F TV li5(>^is NEWTON Class —Z-?^ ^ Book —i^i^Ai' y CopghtN? COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. NEWTON /3 The Newton Number of a Series devoted to the illustration of certain of the cities and towns adjacent to the City of Boston and the presentation, in brief accompanying text, of some suggestive facts concerning their advantages and development. PUBLISHED IN BOSTON IN THE FALL OF NINETEEN HUNDREU AND NINE BY THE EDISON ELECTRIC ILLUMINATINCJ CO. 39 BOYLSTON StRKKI, HoSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. (Copyright i'to<) br The F.diioa Electric llluminaiinf; Companr of Boston. I ..Ni ©ClAa51G36 The City of Newton A X inlcntii'ii to preserve aiitl lo ini])nive all cdiulitions tending- to make Xewtmi inereasin_:iiy desir- able and more and more charnnnin" as a plaee of residence must have been shared Ijy its authorities and its citizens tlirou.!:;h many \ears or generations. ( itlierwise. and if the residents and their officers had not been animated by so well directed a public spirit, the City would not have been developed so remarkably and alouij such happily chosen lines. Nature was not ni^^ardly in its endowment of the land now comprised within the limits of the City. The scenery is of marked and varied thoui^di always {[uict charm. There are many elevations of different heij^hts and numerous water courses, while tlie remaining- forest trees and several lakes or ponds add further and a pleasant diversity to the topography. The Charles flowing for eleven miles or so along the southern and western boundaries so far enfolds the City in an embrace of beauty. All the territory of the present City. al)Out eighteen square miles in extent, had natural preparation for its future use and ultimate destinv as The City Hall, lacing the \\'ide Thoroughfare Washington Street. 3 The Vine-embowered Building of the Newton Library. the site of a municipality hearing so aptly, and so worthily, its con- ferred appellation, "The Garden City of the Commonwealth." The settlement of these parts was begun in about 1630 and in 1 63 1, New Town, one of the earlier towns within the Colonv, was es- tabHshed on the north of the Charles River. In 1635, the terri- tory on "The south side of the Charles" or Nonantum, and now included in Newton, Brighton, and a part of Brookline, was added to the "New Town," which in 1638, and when Harvard College was founded, became Cambridge. In 1660, the first Meeting House in the more southern district of the then town was constructed on Centre Street and in 1664 the first church was organized. The inhabi- tants quite reasonably objected to the further payment of church rates to Cambridge, and after consider- able agitation, there was a practical separation in 1679. Newton thus had its beginning, and like other Massa- chusetts towns, with the church as the nucleus of the settlement and the center of municipal interest. It was not, however, until 1688 that Newton was incorporated and then its name was Cambridge Yih lage, or, as sometimes called, "Ne# Cambridge," until late in 1691 when it was ordered by the General Court that it should be known in turn, as New Town. Thereafter, and for many years, the spelling of the name varied in usage, but in 1766 the then Town Clerk entered A View in Farlow Park at Newton. The New I'cchnical High School at Ncwtonvillc. 5 The High School Building at Newtonville. Station of the Boston and Albany Railroad, Newton. 6 Newton in his records and this form has prevailed. The community was at first mainly devoted to agricul- ture, although mills were established early where the river furnished power, and the growlii in population was slow until the advantages of the locality became gradually better known. By 1873, however, the num- ber of inhabitants had increased suf- ficiently and an act to incorporate the city was passed by the legisla- ture and duly accepted by the town. As ascertained by the State census of 1905, the population had grown to 36,827, representing an increase of over thirty-three per cent in the single decade then ending. At that time the legal voters numbered 7,821. It is estimated that in 1909 the population has become over 39,- 000 with a corresponding increase in the number of voters. Due growth in material prosperity has accomplished the increase in resi- dents and in dwellings. The as- sessed valuation, as for 1908, amounted to over sixty-nine million dollars, on real estate $50,984,- 650.00, on personal estate $18,162,- 950.00. A line drawn upon the map and passing through the more thickly settled points, or named villages in- cluded in Newton, would represent perhaps half of a nearly exact oval with its rounded extremity where the Charles forms the city's western boundary. Along the lines of this half oval pass the tracks of the railroad which secures for Newton such ready communication with practically all of the habitable world. Newton, Newton ville. West Some of the Buildings of the Tlicological Institute, Newton Centre. 