52-114 Beverly Street
Erin M.
View of Beverly Street with Zakim Bridge in the Background. November 5, 2022. Photograph.
Located in the North End, Beverly Street lies only yards away from North Station. The street today is lined with new luxury apartments, restaurants, and even a rock gym! The current Beverly Street is drastically different from the Beverly Street of the last couple of centuries. Beverly Street in 1880 housed many different businesses including blacksmiths, marble workers, and file manufacturers.
The biggest difference between the Beverly Street of 1895 and 2022 is the use of space. In 1895, every building was used to its capacity, sometimes multiple businesses taking up space. Today, Beverly Street is seeking to fill up the space. Multiple buildings have signs indicating that spaces are for rent. This difference is an indication of needs of the different times. A building that is used by more than one business is an implication that space was something Bostonians were short on, as opposed to today where there are more than a couple of buildings with space to be leased.
Buildings for Lease on Beverly Street. November 5, 2022. Photograph.
It is important to study the Beverly Street of the past in order to understand the Beverly Street of today. I would like to highlight three themes and stories from the history of Beverly Street and the surrounding geography, as well as two prominent companies that occupied the street: Moxie Nerve Food Company, Bowker, Torrey & Co.. These two companies exemplify the type of street Beverly was. It was one of business and commercial prospects. Each story is unique and not only does it give insight into the life of Beverly Street but also to the life of Boston.