Chelsea

Gerard W. Brown

• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Year: 2004
• Print ISBN: 9780738536095
• eBook ISBN: 9781439615805
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: North American History
• Index: History

Using stereoviews and postcards, Chelsea chronicles ninety-five years of the city's glorious past as it emerged from agrarian roots to become an important industrial center and home for thousands of European immigrants. The pages are filled with more than one hundred eighty historic views, documenting Chelsea's history from the post-Civil War era to the Vietnam decade. Highlighted are the 1867 Water Celebration, the great fire of 1908, the city's rebirth during Reconstruction, the expansion of the Naval Hospital during World War I (today's Admirals Hill), Prattville, the Soldiers Home, the post-World War I era, and much more. This volume will excite anyone who is preservation minded and enjoys local history.

Three

THE GREAT CHELSEA FIRE OF 1908

This tragic event, also known as the Chelsea conflagration, occurred on Palm Sunday, April 12, 1908. Nothing like this had ever before been witnessed by the people of the city. When it was over, almost 500 acres had been burned, destroying more than 2,800 buildings, 13 churches (including all 3 synagogues), 8 schools, 3 banks, 4 newspaper plants, and 2 fire stations. The fire also claimed city hall, the library, the Armory, the Masonic Temple, the YMCA, the board of health building, Frost Hospital, the post office, and more than 700 businesses. A total of 18 people were killed, and about the same number were declared missing. More than 17,000 people became homeless as a result of the fire.

Postcards of the fire disaster can be grouped into two categories: photographic and printed black-and-white. In addition, lithographic cards were produced in color; however, only a few titles were made. None are included in this volume.

The most unusual postcards produced were photographic views. The author has found very few duplicates, suggesting they were produced in small quantities. The print quality of the cards examined is excellent. Scenes of the fire in progress are rare, because the fire moved so quickly that few people had time to take photographs. Included are dramatic, general views of ruined churches and banks, and a destroyed fire engine. The most comprehensive series produced was a set of 11 unique photographic images taken of the ruins on April 20 and 21. The photographer documented and initialed the back of all the postcards with the initials H. C. A. To date, the identity of the photographer has not been determined. The images are of high quality and show some unique scenes, including a house that survived the fire, as well as Bellingham Hill and some rarely seen East Boston locations.

Several other postcard series of the fire were produced in high quantity. They include Reichner Brothers, 564 Washington Street, Boston, Munich, Leipzig; the Metropolitan News Company, Boston; and the New England Paper and Stationery Company, Ayer. The views are comprehensive and show buildings, streets, people, and before-and-after scenes.

A great variety of postcards was produced of the 1908 Chelsea fire. Further discovery of new views will enhance our understanding of that fateful day and the disaster that catapulted Chelsea into a reconstruction period, transforming the city permanently.

THE CHELSEA FIRE, A VIEW FROM EVERETT. This printed postcard, photographed by Thomas F. Penard, is one of the few taken of the fire as it raged. Bellingham Hill appears in the left center. The scene was taken from the top of a multi-deck house or building in Everett. The Revere Beach Parkway can be seen in the immediate left foreground.

THE CHELSEA FIRE, A VIEW FROM EVERETT. According to the police records, the fire started in some rags in a Summer Street dump and quickly spread to the Boston Blacking Company, near the Everett line. The first fire alarm was struck at 10:44 a.m. from Box 24. A total of 24 alarms sounded that day, not including ones from neighboring cities.

CHELSEA SQUARE. One of a unique set of three photographs, this card is postmarked two days after the fire. The view shows the southern limit of the fire in Chelsea Square. The heavy smoke, coupled with strong winds, created difficult conditions for fighting the fire. The Odd Fellows building appears on the right. Although this block was destroyed, the fire stopped before reaching the Park Hotel, just out of view to the right.

ALONG THE WATERFRONT. The southeastern section of the city, near East Boston, is ablaze. Likely taken from Marginal Street, this photograph shows people helplessly watching as the fire races unimpeded down Bellingham Hill toward the oil tanks along the Chelsea-East Boston line.

A MAN SALVAGING FURNITURE. This dramatic image depicts what people were doing all over the city: trying to salvage any belonging...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
• INTRODUCTION
• One - THE 19TH CENTURY IN STEREOVIEWS
• Two - PRE-FIRE VIEWS OF THE 20TH CENTURY
• Three - THE GREAT CHELSEA FIRE OF 1908
• Four - RECONSTRUCTION AND AFTER
• Five - THE NAVAL AND MARINE HOSPITAL
• Six - PRATTVILLE
• Seven - THE SOLDIERS’ HOME
• Eight - THE 1940S TO THE 1960S
• Nine - MISCELLANEOUS VIEWS
• BIBLIOGRAPHY
• INDEX