Continuing to Walk a Hundred Years Ago
This is another piece of my project involving the glass plate photographs at the Newton Main Library.
I have attached a copy of an early 1900s glass plate negative of the corner of Elm St. and Washington St. in West Newton Square and a modern digital photograph of approximately the same location. Both scenes were photographed from the intersection of Elm and Washington St. looking down Elm St., in a northerly direction, toward Waltham. The ornate multistory brick building on the corner (with a date on the facade 1884) has been replaced by a single story concrete structure which is now occupied by a bakery, a restaurant and an insurance agency. In the future I hope to take a walk down Elm St. and see its tranformation from the early 1900s to the 21st century
Janet Sterman
2:24 pm on Monday, January 14, 2013
Great photo! Looks like the same structure is in place today (Border and Elm Streets). Great Thai food at Mango! in the retail space with apartments above.
Ellen
6:26 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013
Just wondering if you are making use of our awesome online resource, "Digital Newton" for your historic photos. Digital Newton can be accessed from the library's homepage www.newtonfreelibrary.net under the Reference tab.
From our website, "The City of Newton owns a wealth of historic materials that speak to the community’s social, cultural and governmental past. These materials reflect the civic life of and provide insight into Newton from the 19th through the early 20th century, a time when Newton was transforming from agriculture to industry and becoming a suburban Boston residential community.
Presented here are a wide range of historic materials, from photos to high school yearbooks to manuscripts and municipal directories. Please take some time to get to know Newton's past through this collection, and make sure to comment on the collections - your input can help shape the future of this valuable community resource."
Robert L. Cerra
7:29 am on Saturday, January 26, 2013
Undoubtedly Newton has a wealth of material, but access to material other than what is posted on the city of Newton Website is discouraged.
I attempted to access some of that public information and I was not treated well and was discouraged from doing so.
The material I wanted to view was a public record and I was forced to file a freedom of information act request, City of Newton's Law Department refused my request and I was forced to file an appeal to the Secretarys of State Office.
I eventually was directed to the Jackson Homestead who "thinks" what I viewed is a copy of the material in the vault of the Newton Engineering Department.
The City of Newton and the Jackson Homestead talk a good story about access, but the reality is that if your hostroical inquiry doesn't fit into a particular agenda you begin spinning your wheels