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Shelburne Road Looking South from Englesby Ravine UTM 18 0642528E, 4924209N |
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| Imagine turning around 180 degrees from the previous image pair. McAllister took this photograph of Shelburne Road looking south, from just north of Englesby Ravine and in front of what was then the Henry Bacon residence at #281 Shelburne Road. The southern end of the concrete curbing and sidewalk laid in 1932’s road widening project is visible in the foreground. To the south, we look out on open space and the beginning of farmland. Along the left large elm trees line the road and to the right are open fields. Two large billboards are visible at the edge of the field and in the distance, a lone house is visible. This is #385 Shelburne Road. According to historian David Blow, this house was built in 1893-94. [1] The 1893 City Directory confirms that Charles W. Scarff, the building’s first owner lived here. [2] Scarff was a real estate broker and is perhaps best known as the co-developer of “The Ferguson & Scarff Addition” 18 city blocks along Shelburne Road encompassed by Home Avenue to the south and Flynn Avenue to the north. Scarff along with A. O. Ferguson purchased a farm of approximately 100 acres, belonging to the Foster family to create this development. [3] Flynn Avenue, in fact, runs just in front of the his home in this picture, and a few buildings which were no doubt part of this development are visible to the right along this street (then called Park Avenue). In 1908 Scarff and his family moved to Seattle and he sold this house to H. A. Doten, manager of the Grand Union Tea Company on 55 Church Street. By 1933, when McAllister took this photograph, it was the home of Carrie White. [4][1] David J. Blow, Historic Guide to Burlington Neighborhoods (Burlington: Chittenden County Historical Society, 1997), 80. |
With such a dramatic change in the landscape it is hard to imagine this is the same place. At the left, the loss of the wall of elm trees is striking. The telephone and utility poles remain, but are now more noticeable. The large concrete building just visible at the left is the Hickock and Boardman Place, an office building built in the mid-seventies. [5]
To the right, the changes are also substantial. Billboards were outlawed in Vermont in the mid-sixties, but without an open field, it is hard to imagine they would remain regardless of the law. The field has been filled in and paved over, and Englesby Ravine filled. A China Express restaurant, Shell Gas station, and two car dealerships now stand between this spot and the intersection of Shelburne Road and Flynn Avenue. Construction along this stretch of Shelburne Road began in 1946 with a Shearer Chevrolet garage at #333 Shelburne Road. By 1950 there was also a grocery store, clothing store and laundry here as well, and in 1976 the gas station was built, along with a Kentucky Fried Chicken at #295 Shelburne Road. [6] The parking lot of #295, now a China Express is visible in the foreground. With all of this new construction, the house at #385 Shelburne Road is no longer even visible. Despite the mass of construction, this house does still stand today and is still a residential building, though evidence from the directory suggests it has been converted to rental apartments. [5] City Directory, 1976. |
 Louis McAllister July 12, 1933 |
 Louis McAllister May 15, 1934 |
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These three images are sequential, documenting a road project completed between 1933 and 1935 on this section of Shelburne Road. Click on any of the photographs to see enlarged images and descriptions. |
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 |
