the sedan with it's Amoco gas pumps near the sidewalk in front. The service manager was Archie J Vondal, the mechanic was Albert A Marchand, and the salesmen were Arthur Wetherall and William DeMallie.

• 1942 - Frank J Durant was manager the First National Stores in the first floor of 18 Central Square as World War II broke out.

• 1945 - Elizabeth A Withington of Malden purchased 15-18 Central Square from Ralph and Mabel Emerson on November 10 (deed 1033/101 North Registry).

• 1946 - Elizabeth transferred ownership to herself and her husband, real estate developer C Frederick Withington, on May 3rd (deed 1042/375 North Registry).
• Fred Withington connected the front of the post office and Ford dealership buildings with a unified facade, and the gaps between buildings were closed in as small business rentals.
• In the image below, from left to right, the small gap on the left held Bill Sullivan’s Westlands Taxi stand; the former post office building held The Center Shop operated by Dorilla M Stott and Harry Lewis' barber shop (he lived upstairs); the next gap held the Chelmsford Laundry agency; and the Ford dealership building held a used furniture store.

• 1947 - Purity Food Stores chain founded by Leo Kahn took over the furniture store location.
• The manager was Gene E Raby, the meat department manager was Frank P Rogers, and the clerks were Marion D Fish and Louis L Hannaford.
• Sellf Service was a relatively new inovation in grocery stores and is proudly advertised in the image below.

• 1948 - Late this year a fire seriously damaged the first floor of the former post office building.

• 1949 - The second floor was salvaged intact and moved down Billerica road to 19 Perham Street in January.
• The first image below shows Corey Steeplejacks moving the the salvaged second floor along Billerica road.
• The second image shows the structure at its final destination at 19 Perham Street with the addition of a garage and porch.

• Fred Withington removed the fire debris at 18 Central Square and constructed a new two-story concrete structure, as seen below, to fill the former post office space and the gaps on either side.

• The new concrete and brick building was 36 ft wide by 72 ft deep, with three large windows on the second floor and two store-front entries on the first floor, with (right to left) addresses 17 and 18 Central Square.

• 1950 - Chelmsford Newsweekly April 27: "With the second story poured in the new Withington building it shouldn’t be too much longer before the space in the building will be ready for occupancy. Understand that a Ben Franklin store will occupy the largest space while a well known dress shop will take the other ground floor space. Then the Newsweekly will move to.one of the three offices on the second floor"

• 1951 - The Ben Franklin Store opened at 18 Central Square on January 11. Sam Walton, who later became the founder of Walmart, started in retailing operating a Ben Franklin store.

• 1952 - Purity Food Stores vacated the former Ford dealership and service center at 15 Central Square and moved to a new and larger building on Boston Road. (Purity merged with the Supreme Market chain of Boston in 1969 and became Purity Supreme).

• 1955 - The last news item in the Chelmsford Newsweekly related to the Ben Franklin Store was published on January 6.
• Carroll R Libby of Malden purchased 15-18 Central Square from Elizabeth A and C Frederick Withington on January 23 (deed 1322/181 North Registry, Parcel 3).

• 1956 - Elizabeth A Withington purchased the property back in her own name from Carroll R Libby on January 23 (deed 1351/85 North Registry, Parcel 3).
• Robert and Albert Godin from Fitchburg, as president and treasurer, established Godin Stores at 15 Central Square. Danny Secino, also from Fitchburg, worked with the Godins and eventually became store manager.

• 1959 - In the image below dated August 1959, the 18 Central Square side of the new brick building above the red Plymouth was occupied by McAskill's Gift Shop, and Center Paint and Hardware had replaced Clifton W Kellogg's Western Auto Associate Store in the 17 Central Square side. The Godin Store is at far right.

• 1965 - Mildred Pierce, who ran the Chelmsford Card Shop at 18 Central Square, sold the business to John M Handley Jr who operated at various times as Chelmsford Card Shop, Chelmsford Gift and Card Shop, and Chelmsford Card and Gift Shop.

