WTAG-TV?

[Jay Lavelle]

There are lots of legends around Worcester that it was the fault of 
Robert Stoddard, who ran Wyman-Gordon (a major defense contractor) and 
was a part-owner of the local newspaper (and WTAG).  Stoddard was an 
arch conservative (he was one of the founders of the John Birch 
Society), who allegedly ran Worcester from the dining room of the 
Worcester Club.

But a more likely reason might be topography given the convoluted path 
the Boston & Albany railroad took to get to the center of Worcester (the 
Pike follows the B&A main line for the most part).  Its just a lot 
flatter going through Grafton, Millbury, and Auburn.  Why it took 50 
years for Rt 146 to be upgraded to a connector is another question.



A. Joseph Ross wrote:
> On 19 Nov 2009 at 8:28, Paul Anderson wrote:
>
>   
>> As far as the Mass Pike goes, wasn't the placement of the road outside
>> Worcester some sort of political retaliation?  I'm sure the story is
>> convoluted.  But remember, roads like I-90 were supposed to go _near_
>> cities, not through them, by design.  But the lack of a good Pike
>> connection to the southeast (such as Route 146 is today) and the lack
>> of Channel 5 probably did hurt the city.
>>     
>  
> I believe there were some major powers in the Legislature at the time 
> who were from farther west.  This may be why there are so many exits 
> around the Springfield-Chicopee area.   It may also be why there is I-
> 91 along the Connecticut River, but no similar north-south road in 
> Worcester County.
>
>