Fourth Street and my grandmother

[Jazzbo1927]

Hello folks. First-timer here, so I hope this is an appropriate post.
My grandmother lived on Fourth Street as a small child and was 3 years old at the time of the murders. (Her little sister was born in May 1892, just a few months before.) When she was alive, she told me the family used to visit the Borden home on occasion before the murders. She had no memory of that herself, as she was too young.
I live just 15 minutes away and have been wanting to find her old house on Fourth Street (if it's still standing), but haven't had any luck with the census or old street directories. I'm also assuming the house numbers changed long ago on Fourth Street, just as they did on Second Street.
Is there anyone with suggestions on my next steps? Thank you.

[mbhenty]

Yes:

What surname are we working with?
City directories would be the place to go. Street addresses changed in Fall River after 1896. Thus the Murder House on second street, as it was in Lizzie's day and how everyone refers to it on this forum, was number 92 in 1892 and later became 230, in 1896, as it is known today.

Now, except for number 58 Fourth Street, a large brick apartment building built in 1897, anything below the address of 143 has been demolished and removed since the very late 1800s.

[mbhenty]

And it should be added:

Number 92 Second Street is now known as number 230. But number 92 was not the number that graced the front door when the Greek Revival two family was built in 1845. When Charles Trafton had the Borden house built, or more correctly, the Trafton house, it was given the address number 66. In 1875, three years after Andrew Borden purchased it the number was changed to 92.

[Jazzbo1927]

Her maiden name was Olive Touhey. Later married George E. McGaw, who was the fire chief in Fall River in the 1940s and part of the 50s.

[mbhenty]

Yes

I remember when I was in high school, back in the late sixties. (1960s not the 1860s ). There was a Touhey's Pharmacy on Rock Street just over a block from the school. We use to go there to purchase a soda on the way home, or a card for our sweetheart or hopeful future sweetheart... or not. It was a well known and established business in what was a quiet neighborhood.

Now these are the findings for the names you have supplied, from the 1892 Fall River Directory.

[mbhenty]

By the 1900 city directory there are no McGaws listed. Below are the Touheys in the 1900 directory.

By 1900, the McGaw, the bottler on Tremont Street is no longer listed.

[mbhenty]

Yes

By 1915 we find that the McGaws are back on Tremont Street. And we find a Touhey on Fourth Street. As a matter of fact in that very house I mention in a post above. Address 143 Fourth Street. The white three decker in the photo below. To the right of it there were all houses which were demolished to build Borden East... housing.

It is important to note that 143 Fourth Street is just over a block away from the Borden house, as the crow flies, as seen in the Google mapping below. You can see that the Borden place is labeled off to the left. The address 143 is just to the right. Where you see written "4th St" on the actual street on the map. 'One Forty Three' is right to the left of that.

Click on photo to make BIG.

[mbhenty]

Now note that I jumped around here. From the 1900 directory to the 1915 directory. Not certain of everyone's movement in the years between, though there are few entries in anything before 1900 or during or before 1892.

[mbhenty]

Yes

And one more thing. As you mentioned you will notice that the James Touhey that lived on Fourth Street was a fireman. He is described as a "hoseman", a word which is not in the dictionary today.

He worked at the old fire station which stood just south of Rodman Street on South Main. The old fire station building still stands today, tucked between other structures. It is amazing that it still stands, though most of the interior was incorporated into the buildings around it. Nothing of the fire station exists on the inside. I used to wander inside when it was a furniture store. Once inside, it was difficult to distinguish where the fire station ended and the other buildings started. It was one large open space.

Below photos of the old fire station as it once stood and today.

I love the tiny Cape Cod home just to the left of the station in the old postcard. With its neat picket fence and gate and perky tree. Someone built it, lived in it, had memories and pride, then it was all wiped away. If not for this postcard there would be no proof or notion that it ever existed. Love Cape Cod homes.



.

[Kat]

Wow, mb, you did a fantastic presentation! And seems like you used a little extra psychic (or maybe we call it intuition) ability when you chose 143 to start
Impressive: thank you for your responses! Very interesting.

[mbhenty]

Thanks Kat>

Yes, that was fortuitous serendipity... the way it worked out. Anything below 143, or between it and Pleasant Street, where fourth street started, was demolished in the late 70s and early 80s. I worked that neighborhood when they were building Borden Place East and diverted 2nd street, swinging it into Borden Street. I have also been inside many of those houses along 4th street. One forty three was lucky to survive. But the Touheys could not have lived in that actual building when the murders took place. Address 143 was built in 1894 two years after the murders.

