This image shows the streetcar track running down the center of North Street as well as various businesses and stores that occupied this vital intersection in the early part of the twenthieth century. Further down the left side of the street the tower of the old Lawrence Barnes School rises above the roofline. Built in 1897 the stone and masonary building was demolished sixty years later to make room for the new Lawernce Barnes School in order to accomadate an increase in students. [1] Of the half-a-dozen structures clearly visible in the image, only two are still standing today. One stands on the right side of the image, the three story brick building built in 1904 by Eugene Gosselin [2] survived the fires that claimed the majority of structures at this corner between 1972 and 1978. [3]

The image on the right depicts the same intersection some seventy-five years later from a similar angle of view and perspective. Here we clearly see the devastation wrecked by the fires of the 1970’s.  In 1972 the first fire to strike the corner consumed eight buildings on the corner south corner of North Street and Elmwood Avenue occupied currently T. Ruggs Tavern and Joe’s Off-the-Top barbershop. [1] Six years later, On October 23, 1978 fire hit the opposite corner leveling the Solomon Block that formerly occupied the now vacant lot. [2] With the absence of the Solomon Block the three-story brick building at 194 North Street is more visible.  Nhat Long Oriental Market operates on the first floor with rental apartments above. From 1916 to the late 1970’s the building was occupied by Mazel’s [3] , a store opened founded by Russian immigrant Morris Mazel, who began his sales career in the early 1900’s as Burlington street merchant. Eventually the store outgrew the brick building as well as the Mazel’s name, and would move to Williston Road under the new moniker, “Gaynes.” [4]   Visible past 194 is 184 North Street, currently the home an African market. The 1930’s the Gelineau Bakery operated in the two-story gable roofed building, later becoming the Gelineau Agency. [5]

An interesting detail in the current image is the recent addition of ornamental street posts.  They bare a striking resemblance to those installed during the construction work of the 1930’s and visible in many of the McAllister photographs of this period.