Ephemera
Auburn 1890
Here's an interesting view looking southwest over the town of Auburn from 1890. The view, published by O.H. Bailey & Co., is in the Boston Public Library's flickr photo stream. Oakley Hoopes Bailey was one of the most prolific of the view makers. The company produced 13 views in 1890 alone, including one of Pawtuxet Village.
Publishers made money on these lithographs by selling advanced subscriptions and selling vignette spaces and listings to local businesses. Some of the listings featured in the Auburn view are J. Budlong & Son Market Gardeners, J.L. Saunders Real Estate & Insurance Agent (J.L. could sell you the house and the protection too), D.B Wright Hairdresser, C.S Hazard Wood & Coal Yard (an appropriate name for a business in combustibles), Corliss Safe Works, C.A Brickley Novelty Works, Fred Tyler Fish Market and White Brothers Groceries & Provisions.
The image above can be dragged by using the mouse, and can be zoomed out to 30%. If you click on the ? in the image above, you can toggle a modern day Cranston overlay. Some general notes: it's interesting that "Rolf" Street is spelled without the "e" on the map. Just west of Rolf is Pontiac "Road". A good chunk of Auburn was bulldozed to make way for Interstate 95. Elmwood Avenue was was lined with lamps even back then.
Here's Auburn Station, once located to the south of where Station Street meets Park. Warehouses and factories occupy that track-side location today. A smaller canopy-only station stop is visible on the east side of the railway.
This area has grown a lot in just over a hundred years.
To really see the details in the print, visit the Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library
for an interactive, extremely high-res scan. [where: 02910]Comment
Saturday November 13, 2010
New Music Series to Feature RI Songwriters
On November 19, members of Rhode Island’s songwriting community will play new, previously unperformed music at the Black Box Theater in Cranston. You’ll hear GW Mercure’s visceral Americana, Kim Lamothe’s driving rhythmic poetry, Chris Monti’s inventive instrumentals, Judith Bingham’s propulsive and provocative compositions, Frank Martyn’s wry rockabilly, and Jacob Haller’s blues/folk stylings. The performers will play three songs each.
moreThursday November 4, 2010
How To Recycle Your Lawn Signs
Lawn signs are recyclable, but they should not be tossed in the standard residential blue bin. The metal stakes should be removed from the sign and both materials can be delivered to the Central Landfill or to one of the local recycling centers listed below. The plastic signs will go in one container, and the metal stakes will go into a different container. There is no charge to recycle either material.
moreWednesday November 3, 2010
The Lexingtons
The Lexingtons are an interesting local band in that they don’t neatly fit into Rhode Island’s music scenes. The Cranston pop trio sounds like they’ve been mining the Beach Boys, Burt Bacharach and other pop musicians of the time, and the indelible sixties vibe puts them somewhere on the same... more
Tuesday October 5, 2010
Wednesday Is Walk To School Day
Wednesday is Walk To School Day. Cranston Public Schools aren’t officially participating, but it doesn’t mean your family can’t hoof it. Good Magazine has some interesting notes about walking to school: In 1969, 88 percent of students who lived within a mile of their grade schools got there by bike or... more
Thursday September 23, 2010
A Guerrilla Style Street Band, Giant Cartoon Airplane and Art History Revisited Through Carnival Games
Witness a giant airplane, handcrafted in painted recycled wood. Step into the shoes of Bob Cratchit and land a part in “A Christmas Carol.” Wonder at a calvacade of small dogs in suits. Laugh at a Superhero. Fall into Thai Yellow Leaf Hammocks and pick up a scrabble tile... more