The new fire station, just completed in 1908, is partially visible on the left followed by M. W. Quinlan’s carriage shop. Visible on the right are John H. Shea, Horse Shoer at 21 Boylston St.; J. O'Day, Stables at 19 Boylston St.; Crawford O' Hart, Tinsmith and Coleman and Horton, Cigars at 11 Boylston St.

The trolley car is from the Boston and Worcester Street Railway Co. The route started at Park Sq. sharing standard trolley tracks then switched to its own B & W tracks at an interchange just west of Chestnut Hill. The route continued to Worcester and the cars could travel at 60 mph once outside the local Boston environs. The telescoped photo obscures the fact that these cars were longer than the local trolley cars running in Brookline.

Looking east at Lower Washington St. from the beginning of Boylston St. From left to right:

• 7 – 11 Boylston St., under construction. The demolition permit for the existing building (9-11 Boylston St.) was granted in July, 1912; construction was completed by the end of the year; and a new address, #7, was added.
• 7 Boylston St.. After many years at 157 Washington St., hairdresser Martin Geier is about to move his business here.
• 5 Boylston St., the fading sign for the grocery store of Francis H. Bacon remains but the business was taken over by Thomas McMahon a number of years ago.
• 166 Washington St., upstairs in the Guild Building. Signs for Forster Bros., Upholsterers and The Brookline Print (Wallace B. Conant and Carl A. Smith), job printers, are visible.
• 157 Washington St., in the distance, the sign for Brookline Provisions is visible.

[Source: Brookline Preservation Department]

Trolley station erected. Small bushes planted on side of station.

From left to right:

• 32 Allerton St., rear, high on the hill (still standing)
• 34 Walnut St., Edward J. Kirker, Real Estate; Brookline Press
• 38 Walnut St.: Mark Bergstein, Tailor
• 40 Walnut St.: Eagle Hand Laundry
• The fire station. Note underground toilets to the left.
• 1 High St.: Michael W. Quinlan, Carriage Mfg.
• 9 High St., brick apartment building, partial view

[Source: Brookline Preservation Department]

The 1909 Knox chemical and hose wagon, the first motorized fire-fighting vehicle purchased by the town. It was known as "Combination A" and ushered in the end of the horse-drawn era. Pictured are:

• George Murray, driver
• John Allen, Assistant Chief, next to the driver
• John O’Neil, rear, first on the left
• Two unidentified men, rear left
• Lt. Frank T. Pons, Sr., at the back
• Lt. Frank Hayes, Sr., rear right

[ref. The Brookline Chronicle, August 22, 1968, pg. 1]

This photo was taken prior to the leveling of the block for the Hearthstone Plaza and the leveling of the entire area then known as “The Marsh”. The business of the Brookline Bulk Candy was deemed by the Brookline Redevelopment Authority to be neighborhood-specific and was relocated across the street at 216 Washington St. By contrast, the Ames Supply Co., partially viewed on the left, was not given an option to relocated nearby.
[Source: Brookline Preservation Department]

The tracks to the “D” subway line lie immediately to the left. The building anchored the northwest corner of the area then known as “The Marsh” that would soon be completely leveled in an urban renewal project. Ames Supply Co. was one of thirteen businesses forced out by the Brookline Redevelopment Authority, being deemed not essential to Village Life and therefore not eligible for local relocation on redeveloped land.
[Source: Brookline Preservation Department]

Fire station #1 and the new trolley island

In the late 1800s Brookline hosted an annual parade on the Fourth of July with elaborate and sometimes outlandish floats and costumes for which prizes were awarded. This photo shows a gathering in front of town hall after the parade.
[Source: Digital Commonwealth]

The float pictured, “Opening of the Liquid Air Railway Line”, won the prize for “best local hit” in the annual Fourth of July parade for 1899. It was a “burlesque” on an imagined future trolley line on Harvard St. powered by the just-developed “liquid air”. This was undoubtedly inspired by the recent lecture delivered to a huge crowd in town hall, on April 4, by William Peckham, an electrical engineer from New York. He had been advancing new manufacturing methods for liquid air and fantastical claims were being made for its potential (a company was developing an automobile named “Liquid Air” with the prediction of being able to travel long distances when powered by liquid air.)

