September Fall River visit

[camgarsky4]

Hi all......I will be visiting Fall River mid-September. If there is anything particular any reader/poster would like me to check out, take pic of, etc., please let me know via a post on the forum or via PM.

[camgarsky4]

Hi! Got back from Fall River yesterday and will slowly 'unpack' my visit via multiple posts.

For me, writing posts takes more energy than it might for others. So I wanted to quickly post the key headlines of my visit. Over the coming days, I will circle back and provide observations and thoughts for each topic.

*Topography. Slopes are real in Fall River.
*Spatial density (Borden house, yard and neighborhood)
*"The City of Spindles" Cotton & textile mill buildings.
*Other locations: Marion, Horse Neck Beach, Westport, Swansea, Fairhaven, New Bedford & Taunton.
*Current Fall River and what could have been. (I suspect I will be channeling some MB on this one)

I didn't take many good pics, but hoping our forum friend "Reasonwhy", will post some of the pics she took on her visit to Fall River!!

[Reasonwhy]

Will do, Cangarsky, and I cannot wait to read your thoughts on your visit

Reasonwhy

[camgarsky4]

A few random thoughts from last weeks visit to Fall River and environs.

• If you are interested in this case, the $30 for the tour of the Borden house is an excellent bargain because you get to see where it really happened and get a feel for the spatial aspects. However, if you are taking the tour to learn the accurate facts of the case, then buyer beware. My completely unscientific guesstimate is ~75% of what the tour guide shared was in the realm of accuracy....that leaves ~25% consisting of myths, unsubstantiated statements and/or partial information.

• The current version of Marion, Massachusetts is 'perfect' to my tastes. Presuming it had the same degree of cachet in 1892, no wonder it was viewed as a vacation getaway location. Dr. Handy was doing well.

• In my opinion, the downtowns of New Bedford, Taunton and Fairhaven have 'aged' better than Fall River. It sure seems that a primary culprit is interstate highway 195 running straight thru the middle of downtown. Just imagine if the Quequechan river was flowing freely where the highway runs today.

• Reading the archives of the New Bedford Mercury, I learned that folks in New Bedford referred to Fall River as "The City of Spindles". Even today, cotton and textile mills dominate the 'skyline' of Fall River. Pulling a number out of the air, I'd guess there are twenty to thirty 4-5 story granite block or brick structures scattered throughout town. Some have been converted to apartments and businesses, while a number remain vacant.

[eileen32003]

Interesting observations! Thanks so much for sharing your experience. Did the tour include the cellar?

[camgarsky4]

Yes. My main interest in the cellar was being able to see the wash room and how the two back cellar doors 'operated/functioned'. Washroom was where the bloody death clothes and the pail of bloody water/towels were located. Also where Lizzie and Alice visited the night of the murders.

I think the cellar was another $7, so the total was $37. Again, a 'must do' if one has an interest in the case. My little "Borden" fantasy is that someone spectacularly rich would buy the house and properties on each side. They could reset the orchard, Borden backyard, Crowe barns and work area, etc. as it was. They could have numerous highly informative tours. I'm was surprised that is seems no one offers a walking tours of Andrew's route that morning.

My best time was sitting in an Adirondack chair between the Borden and Kelly house, sipping coffee and just imagining and visualizing all the moving parts during that day.

I am happy to share more if folks are interested. I was in town and area for four full days and tried to visit every relevant location and gravesite.

[eileen32003]

I bet it helped you visualize everything you’ve read about. Was there anything that you saw that changed your view about something you learned over the years, or gave your view more nuance?

[camgarsky4]

After being on-site, the answers to several questions became more clear to me.

• Lizzie could have been in the kitchen and not heard Abby falling after being struck in the guest room.

• Bridget could have been in her 3rd floor attic bedroom (likely w/ door closed) and not heard Andrew being attacked.

