South Union Street: South from Main Street UTM: 180642442E; 4926320N |
 Louis L. McAllister 1930 |
 Sarah L. Graulty October 29, 2006 |
Louis McAllister, charged with making photographic records of public works projects for the city of Burlington, captured this image in 1930 during the removal of the streetcar rails. The Annual Report from that year notes that the street department took up rails and brick liners (visible in the image’s foreground) and laid down a “stone-filled-sheet-asphalt surface”[1] on South Union Street from the Main Street intersection continuing to the south side of Adams Street. This photograph was taken from the north end of the project at Main Street looking south. In this image, the tracks and brick liners have been removed, but the city has not yet made surface repairs. Burlington extracted rails like these throughout the city after switching from streetcars to busses. The funds for this removal and resurfacing work on South Union were provided by the Burlington Rapid Transit Company, who paid $1330.00 to the city in 1930.[2] This image shows several houses south of the Main Street-South Union Street intersection. 153 South Union Street, on the corner, is distinguished by its 2-story front entrance porch with square posts and Doric capitals on the first floor and a wood paneled base, square posts, and metal screens on the second floor. The South Union Street Historic District National Register nomination states that this house, built circa 1845, is one of the oldest buildings on the street.[3] In the 1860s, it belonged to Dr. Thomas Bigelow, a Burlington physician. Dr. Bigelow is first listed in the 1866-67 city directory as having his “office at house, corner of Union and Main streets”. By 1969-70’s directory, Dr. Bigelow is listed at Van Ness House in Burlington and it appears that he dies soon after. The Historic District nomination reports that a 2.5-story wing was added to the house in 1877 and a 2-story rear ell went up at the west elevation soon after.[4] In the 1930 Burlington directory, the year of the above photograph, this building serves as the home and office of Dr. Harry M. Loudon, osteopath. Next door to 153 South Union Street is #159-157, a transitional Queen Anne/Colonial Revival duplex characterized by two symmetrical 2.5-story projecting gabled bays with bow fronts. The building was constructed after 1894 and before 1900, judging by Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps.[5] The National Register nomination for this district suggests that the building was built in for Mrs. Margaret McSweeney, “possibly by the local builder D. W. C. Clapp, whose building at 33 South Willard Street exhibits similar massing and stylistic detailing”[6]. Mrs. McSweeney was never a tenant in either of the building’s apartments and the 1890 directory also states that Mrs. Margaret McSweeney died on December 24, 1889. In 1930, the building has several tenants, including Lillian L. Ward, a musician. The third building in this row of houses is 163 South Union Street, a colonial revival built circa 1893, but altered significantly in the early 1920s.[7] In 1919, Dr. Harry M. Loudon, who later moved into 153 South Union, two doors up the street, is lived at this house[8] but in 1920, the building is marked “under repair” in the city directory. By 1921, Dr. Oliver Eastman, a local physician and surgeon, is living and working in the renovated house. His fellow physician, Herbert A. Durfee, also practiced medicine in the building briefly but by 1923, the city directory lists only Eastman. Dr. Eastman was still at this address in 1930, the year that Louis McAllister took this photograph.[1] Burlington City Annual Report, 1930, p. 224 |
Now, all three of these houses contain apartments. Very little exterior changes are apparent, with the exception of a roof over the entrance of #163 that was added between 1938 and 1942[1]. Across the street, the Edmunds School added a new gymnasium and auditorium on the southwest portion of its lot. This addition, first used in September 1952, is now visible in the left hand portion of the above image.
[1] Sanborn Fire insurance Map, Burlington, VT, 1938, 1942.
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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 |