Brookline Historical Society
Photo Collection

Harvard St. 367-375 ,1910
Corner of Beals St. The Dutch-design influenced #373, along with #375 (on the right), were built in 1899; designed by architect Walter Kilham.
Harvard St. near Allston Border, Early 1900s
Looking NE from Corey Hill. Harvard St. bisects the photo from left to right. Below Harvard St., center left, is Kenwood St. and center right is Columbia St., both newly created. Above Harvard St., in the center of the photo, is the large house on the estate of James F. Ayer. Bordering the estate on the right, is Thorndike St.
[Source: Iowa State]
Harvard St., August 22, 1918
This is the one-story building in the middle of what was known as the “Rooney Block” and still stands today. Henry Collins and Thomas H. Dyer were partners at this location from about 1873 – 1877. Dyer left to work at the provisions store of Hartwell & Skinner in Boston's New Faneuil Hall Market and, by 1883, had returned to Brookline to open his own store in the nearby Panter Building. When Dyer left, this store became Henry Collins & Co., Provisions.

In the window, the reflection of the Seaman’s Co. building, situated directly across Washington St. on the northwest corner with Davis Ave , is clearly visible.
[Source: Brookline Preservation Department]
Babcock Hill, circa 1900
Looking west from Babcock St., the top of Summit Ave. is in the distance. From left to right:
  • Tower of the Devotion fire house, no longer standing
  • Rear of the Gallagher house (still stands) which faces Devotion St.
  • Houses on Naples Rd
  • Babcock Hill which was leveled to fill in Babcock Pond making way for new developments.

Green St., March 1933
Looking toward Dwight St. Photo by town engineer, Henry A. Varney, whose car is in the photo, foreground left. Varney routinely parked his car within the range of his photos, often with a door open.
[Source: Brookline Preservation Department]
Devotion St. Engine House
Looking south from the Babcock Pond waters. Babcock Pond was part of a creek system flowing south from Commonwealth Ave. and was filled in soon after this photo was taken. From left to right:
  • 63 Babcock St. (speculative)
  • The duplex house at 9/11 Devotion St., still standing
  • Devotion fire house on the north side of Devotion St.
  • Rear of houses and carriage houses on Babcock St.

Hose Company #3
Located on the south side of Boylston St. east of Reservoir Rd. It opened in January 1891 and was eventually replaced by the current Station 4 located across the street at 827 Boylston St. Two years later the fire house on Devotion St. opened with a virtually identical front façade and doors.
Devotion St. Engine House
The station was opened in 1893 on Devotion St. to serve the North Brookline area where farm land was being rapidly transformed into housing developments. The front façade and doors were virtually identical to those of Hose Company #3 which had just opened in 1891. The station was later replaced by the current Fire Station 5 at 49 Babcock St.

Shown is the Amoskeag Steam Engine #2 which was acquired in Spring 1896 and later moved to the Washington Sq. station when the latter opened in late 1899.
Devotion House, Rear, 1897
[Source: Digital Commonwealth]
Edward Devotion House Rear, 1904
347 Harvard St., Devotion House, circa 1898
The barn of the Edward Devotion house has been demolished in preparation for the construction of the new wing of the Devotion School. On the extreme left, the corner of 20 Stedman St., constructed in 1898, is barely visible next to the tree. There is a small outbuilding just to the left of the Devotion house, not seen in older photos or viewed on atlases of the time. Its purpose and origin have not yet determined. The rear of the newly-built Combination Engine fire house on Devotion St. can be seen along with a small section of its tower. To the right is the carriage barn of 60 Babcock St. and the long fence going behind the properties on Babcock St.
[Source: Digital Commonwealth]
347 Harvard St., Devotion House
On the left is a small outbuilding, not seen in older photos or viewed on atlases of the time, whose purpose and origin have not yet determined. Directly behind it, the rear corner of the newly-built Combination Engine fire house on Devotion St. can be glimpsed. To the right of the fire house is the carriage barn of 60 Babcock St. and the long fence going behind the properties on Babcock St. On the far right is the 1892 Devotion School building.
[Source: Digital Commonwealth]
Harvard St., Corner Babcock St.
335 – 315 Harvard St. The post office at 331 Harvard St. and the American Oriental Rug Co. at 321 Harvard St. are identified. Babcock St. is at the extreme right. The building still stands but with a greatly modified exterior.
[Source: Brookline Preservation Department]
Harvard St. Across From Naples Rd.
Looking southeast from Fuller St. toward Coolidge Corner. Right: 406 Harvard St., no longer stands. Center: 402 Harvard St., the 3-store brick building still stands today as part of a longer row of stores. Note Krotki's Pharmacy.
[Source: Olmsted]
Harvard St. at Coolidge St., circa 1929
  • The corner of Morgan Bros. Creamery at 435 Harvard St.
  • Coolidge St.
  • The house of John Nathan at 429 Harvard St., no longer standing.
  • The House of Liederman, Cleansers, 425 Harvard St., still standing
  • William Epstein, meats, at 423A Harvard St., still standing
  • M. Winer and Co., grocers, at 423 Harvard St., still standing
  • H. and B. Browner, grocers, at 421 Harvard St., still standing

[Source: Brookline Preservation Department]
Beals St.
Beals St., 1935
Looking toward Harvard St. from #57
[Source: Brookline Preservation Department]
David Sullivan Coolidge House, 470 Harvard St.
Coolidge's Corner, the original name of Coolidge Corner, was named for the Coolidge & Brother store he built for his younger brothers William and George on the northwest corner Harvard and Beacon Streets. David's son, Henry, lived at 488 Harvard St.
[Source: Digital Commonwealth]
Browne St., November 1915
Looking north toward Freeman St.
[Source: Olmsted]
41 Winslow Rd.
House of W. J. Sullivan, still standing. Houses on Osborne Rd., still standing, are visible to the left.
[Source: Historic New England]
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