• Morning of August 4, Morse and Andrew were sitting and chatting in the 'southern' side of the sitting room. The front door was out of sight, but the distance from them to the door is maybe 15-20 feet around a corner. If someone knocked on the front door sufficient to get Abby's attention, Morse would have been aware and, assuming Abby did not whisper to the visitor, been aware that Abby was talking to someone.

• Andrew's head, the dining room closet, the parlor door and the dining room door threshold are all within inches of each other. Someone standing in the dining room doorway, could swivel around and touch all those items with a short stick. Remember, the dining room closet is where the Prince Albert coat was hung, and of course, it was found under Andrew's head.

• With both sides of the roadway tightly bordered by fences and houses, Second Street was a narrow, self-contained area. With the many eyewitnesses to activities that day, the likelihood of a killer being unnoticed entering or exiting via the Second Street side of the Borden house seems extremely unlikely.

• Even today, the disparity between the "highlands' and the Borden neighborhood is immense. Based on everything we know, the gap was even greater in 1870/80's when Lizzie was growing up. Anyone who is of the opinion that upgrading her lifestyle wasn't a sufficient motive (for a narcissist) should visit Fall River.

All that said, my 'instinct' tells me that Lizzie very well could have had a co-conspirator. If push came to shove, I'd go with 60% Lizzie acted on her own, 40% she had a 'helper'. I do not think that person was John Morse.

[eileen32003]

Interesting that certain locations within the house were farther apart than you imagined but others were much much closer.

The intruder theory does seem unlikely for many reasons. I can always leave room in my imagination for someone just getting very lucky and not being noticed, maybe even because it was a busier Avenue and not in spite of it. Sometimes the unlikely scenario is just what happened. But all of the timing and opportunity points to Lizzie.

And the motive was a tough one for me, considering how savage the murders were. There were so many others ways to go about, if you were going to do something so heinous as to kill your parents. Poisoning for one. Spaced apart, for goodness sake! The inheritance motive may not explain it all. And if Lizzie did it, I suspect Emma prodded or encouraged Lizzie into her rage against their parents. And if so, she must’ve known or figured it out in short order what happened. Good lord, how do you live in the same house with someone who is capable of such things? Sends shivers down my spine! But I digress. Lol

[camgarsky4]

This will sound like a contradiction, but while the house dimensions are small, each room felt sizable to me. Strange to even type that. For example, the guest bedroom was very roomy. The 2nd floor dress closet was almost large enough to be a small bedroom. Same goes for Abby's dressing room (where the safe was kept). Emma's 'cubby hole', has a double bed in it and still room to walk to her window.

[mbhenty]

Ah, I see.

So the visit to the house did make some things clear for you Mr. George.

I have been telling people for years that Abby could certainly fall to the floor, and fall hard, and the sound she makes NOT be heard. That's a solidly built structure. And it is bigger than most people think. But years of authors issuing falsehoods, that the Bordens lived in a small cramped house is just not true. There were plenty of rooms to find privacy.

And yes, Bridget could have been napping and not heard a thing.

I have lived and worked in lots, and lots, and I mean, lots of similar buildings in Fall River. Wiring apartments for telephones, crawling in attics, cellars, closets. Fishing walls, etc. I got to see how they were built. And even though most did not have insulation, there was still some sound barriers having to do with the type of construction and materials used. (Lived in at least 10 Three deckers since I was born in one, one block form the Weybosset Street, where the Emery's lived.)

And even though Second Street was somewhat narrow, (Not so much by New England Standards) it makes sense that if you are going to enter a house to kill someone you don't come in the front door. Although difficult not to be seen, it is not impossible to take ingress from the side or back cellar door, take your time, and leave when the coast is clear by jumping a fence in the back yard. We did it as kids all the time. (Although we didn't kill anyone. Just to steal apples or get our ball.)

Glad you got to see the house George. Gives you a new angle and challenges perspectives or assumptions you may have once held.

Sadly, after living in fall river, (small f, small r, for the small minds that run the place) for 65 years I finally got out. Does make me wonder if Lizzie had left herself if her life would have been any happier. Though her roots were planted very deep. And she had as much reason to stay in fall river as I had leave. Although I don't live far.

