Dorchester Historical Society

Dorchester Illustration of the Day no. 1881

Photograph of Parson T and Deacon B, a pair of family roadsters, owned by W.L. Terhune– Published in The Dorchester Gentlemen’s Driving Club. Year Book 1905.  The 1904 Dorchester Blue Book shows Terhune’s address as 18 Melville Avenue, and the house in the photo is presumably 18 Melville.  The City of Boston inspectional services dept online shows that a permit was issued in 1918 to change the porch.  That may be when the pediment and columns were added, turning the house facade into Classical Revival style.  The Codman Square House Tour booklet described its present appearance as a portico with lotus-capital columns screening a double-bowfront façade with fanlit entrance.

_____

The Dorchester Illustration of the Day (DIOTD) is sent weekdays. If you receive this e-mail by mistake, please reply to be taken off the e-mail list. If you know others who would like to receive the daily e-mail, please encourage them to join the group by going to http://groups.google.com/group/dorchester-historical-society. You may contact Earl Taylor at ERMMWWT@aol.com

If you value receiving the DIOTD, please express your appreciation by making a donation to the Dorchester Historical Society, either by regular mail at 195 Boston Street, Dorchester, MA 02125, or through the website at www.DorchesterHistoricalSociety.org

Dorchester Illustration of the Day no. 1880

Today’s illustration is a card advertising real estate with address and photo on front and description on verso.  Apparently foreclosed property for sale at the end of the Depression. 2/7/41.  It is described on the verso: 1st floor: living room, dining room, kitchen, 2 bedrooms; 2nd floor: 5 bedrooms and bath.  Steam heat.  Bank: The Co-Operative Central Bank, 82 Devonshire Street, Boston.

_____

The Dorchester Illustration of the Day (DIOTD) is sent weekdays. If you receive this e-mail by mistake, please reply to be taken off the e-mail list. If you know others who would like to receive the daily e-mail, please encourage them to join the group by going to http://groups.google.com/group/dorchester-historical-society. You may contact Earl Taylor at ERMMWWT@aol.com

If you value receiving the DIOTD, please express your appreciation by making a donation to the Dorchester Historical Society, either by regular mail at 195 Boston Street, Dorchester, MA 02125, or through the website at www.DorchesterHistoricalSociety.org

Dorchester Illustration of the Day no. 1879

Gallivan Boulevard Neponset Circle aerial photo 1956

This is before the expressway was constructed and before the Staples and Walgreens buildings were put in.  You can see the old bridge to Quincy and the Neponset Drive-In Theater.   I think the long white building at the left was a car wash but not in quite in the same location as the car wash building at Neponset Circle today.  On the near side of Gallivan Boulevard, you can see a building with a spire.  That was Dunn’s Grille and later Linda’s Restaurant, which was remodeled to become Bickford’s but has now been replaced by the Verizon store.  The building next door is now AutoZone, I think.

_____

The Dorchester Illustration of the Day (DIOTD) is sent weekdays. If you receive this e-mail by mistake, please reply to be taken off the e-mail list. If you know others who would like to receive the daily e-mail, please encourage them to join the group by going to http://groups.google.com/group/dorchester-historical-society. You may contact Earl Taylor at ERMMWWT@aol.com

If you value receiving the DIOTD, please express your appreciation by making a donation to the Dorchester Historical Society, either by regular mail at 195 Boston Street, Dorchester, MA 02125, or through the website at www.DorchesterHistoricalSociety.org

Dorchester Illustration of the Day no. 1878

Photograph showing the Templeton Market at 1873 Dorchester Avenue, at the corner of Dorchester Avenue and Templeton Street.  The picture shows meat market workers and a horse-drawn wagon in the early years of the twentieth century.  The building first shows on the maps in 1899 but was not shown in 1898.

_____

The Dorchester Illustration of the Day (DIOTD) is sent weekdays. If you receive this e-mail by mistake, please reply to be taken off the e-mail list. If you know others who would like to receive the daily e-mail, please encourage them to join the group by going to http://groups.google.com/group/dorchester-historical-society. You may contact Earl Taylor at ERMMWWT@aol.com

If you value receiving the DIOTD, please express your appreciation by making a donation to the Dorchester Historical Society, either by regular mail at 195 Boston Street, Dorchester, MA 02125, or through the website at www.DorchesterHistoricalSociety.org

Dorchester Illustration of the Day no. 1877

Photo of Neponset Fire House on Walnut Street.

