Main Street, Fall River

[Shelley]

It was a great day for photography Saturday. This is what remains of Sargent's store, the buildings to the right were knocked down and now show a view of the Braga Bridge. The building now holds a surveying business- and we were disappointed not to see a display of dress fabric for 6 cents a yard !

[Shelley]

[Shelley]

[Richard]

Here's my contributions to the images of down street.

This is right to the side of the AJ Borden building.

As usual click on the pictures for higher resolution.

[Richard]

Detail of the Fall River logo on the lampposts up and down the block. Can anyone date these posts?

[Richard]

Here's a memorial near the Borden building. Does anyone know the story of this dude? If you click and expand for higher resolution you can read the whimsical description

[Richard]

The view of the river and the bridge directly behind the A.J. Borden building.

[Richard]

This is the Academy building across from the A.J. Borden building.

you can see an ambulance outside. When I was there, at about 7:30am in the morning, there was a woman being removed from her apartment by paramedics. She had an oxygen mask over her face and looked in bad shape.

[Richard]

A little further down South Main the stores start looking a little drab.

[Richard]

Mondo Do Be Be.

[Richard]

There are a few blocks where you can see some of the de-vitalization of the area. Perhaps I just got that impression because it was 7:30am on a Sunday...but here's a Dollar Fun store amidst a few empty buildings.

[Richard]

The Dollar Fun store to the left. Looking north back towards Anawan Street.

[Shelley]

Lee Ann said we kept crossing each other that morning with our cameras! Johnson and Wales has bought some of the big storefronts on South Main so maybe they will get re-habed somewhat. The old Cherry and Webb building has a lovely facade. Someone told me these street lamp posts were put in backwards! The lamps were to go outward, I wonder if that is true? There were high hopes when the little shopping area which includes Old Second Street was cleaned up. I am unsure of the date- maybe a Fall Riverite will know. Benches and flowerpots were installed to make a little outside mall but I believe the transients at the bus station scared away the after dark would-be shoppers on Main Street. It's all so sad. At one time, not so long ago, the area around the Academy building was bustling with movie house, shops, large department stores, restaurants and such. Now they roll up the streets at 5 p.m. and nobody ventures around that ugly bar and bus station after dark. Rough. I have been told for 3 years now that the bus station is moving out- and a courthouse is going to be built in that shabby spot. I hope so- it is an eyesore. I have been going to Fall River since 1972- when Fall River Knitting Mill was going strong- and it is heart-breaking to see these fine old businesses go under and become abandoned or outlets.

[RayS]

You can probably see similar sites in the old towns west of Syracuse NY.
At least from what I could see from the local highway a year or so ago.

One of those towns in 1912 had the murder used by T. Dreiser for his novel (a young man murders his pregnant girlfriend so he could marry a rich heiress).

[Shelley]

What a difference 50 years make- the Academy Theatre on South Main


Imagine if "It came from Outer Space" had been playing in 1907!

[Kat]

That's great!

I love the pics that compare with each other thru the years! Thanks!

[Steveads2004]

What became of the A. J. Borden building, long gone?

[Shelley]

Still there- new windows and a big change on the ground floor in that the arcade front is all closed in but it is business as usual at the corner of South Main and Anawan.

[Shelley]

The building is very deep and goes back from the main street the whole depth of the block.

[SteveS.]

I remember as a child going with my father to the Academy Building across from city hall. My Dad's insurance company was located there. We would take the elevator up to the floor. I don't remember exactly what floor but I want to say the 3rd floor. The elevator will always stand out in my mind because it had a real person operating the elevator and there were no buttons to push for what floor you wanted. The operator used a hand lever that raised and lowered the elevator to the desired floor. I always thought this was the ultimate.

[Shelley]

Oh yes I remember the elevator operator at the department store, dressed in a neat uniform calling out the floors- "Ladies lingerie, millinery, better dresses!" and smelling so wonderfully of peppermint . Those were the days of customer service with a smile, handwritten sales slips, and usually the saleslady knew your name and size if you were a frequent customer. She would bring back an armful of items to your dressing room "Want to try this dear- shall I get a smaller size?", Then came the praise- "Well now, THAT looks smart- perfect fit, nice color on you". etc.
Selections were laid out for one's inspection like the gifts of the Magi in all their glory! Purchases were tenderly wrapped in soft tissue and laid carefully in a snappy box with the store logo on the top and slipped into crisp paper bags with seasonal greetings imprinted.

I worked in such a department store in Baltimore when I was 17 and the employees had an infirmary, a company nurse, a lounge and reading room and a wonderful cafeteria serving piping hot homemade food to employees for $3.00 on real china with silverware and a cloth napkin. We got a whole hour for lunch and could stretch out and put our feet up in the employee lounge on lovely easy chairs with footstools. We always were called "Miss" by our boss, and shown the greatest respect and courtesy.

Sigh...., yesterday I went into a store , looked in vain for some help, finally found my item and took it up to the cash register where a gum-chomping salesgirl on her cell phone glared at me. After she had finished her call she snapped "Got your card?"- demanded my license, threw my purchase in a flimsy plastic bag and went back to her cell phone.

Oh, it is hard on us old boomers who remember better days! I recall the more civilized times- progress -my foot!

[SteveS.]