• 1974 - The Charles Proctor House at 22 Fletcher Street was demolished to make way for parking in Bradford Emerson's One Village Square strip mall.

• 1976 - On January 15 Godins 5&10 at 15 Central Square moved to a new location on Summer Street, opening there on Friday, January 16 as Godins Dollar Saver Discout Store.
• A matress store and then a wholesale frame store followed in the Godins 15 Central Square location according to John Handley III.

• 1983 - John M Jr and Gertrude A Handley purchased the 15-18 Central Square property from Elizabeth A (Withington) Anderer on January 10 (deed 2582/385 North Registry, Parcel 3).
• The Handley's moved the Card and Gift Shop from 18 Central Square into the larger Godins location at 15 Central Square.

• 1984 - A Video Paradise franchise store opened at 18 Central Square in October.

• 1996 - John M Handley III and his brother Joseph E Handley, operating as JH Realty Trust II, purchased the 15-18 Central Square property from John M Jr and Gertrude A Handley on March 22 (deed 7933/32 North Registry, Parcel 3).

• 2001 - John M Handley Jr., owner of the Chelmsford Gift Shop for over 40 years, died on June 28.

• 2022 - Black Rhinestone Real Estate LLC purchased the 15-18 Central Square property from John M Handley III and Joseph E Handley's JH Realty Trust II on February 17 (deed 36824/231 North Registry, Parcel 3).
• At a Chelmsford Planning Board meeting on October 12, concept plans for redevelopment of 15-18 Central Square were presented. These were produced by Linear Development LLC's architect Michael Kirn, and shared in an October 15 Lowell Sun article by Cameron Morsberger. There was a flurry of controversy over the plans on social media.

• In November, after 16 years at her Beadles Bead shop in Central Square, owner Diana Seremet packed up her thousands of pounds of crystals, beads, and other wares for a move to 295 Daniel Webster Highway, Unit 5A, across from the Pheasant Lane Mall in Nashua, NH. The concerns driving the move were upcoming rent increases and possible disruptions due to reconstruction of the buildings per the proposed concept plans.

• 2023 - In March PJ Mercier, co-owner of Navigation Brewing, announced their brewery and taproom will establish a second home at 15 Central Square. The new brewery will seat 130, with capacity for 166 people, and offer 15-18 frequently rotating taps as they do in Lowell. A small patio in front and green space in back will provide additional space for locals to partake in the many different beers Navigation has brewed over the years. They hope to open in July, and will not prepare food but plan to partner with local restaurants and invite a food truck to the green space.
• The project is part of a larger plan by Black Rhinestone Real Estate to redevelop multiple retail storefronts at 15-22 Central Square and add housing above them. Chelmsford Card and Gift currently occupies 15 Central Square, but according to Black Rhinestone’s Managing Director Bobby Moulton, business owner Jack Handley may move his store to the smaller space at 18 Central Square, formerly Beadles Bead and Crystal Shop. (Summarized from March 28, 2023 Lowell Sun article by Cameron Morsberger).

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1. All photos labeled (colorized) are black and white images edited by Fred Merriam
2. Ancestry.com, early property owners 
3. Book "History of Chelmsford 1910-1970" Courier Corporation, Fred Merriam and Eleanor Parkhurst, 2011
4. Book "Images of America, Chelmsford Revisited" Arcadia Publishing, Fred Merriam, 2014
5. Lowell Suburban Directories, Chelmsford section, Historical Society website "Library" page
6. Middlesex North Registry of Deeds, as listed
7. Middlesex South Registry of Deeds, as listed
8. Newspaper "Chelmsford Independent" as credited
9. Newspaper "Chelmsford Newsweekly" as credited
10. Newspaper "Lowell Sun" as credited
11. Photo collection, Chelmsford Historical Society
12. Photo collection, Chelmsford Public Library
13. Photo collection, Eric Johnson, Chelmsford
14. Photo collection, Fred Merriam, Chelmsford
15. Photo collection, Linda Prescott, Chelmsford
16. State Inventory, Historical Commission website "Business" page, Central Square #15