One of my favorite buildings in the city of Brockton, Massachusetts, this elegant storefront has been home to various retailers and shoe manufacturers through the years.
Known as the Anglim Building, it was the tallest building in the city when it was built in 1905. For this reason it was also known as Brockton's Skyscraper. It was designed by J. Williams Beals and is currently being renovated into several condominiums, with the top floor featuring views of Boston. I usually catch this angle on my way to work, but this morning was particularly beautiful.
In its original state, the cornice was topped with acanthus leaves. I imagine they are sitting in the basement waiting to be re-installed. Here is the building on a postcard featuring the tenant, Dunbar Pattern Company. They made metal shoe forms. The trolley tracks are still beneath the paving, and resurface now and then from under the pavement.
The other day I captured some of the workers sandblasting the window frames. They look like something out of an alien movie. What a great apartment that top floor will make! I would want the whole space to myself.
I hope they retain the character of the window arches. If you look closely you can see little lion heads. I can picture Charlie Chaplin hanging from the corbels.
Here is another postcard, showing the occupant, United Shoe Machinery Company. Look at the web of telegraph lines! They may also be power lines, but maybe not. Brockton was home to the first underground power lines. You can read more about that here: http://www.ocpcrpa.org/edison.html
And here is a view from the building, looking south toward city hall:
And here is another one looking north.
This one is looking East. Somewhere in here is my house, up on the ridge toward the water tower. The hotel on the corner is where the parking garage now stands, with the bus station to the left.
I don't recognize any of these views! So many of the buildings are now gone. Either victims of fire, neglect, or simply replaced by something new. Not the Anglim Building! Hopefully it will have another 100 years.
Thanks for taking this little journey with me to the past. I think it's good to look around and notice where there are bits of the past still around us. What treasures are in your neighborhood? Let me know in the comments!
