From Dave Brigham:
In my first post about Beverly, Mass., I toured the small city's Cabot Street commercial drag (see September 16, 2023, "Downtown Beverly, Part I: Cabot Street + Environs"). As I mentioned at the end of that essay, after exploring that area, I headed west on Federal Street, as I sensed I would bump into good backside things before too long.
Soon enough I hit Rantoul Street, and realized quickly that I'd been along this main thoroughfare once before, a few years ago, tossing back beers with former coworkers at Old Planters Brewing. This area, close to the Bass River, with more obvious signs of Beverly's industrial past, had plenty to check out, even with ongoing redevelopment.
I walked a ways south on Rantoul Street, on the east side, before making my first shot.
Now known as Gateway Condominiums, this late 19th century brick building rose as Woodbury Bros. Shoe Company, according to MACRIS. The factory was built "by the Beverly Building Association, an organization of local businessmen who sought to attract new industry to the city, particularly after a major fire in Lynn, MA destroyed many shoe factories," per MACRIS. The building association also constructed the factories across Rantoul Street, which are shown below.
These buildings date to 1895, and were originally home to the J.W. Carter Shoe Company, I believe. In subsequent years, companies including Decron Plastics, Superior Hat Company, Superior Real Estate, Criterion Shoe Company, Lion Leather and Plastic and Porter Sewing Machine Corporation were located here, according to the web site for Porter Mill Studios, which currently occupies one of these buildings. Porter Mill is home to artists, studios and small businesses. The adjacent old factory building is home to Advantage Self Storage.
Around the corner, heading west toward the Bass River, is another old mill building, along Pleasant Street, hard by the commuter train tracks.
I believe the ghost sign says "The Porter Machine," likely referring to the aforementioned Porter Sewing Machine Corp., which may have used this facility at some point. This is 60 Pleasant Street, which dates to 1896, and was built as the J.P. Friend & Co. Box Factory, according to MACRIS. Other tenants over the years included A.W. Copp & Co. box manufacturers, S.H. Dow & Co. shoe stitching, Gavaza Bottle Cap Co., Beverly Mattress Co. and National House Furnishing Co. Below, on the west-facing side of the building, you can see a ghost sign for Beverly Mattress.
The building is now apartments. Around the corner from the old box factory, facing River Street, is the Beverly Depot.
Built in 1896, the train station was erected by the B&M Railroad, replacing an 1839 depot. The new depot was designed by Bradford Gilbert, who was said at the time to be the best-known railroad station architect in the country, according to MACRIS. The depot is currently used as a station for the MBTA's Newburyport/Rockport commuter line. Additionally, the historic building houses The Beverly Depot, a steakhouse and seafood restaurant.
Across River Street is a former fire house and union meeting hall currently being used as a homeless shelter.
Built sometime in the early 1870s as a firehouse -- you can see where the fire apparatus would have come out the front of the building -- by 1945 it was converted into the headquarters for the United Electrical, Radio, and Machineworkers of America, C.I.O. Local 271, according to MACRIS. It is currently known as River House and "was formed in response to the chronic need for emergency-shelter services for homeless individuals in the greater Beverly and North Shore area," per its web site.
Next door to the shelter is a building known by its historic name, the Upton Machine Shop, as well as by its common name, Cameron Car Company.
The latter outfit manufactured automobiles for nearly two decades, from 1902 to 1920, first in Rhode Island (not sure what town or city); then in Brockton, Mass.; next in Beverly, at this location; and then Norwalk and finally Stamford, Connecticut, according to Wikipedia. The company made two, four, and six-cylinder models.
That's pretty damn cool!
The building, which I believe dates to 1907, is currently occupied by Van Ness Creative, a full-service film and video production company.
Looking east from in front of the old car manufacturing plant, I spied a nice old sign located on the other side of the commuter rail tracks.
Note the oil geyser spewing out of the top of the derrick. I'm not sure whether Bill's Oil Service is still in business, as there is a used auto place located at the address I found online for Bill's.
Next up are three businesses all in row along River Street, between Bridge and Federal streets. Two of the places have closed, while the other moved nearby. I'm wondering if their bottom lines were affected by the closure of the Hall-Whitaker drawbridge on Bridge Street back in June of last year. Spanning the Bass River, the bridge connected Beverly's Ryal Side neighborhood with downtown.
First is the Ryal Side Auto Center, which was in business at the corner of Bridge and River streets for more than three decades.
This business has moved to 126 Park Street, I'm happy to report.
The other two businesses, which were located in the same building, may have shared ownership.
