Back At it

From The Masked Photographer:

After nearly five locked-down months, my son and I headed back out on the T one recent weekend. We wore masks, used hand sanitizer, obeyed the distancing rules in the subway cars, and avoided crowds (not that there really were any in Boston). I was happy to be in the familiar confines of the city, shooting a few photos. But I also felt like I was in a totally different place, one where crowds were low on a beautiful summer day, and where those who were out were sporting face coverings of all sorts. Comfortable and strange at the same time.

I wandered through Downtown Crossing and the Financial District, past buildings I've shot before for this blog. Still, I spied details I've missed in the past. Outside the doorway to the building at the corner of Winter and Tremont streets, directly across from the Park Street subway station, I spied some cool relief panels.

Known as the Thomas Building, the Richardson Romanesque property dates to 1887. It was designed by John A. Fox, the architect behind the Providence Opera House {since demolished), Lewiston Music Hall and Chelsea Academy of Music, per MACRIS. "The major original tenant was the George A. Sawyer & Co. men's clothing store, which had been located at the same address for many years prior to the construction of the...structure," per MACRIS. "G.A. Sawyer & Co. moved to a newer building at 129 Tremont Street in 1895-96. Turn-of-the-century photos show an ice cream soda shop on the ground floor and optician on the 2nd."

The dragon rising out of a crown is my favorite, although the eagle is pretty cool looking, too. I'm not sure what the third image is.

Steps away from the Thomas Building I spied the wonderful detail below.

In its current iteration, the Conrad-Chandler Building on Winter Street dates to 1925, "when the owners hired Harry Davidson & Son to remove the pitched roofs of earlier buildings on the site and construct a 'new limestone ashlar front' for Conrad's Department Store," per MACRIS.

The building has quite a history, which I suppose isn't unusual with older structures in Boston. "The new facade was the last of several major renovations which have changed the appearance of the building over the years," per MACRIS. "The curved rear wall, which faces Hamilton Pl, is the only surviving portion of the Greek Revival Central Congre­gational Church, built at #25-29 Winter St. in 1841. In 1865 the congregation moved to the Back Bay, merging with the First Presbyterian to form the Church of the Covenant on Newbury & Berkeley St.. Shortly thereafter, the church on Winter St was rebuilt into a 6-story granite French Second Empire mansard commercial building. The first tenant was Chandler & Co, which had been established in 1810 by Thomas Brewer and was popularly credited with selling the first "ready to wear" dress in Boston. Chandlers remained at this location until 1905, when the street became too congested for carriages to wait outside for customers and the store moved to the newly fashionable Tremont St, first to the Chickering Bldg (since demolished) and later to #149 and then #150 Tremont St. The next tenant was Conrad & Co., also a ladies dry goods and clothing firm."

The medallion in the photo above shows a child's head, although I could be convinced it's a young woman's profile.

Along Milk Street, I spied the plaque below.

Located on the side of 1 Federal Street, the plaque marks the location of the home of Robert Treat Paine, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Paine, who was a lawyer and politician, served as the first attorney general of the Commonwealth and an associate justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. He died here May 14, 1814.

Not far away, in the Financial District, I spied a ghost sign of sorts along Pearl Street.

Located in 10 Post Office Square, the Cuban-inspired and quite opulent Mariel restaurant opened last fall. It's fancy, light-up sign covers an older mosaic-type sign for Commonwealth ?? Banking Association. Looking at both Google Maps and Bing street-level images, I saw that this sign was covered up prior to the restaurant's opening. So I like the fact that somebody discovered it and kept it. I just wish I could make out the second word on the sign. Online searches have proven fruitless.

Finally, a poor photo of an old sign painted on a window on one of the cool old Central Wharf buildings.

"Cobb's Photo Studio," the sign says. I have no idea if it once advertised an actual business, or if this is a fake produced for some other reason. This is located on the back of the building currently housing Central Wharf Co., a restaurant that is closed during the pandemic. Over the past 200 years, the building has been home to, among other businesses, Jose McIntyre's Mexican restaurant and the Central Wharf Tea Company.

Most of the several Central Wharf buildings facing Milk Street near the Rose Kennedy Greenway date to the early 19th century. Central Wharf No. 5 is the one we're concerned with. Designed by the ubiquitous 18th- and 19th-century architect Charles Bulfinch, the wharf building is included in the National Register Custom House District.

"Located at head of what was once Central Wharf, structure known as 'Jenny Building' is one of only 8 adjoining buildings which remain of original 54 building row extending to today's site of N.E. Aquarium," per MACRIS.

I would've loved to have walked around the Boston of 100 years ago.