Cuttin' a Rug in Saxonville

From That Same Old Guy:

Was the Saxonville neighborhood of Framingham, Mass., named after actor John Saxon? Did the actor known at birth as Carmine Orrico, who starred in Bruce Lee's "Enter the Dragon" and appeared in roughly 200 film and TV projects, once stride along Saxonville's avenues, mix it up with the area's mill workers and skinny dip in the Sudbury River?

Or was this village in the northeast part of Framingham dubbed the way it was due to the influence of the Saxons, a "Germanic tribe that originally occupied the region which today is the North Sea coast of the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark," per the World History Encyclopedia.

"Late in the third century...Frankish raiders joined the Saxons in the southern part of the North Sea and the English Channel," per the WHE. "They preyed on shipping lanes and also raided the coast of Britain and Gaul. These attacks on Roman Britain during the late third century forced the authorities to build a network of forts with thick stone walls at coastal locations to repel these attacks, and the south coast of England became known as the Saxon Shore frontier."

Did the Saxons' pirating forays extend to inland Massachusetts, and the Sudbury River, hundreds of years before the English and French?

Sadly, the real story behind the name Saxonville is actually pretty boring. "With the industrial revolution of the mid-nineteenth century, the force of the waterfall, previously used to run a grist mill, was harnessed to power a large textile mill," according to an archived version of the City of Framingham web site. "One of the early companies was named the Saxon Factory Company, and the village was renamed Saxonville."

I'll hold out the possibility that the factory company was founded by a bunch of dudes who were at least inspired by the Saxons.

Anyway...let's talk about this neighborhood and the mill complex that gave it the name.

"...[T]he Saxon Factory Company [was] a woolen mill established...in 1824 by Abner, Benjamin, and Eliphalet Wheeler with several Boston partners. Later owners Michael Simpson and Nathaniel Francis changed the factory's name to the Saxonville Mills," according to the Historic Framingham blog, which used information from Images of America: Framingham. The mill's wooden buildings were destroyed by fire in 1883. The sole brick building, No. 7, survived. New brick buildings rose after the fire.

"Saxonville Mills merged with the Roxbury Carpet Company in 1919 and assumed the name of the latter," according to the Historic Framingham blog. Roxbury Carpet ceased operations in 1973.

The entire complex appears to be in good shape these days, with numerous tenants (PC Exchange, Tribute Home Care, Kano Computing, Studio X and the Saxonville Mills Cafe). I imagine there was a period after the carpet company closed where this place might have become rundown, as with many old mills and factories.

(The Josephine Kochnowicz Clock Tower. I have no clue who she is/was.)

(The Sudbury River flows alongside the mill.)

There is a mural on the back of one of the buildings that was painted by Sorin Bica, one of the artists whose work I recently captured in downtown Framingham (see October 17, 2021, "Putting Framingham in the Frame."). There are artist studios in the Saxonville Mill complex.

There is also a former firehouse on the property, which, along with the adjacent Athanaeum Hall, has been proposed as part of the historic district.

(The rear of the old fire station.)

Erected in the 1840s, Athanaeum Hall has served many purposes in the last 180 years, including hospital, jail, newspaper press room for The Saxonville Mirror, polling place and school, according to the Friends of Saxonville web site. "It was also used as a community hall for dances, lectures, plays, religious services, sporting events, veterans' meetings and wedding receptions."

The City of Framingham owns the building. There have been plans over the years to fully renovate the Hall. I'm not sure what the building's status is these days.

There are a handful of national-chain stores and businesses in Saxonville (Dunkin', Extra Space Storage), as well as many beautiful old homes and local stores. I only had time to shoot a few of the latter. Well, one that's still in business, and one that ain't, and both with similar names.

Located in a strip mall that was quite desolate on a Sunday afternoon, Liberty's Famous Pizza has a great sign. From what I've been able to figure out online, this place, about a third of a mile from the mill complex, has been in business for at least 50 years, although I'm guessing not necessarily in this location.

Unfortunately, Liberty Music, situated directly across from Saxonville Mill, is no longer in business.