There are a handful of very historical and old buildings in that neighborhood. Next door to 143 is 153, the old Wilson James house, me thinks it's called. A two story gray colonial built in 1835. One of the oldest houses in the city. Behind it and 143 is the Rocket house, built in and around the time of the Civil War. Just an old worn-down apartment house today. No one knows it's even there. You can see it in the photo below. A white building. And directly across the street from 143 is the old Cook Borden mini-mansion, more commonly known as The Minden and built in 1870.

Interesting, no less.

[mbhenty]

And one more post to round off this thread.

If you look at the photo below you can see 143 fourth Street clearly identified. Next door to it on Fourth Street is the Wilson James house. Next door to that is a pale green three decker with a small paved yard and a few cars parked there. This three decker was also built in the middle 1890s. And just to the left of that is a two-and-a-half story house, white. That is the Whitehead house. The one that old fellow Borden purchased rights too for Abby. Ninety-two Second Street is just off in the upper left. You can't see it in this shot.

I beg forgiveness for all the bootless information. But some of us find it interesting.

[mbhenty]

Here's one more shot showing the entire immediate neighborhood. You can see 143 where the Touheys lived and the Charles Trafton House, or as everyone knows it here, the Andrew Borden House, along with the Whitehead homestead. The large brick building is Borden Place East which sits on Borden Street.

[Kat]

Thanks again for more info and pics!
I remember Len trying to figure out which house was the Whitehead house (admittedly years ago!), knowing it had been moved. Since we don't think it fronted onto Spring Street, could it be that smaller house sort of "lost" behind the green house, in the middle, no longer fronting any street at all? That house has an odd situation on its lot...
That's a really great view, BTW

[mbhenty]

Yes:

The Whitehead House, or what is believed to be the Whitehead House, is the white colored House just, somewhat, behind the green three decker in the photo above. That house could have been on Fourth Street and moved back. As you can see in the photo below it is a very large common two story colonial. Two story colonial...in that it has two windows on either side of the front door and five windows in a row along the top or second level. Such house in the nineteenth century were almost never placed on a lot sideways with the front door on the side. Though that is not a general rule, especially in the city.

But, all that being said. I believe there is a good chance that this is not the Whitehead House and that in fact the Whitehead House no longer exists. Understand that I am bucking all of Fall River's historians. I have done so before and there's a good chance I am not wrong. One such case is where the Kenny House, next door to Maplecorft, went when it was moved. The Historical Society gives the address as a specific building on Madison Street. I dispute that. And with good cause. But that's another matter for another time.

Let us take the addresses of the houses that are on Fourth Street today. The Whitehead House was known as number 45 Fourth Street in 1892 and 167 in 1896. That White House that is set back from the green three decker today is numbered as 171. The green three decker is numbered as 165. Thus number 167 no longer exists. Or was it changed to 171 when moved? Or does the actual Whitehead building no longer exists? It is definite that the Whitehead House was on this corner, even though there was no corner there in 1892, since this portion of Spring Street did not exist. It is almost certain that when they extended Spring Street that a house or two was demolished. Or what is known as the Whitehead House today another house which sat in the middle of Spring Street before Spring Street was extended? If so, where did the Whitehead house go? Was it demolished? Or is the white house behind the green three decker our building?

Though the topical records I have, being: A Guide Book to Fall River's National Register Properties, the building we know as the Whitehead building or number 171 was actually built in c1896. Four years after the murders. Thus, where does that leave us?
Chances are that 171 Fourth Street could indeed be the Whitehead House. I am not convinced one way or the other. Is the National Register guide wrong? It says that the Whitehead house was built in 1896? So...for now, who knows?

[Kat]

Whew! Thanks!
Well, I recall in 2004ish Len was unsure. Since he's "retired" from Lizzie, I figured he'd never find out the answer to that Whitehead house.
Just to be clear, I have taken your pic and circled the house we're discussing, yes?

[mbhenty]

Yes Kat..... but No. That is not the house. (wish I knew how to do those little blue circles. )

That house you circled is Number 159. According to the street directory the Whitehead House is number 167. There is no 167 today... keeping in mind that if they actually moved it it was probably given a new address.

The supposed Whitehead House is to the left center of it. Facing the small parking area for the three decker.

