By adamg on Mon., 11/26/2012 - 11:57 am
Can you figure out where and when this photo was taken? See it much larger. From the Boston City Archives, natch.
Neighborhoods:
Like the job UHub is doing? Consider a contribution. Thanks!
Ad:
Can you figure out where and when this photo was taken? See it much larger. From the Boston City Archives, natch.
Like the job UHub is doing? Consider a contribution. Thanks!
Ad:Help keep Universal Hub going. If you like what we're up to and want to help out, please consider a (completely non-deductible) contribution.
Comments
Charles Circle?
By Suldog
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 12:08pm
My best guess. Perhaps where the Longfellow bridge now stands?
Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com
What?
By adamg
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 12:18pm
You mean it's not Roslindale Square?
East Boston, Meridian Street
By Div2Supt
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 12:47pm
East Boston, Meridian Street at Condor looking into Chelsea.
Northern Avenue?
By Grouper
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 12:12pm
This might be a terrible guess but - Northern Avenue coming from Fort Point towards Downtown?
fort point??
By bostnkid
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 12:14pm
southie?
Seconding that
By SwirlyGrrl
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 12:51pm
It could be where Traveler/Broadway came across the Fort Point Channel. Other bodies of water aren't that narrow. The tower is similar to one in that area (cyclorama??), too.
this is a shot in the dark
By pierce
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 12:14pm
this is a shot in the dark but is it on tremont street near church street at the edge of bay village, facing SW looking across the rail line into the south end?
Huntington Ave?
By Lanny Budd
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 12:17pm
Looking west on Huntington at Brigham Circle?
Mulligan
By Lanny Budd
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 12:22pm
Not Huntington at all. I looked at the high res version. The road ahead is a bridge.
1905
By Lanny Budd
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 12:20pm
The poster on the left is for the opening of The Pearl and The Pumpkin at the Colonial, which opened July 17,1905.
clue?
By emily p
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 12:25pm
The signs are for Colonial Theatre (which is on Boylston on the Common) and for something on Tremont, so I would guess it was taken somewhere near the Common... but I can't place it more specifically. Was there an above-ground trolley between Park St and Boylston?
The Colonial Theatre sign is talking about a July performance of "The Pearl and the Pumpkin" which took place July 17, 1905, so at least I have the when! Date from Google Books:
http://books.google.com/books?id=fHFlVsRt618C&pg=P...
Cyclorama?
By Stevil
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 12:39pm
There is a round building in the distance that could be the cyclorama - so I'm guessing maybe Tremont from the theater district looking toward it or South end cross street looking toward Back Bay? Having a hard time figuring out the angle though best guess is looking south on East Berkeley if that's the cyclorama - there is a hill in the back left over those theater and beer signs - could be mission hill - but that seems to be too close.
There is another building kind of center left that has a tall white cupola - but other than that not very distinctive - probably not there today?
Meridian at Condor St East
By anon
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 12:32pm
Meridian at Condor St East Boston, looking toward the bridge and Chelsea.
Pretty sure this is it. You
By tjedrey
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 12:49pm
Pretty sure this is it. You can see the old shipyard my grandfather worked at to the left. The salt pile is now on the other side of the bridge to the right.
Thirded
By Saul
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 1:02pm
The book Boston's Bridges shows later (than 1905) photos on page 78 and 79 of the scene that has the same domed building in the far background.
Doesn't the expanse look too small?
By Grouper
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 1:26pm
The bridge from East Boston to Chelsea is much longer than the one in this picture though. Buuut you can make out an EAS (short for East Boston?) on the side of one of the lower buildings on the right.
Why would the bridge have been so much shorter back then? Was this entrance to the Chelsea River greatly expanded to accommodate larger modern freighters?
The actual span over water
By Saul
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 2:10pm
The actual span over water starts just past the horse and buggy. Perhaps the metal structure in the distance is a drawbridge that moves to let taller ships through.
theres no question that this is the location
By anon-a-mouse
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 2:34pm
The building closest on the right with the weird mansard-ish roof and second story cantilvered bay window is extant in google maps street view with a beautiful yellow vinyl siding that adds period detail. The building closer to the bridge on the right had a strange brick facade added.
Every time I take the bus
By tjedrey
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 2:41pm
Every time I take the bus down Meridian I think of how nice it must have been 50+ years ago. The further away from the square the better the street gets IMO, but you're right, vinyl siding may have been the death-knell to Eastie architecture. So many historical brownstones and triple-deckers. I lived in one on Jeffries Point for a year and loved the neighborhood. Everyone always forgets Eastie. Ugh.
Now I gotcha...
By Grouper
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 2:47pm
I see that on Google Street View as well. The triple decker on the right that presently has the faux-brick, asbestos shingling is shaped differently than in the older picture. They have squared off the rounded corners facing Meridian Street for some reason.
Looks like an addition
By SwirlyGrrl
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 3:31pm
Seems that they built a porch on that side and filled it in OR, when the road moved when the most recent bridge was built, they stuck a rectangular addition on that goes to what was once the street line or even beyond.
Street View
By Saul
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 2:50pm
http://goo.gl/maps/cDIht
Changed building
By alex
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 3:14pm
So I can recognize the building on the immediate right, but is that a different building on the other side of the street now? (The triple decker one with the red facade). Zillow claims it was built in 1910
Either that, or the building
By tjedrey
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 3:25pm
Either that, or the building was completely gutted and additions were put on at that point. That, or they shoved a building in an alleyway. Not going to doubt that, it is Boston.
This is definitely it
By anon-a-mouse
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 2:02pm
It is sad to see how vinyl siding and the like have murdered the facades of these 3-deckers.
This can't be that spot on
By tjedrey
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 3:26pm
This can't be that spot on Meridian. The Exxon station isn't there.
Mystic River movie
By alex
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 3:49pm
Incidentally, many of the important scenes in the movie mystic river were filmed right around the corner on Condor street. See, for instance, the red triple decker which shows up in this trailer, seen from condor street rather than meridian.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmiA24jwlbM
The Answer
By City of Boston ...
Mon, 11/26/2012 - 6:36pm
This is Meridian Street at Condor Street, taken June 5, 1905. We think it was likely taken by the city's Wire Dept. Thanks for guessing, everyone!