Main Street, up a bit from #11

Louis McAllister, February 1944
Facing East

Sara Casten, October 2006
Facing East, 180642314E 4926207N UTM

Taken in 1944, McAllister was documenting the use of salt with the advancement in the snow removal process.  As can be seen in the photograph the road is completely clear and snow had only fallen a few hours earlier.[1] 

Most of the smaller buildings on the left side of the street are small apartments and the Burlington Memorial Auditorium stands in the background.  Across the street are several businesses, most of them are automotive related, as either services stations or for selling auto parts.  There is one restaurant, Norses, and the sign is visible painted on the side of the building very close to the Amco sign on the building next to it.[2]

 

[1] Author Unknown, this is referencing the caption written on the back of the photo.

[2] Burlington City Directory, H.A. Manning, 1943

234 and 236 Main Street, located on the left side of the road still stand today, but most apartment buildings have been demolished in their place are parking lots and the now vacant mid town motel.  The Burlington Memorial Auditorium is now very prevalent in this picture as most of the large elm trees have vanished due to disease.  The Auditorium is no longer used as a hall, but is now home to Burlington City Arts, and many artists’ studios.  On the right side of the street all of the small businesses are gone, and there spaces have been replaced by a large brick building with the blue awnings called Perrywinkles, a jewelry store.   However, one apartment remains in view, the green two story building still stands, by looking at the slope of the roof it is clearly the same building as in the 1944 McAllister photo.  According the National Register this building was erected in 1865.[3] 

 

[3] Author Unknown, National Register of Historic Places Inventory: Main-College Street Historic District, (U.S. Nation Park Service) Section 7 pg 11

 

Return to Downtown Burlington, Vermont: Main Street

 

Historic Burlington Project
Depression Era Streetscapes: Old North End | Burlington 1890 | Burlington 1877 | Burlington 1869 | Burlington 1853 | Burlington 1830
Produced by University of Vermont Historic Preservation Program graduate students in HP 206 Researching Historic Structures and Sites - Prof. Thomas Visser - in collaboration with UVM Landscape Change Program
Historic images courtesy of University of Vermont Library Special Collections, Louis L. McAllister Photograph Collection