Today’s illustration includes a vintage photograph showing the Shepard Bake House at the corner of Bowdoin and Winter Street. The lower photo, from Google Street View, shows the corner today. The Bake House building is still in place, and the third building up the hill is there too.
In 1818, Otis Shepard, of Dorchester completed his apprenticeship in 1818 and joined his brother Hiram, under the firm name of Otis Shepard & Co. They opened a small cracker bakery at Meeting House Hill. They prospered, and in 1820, built the brick building still standing on Bowdoin Street, and long known as a landmark. The Shepard family included eight brothers, Otis being the oldest. In time, Hiram left the firm and was succeeded by James, who, after Otis died, became head of the enterprise. Horatio was employed as driver, and he became head of the firm after James’ death in 1869. Horatio had a son, Albert E., who, after leaving school, entered his father’s employ and succeeded to the ownership when death claimed his father in 1880.
The business flourished, and two retail stores were operated in connection with the main bakery. One was at 417 Neponset Avenue, and the other was at 1401 Dorchester Avenue, which latter store was sold to David Smith in 1907.
The Shepard bakery became famous for its ” ‘Lection Cakes.” These were sold especially at election or town-meeting days, when Mr. Shepard always had a counter in the Town Hall. These cakes were made of a good, rich bun dough, and sold at twenty cents a sheet, and weighed about a pound and one-half.