Bob Wilder's "Enfield Memories" Planted in Brookfield

The Merrick Public Library in Brookfield recently had the pleasure of accepting a generous donation of historical iris rhizomes in honor of the late Robert Wilder Sr., local historian. Mr. Wilder had previously secured one of these irises from his family’s homestead to preserve its provenance, and requested the iris be given the name “Enfield Memories,” after his hometown of Enfield, Massachusetts, disincorporated in 1938 to make way for the Quabbin Reservoir. 

The thoughtful donation was made by Marc Peloquin of Brimfield, who formally registered the iris (No. 22-0437) with The American Iris Society in 2022, as being a “Historical Iris from the Quabbin Valley, MA in the Wilder family circa 1850.” Mr. Peloquin is currently working with the director of Special Collections at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, as well as Representative Todd Smola, for the possible advancement of the iris as a “living memorial” of the 3,000 people who lost their homes in the construction of the Quabbin Reservoir. 

The iris rhizomes were planted outside of the Merrick Public Library’s adjacent property, known as the Felton Historical Museum & Research Center (FHMRC). Located at 18 Common Street in Brookfield, the FHMRC is home to a great portion of Mr. Wilder’s collections, including maps, books, and other resources. For visitors interested in viewing Mr. Wilder’s collections, please contact the library at 508-867-6339 or brookfieldlibrary@gmail.com.

Images (from Left to Right): Iris Rhizomes at FHMRC; "Enfield Memories" Iris; Marc Peloquin, Donor & Brenda Metterville, Library Director.