A Look Back, Aug. 8

50 Years Ago

■The historical commission last night began plans to make certain areas of Northampton into historical districts. Under the plan, historical districts would be intended to remain unchanged, with no new building or renovation unless the changes were in style with the historical period of the area, the late 19th century.

■An exhibit commemorating the death of Calvin Coolidge Jr. in Washington, D.C., 50 years ago on July 7, has opened in the Calvin Coolidge Memorial Room of Forbes Library. Young Coolidge, then 16 years old, contracted blood poisoning when a blister he received playing tennis on the White House courts became infected.

25 Years Ago

■A symbol identified with The Cooley Dickinson Hospital becomes a part of the past this week when officials retire the hospital’s logo and begin using the image of its New Hampshire affiliate, the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. The change indicates that while it is controlled locally, the 113-year-old hospital is legally owned by the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Alliance.

■Gary Schaefer, owner of Bart’s Homemade on Main Street, said a pending increase in parking fines will make it harder for his and other businesses to compete. “Between the Internet, the malls and Wal-Mart, we’re under huge pressure to compete,” said Schaefer. “This is just one more reason to avoid downtown.”

10 Years Ago

■Vanessa Oquendo, director of Management Information Systems in Northampton for the past 18 years, is leaving her post this week. She will start a similar job in Chicopee later this month. Oquendo played an important role in moving Northampton into the information age under three mayors, especially as computers became more prevalent in municipal government.

■For the first time in its 140-year history, Florence Savings Bank is running television advertisements as part of a rebranding effort to raise the bank’s profile and expand its customer base. The bank has adopted what it considers a new, friendlier trade name, Florence Bank, which officials feel has a little more marketing pizzaz. But officially, Florence Savings Bank is still its name.