From Dave Brigham:
* No actual floating was undertaken in pursuit of this and other posts about Fall River.
In my last post about Fall River, Mass. , I said that my series about the old mill city was wrapping up (see bottom of this post for that link, as well to the previous two installments). Well, I was wrong, and that's a good thing, because there is so much still to cover. More than a year has elapsed between posts, and there will likely be a long layoff until the next one. But you can be sure there will more.
Over Labor Day weekend I returned to the Corky Row Historic District I explored in 2024, and also checked out some other parts of the city. After parking alongside Kennedy Park, I walked up to South Main Street and spied some fantastic signs for competing hot dog joints.
J.J's Coney Island Hot Dogs and Nick's Hot Dogs are located practically across the street from each other. Having opened in 1920, the latter claims to be the region's "oldest continuous Coney Island hot dog outlet." I'm not sure when J.J.'s began slinging dogs. Each eatery also offers other types of fast food.
Named for the neighborhood in Brooklyn that is known worldwide for its amusement park, a Coney Island hot dog is, according to Wikipedia, "a wiener in a bun topped with a savory meat sauce and sometimes other toppings. It is similar to a chili dog and is often offered as part of a menu of classic American diner dishes and at Coney Island restaurants. Despite its name and association with New York, it is most popular in the Midwestern United States, especially in Michigan. It was invented by early 20th century immigrants from Greece and the region of Macedonia to the United States."
A little north-northeast of Nick's, on the opposite side of South Main, is the Clipper Restaurant, a Portuguese place.
Established in 1980 or 1981, depending on which part of the web site you choose to believe, the Clipper claims to be the "oldest single family owned Portuguese restaurant in North America."
A little further in the same direction, on the east side of the street, squeezed between two buildings where a bridal and dress business operate, is the former Cascade Engine Company #1 station.
Built in 1897, this English Revival firehouse is made of rough-cut Fall River granite, according to MACRIS. The building has also served as a retail store over the years. I'm not sure if there is any business located here presently.
There is a cool mural on the side of the adjoining building, keeping an eye on the old station.
Created by artist Rene Gagnon, the mural "contains the logo of the Capitol Theatre (sic) - that's the building on the right it's painted on," according to Fall River photographer and videographer Will Costa's comment when I posted this photo on Instagram.
The theater dates to 1926, and was renovated in 1980. A fire in 1976 seriously damaged the building, per MACRIS. The building was used as a bowling alley and furniture store subsequently. It is currently occupied by Alexandra's Boutique.
I turned back toward the southwest, peeking up Morgan Street to make a photo of the shuttered Saint Dominique Mini Mart.
St. Dominic "was a Castilian Catholic priest, eventual patron saint and the founder of the Dominican Order," according to Wikipedia. "He is the patron saint of astronomers and natural scientists, and he and his order are traditionally credited with spreading and popularizing the rosary."
Interesting choice of a name for a convenience store. The shop is located on the southwest-facing side of the Moore Building, which was built in 1924.
Back out on South Main Street stands the H.L. Thuot Building, which rose in 1916. I haven't found out anything about this building, other than it was formerly home to Universal Furniture. The building is now occupied by Igreja Universal.
A little further along, just north of Kennedy Park, is a somewhat drab building that nevertheless has a cool history.
The plaque at the roofline caught my eye, leading me to make the photo, even though I couldn't fully make out what it says. I could read the date, 1890, and that was it. This place, as it turns out, started life as the Young Men's Protestant Temperance Society Hall. The temperance movement sought the prohibition of the production, sale or consumption of alcohol. There were many such groups in the late-19th and early-20th centuries in Fall River and across the country.
In 1944, the society sold the building to the Fall River Lodge 456 of the Loyal Order of Moose, according to MACRIS. The temperance society remained active at a different address until 1954.
In 1966, the Moose chapter sold the building to Academica Realty Corp. "A decade later, the Academica Realty Corp. re-incorporated as the Associacao Academica, Inc.," per Wikipedia. "The Associacao Academica was formed in 1962...as a Portuguese men’s social club." I believe a plan has been floated to convert this building to apartments.
Continuing south on South Main Street, I dug the sign for The Moose Cafe at the corner of Park Street.
I'm not sure whether the eatery was named in honor of the old Moose Lodge. From what I can tell, it hasn't been in business in quite a while. I'm guessing the building was originally a service station.
Upon reaching Middle Street, I headed east. I was heading toward one of the spots I'd identified during my online research, but was pleasantly surprised along Third Street to find a lovely sideways sign for Shamrock Village apartments.
I hope this sign used to be more of a Kelly green before fading over time.
At the intersection of Third and Branch streets, I arrived at the Corky Row Club, which I'd discovered during my pre-search.
Located in a low-slung, less-than-welcoming building, the club is "Fall River’s oldest Irish pub, founded 1936," per its web site. "Open to the public and welcoming new member applications."
At one time, the building at 602 Third Street was quite handsome, based on the photo at the club's MACRIS page. Built in 1877, the Italianate building with a mansard roof had three upper stories above the ground floor. I'm not sure whether the building burned or fell into disrepair and was torn down. I believe what stands there now is part of the original structure, but greatly altered.
From the club I wound my way east on Branch Street, then south on 5th Street and out to Plymouth Avenue. After a short walk south-southwest, I found myself at another destination that I'd flagged ahead of time.
Built in 1908, the Flat Iron Building -- are all buildings shaped like a flat iron required to be called the Flat Iron Building? -- features apartments on the upper floors, above M & S Liquors.
From here, I headed north on Second Street until I hit Middle Street again, and then turned west. At the bottom of the hill, across from Kennedy Park, stands an impressive Catholic compound.
St. Anne's Shrine "stands proudly as a masterpiece of architecture and a lasting tribute to the generations of immigrants from French Canada who built it," per MACRIS. Construction on the buildings began in 1891 and was completed in 1916. It is quite majestic. I'm not sure whether services are held regularly. I believe there are also apartments located in the lower buildings.
I had one more site I wanted to check out, so I drove to Ferry Street, along the Taunton River, to find the Tipsy Toboggan.
The restaurant and bar features live entertainment, and sponsored the Fall River Chowda Heads Toboggan racing team at the 2025 U.S. National Toboggan Championships, per its web site. I haven't found out the history of this placee, but it looks like it's fairly old and I'm guessing it was once part of a mill complex.
Below are links to the prior three installments in my Fall River series:
September 7, 2024, "Floating Through Fall River, Part III"
August 31, 2024, "Floating Through Fall River, Part II"
August 24, 2024, "Floating Through Fall River, Part I"