[camgarsky4]

MB -- has there ever been an initiative to repurpose the Academy of Music building into something of substance?

Also, the Borden Building did not have any signage/stone carving noting its name. Is most of that building still the original structure?

On a positive, I think the city did a fine job repurposing the Durfee high school into the juvenile/probate courthouse. Was kept up and had some energy to it.

[mbhenty]

Yes: The Academy building is 75% original, at least for the facade. Inside it was gutted and turned into apartments for the elderly. (I'm only 29. I stopped aging when I turned 29. So I will never live there). As for the theater, it ran along the back on 2nd street and surgically demolished. Then they built a new building which is attached to the old. But left a tiny portion of the outside wall up along the sidewalk. (see photo below.)

In the 70s the city was talking about demolishing the entire building. Can you believe it. With the right people complaining it was saved and turned into apartments for the elderly. At the time I wired a small portion of it for Verizon, then known as New England Telephone.

The Borden building is completely redone on the inside. Gutted and turned into offices. I believe Atnea owned it for a period of time. I was just in it a couple of weeks ago to register a small sailboat. Department of boating or such. Environmental Police, me thinks. They have an office there. But except of the exterior bricks, nothing is left of the original building.

The Durfee building decision was a joke. When fall river needed a new city hall the old Durfee school was proposed since it was going to be empty. The Fall River city hall was built in 1976. Durfee was abandoned as a school in 78 The talk was that they could not use the building for anything but a school due to the contract they had with Mrs. Young who donated the building in the 1880s. What a joke. Con the simple. But they had no trouble using it for a court house. It would have made an excellent city hall. But that is fall river for you. Payola.

[mbhenty]

Oh Yes:

You mentioned Horse neck, George. Horseneck is one word. When I was growing up I was told that the name came from its shape. Not so. The name has nothing to do with horses or their necks.

Below is an excerpt from my last novel. The main character speaking is a girl named Emily. In the narrative it tells you how Horseneck got it's name. That part is true. Although the mention of Cherry and Webb harbor is not. No such place exists. I made that one up. It is a novel, fiction, after all . And the mention of the Gifford family living at Horsneck is true. And it is true that they had a cranberry farm at Horseback. And unless you are from Westport, most people do not know the history of that sandy spit of land.

To ring my own bell, DING-DING. Here is an excerpt from Watcher in the Skies.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gifford’s berry bogs were on the other side of Cherry and Webb Harbor
from where I lived on the Point. Low-lying acreage sat below a mane of
marram grass, stretching liberally along a narrow spit of sand known as
Horseneck, a name extracted from the Indian language meaning “house
made of stone,” or Hassanegk, as the Algonquin tribe who once lived here
pronounced it—although the only dwelling on Horseneck I knew of was
the wood structure the Giffords lived in. I surveyed the sky. The euphonious
sound of crashing waves on the beach sounded from behind hummocky
dunes. I was anxious about whether it would rain before I could get back
home. In a controlled stumble, I trudged up the slippery beach while the
silky, immersing specks oozed between my toes. The ocean’s briny air flushed
the sinuses and purged the lungs with a sweet fragrance all too welcoming—a
scented signature I have come to love.

[camgarsky4]

MB -- I'll check out your novel.

Using your photo of the current Academy building....there are a couple columns standing 'alone' about where the pic was taken from. Are those from one of the original buildings?

As someone who only spent a week in FR, I totally agree that the current city hall location and building seem very suboptimal when considering the Durfee high school was available. For those that haven't been to Fall River, the city hall building is basically built on top of where the highway runs (highway goes underground for a brief period before reaching the river and bridge). If we had a time machine, we could have saved the original post office and city hall (w/ town clock tower) and that would have provided a downtown with some real character. Today (to me) it felt rundown and lacked energy and personality. For context, I walked the downtown a couple times during the daytime on weekdays.

