It's been a while since we posted some new pictures, but with a relatively quiet Sunday night, it gave me chance to use my IPhone to make copies of the latest additions to our BAHS photo collection- 11 photos that we either found on EBay, or were donated to us by generous neighbors or former neighbors. Probably not too many of you on the internet at midnight (but who knows ? :) ), but hopefully a pleasant discovery for you on Monday or later......
Presented jointly by the Brighton Garden Club and the Friends of the Faneuil Library on Tuesday, June 4th-
Wanted to share with everyone here- after a six-year hiatus, we (in this case the Brighton Garden Club) are once again hosting a three-hour cruise on the Charles River on Sunday, July 14th, narrated by yours truly...... the boat will leave from right here in our neighborhood, at the dock opposite WBZ, and will travel down the river and through the locks into Boston Harbor before returning. We have already sold over half the tickets, but wanted to make this trip available to anyone else interested in joining us. Cost is $35, and the attached flyer has all the relevant info- if interested, just fill out and send to me for your tickets- thanks!
Good news for now, although this is still an evolving story.... as of now, the Boston Landmarks Commission has informed the City’s Inspectional Services Dept. (ISD) that NO demolition permit can be issued for the historic old farmhouse at 72 Oakland.... stay tuned.....
While the Garden Club's large plant sale had to be postponed this year, with the nice weather forecast (finally !) for Saturday, please come by that day if you are around for the "Small Plant Sale", and help support your neighborhood.... see below:
A letter the BAHS sent out yesterday in the hopes of preserving 72 Oakland Street.....
Again, with thanks to Nancy O'Hara and the other BAHS volunteers who have been organizing our archives room and found these old tapes, and to our board member John Broderick for digitizing them, we're happy to share with all of you two great looks into our past..... this SECOND video is a 1990 video of the Buggs Village reunion that year......
https://youtu.be/yjVVK7ui0x0
Bugg Village Reunion Dance 1990. Bugg Village was an Italian neighborhood near Union and Shepard Streets close to Brighton Center. It was named for John "Bug...
With thanks to Nancy O'Hara and other BAHS volunteers who have been organizing our archives room and found these old tapes, and to our board member John Broderick for digitizing them, we're happy to share with all of you two great looks into our past..... this first short video is a 1935 video of parishioners leaving services at the Hill Memorial Baptist Church on North Harvard Street in Allston.......
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyruygWG9UE&feature=youtu.be
Video of members of the Hill Memorial Baptist Church at 279 North Harvard St in Allston MA entering or leaving the church around 1935
A great new organization established recently........
We’re about community, in the best sense of the word.
We are a volunteer advocacy group made up of homeowners and renters – all residents of the diverse areas of Brighton and Allston. We are working to influence development to benefit our community.
We wanted to share this exciting potential to protect some important neighborhood landmarks in Oak Square- but also, just to clarify the below statement, it is a PROPOSAL for a neighborhood-controlled development by our local sister organizations (the PSF & ABCDC)- THEY DO NOT OWN THE PROPERTY, BUT ARE TRYING TO MAKE THE CASE FOR A COMMUNITY BASED PROCESS.....
Another positive move for preservation.......
https://www.boston.gov/news/more-11-million-awarded-historic-preservation-projects?utm_source=Community+Preservation+Act&utm_campaign=CPA+Newsletter+-+May+2019&utm_medium=email
BOSTON - Tuesday, April 23, 2019 - Yesterday, Mayor Martin J. Walsh joined advocates and residents at Memorial Hall in Charlestown to celebrate more than $11 million in Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding awarded to 35 historic preservation projects. After Boston adopted the CPA in 2016, the Ci...
We are pleased to announce that the Historical Society's May events- which is officially "Preservation Month"- are now listed in the City of Boston's official event calendar:
https://www.boston.gov/events?field_event_dates_value%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=03%2F19%2F2019&field_event_dates_value2%5Bvalue%5D%5Bdate%5D=06%2F30%2F2029&title=&field_event_type_target_id%5B%5D=1826&field_multiple_neighborhoods_target_id%5B%5D=141&field_multiple_neighborhoods_target_id%5B%5D=201&=Apply
Events The Boston Public Library and Boston Public Schools have separate calendars. For arts and culture events, or to submit your own arts and culture event, visit the ArtsBoston calendar. For information on public hearings and meetings, please search public notices. We also created an RSS feed for...
A great new book being unveiled at the Fanueil Library next week on Tuesday the 9th- written by one of our long-time BAHS members Mike O'Hara.......
