The Newetowne Chronicle Summer 2012 Volume XII Number I Mid-Cambridge: An Evolving Neighborhood By Paula Lovejoy Mid-Cambridge: An Evolving Neighborhood By Paula Lovejoy 1 As its name implies, Mid-Cambridge lies in the heart of the city between Inman, Central, and Harvard squares. Essentially a residential neighborhood since the 19th Antrim Street Block Party century, it’s become a municipal center as well, including City Hall, the high school, By Phyllis Bretholtz and the library, and a hospital. However, the area was not officially considered as a George Metzger 2 neighborhood until 1949. It went nameless until the 1970s, when residents formed the Mr. Foxcroft and His Street Mid-Cambridge Neighborhood Association and the name stuck. By Michael Kenney 3 Mid-Cambridge began as an agricultural area soon after the settlement of Newtowne Erector Set Parties in 1630, with planting fields that evolved into large estates. One major landowner, By George Bossarte 3 Ralph Inman, built a grand house near the present City Hall and enjoyed views across Opposition House open fields and marshes to Boston. Dana Hill was owned by Judge Francis Dana, an By Susan Chasen 4 eminent patriot who joined Upcoming Events 4 a group of A Townie Benefactor speculators to By Daphne Abeel 5 build the West Boston (now 1862: Casualties and a Longfellow) Comforting Hand Bridge in By Michael Kenney 6 1793, the first Interns and Volunteers 6 direct link from Boston to CHS Annual Meeting Highlights Cambridge. New Oral History By Daphne Abeel 7 By 1830, the Inner Belt Programs Set Records major roadways By Michael Kenney 7 (Broadway, Donation from Hartney Kirkland, Cambridge, and Greymont and the Cambridge Page from the 1894 Atlas of the City of Cambridge by G.W. Bromley with the area that is today known as Plant and Garden Club Mid-Cambridge highlighted. Harvard streets) By Annette LaMond 7 to the bridge were in place, From the President and the surrounding land became desirable. For the remainder of the century, the open By Charlie Allen 7 land on these roads was sold piecemeal to developers. They constructed mostly single- Lost Mid-Cambridge family homes, first in the Greek Revival style (1840s-1850s), followed by mansard Back Cover (1850s-1860s), Queen Anne (1870s-1880s), and other Victorian styles. Three-decker houses, many of them ornate, first appeared in the 1870s, and large apartment buildings The Newetowne Chronicle began springing up near the turn of the 20th century. Many of these dwellings were later Published by the converted into condominiums, a trend that continues today. Cambridge Historical Society Editor, Michael Kenney As space for new development became scarce, many historic homes were demolished. Contributing Editor, At the residents’ behest, the city enacted new zoning laws in the 1990s designed to Daphne Abeel preserve the character of the neighborhood. More high-rise buildings were banned, Copy Editor, Luise M. Erdmann along with additional “infill” homes in backyards. Today the neighborhood is essentially full, with little to no land available. www.cambridgehistory.org The Newetowne Chronicle 2 OFFICERS Antrim Street Block Party: A History Charlie Allen, By Phyllis Bretholtz and George Metzger President Liz Adams, In the true spirit of Antrim Street, Bob and Jane by police, fire, traffic, Vice President Richards and Jane and George Metzger gathered and parking (thanks, Tod Beaty, over dinner to reminisce about the origins of the Bob); a flyer with an Vice President Antrim Street Block Party. image that is still in use Rebekah Kaufman, Vice President today (thanks, George); Andrew Leighton, tables for food and Treasurer strings of light across Marie Lodi, the middle of the street. Secretary Heli Meltsner, Neighbor and baker Curator Lorraine McDermott Michael Kenney, made a cake decorated Editor to resemble the houses Early flier, courtesy of George Metzger COUNCILORS on the street. Activities for children were William August added - face painting, street chalking, a piñata, Cynthia Brennan a treasure hunt - and expanded over the years to George Carlisle Antrim Street Block Party (Phyllis Bretholtz) Frank Kramer include live music (including a local group, The Rachael Solem Mighty Mighty Bosstones), the local DJ and In 1976, Jane Richards was sweeping her Jason Weeks break dancer Greg Gianinni, and Bob Dolan’s sidewalk when she saw a man walk across the painted banner depicting the neighborhood ADVISORS garden of a neighbor’s house and observed “elders.” In the first decade the Janes started a Daphne Abeel that the bumper stickers on his car were all hidden gardens tour, and Bob organized a street- M. Wyllis Bibbins wrong for this street. So she called her husband, long yard sale. Darleen Bonislawski who worked nearby. He Kathleen Born Thomas Bracken came home on his bike But the block party’s