On the topic of Horseneck Beach.....are you familiar with a vacation inn from the 1880-1920's called the Aiken House? I asked the lady who runs the Westport historical society and she had no familiarity with it.

[mbhenty]

I never heard of the Aiken house in Westport. There is a historical structure, in the next town over, Dartmouth, a small Cape Cod house which dates back to the middle 1700s. Known as the Elihu Aiken House. (https://dhpt.org/akin-house/) But it is a little house and a single family structure. It was built before Westport was incorporated into a town and when it was still part of Dartmouth. But the Aiken house is in Dartmouth and never was a vacation inn.

Now along Horseneck. It was a busy vacation area after the turn of the 20 century (1900s). Especially in the 20s and 30s. It was a vacation destination and many had summer homes there. All along the beaches in Acoaxet, a village in Westport, and especially along the beach on East Beach Road, and Horseneck proper, there was an entire community of houses and Inns, and businesses. And also down by the Point. All were destroyed in the 1938 hurricane and never re-established. There could have been an Aiken House. But I never heard of it.

The two columns were saved from the old Victorian City Hall

[mbhenty]

The map below is of Westport and its coast. In the middle of the map is Gooseberry Island. Along the coast to the right of it and left, along Horsneck beach proper, there were countless buildings, houses and business. A vacation spot and a place where the wealthy had summer homes.

In the blowup map below is "The Point", at the end of Main Road. This is where my novel takes place and where Emily, the main character, lives. In the novel the Point jets out into Cherry and Webb harbor, which in real life is the Westport River. And Main road in the book is called Point Road, which was the name of the first Emily White novel in the series.

Enough about that.

Horseneck area was a hopping place. With several inns and guest houses. There could have been an Aiken house. But after the 38 storm the place changed drastically and most of the coast was taken over by the state as a state park. At the Point, just north of the beach, there are many old cottages dating back to the middle and early 1800s. Very scenic.

[mbhenty]

These are some of the well known places there were destroyed in the hurricane.

Here is the coast along East Beach Road. You can see the Plaza Hotel. And where it was situated along the beach.

The other photos is a before the 1938 hurricane.

[mbhenty]

Here are some more pictures of the Horseneck area in Westport before the 38 storm.

[mbhenty]

I also looked on my copies of the 1871 and 1898 maps of Westport and Horseneck and it shows no Aiken Inn or house or anyone named Aiken.

Once interested in Fall River, fall river history, I am not into Westport history, where Herman Melville's brother shipped out on the whaling vessel Theophilus Chase.

[mbhenty]

It should have read, I am NOW into Westport history. Spelling error, I had NOT instead of NOw. I'll flame my glasses. Or is that, "blame my glasses?"

[camgarsky4]

I cruised around the Westport area.....definitely learned its more an 'area' than a town. Very beautiful....brimming with character and charm.

Not sure which village I visually loved the most.....old Swansea, Marion or Head of Westport. I'd happily camp out at any of them!

My best Westport based Borden 'learning' was seeing how very close Curtis I. Pierce (via Christina Francis's home) lived to Augusta & Cyrus Tripp. Houses were just around the bend from each other. Easy to understand how Lizzie would have met him initially at either Augusta's wedding or at George Gifford's (Augusta's grandfather) funeral. Either event would match up with Medley's report stating they first met 10 years prior to 1892.

Pierce ended up inheriting that property upon Christina's death. Newspaper reports tell us he sold the property and migrated to the Arkansas Ozarks to become a miner in the early 1900's.

[mbhenty]

I must confess that I know little to nothing about Lizzie and her Westport connection.

I'm happy you found Westport so pleasing. Love Westport.

But the three towns you mention have a character all their own. Swansea has a suburb feel, Westport, a farming feel, and Marion... If you visit Marion be sure to wear a tie and collared shirt with your Yacht club pin attached.

Swansea and Westport are about the same size. Swansea's population is around 17 thousand and Westport 16 thousand. Although Westport has over twice the land mass. Making it look more rural and spread out.

