This view point shows Main Street between Church and St Paul Streets, this photo was taken to document the second major road project, which was to remove all the old rail lines.  This specifically documents the trenches being filled in after the rails were taken out. 

This picture depicts a large block of businesses in downtown Burlington.  Looking at the photo from left to right, the first structure in view is the Flynn Theatre, which was completed in 1930[1]; a bowling alley—which according to the 1943 directory did not last long, the Park Café, and then several offices and Helen’s Beauty Shop were in residence in this group of store fronts.[2]   

[1] Author Unknown, National Register of Historic Places Inventory: City Hall Park Historic District, (U.S. Nation Park Service) 7.

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

The Flynn Theatre still stands today, it was originally opened as a movie theatre in 1930, but in the 1970s was converted to performance hall with the option to have a movable screen so movies could be still be shown.[3]  Today the space is only used as a performance hall and many major recording artists play at the downtown theatre.  Other businesses have moved into the historic store fronts, some of them being, The Bern Gallery and JP’s—a local pub.

[3] Blow pg 201-202

Return to Downtown Burlington, Vermont: Main Street