Town by Town: Agawam mural project, Springfield firefighter remembered, Easthampton mill project

(WGGB/WSHM) - The city of Springfield remembered its first African-American firefighter.

A wreath laying ceremony was held outside the Mason Square fire station on Friday, which is named in honor of Leonard Corbin.

The ceremony is normally held in February as part of the city’s celebration of Black History Month, but it was postponed this year at the family’s request due to the pandemic.

In Agawam, local artist John Matlock has begun painting a mural.

It will be located on the face of the Jump Start Pre-School on Springfield Street. The school was severely damaged in a fire last year and they hope to re-open in the second week of September.

Matlock began painting around 6:30 a.m. Friday and said it won’t look too fancy for a while as he puts on a lot of primer and base color coats.

In Easthampton, the city said the Ferry Street Mill improvement project is now complete.

The city used more than $4 million in grant money and additional funds to leverage $90 million in private investments to finish the project.

The Ferry Street Mill complex was one of the last mill complexes in Easthampton that was vacant and unused.

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