Now Marion is a world in its own. Its population is around 5 or 6 thousand and has a land mass just about the same as Swansea. With a whooooooole different type of resident living there. Very hoity-toity. People who had homes there were the likes of Geraldo Rivera, whose massive yacht overlooked his home. (since moved and got rid of his boat). James Spader, the actor, has a summer home there. And probably a load of other people I don't know about.

In the past it has been home and summer abode to many very powerful and influential people. Such as Franklin Roosevelt and Grover Cleveland. Richard Byrd, famous arctic explorer was either born or had a home there. Authors such as Henry James and Charles Dana Gibson had homes there. Don Dimaggio, who played for the Red Sox, Joe DiMaggio's brother had a home there. And of course there was the captain of the Mary Celeste, (forgot his name). There are other, I can't remember at the moment. So you see. It was a special place.

[mbhenty]

John Stobart, famous British artist, lived in Westport. Sadly he died a year ago.

I wrote to him and asked him if I could use one of his paintings as the cover of my first Emily White novel. He was gracious and kind, allowing me the privilege. The painting is of the Point in Westport, 1850s, showing the famous Westport whaling brig, Kate Cory. Stefani modified the painting to fit the book cover.

First photo is the cover of the book. Second the actual painting.

[mbhenty]

John Stobart was a very accomplished artist. Marvelous, marvelous paintings of scenes all over the US and the world. Most are nautical seascapes. He has a couple wonderful paintings of 19 century New Bedford, as seen below of the waterfront in winter. Wonderful artist

https://www.scrimshawgallery.com/produc ... n-stobart/

[mbhenty]

And one more of John Stobart's painting.

This one showing the Kate Cory drying its sails at Westport Point, called Sunset over the Westport River. Same scene as the book cover but viewed from the side. Marvelous

[CagneyBT]

Info re: The Aiken/Akin House in Westport:

akinhouseFallRiverDailyHeraldMarch231900.jpg

AkinobitFRDEN1908.jpg

[mbhenty]

Cheers Joan. Great find. Cool

Looking at the first picture you can see Aiken's place. Fourth name down. Print is very tiny on the map.

After your post above I took the 1895 map of Westport off the wall and gave it a better look. (Used a magnifying glass this time). And there it was E.G. Akins. It stood on East beach Road towards the east or end of the road where it makes a left turn and turns into Horsneck Road.

In the google map below is where it once stood. Just about where that black car is parked.



In the second picture you can see it is labeled Horseneck Beach (two words, George. Today it is one word.). Today what is labeled as Horse neck Beach is known as East Beach. Horseneck Beach proper today is the stretch that runs along the length of the picture just above the word "Ocean".

Once again. Great find Joan.

[camgarsky4]

Cagney! Gave me a smile seeing your post.

I think you found the summer boarding house I was asking about! My searches used a wrong spelling.
A person I ran into when I was visiting mentioned the old inn/boarding house and I hadn't been able to find much about it.

Just as an FYI....Kat (Orlando) and I (Sarasota) are hunkering down in preparation for Hurricane Milton. It has been a crazy couple weeks down this way.

[CagneyBT]

Cam & MB, thank you both for the kind words. And MB, thank you for sharing those images

Cam (and Kat) please, please stay safe! Sending out prayers to all Floridians at this frightening and uncertain time.

[mbhenty]

Here's a funny one for you camgarsky.

You were asking me where the Akin's house was. And I told you I had no idea.

But now that I know where it was let me add:

Now, I will date myself, even though I'm only 29. Just about fifty years ago I would go to the VIP lounge on Sanford road in Westport to pick up my sweetheart from work. She was a waitress. She got off at around One in the morning. Instead of going right home we would go for a ride or go "Parking". You know..., parking That was the applied term for it at the time. Just to steam up the car windows. And I had a corvette, so no back seat.

Well, my favorite place to go parking was East Beach Road, at Horseneck, since she did not live far. We parked in the same place most of the time. And I estimate that we parked right in Mr. Akin's front yard, or very close.

