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Welcome to Blackstone Street! This page holds many stories that provide glimpses into Boston from 1888-1920. From prominent land and business owners to the businesses themselves, this parcel was home to many legacies that aided in the societal fabric of Boston. That is not to say that this parcel did not undergo challenges such as damage and destruction brought about by fires and water tank explosions or rips in the community created by acts of petty crime. However, with the help of police forces, firefighters, and EMTs, the community was able to grow despite adversity.
Philadelphia : G.W. Bromley & Co. Atlas of the City of Boston, Mass 1888 Leventhal Map & Education Center at the Boston Public Library
1888
Philadelphia : G.W. Bromley & Co. Atlas of the City of Boston, Mass 1895 Leventhal Map & Education Center at the Boston Public Library
1895
Philadelphia : G.W. Bromley & Co. Atlas of the City of Boston, Mass 1908 Leventhal Map & Education Center at the Boston Public Library
1908
As you can see from the Atlascope maps above, Blackstone Street featured predominantly brick buildings. However, 83-97 Blackstone and parts of 107-113 Blackstone were made out of wood. Fire-safe building materials were instrumental in decreasing fires within the urban environment, as seen in the 1896 fire. One can also take note of the vast expanse of space that this parcel took up, with several of these buildings being multiple stories high. This amount of space allowed many businesses to make this parcel their home for generations. The large width of the street accommodated the foot traffic that this parcel brought in and allowed these businesses to flourish. One can also note the names of the owners of each building and how they changed throughout the years. These names were the starting points that allowed the research into the history and stories of this parcel.
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Works Cited
Philadelphia : G.W. Bromley & Co. Atlas of the City of Boston, Mass 1888 Leventhal Map & Education Center at the Boston Public Library
Philadelphia : G.W. Bromley & Co. Atlas of the City of Boston, Mass 1895 Leventhal Map & Education Center at the Boston Public Library
Philadelphia : G.W. Bromley & Co. Atlas of the City of Boston, Mass 1908 Leventhal Map & Education Center at the Boston Public Library
"BOSTON RED CROSS CHAPTER ELECTION: A. C. RATSHESKY REELECTED ITS CHAIRMAN." 1925.Boston Daily Globe (1923-1927), Oct 28, 1. https://holycross.idm.oclc.org/login?auth=cas&url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/boston-red-cross-chapter-election/docview/498614948/se-2.
"Display Ad 32 -- no Title." 1898.Boston Daily Globe (1872-1922), Mar 19, 8. https://holycross.idm.oclc.org/login?auth=cas&url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/display-ad-32-no-title/docview/498836328/se-2.
 "SIXTEEN HURT BY EXPLOSION: WATER TANK BURSTS IN CROWDED STORE. BATCHELDER & SNYDER COMPANY BASEMENT WRECKED. INJURED TAKEN TO HOSPITAL IN AMBULANCES." 1909.Boston Daily Globe (1872-1922), Jan 10, 7. https://holycross.idm.oclc.org/login?auth=cas&url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/sixteen-hurt-explosion/docview/501173178/se-2.
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