Dorchester Historical Society

Dorchester Illustration of the Day no. 2064

Today we move from the area we have been seeing at the extreme southern area of Lower Mills to the extreme north where we see the Monadnock Apartments on Dudley Street.

Scan of illustration of Monadnock Apartments, 715-721 Dudley Street, at the corner of Monadnock Street..  From American Architect and Building News, Aug. 17, 1895.

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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. 2063

Yesterday we saw a postcard view of Pierce Square.  The Bispham House, building on the corner of Dorchester Avenue and Washington Street (where Dark Horse Antiques is located today), is shown again today in a painting of the building on the face of a brick that was once part of the building.

Eleazer Johnson Bispham, for many years a well-known and highly respected citizen of Milton Lower Mills, Dorchester, was born in Dorchester, September 17, 1804, son of Eleazer and Jerusha (Leeds) Bispham.  He was educated in the public schools of Dorchester andMilton, and at about the age of seventeen he began to be self-supporting, working in different stores and for some time as clerk for a Mr. Leeds, ofBoston.  Then coming to Milton Lower Mills, he established a dry-goods store about 1822 or 1823, which he carried on successfully until about 1852.

In 1848 he was appointed cashier of the oldDorchesterand Milton Bank, subsequently known as the Blue Hill Bank, and still later as the Blue Hill National Bank, and held that position until March 1, 1876.  In the year last named he became president of the bank, and so remained till his death, which occurred November 10, 1892.  Prominent in local politics, he served nearly ten years as Selectman, was a member of the Dorchester School Committee, and was twice elected to the Legislature, besides being otherwise active in town affairs.  He was married on May 25, 1833, to Miss Mary Elizabeth Tolman, daughter of Robert Pierce and Mary (Walker) Tolman, of Dorchester.

The house was used as the Village Inn in the late 19th century.

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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. 2062

Postcard. Caption on front: Pierce Square, Milton Lower Mills, Mass.  Postally unused.  On verso: Printed in Germany. A.M.S. 8102.

Obviously this Dorchester Lower Mills, not the Milton side of the river. Today Dunkin Donuts is in the building at the right.  The building at the left is gone, replaced by the parking area for the Baker Chocolate administration building.  The pink building in the center is where Dark Horse Antiques is now.  The brick building in the center of the photo is the Gilbert Stuart School, replaced by the Lower Mills Branch Library.  The steeple behind it was the steeple of the Unitarian Church that stood where the CVS is today.

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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. 2061

Nineteenth-century view from First Parish Church looking toward the bay.  The old Mather School stands right behind the Church.  There is a round building, probably for coal gas storage, at Glover’s Corner–the corner of Dorchester Avenue and Freeport Street.  Then at the far right there is the gasometer for coal gas storage on Commercial Point, approximately where the natural gas tank is located today.  This photo pre-dates the construction of both Morrissey Boulevard and the Southeast Expressway.

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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. 2060

Nineteenth-century fire engine racing along the streets of Dorchester.

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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. 2059

Ladies’ Delight Cook Book Number Two. A Collection of Valuable and Reliable Recipes Which Have Been Thoroughly Tested by the Most Skilful Housekeepers of Dorchester and Vicinity.  Compiled by the Ladies Connected with the Grand Army Fair, Post 68.

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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. 2058

Postcard made from photograph. Caption on front: 1834. Bird St. Station (Dorchester) Boston 41924.  Postally unused.  On Kodak paper.  Probably 1920s or 1930s.

The Bird Street Station was located at the site where Bird Street meets Alexander Street a little southwest of Upham’s Corner and within walking distance of Quincy Street.

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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. 2057

Nineteenth-century view of Meeting House Hill, showing Soldiers Monument, First Church and Lyceum Hall.

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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. 2056

Baker Chocolate began in 1780 on the bank of the Neponset River and became an internationally known company.

Today we have a scan of a newly-acquired box for sweet chocolate tablets.

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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. 2055

Scan of illustration from Official Program Dorchester Day, Saturday, June 5, 1915, showing the new Dorchester Fireproof Storage Warehouse and the Humphreys House on Dudley Street corner of Humphreys.

It was said that the Humphreys House was built in the 16130s and remodeled over the years.  In 1917 the family sold the property and moved from the old house, allowing its demolition.  They had already apparently sold the back part of the property for the construction of the Dorchester Fireproof Storage Warehouse, so it is not surprising that they decided to move out of the old home.

On the occasion of leaving their home, the Humphreys family published a pamphlet entitled The Humphreys Homestead, 1784-1917.  It comprises a poem of which a few scattered lines are reproduced here:

We are leaving the dear oldHomestead…

The timber of their dwellings all

Grew near by on their land;

It was cut and hewn by those sturdy men

And the nails were made by hand …

The old, old hearthstone still is there

Of the house they first did build.

The brook did flow through the meadow low

And its waters the tanpits filled …

InDorchesteronce fine fruit did grow

And the Humphreys quince orchard made a fine show

One hundred and fifty bushels or more

Have been seen in the fall on the great barn floor …

The old, old gun chests still remained

Of the war of Eighteen twelve.

They hid the silver of the churc

In the tanpits they did delve …

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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