Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-09-11
Burlington Half a Century Ago.


The people of Burlington are this year
rejoicing in the removal of various eye
sores. and in the prospect of the erection
of different structures that will materially |
enhance the beauty of the business por-
ton of our beloved city. 1t is interesting
to note that almost exactly half century
ago the residents of what was then the
village of Burlington were congratulating
themselves on the destruction of variety
of dila pidated buildings and the erection
Of many brick and other substantial struc-
lures to replace them. The FREE FRESS
In its issue for October 4, 1858, printed the
following editorial on the subject
The old wooden shells and piles of timber
IN the shape of houses. relics of the nrst
settlement of Burlington. are fast vanish
ing from the place. The Seven Nations,
the odd Yellow House. the Green
Mountain House, the "Goff House, the
Old Howard House 'Millss ROW,
Pike Kow"-just demolshed-and many
others have all disappeared, and as some
will be glad to learn, the old black eXcre-
sccnce. at the top of the hollow on Col
! lege street, is soon to follow the rest. 1T is
sold. and soon to be removed.
| These old and rusty tcnements have had
! their day, and they go unlamcntcd. Their
places are filled, or soon to be flled, by
substantial brick structures. and the APP
| pearanCe of the place is undergoing d cor
| responding change. Burlington Is now
| for the most part a solld-Ioohlhs DITCH
! built town. Neat wooden cottages and
dwellings of large size. both old and new,
are not wanting in abundance, but the
brick predominateS. In a haSty drive around
I tine village and leaving many streets I'M
| looked at, we counted over $50 brick dwell
| ing houses. all built within the last SIX or
eight years 1t shows something OF an
increase; far short, it is true, of the few
erish and funguslike growth OF the West
ern cities and far short too, of what IT
might have been, had our land owners
pursued a more liberal and far-sightcd pol
Y Icy, lacking also the taste which might
u have governed it-for these houses are for
the most part built after one model, and
that not a very tasteful one-but still all
shows permanent ard substantial
growth.
|. The changes in few years back have
been neither few nor small. Ten years
ago dwelling houses north of Pearl street,
and south of South street, were rarties.
Water street was deep sandy road, with
!, a few good buildings at the head or the
vharves, but all north of Main street,
lined with dilapidated novels of the worst
class Our bay then swept in regular
curve from point to point-its beach un-
+, broken. except by two wharvcs. Now four
wharves. and the large docks and grounds
Of the railroads made into the lake, en-
r croach upon it's limits and break the regu-
lar outline of the bay. The Pioneer Me
! chanic shop-soon, we hear. to be tlled
Nth busy workmen--occupies the place
~ the primitive sand bank. Water street
/ has been evenly graded and paved
a through the middle, and the huts, with one
ar two exceptions, have given place &c
snug brick houses.
The square has been so much changed
n bv the building of Bank block, the new
town house. Wheeler's block. the Baptist
church and the additions to the American
u that VIC think one who should now return
l. after ten years absence would hardly
o recognize the spot. Church street. paNec
n and thickly built up, is also different
Ioolxing street. Pearl street, through
= which the stages used to come whrlnt
IL In from the north and east, and the eigh
= and ten horse land ships loaded VIII
:, eour and merchandise take their way, hal
) ceased to be the great thoroughfare. II II
y now a quiet street of handsome residences
IS college street is the same. Ten years ag'
q a was almost without sidewalks. the hol
low was a deep pit, its sides at an angle o
AZ degrees or so, and the bottom claye!
y ouagmire. through which no one, WI
II could avoid IL, ever passed on loot or oil
= nhcels In summer the frogs, and in win
ter the boys with their sleds, had almos
III undisturbed possession. Now the railroa
lie runs through the hollow, and with it's hur
lied stream of life, crowds out OF its be
,he muddy brook. And so it goes. TIL
changes crowd on US as we write. 1t
d useless to attempt to chronicle them al
a changes not only In the dwellings, bu
~ around the hearths-changes In the me
VINO make Burlington what 1t Is, ana !
&c the children who play around Its corners
a and changes in the church yard. eth
ID silent city of the dead
10 OF the houses and blocks above mer
Ar toned the "Old Yellow House." being tn
IN first college building erected for the OF
o. cupancy Of the first president of the un
Of versity. stood ON ground now covered b
n. the Williams Science Building. The Gree
SO Mountain House" stood where St. J'
al seph's College stood later at the corn'