West Side between Cherry and Bank Streets

By Joseph Cava

Introduction

In Vermont, Ethan Allen rallied the Green Mountain Boys during the Revolutionary War and Benedict Arnold ruled over the shores of Lake Champlain during the War of 1812. Once the wars were won, little is spoken of the role Burlington played in Vermont and how it grew as one of Vermont’s largest cities. In history books a story is told about nations and its conquerors, but very little is written about the people that make up these places. This is the story of Church Street in its quest for commercialization and how it has blossomed into the pedestrian marketplace it is today and the role it continues to play.

Before Church Street became the commercial, historic district it is today, it was once a rural residential sector in the Village of Burlington, Vermont. Evidence outlined by surveyors like W. Coit and John Johnson’s maps shows the west side of Church Street between Bank and Cherry Streets divided into five individually labeled plots 286 through 290 running north to south.² In 1830, Ammi B. Young published a Plan of Burlington Village showing the outlines of existing structures. Of the five plots outlined along the west side of Church Street there were only three structures built. A survey conducted by Johnson in 1833 showed the same plan three years following Young’s Plan of Burlington Village.⁴ In 1869 when the Sanborn Fire Insurance Map (Figure 1) was released almost all evidence of residential structures along the west side of Church Street between Cherry and Bank Streets had been demolished for the construction of the Central Block, Union Block, and Central House.⁵

In 1865, L. D. Turrill was the proprietor of the Central House.⁶ Though little is written about the Central House on Church Street, its advertisement in the 1865 Burlington city directory details the primitive lodgings available before the introduction of mass hotel chains. Sixteen years following the 1869 Sanborn a new fire insurance map was drawn in 1885. The 1885 map showed that the Central House had been demolished and was replaced by a six bay Italianate style building (Figure 2) renamed the Central House Block.⁷ No new construction occurred on the west side of Church Street between Cherry and Bank Streets until the 1894  Sanborn was released. The 1894 Sanborn is notable because the remaining lot space had been filled by the construction of the Barrows Block.⁸ The Barrows Block compared to its counterparts along the west side of Church Street between Cherry and Bank Streets is unique because it doesn’t fit the Italianate style heavily represented along this corridor of Church Street. Stylistically the Barrows Block is a three bay, modern masonry structure with elliptical windows. Another character defining feature is its spire on top separating it from the surrounding flat roofed Italianate style structures. The final structural modification to be made on this sector of Church Street was the construction of the nine bay Italianate style building on the northwest corner of Church and Cherry Streets in 1899.⁹

37 – 39, 41-45  Church

The start of 37 Church Streets begins with a brick dwelling, two and a half stories in height on the northwest corner of Cherry and Church Streets. The release of the 1885 Sanborn fire insurance map supports that the building material of the Italianate style residence on the corner of Church and Cherry Streets was brick.¹⁰ The property is labeled as plot 286 on Johnson’s survey map of Burlington.¹¹  Visual evidence of the building’s footprint is seen in the 1853 Presdee & Edwards Map of Burlington on the northwest corner of Cherry and Church Streets.¹² This brick dwelling was the home of William A. Griswold and later the firm and residence of J. A. Shedd.¹³ Though street numbers had not been incorporated in the Burlington city directories yet Shedd is listed again in the Union Block in a business partnership with Walkers who was a dealer in glass and tinware.¹⁴ Shedd’s brick residence stood beside the Italianate style Central House Block and shows that residential buildings could still be found on the upper blocks of Church Street as late as the 1880s.

After the demolition of the brick residence the history of properties around 37 Church Street grew into one of the largest and longest running businesses on the west side of Church Street between Cherry and Bank Streets. Since 1899 this was the site of F. W. Woolworth Company 5 and 10 Cent Store (Figure 3) managed by E. B. Wood.¹⁵ The store was located on the ground floor level of a fashionable Italianate style brick structure at 37-39 Church Street on the corner of Cherry Street.¹⁶ By 1944 with growing business, Woolworth’s expanded and took over the ground floor of the neighboring contemporary building.¹⁷ In 1964 Woolworth’s opened one of its largest department stores in New England after it had demolished the two buildings and constructed a new Art Deco style structure (Figure 4). With its decline caused by financial burdens in the 1980s, F. W. Wooldworth Co. began closing its New England franchise department stores. Its department store on Church Street was one of its last stores in New England before it closed its doors in 1998.¹⁸