They have renovated 159 recently and completely destroyed the architecture of the building changing the rake of the roof and making it one big box. What a shame.

The house you circled is in the photos below. A before and after. They took the roof off of it, raised the walls, smaller windows, and gave the structure a more flatter roof so they could fit a more roomy apartment on the third level, thus more profit. The building is owned by a real estate company who's ultimate interest is not historical character but, again, more profit, killing a city's historical character by a thousand cuts.... one building at a time.

In one photo below you can see 159 way in the back of two houses just behind the trees. The Whitehead House is in line with it but to the left of it. The house to the left-forefront is the green three decker. The house in the forefront-right is the Wilson James house on Fourth Street.

In the last photo is 159 again, the same building in the photo above it but with a new roof—it's angle and pitch violated.

.

[mbhenty]

OK Kat. Let's get pedantic and beat this old nag into the ground.

Below is a copy of the 1888 Fall River Sanborn Fire Map.

Now you have to follow me closely here to discover the "actual Whitehead House", on that map. Look way over to the left. You will see Spring street. Look way over to the right. You will see Brow Street. Eventually Spring Street continued and met up with Brow Street. (on a modern map it looks like one street but is actually two named streets)

Now let us follow this. Just about the center of the map you will discover the number "2". Between the number 2 and the number 3, which is just off to the right, is Fourth Street. Now, just to the right of the number "2" is a house. The little yellow box, the shape of the building, has the notation "D" and "2 1/2". This indicates that it is a "Dwelling" and "two and a half stories." This is 167 Fourth Street, the Whitehead House. It is important to note that when they continued Spring Street it would not have disturbed the Whitehead building according to the map. So the reason for its removal is 'other'.

Now where did the Whitehead House go since this map was published? On this map the Whitehead house sits right where the green three decker is today. It is my contention that, though Lizzie Scholars endeavor and are eager to find the actual structure and wish, crave, and want it to be there. Thus, they have moved it... in their heads. When in fact it is more likely that the Whitehead House has gone to that imaginary city in the sky... along with all the Whiteheads from 1892.

Now, if you look way over to the left you will see the number "21". (The map page). Just to the right of that number, and a tinge lower, is 92. You can see the barn in the back yard. And to get more anal about things. If you take the the Borden House and follow over to the right in a straight line until you hit Fourth Street you come to the lot where 143, or the Touhey House stands today. Though there is a different house there on the Sanborn Map.

Time goes on and the city is ever-changing. And as for Fall River, it is never for the good.

[mbhenty]

OK, having said everything I mention in the posts above.

It appears that I MAY HAVE TO EAT SOME HUMBLE PIE.

I found some research by Bill Pavao about the Whitehead Property and it disputes everything I said. (I trust Bill's ability at research)

Though my contention would have made for good litigation in court. It appears that I may have been wrong

Ok, ok, don't poke me about it.

Here is an excerpt from an article written by Len Rebello in which is explained what happened to the Whitehead House.

Well, there goes my reputation.....

.At least I was right about where they place the front door on old colonials.


Reading and tracking the land transactions and the mortgaging
of the property by the Whiteheads led Bill Pavao to suggest
that I check city records to determine if any permits were obtained
for the property. It appeared the Whiteheads were not only in the
process of mortgaging the house, but planned to construct another
large three-family home on the Fourth Street lot. Mr. Whitehead
obtained a building permit on March 13, 1897,30 to build a new
27'x 45' structure and to "move and improve" the original house
that Oliver Gray had purchased in 1857 to the rear of the
property.31 The mystery of the two houses on the same lot was
finally solved by a simple written note that read, "old house
moved in rear and improved."32
I was elated that I could verify
the original house to Bill Pavao who had always insisted that the
smaller house was the Whitehead house. The new oversized threefamily
structure was renumbered as 165 Fourth Street and the
original Whitehead house was renumbered as 171 Fourth Street.
The Whitehead house, like the Bordens' house, was quite close to
the street. Unlike the Borden house with its 13 rooms, the
property at 45 Fourth Street, was a rather small two-family
cottage duplex two blocks behind the Borden home on Second
Street.
Construction of the new house continued. However, Sarah's
husband, George, never moved into his new home with his family.
He died at the age of 38 on August 8, 1898, of a liver infection. 33
Sarah, now a young widow, and her two young children; Abby,
age 14, and George, age 1 1, were in the new house by 1900 and
resided there until 1912. The two houses on Fourth Street were
sold.

