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Town Dismantled For A Reservoir
- Jill Lepore recounts how her hometown, West Boylston, was dismantled and half flooded to create a reservoir in 1895–1905.
- Her grandfather worked as an immigrant laborer during the demolition, sleeping in shanties and tearing the town apart.
Memorizing A Home Before Leaving
- Before moving, Jill memorized every object in her childhood home by flashlight to preserve it in memory.
- She deliberately discarded physical keepsakes yet kept a vivid mental 'archive' of the house.
Library As A Childhood Sanctuary
- Jill describes the Beaman Memorial Public Library as the place she went to for answers throughout childhood.
- She walked there daily with a cherished red canvas rucksack to return and borrow books.