Our illustration.
By an oversight the frontispiece of this issue was omitted in our last, as illustrative of the ‘
lowers of Medford,’ and is now presented as ‘better late than never.’
The plate from which imprint is made is the property of the Historical Society, but has never before appeared on our pages.
It will be observed that, with one exception, the views were secured when the trees were bare of foliage, thus showing more clearly the distinctive features.
It was, however, impracticable to eliminate the unsightly poles and wires.
A few words relative to each may be of interest.
The upper central cut preserves a view of the spire and steeple only of the earliest built of the group.
As photography doesn't lie very much, it is evident that it was secured
subsequent to the time of the brief dialogue referred to in our recent issue.
The bare dials, closed louvers and Roman cross attest that fact.
Built in 1860 (to replace the one burned in the same year) it was first that of the First Trinitarian Congregational Society, and later that of
St. Joseph's (
Roman Catholic) church.
To the eye of the camera the building itself was eclipsed by the two upper stories of the
Andrew Hall house, the elevated rear garden of which is in marked contrast to present conditions.
While this spire is now gone, the building itself remains, the business home of Page &
Curtin.
This view also preserves for our sight a substantial feature of old-time dwelling construction, of which but few (including this) remain.
The lower right hand is that of the First
Baptist, and was the next erected, in 1872, by its designer (also a member),
John Brown.
Its spire was built complete within the tower and raised to its position; and the open archway at its base forms a carriage porch.
[p. 41]
The next oldest is that in the lower left, the
Mystic Congregational, erected in 1876, the result of the merging of two churches.
The building itself (of 1846) was so enlarged and remodeled that the original appearance is entirely absent in the present view.
This was taken
subsequent to some repair below the belfry and
after the invasion of the foliated capitals of the columns by the
English sparrows.
To protect the worshipers from defilement these are enclosed in wire netting which detracts from their original beauty.
The old Withington house (now gone) is seen at the right, and part of ‘Doctor's Row’ (formerly ‘Rotten Row’) at the left in this view.
Next in order of construction (upper left) was that of the First Parish (
Unitarian) in 1894.
When this group of views was made (for the purpose of illustration of some special Sunday services) the photographer mistook it for the Universalist church, which was the one desired.
It, however, serves our purpose well.
The main building is of stone, and by later thought the belfry was also so built.
The small ventilating towers at the side are a special and pleasing feature, and the vines clinging to its walls add to its beauty.
A large memorial window in its front is especially noticeable.
In the upper left is Trinity church (Methodist Episcopal), built in 1896 on the site selected in 1873.
In April just prior to its erection, the former house of worship, erected in 1873 (the first in West Medford), was sold and removed.
Its corner-stone, bearing the second date of 1896, was placed beneath this.
Its early removal was a necessity, and preserved the trees on Holton street, to which a bit of history attaches: In the early '50's
Mr. T. P. Smith (then owner) set out a row of elms on a proposed street (
Minot by name) which was to follow the course of the canal just abandoned.
At the construction of Boston avenue in ‘73, four of these, then on the land of
Mr. Horace A. Breed, were dug out and thrown aside on his premises.
Mr. B. said,‘
Mr. M., if
[p. 42] you'll set those trees out, you may have them.’
‘Thank you very much, we will,’ was the reply.
A worthy German citizen, a new comer,
Mr. Charles Meyer, attended to the work—and well, too. Though four inches in size and several days out of ground, the transplanting was successful.
Just when he did it we may not say, for at eight o'clock on Saturday evening they were lying by the capacious holes, but on Sunday morning when the worshippers came to the new church they were in place and sidewalk swept clean.
Mr. Smith passed away nearly seventy years ago,
Mr. Breed and
Mr. Meyer nearly forty, but we walk under the grateful shade of these trees today.
But one shows in the view.
The second, after twenty years, was affected by some pest, requiring its removal, and through the vacant space the sunlight streams through the great window, a memorial to others worthy but now gone.
The lower central view is that of the latest built (1904), the
West Medford Congregational.
It is of
Weymouth seam-faced granite and its chapel is stucco.
Two dwellings erected in the '50's were moved backward to make place for it, and the granite steps at the sidewalk are those of the former house of worship.
In 1907 a tree, the second at left, probably planted in the '50's, was uprooted in a gale and fell against the smaller tower, but was fortunately removed without injury.
It must be understood the presentation of the above enumerated is not of the
Register's selection, but the utilization of a selection made by others and for another purpose.
It would be our pleasure to present the dozen or more others that are in
Medford, and doubtless many interesting bits of history might be therewith preserved.
