Lizzie's Neighborhood -Painted Ladies

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 9:33 am

I was thinking the same thing about the fire escapes. But, like EXIT signs inside of #92- it is code, and there is no getting around it. It did make me realize what a dangerous situation most people lived with in the 1800's- lighting with candles and oil lamps, and sleeping on the third floor with no way out if a fire broke out.

I am looking forward to getting some great shots today as there is a blanket of snow and more coming down. I plan to go to the south end of town and capture some of those Painted Ladies- Whipple Street, near Lizzie's Morgan St. schoolhouse has some real beauties. Eli Bence lived there for a time with his first wife Sarah Hayhurst.

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 6:48 pm

Not quite a Painted Lady, but the Academy building has some amazing stone carvings. Yesterday was a good day to photograph those on the east side. The slide show of all of them can be seen at the painted ladies link below. The two stone pillars at the top of Old Second Street come from the old city hall. There were 4 but 2 broke when the old city hall was demolished in 1962. I'm glad these made it. I bet Andrew leaned against them plenty of times!

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Mon Jul 14, 2008 9:44 pm

It was a good weekend for photography. Passing by the Sarah Brayton house early Saturday, it was worth a try to see if I might be able to shoot some interiors. The house, once the Simeon Borden place, built in 1875, is now a woman's center. Glorious quarter sawn oak woodwork. I only went into the public areas but they were spectacular. I took so many photos I made a slide show for those who love this stuff, on the Painted Ladies link below.

Tina-Kate · Post by **Tina-Kate** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:14 am

Thank you, Shelley.

LOVE the windows!

The chandelier is very similar to the one we have here in our original 1908 church.

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 8:34 am

Like Maplecroft, it is the woodwork which makes the interiors of "Broadview" so memorable. Even out of the way places have been embellished and the dado is amazing. The Central Congregational Church and the Academy building are also Hartwell and Swazey buildings, and you can see their magic touch with brickwork and that fabulous Ruskinian Gothic design on all three, which are all on the same link at the Painted Lady blog. I understand this team of architects also designed some other homes in the south end, and Borden block buildings so I will be hunting for these. I also had a great session Sunday in the south end, hunting up some great painted ladies which are not on the Hill, as well as some typical triple deckers, and of course- the mills. The King Phillip Mill really was an eye opener-it is mammoth!

mbhenty · Post by **mbhenty** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 11:48 am

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 12:22 pm

Oh, we all wonder how #92 has been saved from the wrecker's ball. I think the fact that the McGinns owned it with their business attached for SO many years helped. I understand that the area the house is situated in, Corky's Row, is a designated historical district encompassing all the way to Plymouth Ave going east. But the Borden house itself has no special protective status. If the current owners ever sell it, I shudder to think that the court house folks might buy it and make more parking lot room there!

I appreciate that many remarkable buildings have gone the way of the wrecker's ball in FR- which is why it is so important to photograph every square inch, because we never know when, or what might be sacrificed to fire, flood, and human greed. Fall River is not alone in this regard- it is the sad plight of towns and cities all over the country. I live near former textile giants Norwich and Willimantic, CT the Fall Rivers of CT. Norwich was a gardenspot 125 years ago, it was called the Rose City and was filled with mills and gorgeous Victorian houses-and even steamboats. Yes, I will probably be making a website for these too very soon

. I have hope though, as there are groups, and private individuals who never give up. The city hall in Norwich was SAVED and restored. It is a building to rival Fall River's old city hall. So, one cannot give up, but fight the good fight and keep waving the restoration flag. Preservationists sometimes win- and thus we all win.

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 12:35 pm

Here is the Norwich, CT City Hall- isn't it to die for?!! It is all outlined in white lights at Christmas.

The Willimantic CT bridge with the spools of thread and the local "frogs" of legend. Willimantic was known as the Spool City just as FR got the Spindle City moniker.