The Art Deco style structure has since served a variety of chain stores, including Old Navy after Woolworth’s closed in 1998.  It was later split between Panera Bread and Outdoor Gear Exchange. When Panera Bread announced it was closing its Church Street location, Outdoor Gear Exchange jumped at the opportunity to expand its business throughout the entire building. Today the building still stands as an anchor point for recreational enthusiests and adventure seekers alike. Like many shopfronts on Church Street, a glass canopy was added in 1981 to the front of the building and trees have been planted amongst the newly laid brickwork from the early 1980s

47-55 Church

The construction of the Central Block in the 1860s created a catalyst for moving the west side of Church Street between Cherry and Bank Streets from its pre-residential existence into a commercialized sector of Downtown Burlington. Apart from the Central Block, another Italianate style block, known as the Central House Block, was constructed at what is now 47-55 Church Street. Like many of the businesses located in the Central Block, health practitioners like H. E. Colvin, who was a homeopathic physician and surgeon, with an office he operated out of his private residence at 49 Church Street in 1881.¹⁹

In 1930 the Central House Block was demolished to make room for S. S. Kresge Company’s new department store.²⁰ After construction of the department store was complete the Central House Block was renamed the Kresge Block. The S. S. Kresge department store had a good business career if 35 years on Church Street. In 1965 when it went out of business it was replaced by the Jupiter department store.²¹ Unfortunately Jupiter’s time on Church Street was short lived when the Kresge Block was torn down for the construction of the new suburban styled mall in 1976.

Today, 49 Church Street is the entrance of what remains of the Burlington Town Center Mall. Nearly five decades ago the mall was constructed in the 1976 as part of an Urban Renewal zone in Burlington that leveled a 27-acre portion of the downtown.²² The mall’s Church Street entrance was originally an open metal framework design as seen in . In a competition for designers of the new mall, local architectural firm Alexander & Truex Architects were chosen over competitors like Burlington Associates; Freeman French Freeman; Colin Lindberg; and a group called “Volume 1” to design the new mall. The qualifications that added to their firm being chosen was Truex’s experience as a former Burlington Planning Commission chairman and Alexander’s experience as a member on the city’s Bicentennial Committee.²³ The design of the mall was Burlington’s primary bicentennial project. The iron framework entrance was later enclosed with a brick façade with skylights. At the time it was thought that a suburban-style mall that cut off St. Paul and Cherry Street’s was deemed necessary for the economic development of Downtown Burlington.

In 2013 the mall was purchased for $25 million by developer, Don Sinex to construct a new tall building (Figure 5) capped off at 14 stories called CityPlace Burlington. CityPlace is projected to cost $225 million and will replace the outdated Burlington Town Center Mall. Sinex plans the new space to be a culmination of retail, office, and residential space along with a brand-new parking garage.²⁴ The plan for CityPlace also re-incorporates St. Paul and Cherry Streets as through streets initially cut off by the construction of the Burlington Town Center Mall. Recent delays in August 2018 have delayed Sinex’s construction progress, but he hopes to have retail space and the parking garage open by early 2020 with everything completed by January 2021.

57-59, 61-75 Church

In the 1869 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map the Union Block, 57-59 Church Street, and the Central Block, 61-75 Church Street (Figure 6) first appeared on the Church Street Landscape. The Union Block and Central Block are matching Italianate style brick structures covering almost half of the shopfronts on the west side of Church Street between Cherry and Bank Streets. In its prime businesses were located on all three stories often run out of people’s personal homes.²⁵ The fashionable, three story Union Block was demolished in the 1970s as part of the Urban Renewal project that yielded the Burlington Town Square Mall and in its place two small ground floor shopfronts (Figure 7) were constructed. Hatley is located at 59 Church Street and Zinnia’s at 57 Church Street. Hatley is a parent company of Little Blue House located at 63 Church Street. Hatley’s specializes in pre-teen  and women’s clothing. After the demolition of the Union Block the remaining Central Block reduced the Italianate style shopfronts to a third of the street sector. With changing standards for business operations most businesses have been confined to the ground floor with apartments and studio spaces on the upper two stories.