[mbhenty]

OK

So for the record, 171 Fourth Street today is where they moved the Whitehead House and is in fact 167 Fourth Street.

And this is how it stands today in the photo below.

And as I mentioned, it is unlikely that they would build such a house with the front door on the side. And 171 is the same shape as the building on the Sanborn Map.

So, there you have it.

Now Back to the Touheys... where were we?

[mbhenty]

And what have we learned from all this?

Being an armchair historian is not all it's cracked up to be. Research to be complete takes leg work.

Thanks Bill Pavao

[mbhenty]

Thus, the Guide Book to Fall River's National Register Properties in Fall River got it wrong when they said that the Whitehead House or 171 Fourth Street was built in 1894 when in fact it was built around the late 1840s or early 50s, since Oliver Gray purchased it in 1857.

Now what was that you said about the Historical Society and the Kenny House next door to Maplecroft

[mbhenty]

[mbhenty]

The Whitehead House is commonly referred to as a cottage. It is far from being a cottage, though the term "cottage" denotes many styles.

The two story colonial is a classic American home. At one time Fall River was full of them. Most if not the majority were demolished to make way for the Mill house, the Three Decker, or the Mill Tenement structure. The mill industry basically destroyed Fall River's, Colonial Architecture.

The Wilson-James-Milne House on Fourth Street, two doors down from the Whitehead place, is a perfect example. It is the gray house in the first photo below. Of course its clapboard has been covered by split wood shingles. It almost certainly had attractive corner boards or pilaster boards. Though a good portion of the original front door frame is still displayed. Simple and marvelous architecture.

Now if you look at the Whitehead house below, with its ugly grey vinyl siding, it is a twin to the Wilson-James-Milne House and built around the same time period. You can see the resemblance. Of course the only motif left to a classic colonial is the shape.

Below are two very precious two story colonials that have survived due to progressive minds of the time. One is the Lafayette Durfee House on Cherry Street. Built in 1747. This house once stood on North Main and was moved twice. Then there was the wonderful looking Barnabus Blossom House (the green one below) on Grove Street. Built in 1800. This house was also on North Main Street and moved to its present location. I have been inside and worked inside all these building. Though I am not certain about the Whitehead structure. The Lafayette house was once a dingy, rundown, apartment house with tar shingles covering its cedar clapboards. Today it is a mini-museum. If the Whitehead house was kept up it would be a twin to the Lafayette and Blossom Houses.

The two story colonial. Wonderful homes.



.

[mbhenty]

New Bedford, unlike Fall River, has retained lots of its colonial architecture. Since it did not have the mill industry and activity to the level of Fall River had. Also like Fall River, New Bedford has its share of large impressive victorian neighborhoods. You are more likely to find a two story colonial or cape cod home in New Bedford, and one that retains much of its colonial architecture than in Lizzie Borden's home town. And the people that live there are more history minded. After all, it is the home of whaling and with connections to such people as Herman Melville, Frederick Douglass, and the number one fishing port in the country today.

[Kat]

Thanks for all the pictures! I like this look of New Bedford better than Fall River...reminds me of old Boston.
It doesn't matter if you were initially misguided by the books when trying to make sense of things. You persevered, and used all your sources and finally answered a question I never thought would be answered. Can you mention what article that was that sounds like a sort of collaboration between Bill and Len?
I was resigned to the Whithead house no longer existing, so finding it is a bonus!
The simple description of its being moved made sense.

You're still a Fall River treasure and we're lucky to have you!

[Kat]

Will you take away the dunce head pic?- that is not you.

[mbhenty]

Thanks, Kat.

You are right. Considering my hasty research it should depict me sitting on the hat. Ouch

I found this neat picture of Globe Four Corners in Fall River. Globe Four Corners is where Broadway, South Main, and Globe Street comes together and stands a little under a mile and a half from the Borden Homestead. ( If you count them it should be Globe "Five" corners.)

Below is a great postcard with a view looking north down South Main Street towards the Four Corners.

As for the first image: What a great photograph showing the policeman in the street. The car in the photo has approached the Four Corners from the direction of Broadway. One of the billboards in the store window is advertising 'twin beds', or furniture. And the little girl in the center of the photo is carrying a dinner pale. The cop is standing somewhere in the middle of the intersection and holding the child in arrest for jaywalking. The large wood building in the photo sits on the corner of Broadway and Globe Street.

