Author Archives: earltaylor

Dorchester Illustration 2670, 131 Ashmont Street Then and Now

Posted on May 26, 2024 by earltaylor

131 Ashmont Street, Then and Now Dorchester Illustration 2670 The house at 131 Ashmont Street was built in 1876-1877 and has been altered over the years. The first owner was Jennie Seaverns, a teacher at the Minot Primary School. Jennie’s … Continue reading →

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Gravestones, Dorchester Old North Burying Ground

Posted on May 19, 2024 by earltaylor

Dorchester Illustration 2669 Gravestones, Dorchester Old North Burying Ground Dorchester Illustration 2669 The image at the top of today’s illustration is a photograph of a grave marker in the Dorchester Old North Burying Ground. The design is of a skull … Continue reading →

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Dorchester Illustration 2668, Dorchester Music Hall

Posted on May 12, 2024 by earltaylor

Dorchester Music Hall Dorchester Illustration 2668 There was a music hall on the third floor of the former storage building in Fields Corner. Today we see two photos from about 1900 of the interior of this wonderful space, which was … Continue reading →

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Marlton Downing, Dorchester Illustration 2667

Posted on May 5, 2024 by earltaylor

Marlton Downing, Dorchester Illustration 2667 Marlton Downing was born Henry Marlton Downing in 1852. He changed his name for his work as a journalist and author. Downing married Sarah Thayer, and the couple moved in with her parents on Wesley … Continue reading →

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Dorchester Illustration 2666, Fire Grenade

Posted on April 28, 2024 by earltaylor

Fire Grenade Dorchester Illustration 2666 In the period from the 1870s to the early 20th century, one method of fighting fire was the wall-mounted fire grenade. The grenade was a glass container with a fire-retardant liquid inside. Fire could move … Continue reading →

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Dorchester Illustratin 2665, George Douse, developer

Posted on April 21, 2024 by earltaylor

George Douse Dorchester Illustration 2665 George N. Douse was a well-known developer of housing in Dorchester during the first three decades of the 20th century. He is pictured at the right in today’s illustration. In 1912, he built a series … Continue reading →

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Dorchester Illustration 2664 Ship Charles Carroll

Posted on April 14, 2024 by earltaylor

Ship Charles Carroll Dorchester Illustration 2664 In the 1830s a syndicate was formed with facilities at Commercial Point to make a profit from whale and cod fishing. The following paragraph is from “Captain John Codman, William D. Codman, John & Richard … Continue reading →

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Thaddeus Mason Harris School

Posted on April 7, 2024 by earltaylor

Dorchester Illustration 2663 A newly-acquired unused photo postcard from about 1910 shows a picture of the Harris School. In 186,1 the Harris School on Adams Street at the corner of Victory Road (formerly Mill Street) was erected and named in … Continue reading →

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Dorchester Illustration 2662, Harry B. Whall

Posted on March 31, 2024 by earltaylor

Harry B. Whall Dorchester Illustration 2662 Harry Bertram Whall was born in Dorchester in 1868 to Charles and Mary Whall.  Charles was an expressman, a person who collects and delivers goods. Mary, was a milliner, a hat maker. In the … Continue reading →

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Dorchester Illustration 2116, Clock at Peabody Square

Posted on March 24, 2024 by earltaylor

The advertisement appeared in the Official Program, Dorchester Day, Saturday, June 7th, 1913. The Peabody Square Clock was commissioned on 1909 with the description: “a twelve foot, four dial, post clock in the public square, known as Peabody Square, junction … Continue reading →

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