1 IH i^^m Grace Church, Protestant Episcopal, at Newton. Newton, Auburndale, and River- side are all stations on the main line of the Boston & Albany Rail- road. Chestnut Hill, Newton Cen- tre, Newton Highlands, Eliot, Wa- ban, Woodland, and Riverside where the tracks converge, are sta- tions on the Highland Branch of the same railroad. A little below the line of the half oval are Nev\'ton Upper Falls and Newton Lower Falls, separated by three miles or so of the flowing Charles, the latter of the two places connected with Riverside by another branch of the railroad. The tracks of the rail- road in the main or as they pass through the more populous parts of the city are depressed and cross- ings are made over proper bridges while fortunately many of the sta- tion buildings are attractive enough or set in grounds handsome enough to serve as appropriate entrance ways to the various parts of the Gar- den City. To Neveton Station, seven miles by rail away from the Boston terminal, there are forty-four trains from Boston daily and thirty-nine into that city, and on Sundays there are sixteen in each direction. The single fare is thirteen cents ; twelve rides cost $1.05, and the average running time is eighteen minutes. Riverside is eleven miles by rail from Boston, while the distances to the other mentioned stations vary slightly and the rates of fare and the running times differ according- ly; but to and from each place L)..: l..iJ\, Help ot Christians, Roman Catholic Church. The Fire Department Station at West Newton. 9 Houses in Newton Centre from across Crystal Lake. Business Buildings, Nonantum Square, Newton, lo there are frequent and convenient t r a i n s . Cars on electric rail- ways not only run be- tween one portion of the city and another, but from Newton to Boston via Brig;hton ; to Waltham; to Wat- ertown ; and so ag^ain V i a Cambridjcje to Boston ; to Brookline : to Xeedham ; l o Wellesley, X a tick and South Framing- ham. From Xewton- ville, West Xewton, Auburndale and Riv- ■erside there is similar transportation. Fmn) Newton Centre, Xew- ton Hii^hlands, Wa- ban and Xewton Low- er Falls the electric cars run to Boston over the Common- wealth Avenue Boule- [ vard. From Xewton L'pper Falls the cars run on Boylston Street and over the Boston and ties. All the professions moreover Worcester lines to these cities and are well represented. The financial the places between. or fiduciary institutions here are As the city has developed, facili- the First X'ational Bank at West ties and utilities have been intro- Xewton ; the Newton Trust Com- duced duly and its stores have mul- ])any. with offices at Xewton Centre tiplied until these latter are now so and at X'cwton ; the Xcwtonville numerous, so conveniently located Trust Company; the Xewton Sav- and so well prepared to render in_q-s liank ; the Xewton Centre Sav- proper services that the residents of inqs Bank ; the West Newton Sav- Newton arc not at all (lej)cndcnt in.^s I'.ank. and C3 Some of the Dwellings on Kirkstall Road, Newton. One of the Larger Residences, Newton. H Homes on Burnharn Road, Newton. A Residence on Oak Hill, Newton. >5 than a few pounds. The unfailing source of supply is a covered col- lecting gallery near the banks of the Charles where this forms the boundary line between Newton and the town of Nieedham, while a large reservation protects the water from any possible contamination. Thence it is pumped directly to the circulat- ing system, the surplus reaching a reservoir on Waban Hill, while the distributing pipes have an aggre- gate length of one hundred and forty-three and one-half miles. The service pipes in use ec[ual nearly ninety miles in length and eighty- seven and six-tenths per cent of the services are metered. There are one hundred stand pipes to supply the street watering carts, numerous watering troughs, several bubbling drinking fountains and nearly one thousand fire service hydrants. The city is well protected by sewers, for there are nearly one hundred and seven miles of sewer conduits and pipe. Over eighty-three per cent of the sixty-six hundred houses in Newton have sewer connections and the sewage is discharged into the trunk sewers of the Sovith Metro- politan System. There are, more- over, over fifty-six miles of drains or drainage pipes for the removal of surface water. Protection against loss by fire in Newton is afforded by an efficient department with apparatus, horse- drawn and consisting of a steam fire engine with its house at New- ton ; one hook and ladder truck and one hose wagon at Newtonville ; one steam fire engine and one chem- ical engine at West Newton ; one Church at West Newton of The First Unitarian Society in Newton. i6 Present Edifice of First Baptist Church in Newton Society, Organized 1780. The Bank Building at Newton. 17 Vernon Court Apartment Hotel at Newton. The Associates' Business Block at Newton. i8 Newton Centre Methodist Episcopal Church. steamer at Xewton Centre; one in numl)er and amount during" re- hose wagon at Newton r])])er I'alls cent years, proceeds only after due and another at Xewton Lower Falls ; one hook and ladder truck at Xewton Highlands ; one chemi- cal engine at Chestnut Hill; one hose wagon at Anburndalc and an- ther at Xonantum. Good order is investigation and the issue of per- mits. Under direction of the For- est Commissioner the stately and beautiful shade trees and the wood- land areas are protected from the ravages of moth and other insect preserved in Xewton by the will and pests. Moreover in Xewton the un- morals of the inhabitants, but any fortunate and the poor have such necessary protection of person and enlightened care as may be ex- property is given by an excellent tended without pauperizing them jiolice force suitably officered with and the Board of Health is active an adequate number of uniformed in its protective duties, men. Other departments of the The streets and roads of the city, government are alert in enforcing in their character and condition, measures intended to protect the may be regarded as important interests of the city and the general among the good reasons