By Meredith Marcinkewicz Everyone loves their dogs, but they don’t always know where to go for help giving their dog what they need. Where are local dog groomers? Where can you leave your dog overnight? What if you just need someone to walk your dog during the day? In the Shirley Local Issue #14, coming out August 21st we will be listing local dog care resources. We will not be endorsing any of them, just giving you their contact information. If YOU are a dog care provider, send your name, phone, and services to Meredith at events.shirleylocal@gmail.com. There will be a simple list of names, numbers, and services. If you want to buy an ad and include more information about your business, email TheShirleyLocal@gmail.com. If you are a dog owner and want to send a photo of your dog to be part of the story, Send the photo and $10 to TheShirleyLocal@gmail.com. NOTE: We need all this information and the ads and photos by August 12th . 

By Michael Sweeney, MassDevelopment’s Executive Vice President of Devens Operations Thirty years ago, the closure of Fort Devens left behind thousands of lost jobs and an uncertain future for 4,400 acres of former military land. What followed is one of Massachusetts’ most ambitious redevelopment efforts—a vision to create a sustainable, mixed-use community where businesses, residents, and innovation thrive. With financial support from the state, MassDevelopment purchased the property and undertook efforts to transform Fort Devens into what it is today—a home to leading employers, vibrant neighborhoods, protected open spaces, and a growing community.    Every day, a company in Devens breaks new ground on a product or idea that stands to change the world. Now an economic engine for Massachusetts, Devens has nearly 100 businesses with more than 7,600 high-skilled workers, including industry leaders in biopharma, clean tech, and advanced manufacturing. Devens also features a growing residential community. With restored WWII-era brick colonials and modern net-zero-energy and ultra-efficient homes, Devens offers a range of unique housing options—all nestled within open green spaces that promote community connection and year-round outdoor recreation. The legislature’s recent elimination of the 282-unit housing cap unlocks new opportunities for thoughtful growth in the years ahead. Three decades in, Devens’ success is the result of partnership, investment, and the people who shaped its evolution. MassDevelopment is grateful to our team members for leading this redevelopment effort, and to the residents and businesses who made Devens their home. We also acknowledge continued collaboration from community partners like our legislative delegation, the Devens Enterprise Commission, the Towns of Ayer, Harvard, and Shirley, and our neighbors at the Devens Reserve Forces Training Area, who carry on the region’s legacy of service. To mark this anniversary, MassDevelopment is highlighting 30 stories that capture the people, places, businesses, and moments defining Devens. I invite you to explore the series at www.devenscommunity.com.

By Meredith Marcinkewicz Nineteen of Shirley’s Minutemen are buried in Shirley Center. Among them are Boltons, Hazens, Holdens, and Longleys. Some of their descendants still live in Shirley. Nineteen graves are marked by small Revolutionary War flag holders. On the 19th of April in 1775, 78 men and two drummer boys marched toward Concord and Lexington and kept marching along the Battle Road all the way to Cambridge. Some of them stayed defending the heights for a few days or a week or enlisted in the new revolutionary army that was forming. Others went back home to their daily life in Shirley and joined up later in the conflict. One of them was James Dickenson who was a carpenter and sawmill owner. John Dwight was a stone cutter. Moses Johnson served as the town undertaker. Joseph Brown became the church deacon. Capt. Samuel Walker was a respected agriculturalist who was later chosen to become Town Treasurer and head of the town militia. Thanks to research done by Ingrid Adam of the Shirley Cemetery Committee, a list of those nineteen men, a description of their positions in town, and a map of their gravesites are available at the Shirley Historical Society to be used for a self-guided tour. The Museum is located at #182 Center Road and is open most Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm. Go to mail@shirleyhistory.org for more information.