Another great photo to add to our collection- from the Brookline Public Library- a photo in their Brookline collection, but which actually shows Cleveland Circle (in Brighton), looking up Sutherland Road, around 1890:
Sorry it's been a while since any posts, but life can keep you busy at times..... :) ....... here are four new photos we just acquired copies of- from all places, courtesy of the Wisconsin Historical Society, believe it or not (who retain the copyright). These photos came to our attention through the help of Boston Volvo, who just renovated the large old commercial building at 61 North Beacon Street as their new headquarters and showroom, after a beautiful restoration job. This historic building was built in 1925 by International Harvester (of Wisconsin) as their New England showroom for their many trucks and tractors. Three of the four photos show this building when new- two of the outside, and one of the showroom. This building later served as the headquarters for New Balance, before they moved to Boston Landing. The fourth photo was a surprise- when we were checking the collection of the Wisconsin Historical Society, we found this great 1935 photo of a delivery truck in front of the original Gray's Market location in Oak Square, when it was in the block between Breck Ave. and Nonantum Street- the truck must be an International Harvester product.... hope you enjoy these adds to our collection!
With all credit due to the photographers, Clark Frazier and David Pohl, here are some great pictures of the old "PCC" and older streetcars and others along the old A-Line in the 1950-1990's period (while the line closed to passengers in 1969, it remained intact and used for shuttling cars to the Watertown car shops through the 90's- or, as seen here, for fan trips):
Two great upcoming BAHS events.......
With thanks to the Boston Landmarks Commission......
#Backtoschoolweek One of our FAVORITE schools in Boston, Brighton High School, enrolls a talented and diverse mix of Boston's students in the westernmost neighborhood, Brighton. The school was completed in 1929-1930 and opened a year later. Its prominent site atop a hill and amazing architecture cant help but make us feel like it has some Hogwarts qualities. The school featured one of the best automotive programs in the state for decades and was known by students, parents and teachers alike as the "castle on the hill". Boston Public Schools Brighton High School Allston–Brighton Brighton Allston Historical Society
Found some great new photographs in the Digital Commonwealth collection, which we have now copied for the BAHS files. Most of these photos came from a collection of thousands of photos on the Watertown Arsenal, held by the National Archives in Boston. In addition of course to showing the historic Watertown Arsenal, a huge complex that existed from 1816 to 1968, we found a number of photos that show the old and new North Beacon Street bridges, the old Faneuil Depot, Newton Street, and the old Abattoir site. Plus some interesting aerials. Hope you enjoy them as much as we did in finding them!
As a former Commissioner on the Landmarks Commission myself, I'm very pleased they took this action......
The vote is unanimous! The Boston Landmarks Commission has designated the Citgo Sign in #KenmoreSquare a local historic Landmark!! Once the Mayor & City Council sign off it's official.
It's been a while, so thought it would be nice to post a few new pictures we now have copies of.... descriptions on each picture.....
Our first event of the season was blessed with great Fall weather, and a good crowd of about 25 people. The Saturday event was a two-hour walking tour along part of the shoreline of the Chestnut Hill Reservoir, led by our very own resident landscape historian Jennifer Wilton- and focused on the historic landscape elements of the design. With thanks to two of the attendees- Mel Berger and Anne Mazzola- we have the attached photos to remember the event with.......
And finally for tonight, this truly unique photo shows the collapsed WBZ TV antenna, which come down in 1954 due to Hurricane Carol.....
This circa 1910 image shows some great detail of the old commercial block on the corner of Brackett and Washington streets in Oak Square.....
This photo was taken from Bigelow Hill, looking towards Watertown and the Watertown Arsenal, in 1917. In the foreground are the brick houses along Newton Street, and in the center of the photo is the relatively new North Beacon street bridge- it was built a few years earlier to replace the old wooden draw bridge at the same location, You can also see the Faneuil Depot on the far right
Not too far away, this unusual picture from the 1960's shows the filling of the Lawrence Basin of the Chestnut Hill Reservoir- this was just west of the surviving Bradlee Basin. BC bought the land from the state in the 1950's- and after filling this body of water, built its lower campus on its former location:
My apologies that it has been a while since I've been able to post any old photos.... life can get in the way at times :) - but here are 5 nice old photos we've added to our collection recently, of various parts of our neighborhood...... first up, this 1893 view of the parkland around the Chestnut Hill Reservoir along its northern edge....... a great walking tour led by our very own board member and landscape historian Jennifer Wilton passed through this very area today......
"Hot off the press"..... our new 2019 calendar with 14 great photos.........
For those of you interested in gardening, the Brighton Garden Club in conjunction with the Presentation School Foundation Community Center (PSF) is having local resident and gardener Koletta Kaspar speak on "Putting Your Garden To Bed" at 6:30 pm on Thursday, October 11th, in the Little Sprouts Community Room, at PSF, 640 Washington Street..... see the attached flyer:
For many years the BAHS has been an organizational member of the Boston Preservation Alliance, an excellent group that has long advocated for historic preservation causes in the Greater Boston area. They have been especially supportive of our local preservation efforts.
They just created a new website that is very helpful if you want to learn about these preservation activities, so I thought it would be nice to share it here:
https://www.bostonpreservation.org/
A nonprofit organization that protects and improves the quality of Boston's architectural heritage. Through advocacy and education, we bring people and organizations together to influence the future of Boston's historic buildings, landscapes, and communities.