Between the Laurel Mill and old clapboard, storefront building is a classic and modest TWO STORY COLONIAL. Very similar to the Whitehead House on Fourth Street. Just beyond it is the Laurel Lake Mills, which still stands today. As I mentioned above, these two story colonials were all over the city and popular early in the nineteenth century and throughout the eighteenth century and all over the country. What a great Photograph. I wonder what all those kids in the photo are doing today?

Below are some before and now images. Click on image to make BIG. (like you don't already know )

[mbhenty]

Ok, here's one more Two Story Colonial.

Though Two Story Colonial architecture has its home in New England, this one is in Springfield, Illinois.

It is almost certainly the most popular if not important Two Story Colonial in the entire country.

Can you guess who's house it was?







.

[Kat]

Those before and after pictures are amazing!! But we gotta have a Dunkin Donuts! Just sayin'
Springfield, you say? On Presidents Day, today? Ah...Abe Lincoln? I like the color scheme.

[mbhenty]

Yes

The color scheme. Very victorian.

And an excellent example of what Victorians would have described as 'flamboyant drab'. I like to think it is a color, or similar color, Lizzie choose for Maplecroft. Towards beige or brown rather than green.

Now I know Lizzie picked the color for 92. If it is indeed the color it is today. But then again, I'm a very dubious fellow and can argue about the color of anything. But if Lizzie did indeed hate living at 92, why would she paint Maplecroft the same color Queer? So what color was 92 Second Street or Maplecroft shortly after Lizzie purchased it? And if so, was it a color Lizzie choose or the previous owner, Allen, picked out.

Don't worry. I will not place my foot in my mouth. I would need to tear into the cedar skin on Maplecroft to do so. Now that being said, I did tear off some shingles when I did some repairs to the siding of Maplecorft. But it was on the extension in the back and did not see any color changes. I can only assume the shingles were changed over the years and the old siding took the true color with them.

I remember a while back, standing in the driveway of Maplecroft with Bill Pavao, in a classic and friendly argument debating the color of Maplecroft when Lizzie had the place.

I prefer the old 'beigie' color of 92 over the 'drab' and sinister green it is now.

It is important to note that the color of the Lincoln House in the post above is a very comparable to the color 92 was before the Leary Press was demolished.

So what color was 92?

Come on... really?

I don't want to get into it.

[mbhenty]

When I think of the color description... drab, I think of what I like to refer to as "New England Drab". A bluish gray, with stress on the gray. Some were more gray while others with the blue battling though.

A good example is the Wilson-James-Milne house in the first photo below which sits on Fourth Street, along with the house in the back just to its left. Towards the lighter 'drab' gray.

Below is a photo of the Davenport house after I tore off the cedar shingles and exposed the clapboard underneath. The next shot is of 92 Second Street. As I mentioned many time previous, this gray was the primary 'drab' that many apartment buildings exhibited in Lizzie's time.

[mbhenty]

Yes, I understand.

Make him stop, make him stop.

But it does not.

So the Two Story Colonial lesson continues.

I was going through my bedroom dresser for the day's attire. When I noticed a painting, print, hanging on the wall above it. And Low and behold there it was. A two story colonial in the print.

The Print is "The Village Elms", by Albert Fitch Bellows. A copy of the painting that hung above the sofa when Andrew Borden was killed. It depicts a village scene in the village of Hadley Massachusetts. Hadley is a town just north of Springfield, Massachusetts and east of Northampton. In the painting, and way off to the right, you see a saltbox, which is an architectural colonial design... basically a modified two story colonial. In colonial times when they needed more room they extended the back of the two story colonial by extending the back roof and letting it sweep down, in some cases, five or six feet from the ground. (but most of the time eight to ten feet)

In the painting you can see the building supports a huge center chimney. These chimneys flared down to its base where they became very large and wide and supported a number of hearths and fireboxes. In old colonials these chimneys were used as part of the foundation where floor beams and rafters rested on and supported the entire building. The practice is no longer done.

Interesting, no?




.

[mbhenty]

Now

Here's something interesting

Adding to the information in the post above. As to the painting by Albert Fitch Bellows, The Village Elms. The painting that hung above the sofa where poor Andrew Borden lay dead.

What a shame how much time and history wiped away. (I don't mean Borden, but the Elms )

The painting is a depiction of a group of elms along a street in South Hadley with a church in the background off to the left.