The River Street Grille appears to have closed last year. I'm not sure how long it was in business.
(Mural on the back of the restaurant painted by an artist who goes by Grimdrops.)
As for the Bowl-o-Mat, below, it was a candlepin bowling establishment that appears to have closed in 2018 or 2019.
Here's a Goodle Street View image from November 2017. Man, I wish that sign was still there....
Moving on.
Facing Federal Street, below, is the graffiti-covered backside of a long, low building known as Beverly Industrial Park, which fronts on West Dane Street. Businesses there include New England Leather Co., Top to Bottom Construction, Salem Plumbing Supply and Graff City USA, an art supply store.
(Maybe somebody thought Graff City USA was actually Grafitti City....)
Tucked between the heavily tagged industrial park building and a residiential building is Joe's On a Roll.
A takeout and food truck business on Federal Street, Joe's specializes in lobster rolls and other seafood, and has a great work of art on its roof.
At the corner of Federal and Park streets, I spied some cool artwork.
Currently a private residence (I think) and perhaps also a machine shop, this building was a mystery to me until I posted these photos on Instagram. There, I learned from someone who commented that this building was originally a gas station, and then was turned into a Chevrolet dealership in the 1930s. More recently, it was home to Freeman's BMW Motorcycle, hence the artwork.
I love it when people know things and share those things.
Heading south on Park Street, I was stopped in my tracks by the building housing Gentile Brewing Company, which calls itself a nano brewery.
Built in 1884 by the Charles H. Creesy and Co. shoe manufacturer, this building was home to other manufacturers over the years, according to the brewery's web site. "Organized in Beverly in 1875, [Creesy] manufactured women's and misses' 'dongola goods in medium grades,'" per MACRIS. Dongola is a leather process that uses goatskin, calfskin or sheepskin to make a soft, thin product.
Across Park Street from the brewing company are two related stores: Gordon's, which sells gifts and collectibles, including "Beverly Theme Gifts," and offers scissor sharpening and custom embroidery; and Theological Threads, the sign for which caught my eye, despite its understated nature.
Theological Threads sells Bible markers, funeral palls, urn covers, banners, humeral veils, dalmatics and plenty of other religious items that I've never heard of. The company traces its history to 1976. I highly suggest reading about that history on the company's web site.
Next door to the garment maker is the Franco American Club.
Back out on Rantoul Street, the next thing that caught my eye was the entrance to the lounge for Anmol, an Indian restaurant.
I went west on Federal Street (again) and then north on Park Street, where I spied the little industrial building below, which is home to Eastern Cycle.
Just up the street is Standley Bros. Machine Company.
In business since 1956, the company is "a mechanical manufacturing facility providing prototype and prodcution CNC Machining, Welding, Assembly, & Leak Detection," according to its web site. "We are best suited for aluminum and stainless steel families of material, but are capable of working with most hard-to-machine materials."
Where Park Street meets West Dane Street there is a martial arts school that's been around since 1962.
Shodokan Martial Arts Center offers lessons in aikido, karate, judo, jiu jitsu, kendo and more.
By this time in my jaunt, the light was waning. I made the last four photos because a) I was attracted to the signage and b) I found it easier to shoot things that were already lit up.
As I walked up West Dane back to Rantoul Street, I had to rub my eyes to make sure I was seeing what I thought I was seeing.
The Pickled Onion is an Irish bar and grill that seems likely to have been here for quite some time. I love love love the sign, the neon up top so warm and inviting, and the list of Gaelic words below telling you what sort of food, drink and atmosphere to expect.
Right down the street is another great sign, pointing the way to ChrisPy's Liquors & Lottery.
The last two places have great stories. First up is Jacob's Corner Bar & Grill.
I'm not sure how long the bar has been around. According to the eatery's web site, the name of the place "is a tribute to the owners (sic) teammate and best friend who tragically lost his life months after graduating from Endicott College. His name was Jacob Maxfield and on the football field he wore the number 88. The loss of Jake inspired not only Jacobs Corner (sic) but also several fundraising efforts including a yearly golf tournament and a community cleanup event."
So sad, but a nice tribute to a friend. Finally, Gloria Food Store, right next to Jacob's.
From the store's web site: "The Gloria Food Store has been on the corner of Rantoul and Federal Streets since 1936. Our family, the Ofiesh family, bought the store in 1983, and ever since, we've enjoyed every day of serving Beverly's residents the best Italian cold cuts and speciality (sic) items!"
Eighty-seven years this place has been in business -- and 40 with the most recent owners! That's just fantastic.