Liberty sold, rented and repaired musical instruments for at least 25 years, according to the Internet. I hope somebody takes over this space, although it seems more likely this building will be torn down.

Bopping Around Brookline Village, Part I

From Guess Who?:

One of the most affluent towns in the Bay State, Brookline was settled by Europeans in 1638 as a part of Boston known as Muddy River. In 1705, Brookline broke away and incorporated as a separate town. The town went from farming community to Boston suburb with no significant industrial period in between.

No expanses of old factories or mills to explore? No problem!

I recently cruised through Brookline Village, one of the town's major commercial areas, and home to many civic buildings, such as town hall and the main library. There, I found loads of beautiful old commercial structures; an amazing apartment building; a Civil War monument; a former bank that's now a house of worship; and much more. And -- wait, what's this? -- there's even a former telephone manufacturing facility! You'll have to wait for Part II for that one....

Welcome to the first of a two-part series about Brookline Village!

I'm gonna start on the western edge of the village, at a bakery and candy maker that has been in business for more than 100 years.

New Paris Bakery opened on Boylston Street in Boston in 1919, according to this Boston Globe article. The founder, Kosmas Constantin, moved the shop to its current location on Cypress Street 10 years later.

(I love the CONSTANTIN'S HOME MADE FRENCH CANDY sign, but I don't love my photo.)

Right around the corner, on Washington Street, is the Stephen F. Rutledge VFW Post #864

(One of the many plaques installed on the facade of the VFW hall.)

Continuing east-southeast on Washington Street, the next landmark is the former Brookline Savings Bank, which was designed in 1898 by Franz Joseph Untersee, according to the High Street Hill web site.

The bank moved to another location in 1922. I'm not sure what was there in the decades afterwards. Currently, this cool little building is home to The Christian Community, "an independent community centered around the seven sacraments in a renewed form, without attachment to any existing church or ecumenical movement," per the group's web site.

Next door to the old bank is Brookline District Court, which dates to 1941.

The building was designed by the architectural firm of Coolidge, Shepley, Bulfinch and Abbott. That company was in operation from 1924 to 1952, as a successor to Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge, itself a successor to the practice stablished in 1874 by the legendary Henry Hobson Richardson. The firm survives today as Shepley Bulfinch.

On the opposite side of Washington Street, in front of the public library, is an impressive Civil War monument.

Completed in 1915, the Soldier's Monument shows a bugler sending out the call. The sculptor was Edward Clark Potter, who is most well known for the marble lions, nicknamed Patience and Fortitude, in front of the New York Public Library Main Branch, per Wikipedia.

Also on the north side of Washington Street, in front of the town hall, is a large bell.

I haven't found out anything about the bell, other than it dates to 1897.

Back on the south side of the street, next to the courthouse, is the combined headquarters for the Brookline fire and police departments, which features a nicely restored fire house.

Built in 1873, the station is the oldest one still standing in Brookline. I'm not sure when the renovation and addition were completed.

Next along the east-southeast path is The Wolcott, a circa-1903 apartment/office building.

The building's original owner was Alexis French, the town engineer at the turn of last century, per the Town of Brookline web site.

Moving on down, we come to a building that is currently home to DaVita Kidney Care, which provides dialysis services.

Known historically as the Morris Rudnick Building, this place was erected in 1917 as a garage and stores. Over the years, the building has been home to businesses including an auto repair shop, a plumber and a taxi company.

Right next door is the former Stone and Goodspeed Livery building.

"Once a wooden livery stable with three floors, #316-#320 Washington has been substantially altered with the addition of a story, complete change in roof design, and conversion of first floor into a parking area," according to MACRIS. The original building -- at least part of which I assume still exists -- dates to 1868. There were many owners of the stable business over the decades, the final one being Munroe Goodspeed. Goodspeed's clients included the local grocery store S.S. Pierce & Co., which kept its delivery wagons and horses at the stable, per MACRIS.

Moseying along, I was captured by 282 Washington Street, the Reuben Chace Building.

