Brookline Historical Society
Photo Collection

Harvard St. Stores
West side, Coolidge Corner to the left
[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., 1924
Standing at newly-constructed 59 Green St. looking toward Harvard St. The pillars of 55 Green St., still standing, are visible on the left followed by the rear of a house on John St. which had not yet been extended to the right over to Babcock St. Photo by town engineer, Henry A. Varney, whose car is in the photo (with the open door).
[Source: Digital Commonwealth]
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.

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:
  • Carriage house of 63 Babcock St. (speculative)
  • 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.

[Source: Digital Commonwealth]
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.
Edward Devotion House, Harvard St.
One of the oldest colonial structures in Brookline, owned and operated by the Historical Society. Constructed in its present state in 1740 with parts dating from 1680.
347 Harvard St, Edward Devotion House
Devotion House, Rear, 1897
[Source: Digital Commonwealth]
347 Harvard St, Edward Devotion House, Rear
[Source: Digital Commonwealth]
Edward Devotion House Rear, 1904
347 Harvard St., Edward Devotion House
Shown before the development of the Babcock Pond area and the 1898 erection of the left wing of the Devotion School. The barn is still standing and the fencing around the pond stream is visible in the rear.
[Source: Historic New England]
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]
347 Harvard St., Devotion House, 1914
Construction materials can be seen by the car in front of the newly-built third building of the Devotion School which is still standing.
[Source: Historic New England]
Beacon St. Between Harvard St. and Webster Ave, 1887
Glidden W. Joy house. Andrew J. Harrington house is to the left, the William Coolidge house if off screen on the right.

From the 1887 photo series taken just before the widening of Beacon St., most likely by Augustine H. Folsom, a Boston photographer.
[Source: Joel Shield]
Beacon St. Between Harvard St. and Webster Ave., 1887
Glidden W. Joy house.The porch will be removed and the road edge will be much closer to the house with the widening of Beacon St.

From the 1887 photo series taken just before the widening of Beacon St., most likely by Augustine H. Folsom, a Boston photographer.
[Source: Joel Shield]
Widening of Beacon St. at Coolidge Corner, circa 1888
Looking east from Coolidge Corner at the circa 1888. The Coolidge & Brother store is on the left. On the right side of Beacon St., from left to right, are:
  • House of Charles Stearns, newly relocated away from the former edge of Beacon St.
  • Intersection with Harvard St.
  • Empty area where the Andrew Harrington had been. It was moved to Longwood Ave.
  • House of Glidden W. Joy, with the front porch removed and situated closer to the street after the widening.

[Source: Digital Commonwealth]
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