As we walk through the streets of Boston, we know we’re traveling along roads and by buildings that existed long before we did; however, viewing historic photos of the city helps the scope of that history to really sink in. All of these photos are well over a century old and provide fascinating glimpses into what life was like in 19th century Boston.
1. This photo, taken in 1869, shows members of the First National Photographic Convention posing in the Public Garden.
6. The Great Boston fire of 1872 led to the death of 14 people and demolished hundreds of buildings downtown. This image, taken just after the fire, hints at the level of destruction the city suffered.
It cost 25 cents to view Caroline S. Brooks’ work, shown here with the artist, when it was displayed in Boston’s Amory Hall in 1877.
8. Charles Sumner served as a U.S. Senator for Massachusetts and was a fervent Abolitionist. This photo was taken of the Shaw Honor Guard surrounding the casket at his funeral in 1874.
This photograph was taken on September 20, 1881. This is the second Boston Theatre (the first one was torn down in 1852) and it was able to seat 3,000 people!
13. Irish clam diggers posing on a Boston wharf in 1882.
14. The Bijou Theatre stood on Washington Street from 1882 until 1943, when its failure to meet fire regulations forced it to close. This is what the interior looked like in 1885.
The Bijou was notable because it was the first theatre in the country to be totally lit by electricity; Thomas Edison personally installed the electrical system here.
15. A glance back through time to Pemberton Square in the year 1885. This is what it looked like before it was absorbed by Government Center.
17. Trinity Church rises in the background of this shot, which depicts dignitaries standing on Boylston and Dartmouth Streets to watch a cornerstone be set in place – presumably for Boston Public Library.
20. Apparently, Boston has always been a city that attracted cyclists. Here, the French inventor Pierre Lallemant, perches on a penny-farthing in Boston in 1886.
