a store6 was erected and opened near the west end of the causeway7 by Messrs. Vose & Makepeace,8
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Such was the unimproved condition of the easterly and now most populous section of Cambridge, before West Boston Bridge was opened for public travel, Nov. 23, 1793.
At that time, Rev. Dr. Holmes says:1 “Below the seat of the late Chief Justice Dana, there were but four dwelling-houses; one on the Inman place,2 now belonging to Jonathan L. Austin, Esq.; one3 nearly opposite, on a farm of Judge Dana, formerly the Soden farm, south of the main road; one on the Phips' farm, lately owned by Mr. Andrew Bordman;4 and one at Lechmere's Point.”
5 A new impulse towards improvement manifested itself immediately after the opening of the bridge.
Building lots for houses and stores were laid out by Jarvis and Dana, which were soon occupied.
Dr. Holmes further says that, during the month next after the opening of the bridge,
1 “Memoir of Cambridgeport,” appended to a sermon at the ordination of Rev. Thomas B. Gannett, Jan. 19, 1814.
2 On Inman Street, at the head of Austin Street. The mansion house, with a part of the farm, was purchased by the Austins when the Jarvis estate was sold in 1801. The house was removed in 1873 to the corner of Brookline and Auburn streets.
3 This farm-house stood until about 1840, on the westerly side of Pleasant Street, near its intersection with River Street.
4 Andrew Bordman, grandson of Lieut.-gov. Phips, inherited this estate on the death of his parents. The house stood on the northerly side of Plymouth Street, between Webster Avenue and Berkshire Street, and was wantonly destroyed about thirty years ago.
5 On the northerly side of Spring Street, between Third and Fourth streets; it was demolished about the year 1820.
6 This store remains standing on the northerly side of Main Street, directly opposite to Osborn Street.
7 The causeway extended from the river to the junction of Main and Front streets, passing near the northerly side of Pelham's Island.
8 Among those who were actively engaged in promoting the settlement of Cambridgeport, the name of Royal Makepeace is very conspicuous. Born March 29, 1772, at the age of twenty-one years, or earlier, he left his native town (Western, now Warren, Mass.), and came to Boston, in company with Robert Vose, his townsman, each having borrowed for that purpose the sum of twenty-five dollars. After a short mercantile apprenticeship, they entered into partnership, and commenced business in Boston at the South End. They soon afterwards removed to Cambridgeport, where, as heretofore stated, they erected the first store after the completion of the bridge in 1793. In addition to their regular business as grocers, they commenced buying and selling real estate. This partnership was dissolved in 1803, by the death of Mr. Vose. In the business of the store John Cook became a partner; but Rufus Davenport, a Boston merchant, was the principal associate of Mr. Makepeace in his subsequent transactions in real estate, in which it would seem that Mr. Davenport contributed the larger part of the cash capital, which was offset by the skill and judgment of Mr. Makepeace, who was the leading spirit in nearly all the schemes projected for public improvement. He also rendered faithful and useful services in various town offices, and as Representative in the General Court. After the ruin of his financial enterprises, he removed to Baltimore, in 1832, to superintend the “Canton company improvements,” so called, and died in a green old age, his eye not having lost its brilliancy, June 6, 1855.—See Makepeace Genealogy, by William Makepeace.
Boston. Houghton and Mifflin. 1877.
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