The fire station building was probably constructed  at least by the 1870s.  The Independence Fire Engine, designated no. 5, was located in Neponset on Walnut Street next to Lorenzo Street at the entrance to Port Norfolk. There is a small park there today that can be seen as one goes around Neponset Circle.

_____

The Dorchester Illustration of the Day (DIOTD) is sent weekdays. If you receive this e-mail by mistake, please reply to be taken off the e-mail list. If you know others who would like to receive the daily e-mail, please encourage them to join the group by going to http://groups.google.com/group/dorchester-historical-society. You may contact Earl Taylor at ERMMWWT@aol.com

If you value receiving the DIOTD, please express your appreciation by making a donation to the Dorchester Historical Society, either by regular mail at 195 Boston Street, Dorchester, MA 02125, or through the website at www.DorchesterHistoricalSociety.org

Dorchester Illustration of the Day no. 1876

Scan of architectural elevation of the Torrey House published in American Architect and Building News, Apr. 3, 1880. Cabot and Chandler, architects. Corner of Melville Avenue and Washington Street.

From Andrew Saxe on Facebook:

1 Melville, 1879. Torrey House.

Eldbridge Torrey energized development around Codman Square with the construction of this sumptuous Stick-Style mansion by Cabot & Chandler, a leading Boston firm. (Edward Clarke Cabot, 1818-1901 had designed the Boston Atheneum, the Gibson House on 137 Beacon, and 12 Fairfield, among other Back Bay homes).

Demolished 1930s.

_____

The Dorchester Illustration of the Day (DIOTD) is sent weekdays. If you receive this e-mail by mistake, please reply to be taken off the e-mail list. If you know others who would like to receive the daily e-mail, please encourage them to join the group by going to http://groups.google.com/group/dorchester-historical-society. You may contact Earl Taylor at ERMMWWT@aol.com

If you value receiving the DIOTD, please express your appreciation by making a donation to the Dorchester Historical Society, either by regular mail at 195 Boston Street, Dorchester, MA 02125, or through the website at www.DorchesterHistoricalSociety.org

Dorchester Illustration of the Day no. 1875

Compare photos of 69 Adams Street from the 19th century and from 2004.  This house was called Underhill when the May family lived there in the 1850s.  It was probably designed by Dorchester architect Luther Briggs, Jr.

_____

The Dorchester Illustration of the Day (DIOTD) is sent weekdays. If you receive this e-mail by mistake, please reply to be taken off the e-mail list. If you know others who would like to receive the daily e-mail, please encourage them to join the group by going to http://groups.google.com/group/dorchester-historical-society. You may contact Earl Taylor at ERMMWWT@aol.com

If you value receiving the DIOTD, please express your appreciation by making a donation to the Dorchester Historical Society, either by regular mail at 195 Boston Street, Dorchester, MA 02125, or through the website at www.DorchesterHistoricalSociety.org

Dorchester Illustration of the Day no. 1874

Photograph of coal ships at Commercial Point with the gasometer behind on the left.  The gasometer held coal gas in a balloon-like structure.

_____

The Dorchester Illustration of the Day (DIOTD) is sent weekdays. If you receive this e-mail by mistake, please reply to be taken off the e-mail list. If you know others who would like to receive the daily e-mail, please encourage them to join the group by going to http://groups.google.com/group/dorchester-historical-society. You may contact Earl Taylor at ERMMWWT@aol.com

If you value receiving the DIOTD, please express your appreciation by making a donation to the Dorchester Historical Society, either by regular mail at 195 Boston Street, Dorchester, MA 02125, or through the website at www.DorchesterHistoricalSociety.org

Dorchester Illustration of the Day no. 1872

Glass slide showing what may be the earliest known photo of the Dorchester Pottery.  The slide seems to be a vacation picture of a Dorchester potter at work.  This could be the Dorchester Pottery, founded in 1896, or possibly the earlier Trask Pottery on Commercial Point.

_____

The Dorchester Illustration of the Day (DIOTD) is sent weekdays. If you receive this e-mail by mistake, please reply to be taken off the e-mail list. If you know others who would like to receive the daily e-mail, please encourage them to join the group by going to http://groups.google.com/group/dorchester-historical-society. You may contact Earl Taylor at ERMMWWT@aol.com

If you value receiving the DIOTD, please express your appreciation by making a donation to the Dorchester Historical Society, either by regular mail at 195 Boston Street, Dorchester, MA 02125, or through the website at www.DorchesterHistoricalSociety.org

City Archaeologist Joe Bagley will speak about Dorchester’s underground – 2 pm