Growing Up in Chelsea Recalled Through 1950s and ’60s Memories

The Chelsea Area Historical Society will continue its Growing Up in Chelsea series with a second program focused on local memories from the 1950s and 1960s.

The program, titled Speaking of Pleasantville, will be hosted by Chelsea resident Linda Meloche. The evening will feature a conversational format with longtime residents Jan Bernath, Laurie Gravely, and Angie Smith, who will share recollections of growing up in Chelsea during that era.

Topics are expected to include downtown businesses, daily life, and transportation at a time when Berg’s Drugstore operated downtown, Merkel’s sold dynamite, trains stopped regularly at the local depot, and multiple car dealerships were located within the city center.

The event will take place at the historic Chelsea Train Depot, 125 Jackson Street, on January 5, 2026, at 7 p.m. Admission is $10 for non-members. Members of the Chelsea Area Historical Society are admitted free.