So I got on the GOOGLE bus, strapped myself to the computer mouse, and took a trip to South Hadley where I found the church depicted in the painting, The Village Elms. It sits on Middle Street almost on the corner of Russell Street in South Hadley, Massachusetts.

Cool, heh?

[Kat]

That is so cool, mb!
Stef told me you had found the town and the church…so I came to look. Thank you for posting that- it’s impressive- and after all this time it’s amazing the church has been preserved!

[mbhenty]

Hey Kat, I hear you are a Vagabond these days. Wise move.

Little story:

I was talking to a buddy of mine the other day, and he was telling me about our friend Bob. Bob lost his sailboat in an accident. He had been sailing since he was a kid. Loves sailing. Bob's actually 75 years old. Bob is not sure whether he wants to buy another sailboat since he has a lot of work to do around the house, like painting, plant new shrubs, fix his gutters. I informed my friend to tell Bob that he is making a good choice. I warned him that he needs to have his house perfect. Because if he dies tomorrow, when he takes his house with him, they will not let him into heaven unless he has new Anderson replacement windows and new vinyl siding and grass cut to no higher than two inches. The heck with sailing or any other activity you love, Bob. Besides, your still a young man. Plenty of time to sail later.

Yes, I thought that finding the church was a fun search, though not very hard.

Proof or evidence to my post or testimony, you can say, is below. Makes one wonder what happened to the original one hanging on the Borden wall and who ended up with it.

[Kat]

Ha! Well, I no longer feel like a vagabond...I've settled very nicely in my new home, now that I have WiFi. I am so glad I don't own any property anymore!

Thanks for the extra effort on the description of how the painting evolved! I'm not sure why you've had no other comments than mine? What you've shown is enough to even have Len interested! It's pretty cool!

[mbhenty]

Yes Kat:

Happy to hear that.

I think this behavior of mine, one you have shaken off, and for the good, is left over from a long line of immigrants, people who came from nothing, and once here, owned some property and that was the entire universe for them, a dream they could never realize in the old country. Such deportment must be inbred in me since I appear to need my little corner of the world, a place I can call mine, and don't you dare step foot on it without my permission, thus living in an apartment or condo doesn't sit well with me, in principle you see, not practice. Though at my age it's really the best move I can make is to sell my house, travel, and see what's left of the world.

Little story:

There was this old neighbor of mine who was getting a new roof. He came over to see mine when he heard that I had just got it done with a 20 year guarantee. He was going to have his done and he was concerned that they were only going to give him a 15 year guarantee on his roof. "The dirty basat--ds are trying to rip me off," he said. He was very concerned. He was 78. A year later he was dead. I worked in his house. He had a three decker. Very neatly kept. Hated immigrants, Vietnamese, Chinese, Portuguese, the French. He was old Irish stock. After he died some Real estate company took over his house and filled it with Vietnamese families. Today it is all rundown. But the roof looks real nice. What was it all about.

But the Bellows/Lizzie painting discovery with the old Elms and church was cool. Makes you wonder who purchase it and hung it on the Borden sitting room wall. Was it Andrew, His wife. Perhaps Lizzie liked it. Though she was probably into European artists. Interesting no less. And looking at the roof on the old church, I wonder what sort of underwriting or warranty they got?

[Kat]

that's a good one...roof warranties sunk me!
So this picture has a copyright date and would be mass produced?
Abbie could pick the furnishings, I'd think.

[Jazzbo1927]

I started this thread a while back and then I momentarily forgot all about it. I come back and wow! Just wanted to say many thanks for all the great information and advice. I've bookmarked this page and will be referring back to it often. BIG THANKS!

[Jazzbo1927]

Also, my grandmother used to tell me they lived directly behind the Borden house, but two streets up. That would certainly jive with No. 143, although it sounds like they would have been living in a different building in 1892 than the one standing there now.

[KGDevil]

I know that I like finding interesting stories about my family in the old newspapers. Sometimes I find out things that I never knew about them. I hope I'm not overstepping by sharing a few stories about your grandmother so you can read them if you've never had the chance to as well. She sounds like she was a very talented lady.

[Jazzbo1927]

Wow — thank you so much! Haven't seen any of these, and I didn't even know she played piano.

[mbhenty]

Someone posted this somewhere. It's the South Main Street Fire Station about 3+ blocks from the Borden house.

The before and after. Contrast. Change is not always for the better.

Sadly, it's only the facade and its stonework that exists.