61, 63, 65 Church

Like the Woolworth Company, Bertha Church Intimate Apparel, located at 61 Church Street also has a long history of operation on Church Street in Burlington. Bertha Church first appeared in 1940 when she lived on the second floor of 59 Church Street.²⁶ Mrs. Church During this time her business was not referred to as an intimate apparel shop but was a dressmaker. Mrs. Church later added corsetiere services in 1960.²⁷ In 1963, Bertha Church moved across the street to 68 Church Street.²⁸ After its transition across the street Bertha Church underwent changes in its name and services offered. As its new name suggests, Bertha Church, Inc. Intimate Apparel Shop, the demographic of clientele has shifted.²⁹ The physical manifestation of the sexual revolution of the 60s is raising awareness to changing trends and how a business evolves over time to meet the needs of a changing society. In 1992, Bertha Church: Intimate Apparel, was located at 66 Church Street, but transitioned across the street to 61 Church Street. The store is owned by Tom Racine and is managed by Jeanette Racine.³⁰

Little Blue House, located at 63 Church Street, is a children’s clothing store. It is a subsidiary of Hatley which is located at 59 Church Street. Hatley: The Little Blue House as the company is known starts up in 1986. Similar to the startup origins of Hatley, Lake Champlain Chocolates was also founded in the 1980s. It is located at 65 Church Street and was opened in 1983. Both these companies represent the ability if small startup companies to succeed in an urban environment like Burlington.

71, 73, 75 Church

Ken’s Deli and Pub first appeared on Church Street in 1978 (Figure 8) and occupied 71-73 Church Street.³¹ Plans were underway to close off thru traffic on Church Street and turn it into a pedestrian marketplace. This business, like Bertha Church, represents a change in existing conditions and adaptations to create and adopt a new business model. During the summer months Ken’s is a regular part of life on Church Street with outdoor tables and chairs stretching halfway into the brick paved street.

Evolving trends like the introduction of photography in the latter half of the 19th century was reflected in businesses that began to appear on Church Street. One such business was L. G. Burnham & Company, incorporated in 1879. L. G. Burnham & Company was located on the upper levels of the Central Block at 73 Church Street. L. G. Burnham & Company were first class workmen in the manufacturing of moldings, window cornices, and picture frames in addition to selling photographic materials, albums, easels, engravings, and art novelties. L. G. Burnham’s successor, W. K. Menns was an artistic photographer who expanded the assortment of offers and services in 1884. Some of Menns implementations provided an instantaneous process for portraits, copying, stereoscopes, albums and engravings.³² By 1889 L. G. Burnham & Company expanded its art store over into 71 Church Street and opened a jewelers and opticians division. This new division included Swiss and American watches, diamonds, French and American clocks, and sterling/plated ware.³³

For over 100 years 75 Church has been the site of druggist and dentistry services. In the 1900 Burlington city directory, druggist R. B. Stearns and Co. was listed at 75 Church on the corner where it intersects Bank Street.³⁴ In 1941 the Beebe Pharmacy was listed at 75 Church, but was operating out of the second floor of the Central Block.³⁵ The Kelley Pharmacy first appeared in 1943 and became one of the longest running pharmacies on Church Street.³⁶ Out of all three pharmaceutical companies, the Kelley Pharmacy was established the longest between 1943 and the 1990s.³⁷ Towards the end of its time on Church Street, Kelley Pharmacy had eight employees and was managed by Liza Pain. After Kelley Pharmacy went out of business it was replaced by Monelle Vermont, a clothing and accessories boutique which is still in business today.

Conclusion

Buildings are constructed, but disasters may occur. If they outlive their purpose then they are demolished (Figure 9) to make room in the name of advancement with the changing times. Businesses come and go, but what remains are their stories. These are the stories of the people who lived and worked within the walls of these buildings and walked along the streets of Burlington, Vermont. Church Street merely tells a small fraction of the story that has turned Burlington from the small residential village it was into the commercial center of the City of Burlington’s Downtown sector. Each day citizens come together from surrounding communities to paint a better Burlington to safegaurd its future.

Notes

1. A. F. Styles, Church Street, (north,) Burlington, Vt.Circa 1866-1869. Special Collections, Champlain College Library.

2. W. Coit and John Johnson, A Correct Map of Burlington from Actual Survey. [Map] Chittenden County, Burlington, Vermont: 1798 and 1810. Special Collections, Wheeler House Library.

3. Ammi B. Young, Plan of Burlington Village. [Map] Burlington, Vermont: 1830. Silver Special Collections, University of Vermont Library.