for extend- welfare. Due inspection is made of ed civic jiride in XVwton. At the milk and supplies and weights and beginning of ]C)0() there were one measures. The erection of dwel- hundred and forty-one miles of ac- lings or other building <;o notable oi])t('l ^in-ci'- and sixty-two then . '9 as yet unaccepted. The surfaces of these streets are varied to best adapt them to bear the expected traffic, but all are so maintained as to enable them to perform their useful purpose as avenues of communication or to serve as pleas- ant drivevcays in picturesque or beautiful surroundings. The Newton Hospital is an in- stitution of importance, occupying buildings, attractive in appearance and well planned and constructed, standing upon an elevation on Washington Street, near Newton "Lower Falls. In 1881 the Newton Cottage Hospital was incorporated ; but in 1894 its present more com- prehensive and more accurately representative name was adopted. The first two small Iniildings of the Newton Hospital were opened in 1886, but the earlier contributions of public-spirited and generous citi- zens have been supplemented by later gifts and extensions and other buildings constructed. The various wards in their pavilions have suit- able and adjoining service rooms while together with the operating rooms these are furnished and equipped to meet modern and recog- nized requirements. A Nurses' Home and Training School of far- reaching good is connected with the institution. The hospital is gov- erned by a Board of Trustees and it is supported by voluntary contri- butions, its earnings from pay pa- tients and by the proceeds of a small endowment. The Newton Free Library may be said to have had its beginning when the Newton Book Club was Bradford Court, Another of the Modern Apartment Houses. 20 The Immanuel Baptist Church at Newton. The Roman Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart at Newton Centre. 21 organized in 1848. After private subscriptions had made this possi- ble, the present site of the Library was purchased, and the building erected in due time. This was dedi- cated in June of 1870. Later the institution and its maintenance were assumed by the city, the formal transfer being made in 1876. The volumes in the Library number about 72,000, and a large number of periodicals are received regular- ly. While extended use is made of the reading rooms and the refer- ence books, the volumes delivered for home reading or study num- bered 247,740 in 1908. Branch reading rooms and reference libraries are maintained at West Newton, Auburndale, Newton Cen- tre, Newton Upper Falls, Non- antum, Newtonville, and Newton Highlands. The schools of Newton commend themselves to the residents as they should to all interested in the true welfare of the men and women of the future. The continuing debt of the city to itself in this respect is well met, and its obligation ful- filled to enable its children and youth to fit themselves to bear their parts well in life and to become use- ful members of the community. Under the direction of the School Committee of the city and the Su- perintendent the schools are main- tained at a cost representing about thirty per cent of the total munic- ipal expenditures. The State Board of Education reports that there are one hundred and fifty-five public Bray's Block, with its Stores and Offices at Newton Centre. 22 Sc. Mary's Church, Protestant schools in Xewton, including' the lli,-,Hi School. There are twenty-five ])nl)lic school hiiikHn_Q;s, and many • it these are modern brick struc- tures of impressive appearance. In the schools a hisch educational standard is maintained adapted to the varyinjT j^rades and to the dif- ferent ag^es of the nearly seven thousand enrolled pu])ils. .Manual Irainini;^ and the domestic arts are I)art of the curriculum, while there is proper physical trainintj and thr j^eneral well-beinp^ of the student has due attention. Evenin;.^ school are also conducterl. Tn addition to the schools as numbered above, a new Technical lVij:;h .School has been established at Xcwtonville, in which there arc fine arts as well as commercial courses. Tn addition to these public schf)ols there are ouf Episcopal, Newton Lower Falls. parochial school and several priv- ate schools of hig^h sjrade. The Newton Theological Institute, with its group of buildings at Newton Centre, is an important institution established in 1825. In such a residential community as that of Newton, of high ethical standards and inheriting the tradi- tions of the ancient town organiza- tion, uluii the clun'ch. or the meet- ing house, was a civic as well as a religious institution and its admin- istration closely identified with that of the town, an increase in the num- ber of devotional edifices must be regarded as of at least equal impor- tance with growth of population and advance in material prosperity, and the increase has come in New- t(^n. Some of the church edifices are notable and excellent examples 23 of modern ecclesiastical architec- ture ; some are imposing in size, while some are placed in carefully chosen or improved surroundings. Therefore these structures are grat- ifying additions to the beautiful or important aspect of the streets of Xewton while, moreover, it may be said that in design, construction, and situation, all these churches well meet the requirements of mem- bers of the societies and attendants upon the services. Of the forty churches now in Newton five are Baptist, seven Congregational, eight Episcopal, seven Methodist Episcopal, five Roman Catholic, four