Angel · Post by **Angel** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 2:16 pm

The idiots in my home town tore down a magnificent courthouse in the middle of town (with a gorgeous surrounding park) like that when I was a child. They put in its place a dime store, a gift shop, etc. Now, 55 years later they tore down the shops and put in a park. Makes no sense. They have the park back (minus the gorgeous old trees), but the beautiful building is lost forever.

mbhenty · Post by **mbhenty** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 10:14 pm

Nadzieja · Post by **Nadzieja** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 3:45 am

Those buildings are just gorgeous. That is a huge school. How many students went there & when was it built?

mbhenty · Post by **mbhenty** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 9:36 am

Nadzieja · Post by **Nadzieja** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 8:03 pm

Truthfully I like the old picture better. Is there any type of history that goes with the building? It blows me away that it was 5 floors. Was it run by nuns? I can't imagine how many children they actually took care of. Would you happen to know when it was built?

mbhenty · Post by **mbhenty** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 11:03 pm

mbhenty · Post by **mbhenty** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 11:03 pm

Opps !

mbhenty · Post by **mbhenty** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 11:18 pm

mbhenty · Post by **mbhenty** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 11:22 pm

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 4:48 am

Wow!! Thanks!

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 8:53 am

I like the ivy growing all over the porte-cochere of the Brayton house. Looks naked now without it.

Angel · Post by **Angel** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 10:38 am

Angel @ Tue Jul 15, 2008 2:16 pm wrote:The idiots in my home town tore down a magnificent courthouse in the middle of town (with a gorgeous surrounding park) like that when I was a child. They put in its place a dime store, a gift shop, etc. Now, 55 years later they tore down the shops and put in a park. Makes no sense. They have the park back (minus the gorgeous old trees), but the beautiful building is lost forever.

Sorry, it's not about Fall River, but it made me mad all over again when I thought about what they did to my hometown (as they seem to be doing everywhere). Here's a postcard picture of the courthouse- how could they have destroyed something so grand?

Nadzieja · Post by **Nadzieja** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 8:46 pm

MB, thanks for the pictures & information. I've been to Fall River only twice and I have to say I didn't realize it was so huge. Was it unusual for a city this size to have 2 orphanages? I can't believe these pictures you have are on postcards. I can see why you would prize a collection of these old homes, especially if they were changed in any way.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 3:54 am

Maybe one of them burned down and they needed another?

A big fire came within blocks of #92 Second Street at one time.

Even in the early 1960's I think (EDIT: yes, Fall River Herald News, June 1, 1961) Mrs. Churchill's house burned down.
Whew! Some of those fires were close!

One can check the Keeley Library- see news articles, for fires.
http://www.sailsinc.org/durfee/fulltext.htm

Societygirl1892 · Post by **Societygirl1892** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 2:16 pm

Shelley,
I love these pictures! They should be made into a beautiful coffee table book, maybe "Highlands Homes"???
The pictured numbered 15 the two Victorians side by side, the one on the left I have seen the inside of that house. It's for sale and on a realty site that I check regularly for homes for sale in Swansea, Fall River and Somerset. It's absolutely gorgeous inside, with a beautiful staircase going up and around 3 levels and beautiful stained glass. Not much of a yard though.
Then there is the white house on the corner of French Street. My cousin, Tracy, actually lived in that house. I remember my aunt telling me that Tracy moved into a house on the same street Lizzie lived on. On my next visit up there, we took a ride over and I finally saw Maplecroft. I think I was about 11 or 12 at the time. I even took a rock from the yard that I still have! We also took a drive over to Oak Grove where we asked one of the workers where Lizzie Borden was buried. He said he didn't know, but looking back I think most people would have said the same, especially to "an outsider". But we found the plot and I took my pictures and was happy!
Also, during the 100th Anniversary Conference, after our trip to the Historical Society, Dave and I walked downhill (or should I say "downstreet"?) and looked at all the beautiful houses. At one corner of Rock Street, there is a beautiful, unobstructed view of the bay and the Braga Bridge. We stood there, goodie bags in hand (from the Conference and our shopping at the Historical Society), arm in arm, just watching the most beautiful sunset. Dave admitted to me later that at that moment in time is when he fell in love with me. It was absolutely perfect!
Pammie

Shelley · Post by **Shelley** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 2:20 pm

I was thinking of approaching Gingerbread Gems to do a book on the FR houses. This is a company which specializes in Victorian houses. You might also like this web blog I do just for FR architecture http://fallriverpaintedladies.wordpress.com/
Right now I have to get this Oak Grove booklet finished! So many projects, so little time.

Lizzie Borden Society Forum

Lizzie's Neighborhood -Painted Ladies

Lizzie's Neighborhood-Painted Ladies