The people on the float are playing various roles imagined for the world of 1950. The parade route: begin Harvard Sq., north on Washington St., right on Park St., right on Beacon St., right on Charles St., left on Sewall Ave., right on Kent St., right on Aspinwall Ave., left on Harvard St., continue south on Washington St. to the Village Sq., right on Boylston St., right on Cypress St. to the playground by Davis Ave.
[ref. Brookline Chronicle, April 8, 1899, pg. 18].
[ref. Brookline Chronicle, July 8, 1899, pg. 4]
[Source: Digital Commonwealth]

Looking at the west side of Washington St. across from Station St. This is most likely a Fourth of July parade. The stores pictured were at this location in 1899 and 1900. From left to right:

• #188, James Terry, Shoe Repair (partial)
• #192, Thomas Mahon and Sons, Plumbers
• #194, Flately and Sweeney, Custom Tailors
• #198, John T. Cahill, Provisions
• #200, James B. Hand, House Painter and Decorator
• #208 Washington St., the Chace building, still standing (partial)

[Source: Brookline Preservation Department]

Washington St., looking west toward Boylston St. From left to right:

• [108 Washington St.] a partial view of Frank Fine, florist
• [34 Walnut St.] J. Edward Kirker, Real Estate (sign on roof)
• [38 Walnut St.] Marks Bergstein, tailor
• [40 Walnut St.] Eagle Hand Laundry
• [Walnut & High] the Union Building which housed the Brookline Friendly Society
• [140 Washington St.] New fire station completed in 1908 and still in use today
• Inbound trolley
• [#166 Washington St.] The Brookline Print sign visible on the Guild Block building

[Source: Joel Shield]

On Lower Washington St., recently completed in September, 1909. On the left is Boylston St. looking west. The grocery store of Thomas F. McMahon is visible behind the left platform. The Sagamore Café, which closed in April 1912, and the drug store of T. E. Burns are visible behind the second station.
[Source: MBTA]

Bushes are larger.

Looking west on Washington St. toward the start of Boylston St.

Village Square, where Washington Street met today's Route 9, was the commercial center of Brookline from the 1840s until after the Civil War. Most of its commercial and residential buildings were replaced by office buildings during the urban renewal of the 1960s. Pictured here are the still existant 1908 fire station and the transfer stations of the Boston Elevated Railway. The rail route was replaced by a bus line in the 1930s, and the rails were removed for scrap steel during World War II.

Standing on today's Rt.9. To the left is the corner of Hose House #1 and Chemical Engine #1. To the right of that, also on Lower Washington St. is P. J. Burns, Horse Shoe Forge. On the upper right, are the High St. businesses of George M. and Thomas K. Forster, Upholsterer and Henry J. Pineo, Carpenter and Builder.
[Source: Digital Commonwealth]

The east side of High St. just south of Walnut St., all buildings demolished. From left to right:

• The Brookline Friendly Society
• 16 High St. apartment building
• 18 High St. the Brookline Screen and Shade Co.
• 20 High St. apartment building

[Source: Brookline Preservation Department]

Just west of Brookline Village center. Only the fire station remains standing.
[Source: Olmsted]

North side of Boylston, numbers 45, 43, 41. In the far distance: on the left is the new town hall, in the middle is the Baptist Church on Harvard St., on the right is the top of Panter’s building.

From Photographs of Brookline: taken about 1876 / Richard Hills. Call No.: BROOKLINE/Special (CAGE B.R. 974 H6), Brookline Public Library.
[Source: Brookline Preservation Department]