Grove Street: South from 63 Grove UTM: 180644395E; 4927455N |
|
 Sarah L. Graulty October 4, 2006 |
| This image shows the completed Grove Street improvements looking south from a point at the northern end of the project. McAllister took this photograph from opposite the Wilfred. C. Kirby residence at 63 Grove Street. Kirby owned and operated a plant at 100 Grove Street during this era. In the 1930s and early 1940s, the Burlington directory suggests that Kirby's business grew from "trucking" to "ready mix concrete, contractor, and excavating" in 1954, the approximate year of his death. His wife, Mrs. Madeleine F. Kirby, continued to live at 63 Grove Street and act as administrator of the estate after 1956[1] and the Burlington directory suggests that the plant continued operation at 100 Grove Street until approximately 1974. By November 21, 1940, the date on this photograph, the open quarry depicted in the right foreground of McAllister’s August 15, 1939 image of this same location has been completely filled in from excavation “after having quarried enough stone rubble from the old pit to construct all of the telford stone base for this project”, according to text typed on the back of the photograph.[2] To view an image of the paving project that created the improved street surface seen above, please click here. [1] Burlington City Directory, 1956 (Burlington: H. A. Manning Co., 1916-1986) |
This contemporary photograph reveals the changes made to the area of Grove Street adjacent to the former W. C. Kirby estate. While the fire hydrant on the right edge of the image has remained the same, the area past this point on the right has been transformed into a public space, Schmanska Park. In 1942, very shortly following Grove Street Louis McAllister's photographs, the Parks Commissioners noted in the Annual Report, "An important addition to the city's park system came in the form of two parcels of land, totaling approximately seven acres and located on Grove Street. This was the gift of Mrs. Pearl E. Schmanska, in memory of her late husband, and is to be fully developed for both a summer and winter playground."[1] The park featured a playground, baseball field, skating rink and warm up house, toilet facilities and other attractive facilities. Very soon after its opening, Schmanska Park was already a source of community pride. "A fine spirit of civic cooperation has developed around this park with neighbors joining together along with their children in planning and conducting a wholesome and varied program," wrote W. L. Hammond, Superintendent of Parks, in 1943.[2] Today, the baseball field and skating rink are gone, having been replaced by tennis and basketball courts. Schmanska Park also offers a large playground and indoor meeting facilities in its barn. The historic barn, which appears in several of McAllister's historic photographs, was recently renovated by William Maclay Architects & Planners of Waitsfield, Vermont. The firm's website testifies that all work was done "within historic preservation requirements" and "existing siding, trim, cupola and other historic features were maintained."[3] The barn is obscured by tree growth in contemporary photos taken from McAllister's viewpoints, but to see a picture of the barn as it stands today, please click here.
[1] Burlington City Annual Report, 1942, p. 129 |
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 |