Carol Cerf to confront the thief and success was assured that Lindsay Leard Coolidge then called the police, who first year by three young Ribert Crocker blocked off the street and women who emerged Frank Duehay caught the robber. from their midblock Luise M. Erdmann apartment to belly dance Karen F. Falb The Richards and Metzger through the party. Legend George H. Hanford families decided then that Ted Hansen has it that a few seniors because many neighbors Chandra Harrington had to pop nitros, and Swanee Hunt didn’t actually know one older residents came back Ellen G. Moot another, they would plan a Bob and Jane Richards and Jane and George Metzger (Phyllis Brethholtz) each year looking for those Jinny Nathans block party to bring people Larry Nathanson, M.D. dancers. Alyssa Pacy together. The first one took place in the fall of Paula Paris 1976. We never collected any money; we outlawed Susan S. Poverman politicking; and it remains the longest running Maxwell D. Solet They had to figure out a few details: a street- closing permit signed first by residents, then block party in the city. STAFF Gavin W. Kleespies, Executive Director This Mid-Cambridge Newsletter has been proudly sponsored by: Islanda Khau, Assistant Director Mark J. Vassar, Resident Archivist Shanna Strunk, Digital Archives Assistant Victoria Hickey, Assistant Cambridge Historical Society 159 Brattle Street Cambridge, Mass. 02138 617-547-4252 www.cambridgehistory.org 3 Summer 2012 Mr. Foxcroft and His Street by Michael Kenney Along Cambridge Street one can spot a solid 1920s brick Street used by General Washington and his officers. residence, now condominiums, known as Fox Croft Manor. For a brief period in the early 19th century, part of The name, despite its fractured appearance, most likely Cambridge Street was known as Foxcroft Street. There refers to the Foxcroft family, Tory grandees who owned was a Harvard residential hall at the corner of Kirkland and some 120 acres of fields and orchards stretching beyond Oxford streets known as Foxcroft Hall; it was moved up the present Kirkland Street to Shady Hill. Oxford Street to accommodate the construction of the old Little else remains to recall, Lowell Lecture Hall and later however loosely, that once- demolished. prominent family’s imprint For a few years there was on Cambridge. a Foxcroft Street in West Francis Foxcroft, born in Cambridge, whose 1694, served in a number name was the cause of some of posts in the colonial annoyance to Frank Foxcroft, government, but was one of its residents and a “no reported to be “happier at license” temperance crusader home making an index of in the late 1800s. In 1902, he the province records and wrote to the city engineer, the first alphabetical list of requesting that the name be Harvard graduates.’’ changed. His son John, born in 1740, “There is a tradition,” he also served in the colonial wrote, “that the original owner and town governments. An 1716 Cambridge Street (Gavin Kleespies) of the abutting land, having outspoken Tory, he was been unfortunate in some living in the family’s mansion in January 1777 when it speculations, sought to commemorate that fact in the name burned to the ground, with some suspicion that the fire had of the street.” But since it was not named in his honor been set by patriot supporters. Foxcroft told a neighbor that or that of his ancestors, Foxcroft said that he “found it he would rather have the house destroyed “than occupied inconvenient to try to pronounce the name twice over” – as by d---d rebels as other gentlemen’s houses were” – a in “Mr. Foxcroft of Foxcroft Street.” His neighbors agreed, probable reference to the Tory Row mansions on Brattle and the city changed it to Hillside Avenue. Erector Set Parties by George Bossarte Designed by A. C. (Alfred Carlton) Gilbert, Erector Sets had also added parts to it so I could build bigger bridges. were first sold for the Christmas season of 1913. Gilbert My son was still too young to enjoy playing with the set was running the fanciful Mysto Manufacturing Company in for any period of time. Erector Set constructions require New Haven, Conn., which made magic sets and other toys. putting together a fairly large number of small nuts and The name soon became the A. C. Gilbert Company, and it bolts, which small fingers find difficult, and long periods of continued to make a wide variety of toys, but it was known concentration, which small bodies find difficult. for Erector Sets. What turned out to be the more age-appropriate father-son When I was a youngster in the 1950s, I received a size activity was hunting for Erector Sets at flea markets. We eight-and-one-half set for Christmas, a substantial set. enjoyed going to the Sunday flea at the drive-in theater I spent many hours building and playing with bridges, at the rotary of Routes 60 and 1 in Revere.