4. John Johnson, Village of Burlington in Vermont from Actual Survey. [Map] Burlington, Vermont: 1833. Historic Preservation Special Collections, Wheeler House Library.

5. Sanborn Map Company. Burlington 1869, Sheet 01. [Map] New York: Sanborn Map Company, 1869. Special Collections, University of Vermont Library.

6. Burlington City Directory, Published by Hiram S. Hart. (Burlington: Free Press Steam Printing, Est., 1865), 82

7. Sanborn Map Company. Burlington 1885, Sheet 03. [Map] New York: Sanborn Fire Map Company, 1885. Special Collections, University of Vermont Library.

8. Sanborn Map Company. Burlington 1894, Sheet 15. [Map] New York: Sanborn Map Company, 1894. Special Collections, University of Vermont Library.

9. Sanborn Map Company. Burlington 1906, Sheet 22. [Map] New York: Sanborn Map Company, 1906. Special Collections, University of Vermont Library.

10. Ibid, 1885

11. William Rann, History of Chittenden County, Vermont. (New York: D. Mason & Co., 1886), 422.

12. Presdee & Edwards, Burlington, VT. [Map] Burlington, Vermont: 1853. Special Collections, University of Vermont Library

13. Burlington City Directory and Business Advertiser, from July, 1869, to July, 1870. (Burlington: The Free Press Association, 1869), 76.

14. Burlington City Directory and Business Advertiser, July 1875 To July 1876. (Burlington: The Free Press Association, 1875), 89.

15. Burlington City Directory and Business Advertiser, (Burlington: L. P. Waite & Co., 1899),  255.

16. Louis McAllister. Stores – F. W. Woolworth (Burlington, VT). 1945. Silver Special Collections, University of Vermont. Louis L. McAllister Photographs. Box B18, Folder 28, Item 01. Special Collections, University of Vermont Library.

17. Manning’s Burlington Directory, Vol. LIV (Springfield, MA: H. A. Manning, Co., 1944), 211.

18. Burlington, Middlebury Area Yellow Pages: White Pages Business Listings, July 1997 – June 1998, 81.

19. Burlington City Directory and Business Advertiser, October, 1881,  To October, 1883. (Burlington, VT: The Free Press Association, 1881), 91.

20. Manning’s Burlington City Directory, Volume XLI (Springfield, MA: H. A. Manning, Co., 1930), 356.

21. Ibid, 1965-1966.

22. Kevin Kelley, “Before Burlington’s Proposed Mall Makeover, They Called It ‘Urban Renewal,’” Vermont’s Independent Voice: Seven Days, May 25, 2016.

23. Carlo Wolff, “Alexander & Truex Architects To Prepare Mall Design Study,” Burlington Free Press.

24. Dan D’Ambrosio, “CityPlace steel shows up as scheduled,” Burlington Free Press, November 27, 2018, 3A.

25. Louis McAllister. Burlington – Street Views. 1946/1947. Silver Special Collections, University of Vermont. Louis L. McAllister Photographs, Box B04, Folder 02, Item 02. Accessed 9/23/18.

26. Manning’s Burlington City Directory, Volume LXIII (Springfield, MA: H. A. Manning, Co., 1940), 581.

27. Manning’s Burlington City Directory, Volume LI (Springfield, MA: H. A. Manning Co., 1960), 581.

28. Manning’s Burlington City Directory, Volume LXVI (Springfield, MA: H. A. Manning Co., 1963-1964), 613.

29. Manning’s Burlington City Directory, Volume LXVIII (Greenfield, MA: H. A. Manning Co., 1965-1966), 641-642.

30. Ibid, 1992.

31. Manning’s Burlington City Directory Volume, LXXVIII (Bellows Falls, VT: H. A. Manning, Co., 1978), 424.

32. Burlington City Directory and Business Advertiser (Burlington, VT: The Free Press Association, 1884), 25.

33. Burlington City Directory including a Business Directory (Burlington, VT: L. P. Waite & Co., 1889), 88.

34. Burlington City Directory and Business Advertiser (Burlington, VT: L. P. Waite & Co., 1900), 283.

35. Manning’s Burlington City Directory, Volume LII (Springfield, MA: H. A. Manning Co., 1941-1942), 207.

36. Manning’s Burlington City Directory, Volume LIII (Springfield, MA: H. A. Manning Co., 1943), 231.

37. Catalist Business and Household Digest (Burlington: Johnson City Directories, 1992), 284.