Throughout the last several years, readers have sent the Dorchester Times photos and postcards of Dorchester's main street (Washington Avenue) as it appeared at the turn of last century. Almost all of these photos captured images of the west side of main street, where the majority of businesses have been housed over the past 150 years.
A while back, we received a real treat. The Times was emailed a postcard providing a rare look at the east side of main street from sometime around 1900.
The photos accompanying this story (click on them to get a better view) are of the Longanecker Building, destroyed by fire in 1973.
The majority of Times readers don't recall the structure. The Longanecker Building, for the record, stood where the Tyser's Welding and Repair stands today.
During the era this photo was taken, Meacham Hardware occupied the northern-most, ground-level section of the Longanecker Building. Dr. Panter's offices occupied the second story directly above. C.W. Crain Insurance and Colson's Cafe were next door.
During the era this photo was taken, Meacham Hardware occupied the northern-most, ground-level section of the Longanecker Building. Dr. Panter's offices occupied the second story directly above. C.W. Crain Insurance and Colson's Cafe were next door.
Also in the building were Joy and Edward's Grocery, the telephone office, and a dentist's office.
This isn't the first time the Times has published rare photos of Dorchester's east side.
In 2015, we gave readers a look inside the store front window's of Meacham's.
In 2009, we offered readers a glimpse of a "traffic jam" in 1906. (By 1906, most of the trees had been removed, so we are dating today's photo a couple years earlier.)
Below are close-ups of the Longanecker Building from the photo shared with us today.
In the first photo, notice the awning with Meacham Hardware Co. stitched on the front. Also notice the wooden structure immediately to the north. (Today, that is the Eastside Bar and Grill.)
In the second photo, notice the retail advertising on the south side of the building, as well as the ladder-like structures in front of main street's trees, used most likely as holding stations for horses. Electricity had obviously arrived in Dorchester, so this is post-1890s.
Finally, we've included a photo from the 1930s, that showed how the east side of main street had changed about 25 years later. Notice the trees had been removed. And the advertising was constantly being updated.
This isn't the first time the Times has published rare photos of Dorchester's east side.
In 2015, we gave readers a look inside the store front window's of Meacham's.
In 2009, we offered readers a glimpse of a "traffic jam" in 1906. (By 1906, most of the trees had been removed, so we are dating today's photo a couple years earlier.)
Below are close-ups of the Longanecker Building from the photo shared with us today.
In the first photo, notice the awning with Meacham Hardware Co. stitched on the front. Also notice the wooden structure immediately to the north. (Today, that is the Eastside Bar and Grill.)
In the second photo, notice the retail advertising on the south side of the building, as well as the ladder-like structures in front of main street's trees, used most likely as holding stations for horses. Electricity had obviously arrived in Dorchester, so this is post-1890s.
Finally, we've included a photo from the 1930s, that showed how the east side of main street had changed about 25 years later. Notice the trees had been removed. And the advertising was constantly being updated.
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