In summer we would roll down the windows (with a crank handle) and listen to the waves crash on the beach, while holding hands. (yeah, right ) It was romantic. You remember. Romantic.

[camgarsky4]

MB -- is there any reason to believe that the slope of Second street towards downtown is any materially different than in 1892? The roadways and buildings appear to have been pretty much replaced, but thinking the slope must be pretty darn close to what it was back then. Only asking question because the city altered Second street towards downtown, so outside chance substantial earth movement might have been done.

[mbhenty]

My earliest memory of the area was back in 1963, when the state and city were tearing everything up for the highway. We use to drive down that way on our bicycles from Flint Village to go down to the Taunton River with our bamboo poles and do some fishing. Nothing appeared to change over the years. Although some big buildings were installed. (Courthouse, Borden housing for the elderly, etc. There use to be a mall in the late seventies almost across the street from 92, and early eighties that was built in early 70s, and long taken down for the courthouse.

Back in 1970 there was a restaurant on 2nd street, about a block away from 92 called Norms' Restaurant. Before starting work, and on company time, we went there nearly everyday for breakfast and the grade was the same. I would say considering the foundations of old buildings, that everything is at the same level it was in 1892. But so many buildings were torn down. And if city fathers had their way the Academy building would be gone.

[mbhenty]

I just came across this shot on line by happenstance, which speaks to my post above. (click to make BIG)

You can see the sign on the right. Norman's Restaurant. (Coca-Cola sign) You can see the towers for Durfee High School and Lizzie's church in the background. The big building on the left is the back of the Academy building. (most which was demolished). The new City hall is is the center. (Always a Gud Sam ugly building. The sign above the van just off to the left is probably the Roma Cafe, if I remember correctly. It was in the basement of the Academy building on the corner of Pleasant and Second Street.

Circa middle 1970s

[camgarsky4]

Thanks for sharing!

If I recall correctly, the backside of the Academy building is now a walkway/courtyard of sorts isn't it?

City hall architectural style really couldn't have been a worse fit for blending into the character of the city. For those who haven't been to FR, a major highway runs directly underneath the city hall. MB correct me, but I think the river runs roughly at the front edge (direction of city hall) of the academy building, but is also underground.

[camgarsky4]

MB -- can you 'place' the current address for this view? I was thinking the Central Congregational church is the twin spired building in the middle left side of pic and 'downtown' is the extreme left side of pic, but if that is correct, I would have imagined the "Hill" district would be more densely built up in the early 1900's and the Hill a more prominent incline to the left of the twin spired church.


Sagamore and Border City Mills, Fall River, Mass. Listed as being published 1910-1920.

Screenshot 2024-11-25 083217.png

[mbhenty]

Yes:

This shot is way up the north end of the city and nowhere near Lizzie's neighborhood. The shot was taken from somewhere along Highland Ave or a building on the Ave. It's on a steep hill so it could have been taken from the street. Somewhere close by Valentine Street and Highland Ave or Montgomery and Highland Ave, near where the Truesdale Hospital use to be. Landscape is very high there. I love the shot across the river of Somerset. All barren farm land. How wonderful it was. All built up today.

The church you see with the two tall spires, of to the left, is Saint Matthews, a little north of the old Brightman Street Bridge. You can see the bridge just to the right of it. It stood on St. Mary's Street and about two blocks from the old North Cemetery. It was demolished, I would like to say, sometime in the eighties. The church sat empty for years and rumor had it that the towers were moving in the wind... so they say. They demolished it. Never been inside, although I help wire the old school behind it when they turned it into apartments. (St. Matthew Apartments. I think it was for the elderly)

The two mills to the right are the Border City mills. I believe mill 1 and 3. The mill in the foreground (way left) burnt down in 2016, quite recently. In the center of the photo, with the chimney in front of it, is one of the Sagamore mills on Ace Street. I had a friend that worked there back in the 70s. The company she worked for was called Trina. I think they made leather goods, like pocketbooks and wallets, if I remember correctly. We use to party together on weekends in Newport, R.I., her and I. She was a wild thing. Married 5 times. Those crazy 70s.

