Boston in the 1960's

[briv]

Nice find, John.

 

[stellarfun]

Fire is 141 Tremont St., the Crawford Hollidge Dept Store.

February 18, 1967. Known as the 'Five Alarms in Five Minutes' fire. Heavily damaged the adjacent R H Stearns department store.

He is either repointing a deck gun, or spraying down the side of what I believe is the R H Stearns store.

The remains of the Crawford & Hollidge store were torn down within a day or two.

 

[deh74]

Fire is 141 Tremont St., the Crawford Hollidge Dept Store.

February 18, 1967. Known as the 'Five Alarms in Five Minutes' fire. Heavily damaged the adjacent R H Stearns department store.

He is either repointing a deck gun, or spraying down the side of what I believe is the R H stearns store.

The remains of the Crawford & Hollidge store were torn down within a day por two.

i love the old fire engines

 

[JohnAKeith]

Fascinating.

Here's an image from Google Maps.

I work at 151 Tremont yet I couldn't place it.

Interesting that those "planters" were there 47 years ago. They're so heinous, I figured they were contemporary.

 

[stellarfun]

i love the old fire engines

The pumpers look to be all Macks, 1950s vintage.

In front of Stearns:

Planters with plants in them, even.

 

[cybah]

You will love the photos on this guy's Facebook page, trust me.

https://www.facebook.com/DirtyOldBoston

Here are a couple of images I "borrowed" from there (not all from the 1960's).

John - I just joined that group. Its awesome looking at the old pics. I think its a collection of several people posting items. Some BPL and MIT stuff, but lots of 'personal' pictures posted and random stuff. (T trains on the old EL at different vantage points, streets with cars on them.. not really highlighting much of anything, totally random.

Its a very neat group..

 

[vanshnookenraggen]

That page is why my productivity at work has plummeted.

 

[kmp1284]

i love the old fire engines

Have you seen this site?

fire apparatus
http://www.bostonfirehistory.org/apparatusbymanufacturer.html

entry on the fire pictured
http://www.bostonfirehistory.org/firestory02181967.html

 

[JohnAKeith]

Okay, I'm only going to put up two more, they're all so amazing.

This is from the Paramount Hotel / Gilded Cage fire, in 1966, on Boylston Street between Tremont Street and Washington Street. It was caused by a leaky gas pipe, according to this story on the city's Fire Department Journal page: http://www.cityofboston.gov/fire/reports_publications/paramount_hotel_fire.asp

Then:

Now (that's St Francis House to the left and a CVS to the right):

 

[JohnAKeith]

I don't have the patience to find a thread for this one.

Then (Stuart Street) (circa 1925):

Now (Transportation Building, W Hotel in forefront):

 

[CSTH]

Well, now we know how old the tree in front of the statehouse is...

 

[statler]

Then:

Now (that's St Francis House to the left and a CVS to the right):

Exhibit A in my argument for why I think the ground floor of the Filene's Tower is going to be trash.

 

[KentXie]

Exhibit A in my argument for why I think the ground floor of the Filene's Tower is going to be trash.

It being next to St. Francis, even if this was the best designed ground floor, I doubt that it would attract much more, if any, activity at that area.

This is more of the environment than the design.

 

[statler]

My complaint was more aesthetics.

In fact, the burnt out husks of the former buildings would be an improvement over the current street level.

 

[charles65ofboston]

Hello, All

I just had to toss my thoughts out about C. Crawford Hollidge and the fire of 1967.

First, a little update on the store was posted a while back on the retro Boston department store blog I run:

http://shoppingdaysinretroboston.blogspot.co.uk/2009/05/c-crawford-hollidge-at-tremont-street.html

I also located a photo taken in about 1940 that shows the former store in all its glory:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24334155@N03/8144393429/in/photostream


The store was really a very well respected shop for women's clothing and accessories and the main street floor included rather deep and slightly extended set display windows on both street fronts.
The extended space created a sort of balcony above and thus...the planters( filled with a variety of plants but mostly evergreens) were used to dress up what would have been a large empty space. Also, as seen in the photo, Xmas time brought trees and various festive decorations to these areas above the store windows.

Just had to add a few thoughts

Enjoy!!!!

Charles

http://shoppingdaysinretroboston.blogspot.co.uk/

 

[JonFrum]

Hello, All

I just had to toss my thoughts out about C. Crawford Hollidge and the fire of 1967.

First, a little update on the store was posted a while back on the retro Boston department store blog I run:

http://shoppingdaysinretroboston.blogspot.co.uk/2009/05/c-crawford-hollidge-at-tremont-street.html

I also located a photo taken in about 1940 that shows the former store in all its glory:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/24334155@N03/8144393429/in/photostream


The store was really a very well respected shop for women's clothing and accessories and the main street floor included rather deep and slightly extended set display windows on both street fronts.
The extended space created a sort of balcony above and thus...the planters( filled with a variety of plants but mostly evergreens) were used to dress up what would have been a large empty space. Also, as seen in the photo, Xmas time brought trees and various festive decorations to these areas above the store windows.

Just had to add a few thoughts

Enjoy!!!!

Charles

http://shoppingdaysinretroboston.blogspot.co.uk/

Charles - I was going to ask you about this. I didnt' know you followed this forum. I noticed that you've got a spam post in the comments of your blog post on this store.

 

[charles65ofboston]

Thanks, Jon!!
I sorted out the spam comment. Thanks for pointing that out.
Oh, yes...I follow as often as I am able...
Take care!

http://shoppingdaysinretroboston.bl...tremont-street.html?showComment=1316676178280

Charles






Hello, All

I just had to toss my thoughts out about C. Crawford Hollidge and the fire of 1967.

First, a little update on the store was posted a while back on the retro Boston department store blog I run:

I also located a photo taken in about 1940 that shows the former store in all its glory:

The store was really a very well respected shop for women's clothing and accessories and the main street floor included rather deep and slightly extended set display windows on both street fronts.
The extended space created a sort of balcony above and thus...the planters( filled with a variety of plants but mostly evergreens) were used to dress up what would have been a large empty space. Also, as seen in the photo, Xmas time brought trees and various festive decorations to these areas above the store windows.

Just had to add a few thoughts

Enjoy!!!!

Charles

 

[stellarfun]

charles, unless Boston once had a smaller-sized version of Macy's parade, the tree and the coats would suggest it was the Armistice Day parade. Also note the T entrance at the front of the store.

 

[charles65ofboston]

Hello, Stellarfun...Thanks for asking about the photo.
The parade would have been part of a Boston Fire Department event. A partner photo shows RH Stearns with a large lit tree atop its frontage as well. The time would have been late November or early December. The old fire trucks were then taken to the wide sidewalk by the common for public display.

Enjoy

Charles

http://shoppingdaysinretroboston.blogspot.co.uk/

 

[JohnAKeith]

Never seen Boston from this point of view.

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A larger version, here: http://imgur.com/aqyGDjM