Standing on Beacon St., Carlton St. going north to the right; just offscreen to the right is the house of John Ruggles. This is a school house that was built around the time of the widening of Beacon St. in 1851. There is no evidence that it was ever a public school. There is a record of its use as a private school in 1871 by M. Fannie Welbasky. Welbasky (1841-1922) periodically operated “Miss Welbasky’s Home School for Girls” at various locations in Brookline until 1889. She had an interesting history. Her father was a recent immigrant from Russian and her mother, coincidentally named Susan Ruggles Plympton, was from an established early-European-settler family. Her mother apparently separated from her father shortly after their marriage. Her daughter never married and mother and daughter lived together, mostly in Brookline, until the mother’s death in 1885.

The school building was likely removed for the 1887 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: Digital Commonwealth]

William B. Chaplin's house and stable are visible 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: Digital Commonwealth]

This photo may show the beginning of work for the widening of Beacon St. The group of men in the background are felling a tree; the piles of dirt might surround a tree stump; the fence along Beacon is being dismantled.

From the 1887 photo series taken just before the widening of Beacon St., most likely by Augustine H. Folsom, a Boston photographer.
[Source: Digital Commonwealth]

On the north side of Beacon Street is the Amory Estate. In the far distance is the carriage house of Charles Cotting on Hawes St. On the near right is the estate of David Sears on Kent St.

From the 1887 photo series taken just before the widening of Beacon St., most likely by Augustine H. Folsom, a Boston photographer.
[Source: Digital Commonwealth]

The left border of the photo is Beacon St. going west toward Powell. The Amory Estate is 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: Digital Commonwealth]

Looking north from Beacon. Powell St. is just off to the left. Built in 1846, located at today's 20 Amory Street (Amory Park is toward the right), the house burned down after the death of Anna Amory in 1895. The post system that surrounded the Amory property can be seen on the left along with the stone tunnel under Powell St. for the creek.

From the 1887 photo series taken just before the widening of Beacon St., most likely by Augustine H. Folsom, a Boston photographer.
[Source: Digital Commonwealth]

William Amory estate viewed on the hill.

From the 1887 photo series taken just before the widening of Beacon St., most likely by Augustine H. Folsom, a Boston photographer.
[Source: Brookline Preservation Department]

Beacon St. looking west is on the far right. In the middle are the house and outbuildings of Charles Stearns. In the far-left corner of the photo, the steeple of the Harvard Congregational Church on Harvard St. can be glimpsed. The house blocking the view of the church may be that of J. G. Stearns on Longwood Ave. The fencing behind it is probably tracing Sewall Ave.

This is one of two unusual early photos taken in this area, it is probably date before 1880.

From the 1887 photo series taken just before the widening of Beacon St., most likely by Augustine H. Folsom, a Boston photographer.
[Source: Brookline Preservation Department]

The building of carpenter Josiah N. Christie, with a sign hanging in front, is in the distance along the edge of Beacon. On the right is the house of Marshall Stearns and at the center is the house of Edward Serrano Dane.

From the 1887 photo series taken just before the widening of Beacon St., most likely by Augustine H. Folsom, a Boston photographer.
[Source: Digital Commonwealth]

Looking north from Beacon St. The house at 36 Browne St. is visible on the left, no longer standing.

From the 1887 photo series taken just before the widening of Beacon St., most likely by Augustine H. Folsom, a Boston photographer.
[Source: Brookline Preservation Department]

On the north side of Beacon, the Coolidge & Brother store is barely visible in the center, behind trees.
Next is the James Whitney house on the corner of Pleasant Street, then the John G. Stearns house at 24 Pleasant Street, and finally the complex of the James Stearns house at 31 Pleasant Street, seen from the rear with conservatory and carriage house (left to right, respectively).
Left, on the south side of Beacon Street, you may see a horse & carriage approaching the C. H. Stearns house.

From the 1887 photo series taken just before the widening of Beacon St., most likely by Augustine H. Folsom, a Boston photographer.
[Source: Digital Commonwealth]

Viewed from 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: Digital Commonwealth]

Beacon St. is running along the left border of the photo, the turn onto Pleasant is just visible in the foreground. On the left, in the distance, is the Coolidge & Brother store.

From the 1887 photo series taken just before the widening of Beacon St., most likely by Augustine H. Folsom, a Boston photographer.
[Source: Digital Commonwealth]

Near left is the side of the old school house that was torn down for the widening. In the far distance is the watering station in fron of the Coolidge & Brother store.

From the 1887 photo series taken just before the widening of Beacon St., most likely by Augustine H. Folsom, a Boston photographer.
[Source: Digital Commonwealth]

Looking west on Beacon St. to the left and north on Harvard St. This unique and detailed photograph shows the Coolidge and Brother store, the only store over the entire length of Beacon St. in Brookline at the time. Seen from left to right:

• Large house on Corey Hill in the distance
• Hay barn and watering trough
• Coolidge and Brother store which was opened in 1857 and was now owned by Merrill V. Brown, who had worked as a clerk in the store and took it over when William D. Coolidge died in 1884.
• Homes on both sides of Harvard St., there were no other stores in Coolidge Corner yet.
• The photographer’s box on the sidewalk.

From the 1887 photo series taken just before the widening of Beacon St., most likely by Augustine H. Folsom, a Boston photographer.
[Source: Historic New England]

Going east on Beacon to the right. Hay barn on the left, horse drinking at the watering fountain to 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: Digital Commonwealth]

Looking west on Beacon St. The water trough is at corner of Harvard St. in front of the Coolidge & Brother Store. Across the street is the Andrew J. Harrington house which was moved to Longwood Ave. after the widening of Beacon St. To its right is the house of Glidden W. Joy.

From the 1887 photo series taken just before the widening of Beacon St., most likely by Augustine H. Folsom, a Boston photographer.
[Source: Digital Commonwealth]

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]

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]

Looking east from the corner of Beacon & Webster Ave., one block west of Coolidge Corner. The William Coolidge house is in the foreground followed by the Glidden W. Joy house to its left. Webster Ave. goes to the right. The Coolidge house was moved to Williams St. after 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: Digital Commonwealth]