Currently home to the excellent sandwich shop Cutty's (as seen on "Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives"), this building dates to 1877. Originally known as Hotel Chace, this property has been home over the decades to a bootmaker's shop, a milliner's business, apartments and restaurants. It was also the first home of the Brookline National Bank, which eventually became the Brookline Trust Company, per MACRIS.

Right next door is the Anna Kerr Building, which is actually two buildings, although that's hard to tell with that goldang tree in the way.

Now home to Framers' Workshop, the buildings were home in the early days to a furrier and a druggist, as well as apartments. The building on the left dates to 1896; the right-hand property rose in 1922. Anna Kerr and her husband were the original owners of the older building.

On the corner of Washington Street and Davis Avenue is the fantastic Seamans Building.

Built in 1889, this property was designed by the aforementioned Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge. Now home to Skin Center Boston, it was built as a grocery store for James Seamans. In 1912, a stationery business replaced the grocery store.

Regular readers of this blog know that I tend to feature commercial buildings, mills, murals, ghost signs, memorials, statues and the like. I don't make it a habit to showcase beautiful old homes (or creepy old homes), and if I feature an apartment building, it's generally because it's got a name carved into its facade. But I couldn't ignore the Thomas W. Clement Apartment House on Davis Avenue.

Built in 1882-3, the apartment house is "an outstanding example" of the Panel Brick style of architecture, per MACRIS. The original owner was Thomas Clement, a dentist in the area. This building is one of three along Davis Avenue (one other, located directly across the street, is featured below) that "constitute a small extension of the Panel Brick style group of buildings seen on Washington Street and in Harvard Square in Brookline Village," MACRIS continues. They really are quite stunning.

(Another great apartment building on Davis Avenue.)

On the corner of Davis Avenue and Washington Street stands the St. Andrews Building, below.

Built in 1876, this building is another Panel Brick-style structure. As with today, the building at its origin was filled with shops on the ground floor, apartments above. One of the businesses there today is Rare Restoration, which specializes in furniture, showpieces and vintage lighting, per its web site.

I love the entrance to the 4 Davis Avenue side of the building, below.

The St. Andrews Building (the original owner was Scottish) also features a Thai restaurant, Mahaniyom Boston, the entryway of which is shown below.

Continuing south on Washington Street, next up is the Algonquin Building, which dates to 1895.

Perhaps named for the Algonquin Club in Boston or the indigenous tribes of North America, the building has long housed both apartments and business of all sorts (florist, law firm, coal business, insurance office, etc.). It is currently home to The Golden Chickpea Center, a preschool that offers numerous programs; and Zhu Vegan Kitchen, which calls itself "a casual fine dining Japanese restaurant."

Moving along to...another Reuben Chace Building.

Now home to neighborhood workspace The Village Works, this handsome little building is also known as the Village Coach House, for the restaurant that once operated here. Now, y'all know I love (and totally rely on) MACRIS, the Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System. But every once in a while this fantastic source offers up conflicting information, such as in the case of the built-on date for this building. At one point in the listing, the author indicates the Reuben Chace Building rose in 1869, and that it is "one of the older brick commercial structures in the area." Other places in the listing indicates the bulding dates to 1880. Either way, it started as the shop for Chace, who was a prominent house painter. Over the years, it was also used as a provisions store and home to the Johnson Fish Company.

This is where I'm going to stop this installment. Make sure to come back for the second part, in which I will cover so many more great commercial buildings, as well as some of those private homes that I claim I don't write about much.

For more about Brookline, check out the links below:

March 13, 2014, "What's In a Named Building? (Part 2)."

May 2, 2017, "Who Was Emma Cummings?"

November 25, 2018, "American Church, British Style, Napolean-Inspired Name."

December 18, 2018, "Checking Out America's First Condo Complex."

May 14, 2019, "Ice Cream Works for Me."

October 24, 2019, "Times Not So Super for Brookline Superette."

Putting Framingham in the Frame

From Dave Brigham:

I visited Framingham, Mass., a few times several years ago with my son as we checked out commuter trains coming in and out of the area (see May 19, 2014, "Another Link in the Chain"). Recently, on a somewhat limited time budget, I explored as much as I could of the downtown of what until recently was the largest town in the Commonwealth.

