Louis McAllister March 13th, 1940 (18T 0642217 4927281)

The photograph’s subject was the street name signs just placed along North Street from North Winooski to North Avenue. Beyond the street signs are the addresses of 248 and 250-260 North Street.  New stores have entered the large building in the foreground, since the 1930's McAllister photograph.

During the ten years between McAllister’s photographs the Wright Bookshop moved across the street 2 . Bookshop can be read on the first awning-covered window from this photograph.  A comparison of the footprints of 249 North Street and 260 North Street, show the later to be much larger, indicating the bookstore’s move was due to its growth and need for a larger space.  There appears to be a new barbershop wedged in between the café space and the bookstore.  A bakery still remains on the side of the building nearest Kirby’s Radio Shop.  The sign for Kirby's Radio Shop can be spotted at the rear of the building.

Lucy Pittman October 18th, 2005

Today the building at 250-260 North Street is solely residential.  There are no fanciful inviting storefronts as seen in the 1940's photograph of McAllister.   The store bays have been clapboarded and converted into more private rental units. The shift in North Street from a commercial and residential area to a residential one has closed off the personality and decoration that once characterized the thriving neighborhood.

Recent street signs possess stoplights and do not label the intersection in the manner of the originals.