Historic photos

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109 Court Street, between 1915 and 1925.

Where Bell invented the telephone.
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Adams Square, 1905

From the Library of Congress.
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Algonquin Club, 1904

From the Library of Congress.
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Allston and Brighton at the turn of the century

Several photos from the Brighton Allston Historical Society.
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Beacon Hill Memorial Column, between 1900 and 1906

The ignored column behind the State House. Looks exactly the same, except that it's now surrounded by a parking lot. From the Library of Congress.
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Boston Athenaeum, 1906

From the Library of Congress.
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Catalog of photos from the turn of the century to the 1970s taken by Boston Gas. The photos were meant to catalog the company's work on mains and such, but most also show street life or buildings. When you get to an index page for a specific photo, click on the "catalog link" at the bottom of the page to bring up the photo.
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Boston in the 1890s

Photos of famous buildings, vistas, churches, schools and colleges. From Haley & Steele.
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Boston Public Library

Variety of turn-of-the-century photos of the Copley Square library. From the Library of Congress.
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Canoeing on the Charles, 1906

Photos taken near the Norumbega boat house (where Rte. 128 and the turnpike meet today). Includes a photo of the Norumbega Tower (alleged site of a Viking landing). From the Library of Congress.
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Cathedral of the Holy Cross, between 1900 and 1906

From the Library of Congress.
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Charles River

Variety of turn-of-the-century photos, from the mouth of the river to the Charles, including Harvard Bridge, MIT, the Charlestown Navy Yard and the Charlesgate. From the Library of Congress.
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Chickering Hall, 1906

From the Library of Congress.
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Demolition of the Oak Square T substation

Photos of it being torn down to make way for the new YMCA.
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Dorchester historic buildings

Eight photos taken in the 1930s.
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Emerald Necklace photos

Photos taken around the turn of the century from various vistas in Emerald Necklace parks.
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Ether Monument, between 1900 and 1906

Public Garden statue in honor of the invention of ether. From the Library of Congress.
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Faneuil Hall, 1900

From the Library of Congress.
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First Baptist Church, 1901

From the Library of Congress.
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First Church of Christ, Scientist, 1900

Not the Mother Church. From the Library of Congress.
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Flying death's heads

Photos of the Westerly Burial Ground in West Roxbury, which opened in 1683.
West Roxbury
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Fort Point Channel photos

From a BPL exhibit - photos from 1898 through 1937.
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Harry Houdini jumps from the Harvard Bridge

Four photos showing a manacled Houdini jumping into the Charles in 1908.
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Harvard buildings

Photos taken around the turn of the century.
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Horticultural Hall, between 1900 and 1906

From the Library of Congress.
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Hotel Charlesgate, between 1890 and 1901

From the Library of Congress.
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Hotel Vendome, 1900

Now condos. From the Library of Congress.
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Hugh O'Brien photo

O'Brien was Boston's first Irish-born mayor (1884). There's a bust of him in the Boston Public Library, Bates room.
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King's Chapel, 1900

From the Library of Congress.
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Majestic Theatre, between 1900 and 1906

From the Library of Congress.
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Medieval Boston

Medieval Boston is an online exhibit chronicling changes in downtown Boston from the 1920s through today. Tons of photos and explanations of how things have changed. It's not all depressing - check out the photo of the large "Premium Ham" billboard and building that used to be where Sam Adams now glowers at the tourists in front of Faneuil Hall.
Downtown
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