The Mill way over to the left, almost off the picture, is the Mechanics mill on Davol Street and at the bottom of President Ave. Still Stands today. I wanted to say it was the Weetamoe Mill, which stood very close by on Davol Street, but Weetamoe did not have a tower, I don't think.

[mbhenty]

Saint Matthew's Church was a French Church. Just behind it, on Essex Street, stood Saint Michael's Church. A Portuguese Church which still stands today. Right next door to Saint Matthew's was Saint Matthew's cemetery. (I think it has been renamed). If I'm not mistaken, Edwin Porter's wife is buried there in an unmarked grave. She was not buried with her husband and daughter and died a pauper.

In the photos below are some shots, postcards, of the old church. You can see the cemetery right next door. In the recent google shot is where it once stood. You can see the black iron fence way off to the right which borders the cemetery.

[camgarsky4]

Thanks for all the insights!

It is a shame no one in authority had the forethought to save these buildings instead of leaving us with fenced overflow parking areas. That seems to have been the outcome of too many buildings in FR.

I read something that referenced a "Potterville"....is that a neighborhood in Fall River?

[mbhenty]

No...

Pottersville is in Somerset. A community or neighborhood near and along the Taunton River. There, in the 18th century and early 19th century, a pottery industry flourished and a host of potters dotted the area. I don't know enough about Somerset pottery and must add never seen an original 18th century pot. But that was where it was.

On the map below you can see Pottersville just across the Taunton River from Steep brook in fall river. Along the bottom of the map, for a bit of reference, you can see the Brighman Street Bridge in Bowenville across the waters.

[camgarsky4]

MB -- did the city consider purchasing Maplecroft and/or Second street when they were on the market? If not, why not?

[mbhenty]

No

The city never expressed any interest in purchasing the the Borden Properties. If they did it would be to mushroom their jollies by demolishing them.

Even if they were donated to the city it would not have the propensity or accountability to keep them up. And fall river being a poor community, the money is just not there. The city is not a responsible custodian or curator to history, although they love to brag about it. They just don't care, nor do they play by the rules. Whenever it suits them they use the 'get out of jail card', better known as 'a variance' to sidestep the law... its own law..., and when it suits one of their confidants or supporters.

Look what they did with the sailing vessel, Bounty. It was donated to the city. They used it for political outings and political friends and party rides until it fell into disrepair. And then, they just got rid of it. What a symbol or mascot it could have been.

In the photo below you can see where their minds were disposed and how they were salivating about demolishing the Academy building and building all new, a new city. Everything around the Academy Building was demolished. The Second Street House is lucky to still be around. Most of the buildings around it were demolished. A huge portion of the neighborhood. It was only by chance and accident that it still survives. Not because anyone in the city fought for the idea of saving them. The printing business that occupied it sustained the building's survival, until social media crowed about its importance as a haunted, if not historical site, thus helping it endure.

[mbhenty]

Now here's an interesting photo. From the corner of Purchase Street to Anawan Street, and across the street from the Academy Building, they demolished all the old 5 and 10 cent stores. But they stopped short at the Borden Building. Andrew's old place.

You can see the Borden Building in the photo below still standing. It also had a 5 and 10 cent store on the first level. I think it was J.J. Newbury and Company. Hmmmm what else can we demolish?

[mbhenty]

Here's one more interesting shot.

The three story brick building in the center of the photo still stands. In the foreground, right, is the back of the Academy building, the portion they demolished. The brick building to the left is long gone. Just over the top of it you can see the Second Street house, with Saint Mary's, center left, and Saint Ann's, way off in the distance.

And I believe the dark square building just behind St. Mary's and to the left of it is the old N.B. Borden School, demolished last year. The stack just to the right of St. Ann's is probably for the old Wyoming Mill building(s) on Chase Street near Globe. Or most likely part of the Laurel Lake Mills which is nearby on Broadway.

