Marlborough Street, Boston
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Located in the neighborhood of Back Bay in the city of Boston, Marlborough Street is a beautiful and historic street. Situated in between Commonwealth Avenue and Beacon Street, Marlborough Street is a mostly residential street filled with nineteenth century brownstones. The west side of Marlborough Street begins at Charlesgate East and the road ends to the east when it hits Boston Common. The urban design development plans for Marlborough Street and the Back Bay neighborhood were originally put forward by architect Arthur Gilman way back in 1856. Gilman took inspiration from Paris when creating his architectural design plan for Back Bay.[1] The condominiums and apartments on Marlborough Street come with a high price tag due to the extreme popularity and distinguished reputation of the Back Bay neighborhood.
Marlborough Street is made up of Victorian Brownstones designed in the nineteenth century. The Victorian design style originated in England and is hence named after Queen Victoria. However, this architectural style has expanded overseas and can be found throughout the United States. Recognizable characteristics in Victorian style homes include bay windows, large sweeping staircases, high ceilings, impressive ornate fireplaces, and an overall asymmetrical design.[2] Marlborough Street has rows upon rows of these historically significant brownstones.
Notable Events
editMarlborough Street serves as the location for a famous prize-winning photograph captured by Stanley Forman. While working as a photographer for the Boston Herald American, Forman captured the photo titled “Fire Escape Collapse” in July of 1975. Upon hearing the fire engine calls from his newsroom office, Forman raced down to the Back Bay where he soon heard screaming coming from the corner of Marlborough and Dartmouth Street.[3] Stanley Forman took position and set up his camera to capture what he thought was going to be an ordinary fire escape ladder rescue of a woman and a baby, not knowing what was about to happen next.
As the fire engine ladder was being extended to save the woman and child, the fire escape came unattached from the building and the woman and baby fell several stories eventually crashing to the ground behind a fenced area. Although the child was rushed to a nearby ambulance and recovered, the woman devastatingly passed away from the impact of the five-story fall. The woman who tragically passed away was named Diana Bryant and she was only nineteen years old. Diana was the godmother of the child, two-year-old Tiare Jones, who landed on Diana after the fall and the lessened impact ultimately helped to save the childs life.[4] Stanley Forman’s photograph went on to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography in 1976.
Landmarks
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One notable landmark on Marlborough Street is the First Church in Boston. The church was originally established in 1630 by John Winthrop and other settlers from the boat Arbella and it was the first thing they did upon reaching land. The original location of this church was in present day Charlestown and was used from 1632 to 1639.[5] The First Church moved to its current location at 66 Marlborough Street in 1968 and has called that location home to their parish for 56 years now. Over the years the churches denomination has switched a few times but has been a Unitarian Universalist Church since the mid 20th century.[6]
Another notable landmark on Marlborough Street is the Crowninshield House. Located at 164 Marlborough Street next to Dartmouth Street, the plans for the design and building of this house date back to the late 1860s. The plot of land where the house stands was originally purchased by George Wheatland Jr. from the commonwealth of Massachusetts. The land was then subsequently split up and owned by multiple different people before being bought by Benjamin William Crowninshield and his wife Katherine Crowninshield. The Crowninshields then constructed their home in 1870 which was designed by architect Henry Hobson Richardson. The Crowninshield family called 164 Marlborough Street their home for many years and went on to raise five beautiful children there. The exception to this was from 1884 to 1885 when Joseph Burnett, founder of St. Marks school, lived at 164 Marlborough Street with his wife and son.[7]
In the fall of 1885, the Crowninshield family leased the 164 Marlborough Street to the Algonquin Club and the family moved over to nearby Beacon Street. The Algonquin Club went on to work with the original architect of the building, Henry Hobson Richardson, to make renovations to the space in order for it to be used as a clubhouse. These new renovations made way for a three hundred volume library, café, parlor rooms, and a billiards room for the use of club members.[8] The Algonquin Club called 164 Marlborough Street its clubhouse until November of 1888 when the Crowninshield family moved back into their home. After the death of matriarch Katherine in 1902, ownership of 164 Marlborough Street was passed onto her children and the property remained in the family until its sale in 1959. Over the years 164 Marlborough Street has been used as a private residence, a lodging house, and student dormitories for the Cambridge School of Business. The Crowninshield House was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places back in 1972.
Literature
editMarlborough Street serves at the setting for the book I have an aunt on Marlborough Street by Kathryn Lasky. Published in 1992, this childrens book tells the story of young Phoebe who often visits her aunt that lives on historic Marlborough Street in Boston and all the adventures that they have together in Back Bay.[9]
References
editBack Bay Houses. (2014). 164 Marlborough. Retrieved June 25, 2024, from https://backbayhouses.org/164-marlborough/
Digital Commonwealth. (n.d.). View of a man standing in front of his house. Retrieved June 25, 2024, from https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth:8k71p274z
Flaherty, B. (2008). New England Condominium. The Back Bay. Retrieved June 25, 2024, from https://newenglandcondo.com/article/the-back-bay
First Church in Boston. (n.d.). First Church in Boston history. Retrieved June 25, 2024, from https://firstchurchboston.org/about/first-church-in-boston-history/
Goldberg, M. (2024). Architectural Digest. Victorian houses: Everything you need to know. Retrieved June 25, 2024, from https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/victorian-houses-everything-you-need-to-know
Lasky, K. (n.d.). I Have an Aunt on Marlborough Street. Retrieved June 25, 2024, from https://www.kathrynlasky.com/books/book/i-have-an-aunt-on-marlborough-street
Pulitzer Prizes. And then the fire escape let go. Retrieved June 25, 2024, from https://www.pulitzer.org/article/and-then-fire-escape-let-go
Rare Historical Photos. (2021). Mother and daughter falling from fire escape, 1975. Retrieved June 25, 2024, from https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/mother-daughter-falling-fire-escape-1975/
- ^ "A Classic Boston Neighborhood - The Back Bay". newenglandcondo.com. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
- ^ Goldberg, Morgan (2024-02-26). "Victorian House: Everything You Need to Know". Architectural Digest. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
- ^ "'and then the fire escape let go'". June 25th, 2024.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "A mother and her daughter falling from a fire escape, 1975 - Rare Historical Photos". https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/. 2014-09-10. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
{{cite web}}: External link in|website= - ^ "First Church in Boston, 1632". www.digitalcommonwealth.org. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
- ^ "First Church in Boston History – First Church Boston". Retrieved 2024-06-25.
- ^ "164 Marlborough". Back Bay Houses. 2013-07-27. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
- ^ "164 Marlborough". Back Bay Houses. 2013-07-27. Retrieved 2024-06-25.
- ^ Lasky, Kathryn. I Have an Aunt on Marlborough Street by Kathryn Lasky | Genre: Picture.