(Recycled from July 21, 2008)
Lizzie Borden was fond of shopping and the theater in New York City. If she was on Twenty-Third Street in August of 1901, the video below is typical of what she would have seen. With the advent of Edison’s “moving pictures” films such as these were taken at many thoroughfares in popular cities throughout the U.S. and Europe. Queen Victoria had died in January of 1901 and only two weeks after this film, President William McKinley would be shot at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York.
Marc Dimon of the Fall River Herald News wrote a cute piece today regarding downtown Fall River. I liked his idea of “preserving” it as it is now. LOL! But it did bring me to mind of what Fall River was like “in Lizzie’s day” as illustrated by these postcards.
Working girls in the mill.
A family takes time out for some fun in their store.
A fancy hearse.
1918 Mary Whittum, 106 Hunter St. Fall River, Mass.” Shelves at left are cans of corn, salmon, Van Camps Evaporated Milk, boxes of Ideal Not-A-Seed Raisins, Zinc covered jars of Heideman Pickles and containers of Euclid Brand Sardines. Signs in the upper right are hanging boxes labeled ‘Ice Cream’ and ‘Nabisco Crackers’ with another sign saying in part- ‘Serve with ice cream.’
1914 Burritt & Chamberlin Drugs Store- 623 Locust St.
1914 – Peckham Dairy 104 Barrett Street at the corner of Peckham Street. Milk bottles can be seen in numbered compartments on the left. There appears to be metal pans, pails and dippers on the right. On the middle shelf is a framed certificate with the heading ‘Dairy & Food Department’ which was likely issued either by the City of Fall River or the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The circular symbol on the certificate may well be the city’s motto- ‘We’ll Try.’
Gifford’s Jewelry Store – note clerk at left eyeballing shopper.
Rioux Tailors, 85 Purchase St. Fall River, Mass. 1912.
Popular custom of the times was to have a postcard made of your home. This one on Rock Street shows the Central Congregational Church in the background.
1906 “Mrs. “Borden’s home Highland Ave. F.R.,” it shows, we sitting on her sofa in the parlor of her home. There were quite a few Borden families residing in the Highlands. This is definitely not Lizzie. But take note of the painting over the sofa. Another popular print of “The Village Elms” which is the picture above the sofa at 92 Second Street in the crime scene photos.
4th of July Parade – 1918
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1913 – Mr. Hawkins Grocery Store on South Main
And of course the alluring Nance O’Neil
Jul 24, 2008 @ 20:40:48
Wow, what wonderful pictures, it kind of paints a real picture of what life was like in Lizzies time.
Jul 25, 2008 @ 00:13:41
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed them. I’ve been collecting these photo postcards for about 35 years now, shoe boxes full. Not all are of Fall River – some are Boston, some are NYC and even San Francisco. They are far more interesting to me than the standard postcards. Real people in real settings paint a mosaic of life in their times.
Aug 18, 2012 @ 12:54:07
Dear Phayemuss, I thorouhly enjoyed the collection of photos and accompanying copy.
My ancestors, the Whittums lived and worked in Fall River many years ago. I have gathered some information, but cannot find anything about my great grandfather, Moses Whittum who died in 1830. He was a moulder in The Fall River Iron Works and is listed in the directory of that time. He had a family and they all lived at 101 Davol Street, From that time the Whittums have lived in the Providence area, neighboring Mass. and Maine. It is an early American family, so I am trying to put the pieces together for my descendant.
Your work has certainly brought to life some of those people who strived to make life easier this generation.