Framingham for years billed itself as the largest town in Massachusetts. Some locals even referred to it as the largest town in the country. With more than 72,000 residents as of four years ago, and an area of 26.4 square miles, Framingham was indeed a substantial burg, one whose industrial history dates back before the Civil War. But on January 1, 2018, after residents voted, Framingham switched from a town-meeting system to a mayor-council government, and officially became a city.

The city is bisected by both Route 9 and the Massachusetts Turnpike. The downtown area is located in the southern section, where Route 135 is the main thoroughfare. Commuter and Amtrak trains run through the busy area of the city as well. As you can probably guess, I'm interested in this area of the city because of its late-19th century architecture, which includes the former Dennison Manufacturing plant, which I will discuss more below.

After parking in front of the Framingham commuter tain station on Waverly Street, I started walking west and was immediately attracted to the Cardella Building.

Built around the turn of the 20th century, this building is currently home to Papalote Estilo Barber Shop and Gold Refinery, which buys gold and diamonds, and repairs watches and jewelry. I've been unable to find out why this place is named Cardella.

Heading west, I curved onto Fountain Street and found one of my favorite things, a social club.

The Columbus Club building dates to around 1930, but I believe the organization goes back to 1908.

It was at this point that I made a fateful decision to keep heading west-northwest along Fountain Street, as I'd caught a glimpse of a big industrial complex that I wanted to check out. Dating to 1906, these buildings turned out to be the former R.H. Long Shoe Company. Now known as Bancroft Lofts, this complex was once home to various companies manufacturing shoes, leather goods and auto bodies. Everything was too tidy for me, so I kept my camera down and kept walking.

Arriving at the intersection of Fountain Street and Dudley Road, I had a choice to make: go up Dudley and see how long it took to get around Farm Pond; continue along Fountain Street, which didn't look very promising; or turn back and cover ground that I'd already trod upon. Because it was super-hot and humid, I opted for the latter. It was only after the fact that I realized the magnificent Lloyd's Diner was just a little further up Fountain Street. So I made a special trip back a few weeks later to shoot some photos.

Built as #783 by the Worcester Lunch Car Company in 1942, the diner was originally located in Orange, Mass., per Wikipedia. "[I]t was operated by Robert and Richard Whitney until about 1960 as Whit's, and then under other ownership as the Orange Diner. It was purchased by Richard and Joan Lloyd in 1990 and moved to Framingham." Looking good after nearly 80 years!

On my first trip, I headed back toward the action, and checked out Hollis Street. There, I spied the Central-Eames Building, which dates to 1884.

This place is now home to Assembleia de Deus Shalom (Assembly of God Shalom), a Portuguese church.

I'm guessing the Central-Eames Building was erected as a commercial/office space.

Next door is the former lodge of the local Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF).

Erected in 1876, the building was home for the local chapter of a fraternal organization begun in this country in New York in 1806. After the Civil War, "Odd Fellows became the largest among all fraternal organizations, (at the time, even larger than Freemasonry)," per the IOOF's web site. "By 1889, the IOOF had lodges in every American state. In 1896, the World Almanac showed the Odd Fellows as the largest among all fraternal organizations." The Odd Fellows began in 1730 in London, per Wikipedia.

The building is now home to a MetroPCS store, a jewelry store and a liquor and food mart.

A little further up Hollis is a former fire station that's now home to the Amazing Things Art Center (which goes by atac). The group hosts open-mic nights, plays, concerts and other events.

The building, known historically as the Hollis Street Fire House and Fire Alarm Building, dates to 1902. The outbuilding behind it was where the alarm system was located, according to MACRIS. It's been beautifully decorated, as you can see below.

I doubled back on Hollis, and shot The Beaumont, a beautiful commercial/office building that was erected in 1898.

This place is home to a hair salon, a Cricket wireless store and a Pit Bull/Pantaneira clothing store. I spied a cool-looking building on Irving Street, so I made a beeline for it.