Yes Shelley, I think us "old boomers" have it good in one way though because we can remember a much more kinder gentler time and I think we are betrter for having experienced it. Even though times had changed drasticaly since Miss. Lizbeth of Maplecroft died in 1927 I like to think that some of the graciousness and class of the period was still around in the 1960's downtown Fall River that I remember as a child. The Academy building (especialy the Academy Theater), the A.J. Borden building, The Five and Dime and McWhirs just to name a few. And yes, to this day i still have my passbooks as a child from the Five Cents Savings bank and the Citizens Union Savings bank ...both hand written.

[Shelley]

Oh my- Steve, I don't know if you are still in Fall River, but do drop by sometime and we can walk down memory lane. I will be at the house at 3 tomorrow if you want to drop by for a cuppa- #92 Second Street

You can hold a stop watch as I race down to the cellar and back to the guestroom!

Yes, the old Academy theatre with a real red velvet curtain, ushers, popcorn for 10 cents and nickel sodas. This year the FRHS recreated McWhirrs candy counter and it was such a big hit. Shucks- I recall penny candy when it was a penny! Oh the joys of spitting Black Crows and Juicy Fruits on the heads of the unsuspecting from the balcony. How thrilling it was to hear the music begin, the curtain whizz back and the cartoon come on, News of the World, another cartoon, the short subjects, coming attractions, B film, then the feature! And you could sit through it twice without paying again!

[SteveS.]

Shelley.....you remember the old Academy Theater just as I do....exactly down to every detail that you mentioned in your post was playing in my minds eye as I was writing about it in my post. I am living in Texas now for almost 4 years. Where were you when I was living back in the Spindle City? I would give my right arm to do exactly what you mentioned. To be able to time you running down those stairs from the guest room to the cellar for an axe and then back again And lots of other experiments....I always wanted to be in other parts of the house and see if you can hear a body fall or not from different areas of the house. To be able to come over to the Borden's house and just and chat over a cuppa hehehehehe I'd have died and gone to heaven. Luckily I did get to stay at the B & B and also toured it quite a few times before I left Fall River. If you are around my next trip back home I will definitely take you up on your offer. I am wondering now how long you have been with the B & B because I am wondering if you were the "Lizzie" or "Abby" I saw when I was there last. This fascination I have with Lizzie all started when I was a child growing up in her city because we have the same B-Day....July 19. I am a few years younger then Miss. Lizbeth of course. I know this post is a long one and I appologise but I can't end it without saying a BIG Thank You Shelley for all the photos you post on here of not only things Lizzie but also of the only place on this earth I will ever call "home". Makes me feel like I am still there. They are FANTASTIC!!!!!!

[Shelley]

Well come on home Steve- get on that ole silver bird and come back East.

A body can be heard falling in the guestroom from the sitting room and the parlor but not in the diningroom or kitchen oddly enough. And one must be quiet and listen for it.

I arrived in Newport in 1972 and trotted up to St. Anne's for the French Mass on Saturday nights. I have been at the house since 1998, hung up my hatchet as Lizzie in 2003 and am now enjoying the Abby role, for which I have a good ten year run ahead!

I am glad you enjoy the photos because I do so enjoy finding things to "shoot" and present for Lizziefolks and former Fall Riverans so far away.

[SteveS.]

AHA!!!!! I knew you were the Lizzie that i remember Shelley Your Lizzie image will be forever etched in my mind. Thanks for the info on that body falling in the guestroom experiment.....I have always wondered about that myself. I envy you that you get to do all the experiments in that house that I have only dreamed about. I did do the going up the front stairs though to see if I can see a body under the bed in the guestroom. While in Newport did you ever have pizza or a sub from Firehouse Pizza? That is owned by a family that I have been friends with for years. Maybe this summer i will make the trip back east since I still have family and friends there to visit and I have been toying with the idea of returning for good. If I do be prepared to have another avid Bordenite hanging around all the time

[Shelley]

Oh yes- Firehouse Pizza- am trying to recall- is that at the corner of Broad and Summer? I moved to Mystic, CT in 1976 and have been doing that hour commute to Fall River ever since.

Well I do hope you come back this summer Steve- the house is really jumping and full of excitement in the summer months and the summer breeze off the river is just wonderful in the evenings. No matter how hot during the mid-afternoon,, by 6 p.m. I open all the windows on the North and South sides of the house and the breeze just makes the lace curtains stand right out.

I like to take guests out on a starlight walking tour of the city after dinner sometimes and we have a good time imagining ourselves back in 1892. There's something about walking down French or Belmont after twilight, with a full moon rising and the silhouettes of those Victorian turrets and spires outlined against a purple sky that is just magical. The Taunton spins out like a silver thread in the moonlight and even the old Braga Bridge sparkles like a diamond tiara overhead.

There is a thread here called Playing Lizzie with some photos of all the Lizzies over the past 15 years. One just has to know when to quit. Playing 32 at 52 was getting too hard to pull off- but I have one more performance on May 10th at the FRHS tea house-then it is back to Abby again! Lizzie will have a purple moiree taffeta dress to wear and a fabulous hat with violets and pansies. I wanted to play her as she was in 1915- but all anyone ever wants to see is Lizzie 1892. So- NO close-up shots for ME, Mr. DeMille