Edwin Wlodka lived and raised his family in Ashland for many years. Before he passed away he gave his son, David, all of the wooden models he made. David Wlodyka, an Ashland High School grad who now lives in Hopkinton, has put together an exhibit of some of his father’s models. A very special exhibit not to be missed.

In David Words:

“Edwin Wlodyka was a lifelong resident of Ashland. He was an engineer who co-founded and managed Highland Laboratories in Ashland for over 35 years. Ed was a master machinist and inventor who holds several US patents ranging from surgical soap dispensers and blood donor scales to commercial paint dispensers and mixers. Ed had a natural and genuine curiosity about everything in life and was always building something interesting and fun. After retiring he became an active member of the New England Model Engineering Society in Waltham, a group for those who enjoy metal working and machining. He developed a particular interest in the history and the mechanical workings of steam and hot air engines and began building models. As with many members of the club he machined and built several working models out of metal. However, Ed found a niche and began building most of his working models out of wood that fully function on compressed air. He began working with maple, mahogany, black walnut and other hardwoods as a cleaner alternative to working with metals in his small shop at home. During his retirement he built a collection of over 70 mechanical models. The collection ranges from simple handheld mechanical devices to multi-cylinder engines with complex mechanisms that operate on alcohol or compressed air. This display represents a small cross section of his entire collection.”

Dates: December 3, 2024 – March 1, 2025

Location: Upstairs Display Case