Built in 1890, the Tribune Building is the former home of the Framingham Tribune, which operated from 1883-1912. This wonderful old building is now home to the Tribune Apartments, which is managed by POAH Communities, an organization that provides affordable housing opportunities in several states and Washington, D.C.

Half a block away from the Tribune Building is the Connery Building, which unfortunately seems to have nothing to do with the former James Bond actor.

Built in 1878, this place is known historically as the Bullard House - Connery Building. Connery's was a bar, but I'm not sure how long it was here. In more recent years, this space was home to The Tavern and, until 2019, Danny Sullivan's. Now there is nothing.

Directly across Irving Street from the Connery Building is the former West Boston Gas Company Building.

Dating to 1927, the Classical Revival building replaced a private home. The building appears to be vacant.

I ducked down Columbia Street, where I saw this nice old auto body shop that specializes in Volkswagens.

Around the corner, along South Street, I spied the imposing former Edison Electric Company substation.

Built in 1912 and designed by John Prindiville (whose name will come up again below), the old power station appears to have been vacant for quite some time. I'm not sure whether there has been interest in redeveloping this site. Maybe it could be turned into storage? In South Boston, another former Edison power station is slated to be redeveloped into a mix of retail, housing, commercial and art space, a hotel and more. I shot photos of the complex, as well as the surrounding neighborhood, a few years back (see January 12, 2019, "Power Move in South Boston").

I crossed back over the busy Waverly Street and checked out the caboose at the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority.

The MWRTA facility serves both the MBTA commuter rail and an assortment of bus lines, I believe. The caboose dates to the 1930s, and was installed five years ago.

Steps away is a fantastic mural that brought to mind the finest work of Pablo Picasso.

Created by artist Sorin Bica, the mural is part the Front Door Framingham Project. Bica, a local resident, says he draws inspiration from the cultural and ethnic diversity in Framingham.

A short distance away, on Park Street, is the beautiful Framingham Savings Bank.

Built in 1928, this Spanish Renaissance Revival building is known historically as the Farmers and Mechanics Savings Bank. The FMSB was incorporated in 1883; the name was changed to Framingham Savings Bank in 1961, per MACRIS. The building is currently vacant.

Around the corner, on Concord Street, is a building I'd shot during a prior visit, the former Hotel Kendall.

Built in 1898, this gorgeous building is now home to a salon, a flower shop, a realtor's office and apartments.

Across Kendall Street is the Amsden Building, which dates to 1906.

This lovely little place has a tragic past, per MACRIS. "On July 23, 1906, the original Amsden building, while under construction, collapsed killing 13 workmen. It was being built by George M. Amsden, and due to this tragedy he lost the property to the Hopkinton Savings Bank. The property was sold to the Fitts brothers in 1908 and they erected the present building."

Yikes.

Home to a variety of stores, small businesses and apartments, the Amsden once held a bowling alley.

Around the corner, on Union Avenue, across from city hall, is the Wilsonia Building.

Built in 1914 and designed by John Prindiville (that name again), the Wilsonia has apartments on the upper floors, and an insurance agency, an optical shop and a shoe store on the ground floor.

Doubling back on Union Street, I shot the Hemenway Building.

Built in 1923, the Hemenway Building also had a bowling alley inside at some point, per MACRIS.

Back on Concord Street is the Framingham Arcade.

Erected in 1928, the Arcade has what MACRIS calls a "spatially exciting central arcade."

North of the arcade on Concord Street is the Prindiville Building.

Built in 1912, it was designed by (you know, don't you?) John Prindiville. In the late 19th century, Prindiville relocated his construction company from Athol, Mass., to Framingham, according to the Framingham History Center. Prindiville quickly became a stalwart in the town. "Because of its reputation for fine and creative work, the J. J. Prindiville Company played a major part in the downtown’s transformation. The Memorial Building, the Kendall Hotel, the stone building for Grace Congregational Church, St. Bridget Church, the brick Framingham Union Hospital, Framingham High School on Union Avenue, the armory for Company E on Union Avenue, The Arcade and the Hemenway, Wilsonia, Crouch, Mullaney, Prindiville, Fitts buildings are just a few of the innovative building completed by J. J. Prindiville Company."