Unitarian, one Union Evan- gelical, one Second Advent, one Swedenborgian, and one Univer- salist. The Associations connected with the various churches are not only active in good works but they in- crease the pleasures of social life in Newton or give opportunity for its exercise. There are numerous other societies, and several clubs, some with literary cultivation or other special objects within their aim as well as social intentions. The fraternal orders are locally well represented and so are the large or national patriotic societies. The Newton Club is a social organiza- tion of importance with a thorough- ly well-appointed club house. The Hunnewell Club is a social neigh- borhood club also of importance, and so is the Players, while the latter gives plays, enacted by the members, in its own house at West Church of the Messiah, Protestant Episcopal, Auburndale. 24 A few ot the Pleasant Homes at \\'aban — on Pine Ridge Road The Silver I-akc Mills at Newton. 25 Newton. There are many halls in which entertainments or large so- cial functions may be given. The Young Alen's Christian Associa- tion, organized here in 1877, not only presents opportunities for the extension of proper good fellow- ship, but its gymnasium and classes in physical training, its reading rooms, and business courses super- intended by business men of the city are of great benefit. The New- ton Boat Club is a popular organi- zation, with its quarters on the Charles at Auburndale. On the riv- er here and at Riverside over three thousand canoes and some sixty power boats are in use at proper seasons. The Newton Golf Club, the Albemarle and the Woodland maintain satisfactory golf courses. The Commonwealth Country Club. with its eighteen-hole golf links on the northerly and westerly slopes of Waban Hill, has also tennis courts and provides winter sports while the view from the verandas of its club house is one of unusual extent and charm. The Brae Burn Country Club at West Newton is one of the most distinguished of such organizations with its noted golf course of eighteen holes, its tennis courts, skating pond and thoroughly equipped club house. AVithin Newton are over four acres of the Hemlock Gorge Reser- vation with its very remarkable na- tural beauties and over one hun- dred and ninety acres of the Charles River Reservation with its drive- ways tree-lined and so pleasantly surrounded. In addition the city maintains over one hundred and Plant of the Saco-Pettee Manufacturing Company at Newton Upper Falls. 26 A View from Weston Bridge, over the Charles, at Riverside. sevtMity three acres of parks or play- g'ruunds. Farlow Park is a beauti- ful aud duly improved city pleasure ground, at Newton. At the New- ton Centre playground, at Cabot Park and Clafiin Field, arc fields for base-ball and foot-ball, running tracks and apparatus for athletic exercises, all providing enjoyable as well as healthful occupation for the leisure of the students and yoiuh of the cit\'. X'yi- i'ark at Auburndalc has been dcvelojied and improved and there are many other pleasant city brcalhing jilaccs. 'i'he streets and roads of the city, so well maintained and extending for so many miles thrMugh piclm'es(|ne and beautiful surroinidings, are in- viting to those seeking recreation a-wheel or a-foot, while ("ommon- wealth Avi-nuc. one himdreil and twenty feet wide and running for five miles or so through about the centre of the city presents a park- like aspect as well as excellent driveways. The various advantages of New- ton, natural and introduced, have of course led to the establishment of the many homes which are, in themselves, so potent present attrac- tions of the city. In the Oak Hill district and other outl\ing portions of the city are many residences, some presenting the characteristics of country houses and some almost palatial standing in spacious gronnds duly adorned. In such newly si'ttled villages as W'ahan and other recctUly developed por- tions of the city or on long country roads, are pleasant houses of su- burban t\|)i', wbiU' in all the older 27 MOV 19 The Station, in its Garden-like Grounds, at Auburndale. villages, on street after handsome street, are homes widely varying in size and degree of visible impor- tance but all good to look upon and duly suggestive of attained com- fort. These homes vary as widely in mode and material of construc- tion, and in size and amount of sur- rounding ground, as they must, in- evitably, in cost of maintenance. Apartment houses and apartment and other hotels present their con- veniences. Indeed, practically any inclination as to immediate environ- ment or scope of household expen- diture may be followed in Newton, and amid chosen good neighbors, to a satisfactory conclusion. Not least among the many ad- vantages of Newton is the fact that its people have had the good for- tune to obtain, or have been wise enough to secure, a government composed of public-spirited men heartily interested in the present and future well-being of the city and representing the finest civic aspira- tions. In turn, the elected and ap- pointed city authorities are fortu- nate in that in their efforts to ad- vance as they may and to protect the best interests of the community they are duly sustained by proper public opinion and worth-while in- fluence. No less, they are fortunate, as was acknowledged in a recent ad- dress of importance, "in being called to official duties in a community where only the highest motives of service are expected." •28 ^*^>^ .. m m 5 = A=>' 0^ CONGRESS LL 1 014 111 023 8 -"^ ^^.r