This is a great option for a limited time volunteer opportunity if you enjoy children and reading....... a group the BAHS has supported in the past:
If I can use administrator's privilege here.... this is not Brighton or Allston related for once, but a beautiful aerial video of Boston that I think people will enjoy- which after all, our neighborhood is part of... :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAb72JTyQ9I
Beautiful Planet is a short film project demonstrating the beauty of our planet from different angles. You can also follow us on Instagram www.instagram.com/...
And our third webpage update:
http://www.bahistory.org/Walking_Tours.html
Another webpage update:
http://www.bahistory.org/Newspapers.html
Some great new updates on our BAHS webpage, courtesy of John Broderick: http://www.bahistory.org/BAHS50Photos.html
Here is info about an upcoming meeting on a proposal the BAHS fully supports- the economic reuse of our neighborhood's newest official city landmark.......
We are very sad to hear about the recent passing of Sam Cornish, a long-time Brighton resident who served for as Boston's first poet laureate..... here is his obituary from the Boston Globe: https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/obituaries/2018/08/23/sam-cornish-boston-first-poet-laureate-dies/OawKYLoaoL8dWj9zymflUO/amp.html
Sam Cornish, 82, of Brighton, who died Aug. 20, was Boston’s first poet laureate.
Sorry it's been a while since we posted old photos..... but here are some nice photos of the old "PCC" trolley cars on the old A-line, with thanks to the Facebook group "The MBTA Through the Years".......
The BAHS would like to extend our congratulations to Bernadette (Bernie) Brewer, the Executive Director of the Presentation School Foundation and Community Center (PSF) in Oak Square. PSF has been very generous with the BAHS since its opening a few years ago- providing meeting space for both our regular board meetings, and special events such as our recent 50th Anniversary celebration. Bernie was honored this week with being the recipient of the Community Service Award from the Boston Police Department's National Night Out Program- she is seen here after being presented the award by Boston's new police commissioner William Gross. This photo also shows some of our elected officials who came to honor Bernie at the event- City Councilor Mark Ciommo, Mayor Marty Walsh, and City Councilor Annissa Essaibi George
Courtesy of Michael Dwyer, President of the Brighton Marine Hospital, here is a great video they commissioned of the moving of one of the former officer's houses at their site- which was moved from one part of the property to the other.....
https://vimeo.com/276046407
To make way for the construction of a first-in-the-nation $46 million development that will bring 102 units of housing and on-site supportive services to veterans…
With many thanks to Eric West, here are some additional great photos of our 50th anniversary celebration back in May......
We had a GREAT party this past week celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the founding of our Historical Society- with 111 people in attendance at the event held in the community rooms at the Presentation School Foundation in Oak Square (with our thanks to PSF and Bernadette Brewer for providing the perfect space for a fantastic event).
Everyone from our board pitched in to make this the success that it was, but a special thanks to Jennifer Wilton and Linda Mishkin for the lead in organizing everything..... and we also got to announce the latest winner of "The Beagle Award"- Sharon Cayley, volunteer of a 1,000 tasks.......
And thanks to those of you who took photographs that night to record this latest piece of history- with much appreciation especially to Liane Brandon and Nancy O'Hara, who have provided the photos shown here- in addition to crediting their photos, I have tried to the best of my ability to identify "who's who" in the photos- but if any of you can fill in names in the comments that I missed, we would appreciate it.... :)
Here are some more interesting current pictures- by our friend Alex Bardow- that reveal an intriguing bit of old history- the old foundations of the original North Beacon Street bridge, which was an old wooden drawbridge dating to the era when the river was tidal. When the new (current) bridge was built in the early 1900's, it was on a slightly different alignment than the older bridge. I'm copying in full Alex's description of the photos........ and after his comments, I've included three of the photos from our collection that both show the old bridge, and the new one under construction........
"Back in March, I noticed that the Charles River was running low and I decided to explore a pile of rocks that I had noticed downstream of the North Beacon Street Bridge. Since we now have the plans for the former MDC bridges, I looked at them to see if, as I suspected, they were from the original, pre-1915 bridge.
I am attaching one of the plan sheets, which clearly show that one corner of the original bridge’s abutment and downstream wingwall protrude beyond the re-grading of the river banks that was done as part of the landscaping after the current bridge was built. This is the location of the rock pile.
I am also attaching four pictures that I took that March day. Unfortunately, the reflection of the sky in the water makes it difficult to see the stonework under the water in the pictures, but by walking out onto the rocks I could distinctly make out the stones that made up the face of the abutment and the wingwall below the water surface. In photo #4 you can make out the edge of one of the stones that made up the face of the abutment.
Also, as you can see, the line of the wingwall stones lines up with the Arsenal Gate that was located along the pre-1915 North Beacon Street, so this confirms that we are looking at the remains of the wooden bridge that was there before."
Box 35163
Brighton, MA
02135
The Brighton-Allston Heritage Museum is open from 11-3 on Thursdays and Fridays. Admission is free. We are located on the lower level of the Veronica Smith Senior Center, 20 Chestnut Hill Avenue, in Brighton Center. http://www.bahistory.org/BHMuseumFirst.html
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