Damn, that man was busy!

On Howard Street I spied a ghost sign for the former Salvation Army Thrift Store.

The store shut down in 2011; I'm not sure what, if anything, is in this property now. The adjacent building is home to the Hope Apostolic Church.

The next place along Howard Street I found interesting because of the mix of uses for the building.

L/R Construction has been in business since 1995, focusing on corporate, institutional, and non-profit organizations, per its web site. Howard Street Studios is home to eight artists, each specializing in a variety of mediums. And finally, Igreja Christa Evangelica (Casa de Oracao) is one of several churches I spied in Framingham in non-tradtional buildings.

Moseying along, I spied the cool Model A below at Mass Auto Exchange.

This brought me to the former Dennison Manufacturing Company complex.

Built in 1919, this four-story section of the industrial compound was erected by the Dennison company, which manufactured boxes, tags and labels. Other sections of the building were built between 1882 and 1903 by Dennison and the Para Rubber-Shoe Company, per MACRIS. The latter company went out of business in the 1890s, and eventually Dennison took over. "[F]or a short while this building was the home of the Hickory Wheel Company which manufactured bicycles. Col. Albert A. Pope was the principal owner. Mr. Pope was known as the father of the bicycle industry in America, and his plant at Hartford, Conn, was the largest bicycle works in the world," according to MACRIS. "In 1897 the property was purchased by the Dennison Manufacturing Company and this building was used for manufacturing tags and other paper products" (for more on Albert Pope, see June 5, 2020, "Cruising Around a Waterless Bay Village").

(I'm so happy the old sign was preserved.)

Among the businesses located in buildings on the former Dennison campus are craft-beer brewer Jack's Abbey.

Across Bishop Street from the old manufacturing facility is the former Dennison Power Plant complex.

Erected in 1910, the plant was obviously a vital element for the continued expansion of the Dennison operations. Dennison closed up most of its operations in Framingham in 1990, when the company merged with Avery Corp. to form Avery Dennison, and moved to California.

At least part of this complex is occupied by South Middlesex Opportunity Council (SMOC), which, according to its web site, works to "improve the quality of life of low-income and disadvantaged individuals and families by advocating for their needs and rights; providing services; educating the community; building a community of support; participating in coalitions with other advocates and searching for new resources and partnerships."

There are some amazing works of art on and around the buildings.

The sunflower mural was painted in July 2020 by Melanie MacEacheron, a SMOC employee. I'm not sure who made the Easter Island head, or the sphinx below.

There's at least one other great mural here.

I'm not sure who painted this. An artist named Alexander Golob painted a mural on the back of these buildings, which I didn't venture to see. The style on the mural above (and below) doesn't seem to be the same as Golob's.

(Detail of SMOC building mural.)

I doubled back along Howard Street to Concord Street. In front of the Rent-A-Center building hard by the railroad tracks, I spied a nice old tile entryway sign.

The Enterprise Block dates to 1951, per MACRIS.

From there, I got back on Waverly Street heading east-northeast. I needed to shoot the building housing the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries.

Dating to 1989, the church "is a full gospel ministry devoted to the Revival of Apostolic Signs, Holy Ghost fireworks and the unlimited demonstration of the power of God to deliver to the uttermost," per its web site. This building is also home to Railroad 6 Kitchen & Bar, which occupies the former space of The Happy Swallow, a bar opened after the end of Prohibition, per this article.

Just on the other side of South Street is a vacant lot next to a shuttered Mexican restaurant.

El Mariachi closed in July 2020 after four years in business. Previously, the Chicken Bone restaurant occupied this space. Given the vacant lot here, this seems a likely spot for redevelopment.

I reached Marble Street, and headed southwest until I hit Blandin Avenue, where I spied a war memorial.

The MetroWest Regional Transit Authority hosts the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which was dedicated in November 2016.

And last, but by no means least, a social club on the corner of South and Arlington streets.

The Portuguese Recreation Club dates to 1955.

That's it for downtown Framingham. Make sure to check back for an upcoming post about the Saxonville area of the city.