1. "ANDREW J. BORDEN BUILDING--from "The Weather""
Posted by Kat on Aug-2nd-02 at 3:40 AM

A splinter from the thread of "THE WEATHER REPORT", about the Borden Building.

I had not been able to read the full title of that "Literary" sign that Diana looked up.

Now She has my attention. 
Here is Rebello, pg. 56,[excerpt], as to the businesses in the building:

"...located at the northwest corner of South Main and Anawan Streets...designed and constructed by Joseph M. Darling (1835- 1918), a local architect....(begun) in 1889.

It was at this site in 1844 that Borden & Almy and later Borden, Almy & Wood (1864) and Wood & Hall (1883) conducted their business.  Mr. Almy died in 1885.  Two years later Andrew Borden bought out Mr. Almy's share of the business from his estate.

In 1890- 92 several businesses and organizations were the first to occupy the new Andrew J. Borden Building.  The first floor occupants at 41 South Main Street were:
Charles E. Macomber & Company
and
next door at 37 South Main Street was :
Knox & Charlton Five and Ten Cent Store
Mr. Seymour H. Knox and Earle P. Charlton, proprietors.

The second floor (39 Main) was occupied by the:
Fall River Christian Science Institute
Mr. Seabury T. Manley (uncle of Miss Alice M. Russell, friend of Lizzie Borden), and Stephen A. Chase
(and)
Gay's Gallery of Art,
Mrs. Edwin F. Gay and Mr. Beno Brodkorb, music dealer and teacher.

The next year, the following tenants moved into the building:
Insurance and Real Estate,
Mr. Charles C. Cook (financial advisor for the Bordens)
and
Harry A. Clark & Sons,
Mr. Walter M. Barnes, tailor;  Ellen "Nellie" Butler, a dressmaker, and Liza J. Saunders, dress cutting teacher.

The third floor was occupied by the :
Woman's Christian Temperance Union,
(Lizzie Borden was a member)
and
Fall River Literary and Commercial College,
Joseph D. Thibodeau, Principal."

Thanks for the info, Kat.  Interesting to see who all had business' in the building.  I wonder if the building had payed for itself in Andrew's time? 

It says a "building permit was issued, May 27, 1889, for $35,000 for a brick store and offices, steam heat, 90' x 70'.....
....A two-story addition was constructed to the back of the structure in 1892.  A building permit was issued on Nov. 21, 1892 to the Estate of Andrew J. Borden, for a 40' x 50' addition, for $3,400...."

I don't know what this means.

Not only was there a Borden Building in Fall River, but there was also a Borden Block.  Something I was perusing recently had a picture of the Block, which contained a theater, among other things.  (The Borden Block, I assume, was named after and/or owned by one of the other Bordens in town.)

Do these dollar amounts mean MORTGAGE AMOUNTS required to build, or that the PERMIT costs that much? Like a Bond, or something?

"Designed and constructed by DARLING".

Ladowick Borden, one of Andrew's MANY Uncles, most probably had lived in the "Kelly house" with one of his *serial wives*, named ELIZA DARLING  (1811- 1848).

Those prices I think are the cost of the actual building.  I don't think Andrew took out a mortgage for it. 

That addition was torn down.  Today the AJ Borden Building is Aetna.
I wonder if there isn't "A J Borden" still on a plaque on the building?  That's one thing I want to see next time I'm there, is that building.  I've been there two times and haven't seen it.  It might be interesting to go in it.  If you compare how it looks today with an 1892 photo, the windows seem to all be the same. 

We had heard the last year, from a member who had worked in the building, that it was now TRAVELERS, INs.

The addition seems to have been set in motion and financed AFTER the death of Andrew.
I wonder if the girls paid cash or if that had already been taken care of before their father's demise?

That second wife of Laddy may be related to the architect "Darling?"
The 3rd wife of Laddy MAY be the one who supposedly DROWNED their children in the cistern and then committed suicide.  That was Eliza CHACE (another noticeable Fall River name)--(1813- 1864).  The dates don't quite jibe, though...off by maybe 3 or 4 years?

(Message last edited Aug-3rd-02  10:33 PM.)

Ah!  Traveler's Insurance now!  Thank you, Kat!  I probably would have driven right by it had I not known.