Story has it that they will turn the Wyoming Mills into an apartment community.

[mbhenty]

And Just one more

This picture is not very clear.

It's of another well known building, demolished to make way for RT195

The back of the old City Hall, rarely seen. You can see why. Not very attractive, is it?

You can see how the Quequechan River flowed beneath it. No sign of that if you stood in front of it on Main Street.

My friend Jim, older than me, who was in and out of the old fall river city hall told me how when he used the men's room on the bottom level he could hear the river rushing beneath it. How cool that must have been.

[camgarsky4]

Great pics. If you love character and history, Fall River is a heart breaker.

Where many towns preserve the original core of their cities and go 'modern' in the vacant or less historic edges of town, Fall River has done the opposite ....poorly. They have successfully created a town with no personality or charm.

[mbhenty]

Hey Camgarsky, here's something that you will find..., as young people put it, sick.

This is somewhat fascinating.

I'm not sure if you are familiar with another Fall River. This one in Nova Scotia not far from Halifax. (I love Nova Scotia.). You may be spellbound by this one. For ease of description I borrowed from Wikipedia. The similarities are uncanny. Although a very, very different place. A little upscale and very rural

Below is what it says:


Fall River's name is derived from a stream running between Miller Lake and Lake Thomas which had a waterfall. These falls supplied water power for several mills during the 19th century as well as a local electrical utility during the early 20th century. The waterfall was demolished in the late 1950s as a result of the construction of the Bicentennial Highway leading to Halifax; the waterfall was located where the 4-lane expressway currently runs up the hill from the crossing of Lake Thomas to the interchange with Highway 118 at Miller Lake. Hydro-electric power is now generated by a tunnel that carries the water from Miller Lake which once flowed through this stream and down the waterfall. Turbines produce electricity for the main grid, during peak periods.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_River,_Nova_Scotia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXPnyRHR0B8

[mbhenty]

Here's a great photo of the beginning of Second Street. A little more than a block or so from Andrew Borden's home. If you look closely, just behind the horse and carriage in the middle of the road and off to the left you can see the side of the old Fall River City Hall.

The building with the wrought Iron fence was an Underground Railroad stop. The home of Nathaniel B. Borden. Old Nate makes an appearance in the novel 'Perchance Freedom', along with Andrew Robeson and the old Fall River Historical building when it was on Colombia Street, when Robeson had the residence.

What I love about this picture is the two Story Colonial in the foreground on the right. Fall River was full of these old structures, old Cape Cod Homes and Two story colonials. Mostly all were demolished to make way for mill housing. But not all. Some disappeared due to city growth and expansion.

In the third photo you can see Andrew Borden's old church on North Main Street, (long, long gone). Also gone is the wonderful two story colonial right next door to it. What a wonderful building.

The second photo is of Globe Four Corners up fall river's south end. Wedged between the mill and the large store-apartment building is a two story colonial. Off to the right is Sunderland Furniture Store. All of it long gone, although the old Laurel Mill still stands.

And in the last photo is another wonderful two story colonial, with a large extension and impressive rear entrance. This two story colonial stood on North Main Street on the site of the YMCA building. It was torn down to build the 'Y' building.

[mbhenty]

And here's a survivor. The most precious two story colonial in the city. The old Lafayette house. I grew up across the street from it when I was in high school. Then it was an old rundown apartment building with asphalt siding. I wired some of it back in the 70s for telephone and one or two apartments.

The other photo is a better shot of Sunderlands Furniture at the corner of South Main and Broadway, or better known as Globe Four Corners. (although there were 5 corners ). Today it's a Citco gas station. The large apartment building way off to the right still stands today. However, no great treasure.

[camgarsky4]

Cool pics!

What year would you estimate the second street photo?
That view illustrates the slope of Second from the borden's to city hall.

Have I roughly captured the buildings in the pic below?

Screenshot 2024-12-16 073851.png