Boston is the most populous and capital of Massachusetts, founded in 1630 by English Puritans. Boston was the transportation hub for England with its network of railroads in the 1800s. By 1820 the population of Boston was about 43,000. The arrival of immigrants from Ireland during the Great Hunger and then from Italy, Germany, and Poland later in the century, fundamentally changed Boston’s human makeup and political leanings. By the 1840s, Boston had outgrown its physical size, and new land was added. The Great Boston Fire of 1872 destroyed 776 buildings across 65 acres of land, totaling $60 million in damage. In the late 19th century, Chinese immigrants came to Boston. In the early 20th century, Boston continued to thrive, but eventually entered a period of decline, as older factories were abandoned and people migrated away from the downtown. However, in the late 20th century, the economy boomed again and shifted to hi-tech industries and tourism.
Here below are some old photos of Boston capturing streets, cityscapes, and everyday life at the beginning of the 20th century. Vote your favorites, and don’t forget to share.
![North Station [Union Station], Boston, 1905](https://www.bygonely.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Old_Boston_1900s_37.jpg)
The Keith Theater is the same as the Shubert Theater, right?
There is no longer an opera house in the Keith.
the opera house is on washington street not tremont street
I thought the Keith was what (used to be?) Teatro, but recall it was merged with another theater around the corner.
Yes, of course. According to the comment thread below, the owners of the Keith theatre have opened a second entrance on Tremont. There are a few remnants left. If you don’t turn right after entering the Box Office Vestibule after entering the Opera House, you can still see the hallway that used to lead to the Tremont entrance.
Can you tell me where it is today? I don’t recognize a single building.
Keith’s Theater had entrances on both Tremont and Washington, so I’m guessing it’s roughly where the AMC is today. The photo does not appear to show any surviving buildings, but I may be mistaken.
The Victorian(I think?) architecture and finish/molding work are long gone from any remaining buildings. Unless I’m really that stoned, I’ve walked every inch of Tremont St. and this would stand out right away
I’m pretty sure this is it on street view. There’s only one building left with exposed brick. That’s the building that survived despite being in the worst shape of all the buildings in the picture. https://goo.gl/maps/e93kcdaohNUCbPRb8 On second glance, this building may be further down the street where the AMC is, but it looks so much like that one.
Even though the theater entrance appears to be the only surviving building, it is virtually unrecognizable after the top two stories and exterior ornamentation were removed.
It’s true, someone else posted a link discussing the old Keith’s Theatre with a picture of that entrance.
163 Tremont street
Boston’s aesthetics have been harmed by real estate development
These old brownstones and buildings have always attracted me. It amazes me how skilled the tradespeople must have been to construct these gorgeous places using 19th century tools. Buildings like these are works of art.
The Financial District still has some of that aesthetic (especially around Devonshire). It’s just hidden in plain sight.
Masonry like that has become a lost art. At least one that is rarely used and prohibitively expensive. Nowadays, stonework like that is usually just a 2″-thick facade over concrete and steel. That’s life.
The reason we don’t see this anymore might be due to the expense or to the “lost art.” Are there enough people around who could do this even if money were no object? Are these types of masonry a thing of the past?
I didn’t bother googling but weren’t brownstones an irish mason thing?