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Archive for the 'Everything Else' Category
New Age Parking Meters in Harvard Square
New parking meter on Church Street in Harvard Square
I did a double take when I spotted this new age parking meter in Harvard Square on Church Street. It’s actually a “pay station” that has replaced all the meters on the block. The City of Cambridge Traffic and Parking Department calls it a “Pay and Display Meter” – actually for some reason they call it “Luke”. Beats me.
Harvard Square visitors will park their car at one of the now meter-less parking spaces and purchase parking at the pay station which takes quarters or credit cards (Visa or Mastercard). The machine spits out a paper receipt which needs to posted on your dash.
For now these new parking meter substitutes are on Church Street and in three City of Cambridge parking lots though there are plans to make the change elsewhere in the city in the future. Benefits of this sort of system, similar to ones installed in Boston on Newbury Street, include increased revenues and reduced time spent by city workers collecting money from the meters.
New Cambridge Parking Signs
While I’m a bit horrified at the idea of parking meter charges ending up on credit cards, the biggest drawback from drivers, or I should say parkers’, perspective seems to be that the small joy of scoring a parking meter with time left on it is no longer a possibility. But simply scoring a parking space in the heart of Harvard Square should be thrill enough.
SEARCH FOR HOMES IN HARVARD SQUARE
New Book About Harvard Square
NECN had a segment the other morning on a new book about Harvard Square – Harvard Square: An Illustrated History Since 1950. As soon as the segment ended I called Porter Square Books and reserved two copies, one for myself and one for my parents.
New Book About Harvard Square, Cambridge Massachusetts
My dad grew up in Cambridge and one story that’s regularly retold in my family is how he and his high school friends in the late 1940s would jump in their cars, drive to the Square, pull up and park, and go in for a bite to eat at the cafeteria, Albiani’s, on Mass Ave. The reason the story tickled our funny bones was how far fetched we would all find it – how could they have found three or four empty parking spots all in a row? Different time for sure.
My mother became a fan of the Square in the 70s when we would take the train in from the burbs to shop and take in the sights. The book, with its coverage through the decades, had something for all of us.
Harvard Square: An Illustrated History Since 1950 by Mo Lotman
Measuring 12″ by 10″ and 240 pages long this is a *big* and beautiful book jam packed with photographs. When I heard about it I thought it would simply be a collection of photographs – and if it were only that it would be fascinating. Lotman has dug deep for the photos in the book – in archives and in amateur photographers’ personal collections. It’s an amazing look at Harvard Square through the decades.
But the book isn’t just a photography book – it’s much more. It’s all about what makes this such a special place – the people, the politics, the shops, the restaurants, the buildings – it’s a rich tapestry and a wonderful record of the last 60 years Cambridge-style. Streetscapes, interior views, ephemera, news photos – you name it – it’s all here in chock-a-block full, endlessly fascinating pages.
Inside Harvard Square: An Illustrated History Since 1950
The book is organized by decades and pictures are both dated and annotated to direct you to other views or info about the same scene. Thankfully there’s an index – you’ll be tempted to take a quick look to see if the places you remember are included here. I checked to see if one of my favorite teenage haunts – Dazzle - was in the book – yes – and was delighted to find four references to one of my regular stops, Reading International. And for my Dad, Albiani’s is in one of the full page photographs that open the book. There’s so much here that will bring back your favorite Harvard Square memories.
Harvard Square: An Illustrated History Since 1950 is the ideal coffee table book since everyone who spots it will be tempted to pore through its pages. It’s the perfect gift for anyone who’s ever lived in or spent time in Cambridge.
Author Mo Lotman will be at the Harvard Coop on September 12, 2009 to discuss the book and sign copies as part of the “Bookish Ball”. The book’s official launch will be held at Club Passim, 47 Palmer Street in Cambridge on September 15, 2009 from 7 pm to midnight.
Gardening In Cambridge – Work With What You’ve Got
Gardening in Cambridge is sometimes a challenge. We often have only limited outdoor space. Sometimes window boxes on the deck will have to do. Some will be lucky enough to score a plot at a community garden. Or perhaps a windowsill herb garden might fill the greenthumb’s urge.
Gardening In The City
I spotted this creative solution outside a townhouse off Chauncy Street near Harvard Square. It looks like most of the flower pots didn’t get filled this year – gardening requires a commitment of time and effort we can’t always make. Even empty the pots are an eye catching sight – almost an airborne sculpture.
Moving Houses
From my collection of vintage house moving photographs
Moving Houses
As much as I dislike overhead wires (you would think it’s still the Wild West! – why on earth do we put up with these ugly wires strung down our streets?) it hadn’t occurred to me that it was the advent of overhead wiring that put an end to the moving of houses.
Moving houses was once a fairly common undertaking. Street widening, changing neighborhoods, economizing – all were reasons to move a house. Sometimes a portion of a house was removed and moved for a family member.
Once you start digging into the history of Cambridge’s buildings you’ll discover many that were moved around town. Nowadays with those dratted wires - not to mention street lights, signs, and overpasses - moving a house or building is a much bigger undertaking. But with deep pockets almost anything is possible.
In 2007 Harvard spent something on the order of $1,000,000 to move three mansard structures down Mass Avenue close to Harvard Square. Two three story-mansard houses and a matching mansard carriage house were moved to facilitate a building project. Here’s a video of the moving houses:
Greek Revival Door Styles
Doorway on a Brattle Street House in Cambridge
While on the What Style Is It? architecture tour during Cambridge Discovery Days we came across this excellent example of a Greek Revival door style on Brattle Street in Cambridge Massachusetts.
The Greek Revival period in American architecture dates from about 1825 to 1860. This house was built in 1852.
What appears to be the original door provides an example of some of the most common features of Greek Revival door styles:
- There is a full transom window across the top
- Sidelights flank the door
- Plain columns support the classic entablature – the overhang above the door
- The door itself has four panels
Shutters for Greek Revival Sidelights
- two longs panels above, two short panels below
- Greek Revival doors also included single panel or two panel styles
- Sometimes doors were paired
I couldn’t help but snap the photo at right of the door on this red painted Greek Revival house in Arlington. Built in 1848, with what looks like a more recent door, the door frame has the typical sidelights. I had never seen these with shutters before and I’m not certain to when these date. Nifty idea!
For a full illustration of Greek Revival door styles see Virginia and Lee McAlester’s book A Field Guide to American Houses.
Fences – More House Parts We Love
Diamond Patterned Fence Near Harvard Square in Cambridge
I think of fences as house parts since it’s the whole package we fall in love with when a house catches our eye. And a fence is often the first thing someone sees when they walk up to your house.
If you’re trying to decide on a style, Cambridge is great for getting ideas – you’ll find all styles of handsome or charming fences here – from the modest to the elaborate or fanciful. Most are made of wood – believe me you won’t be seeing any plastic on these pages – from picket fences to grander versions, some vintage cast iron can be found as well as ones that use granite for posts or bases.
There are a couple of popular companies in our area if you’re thinking of adding a border at the street or want to enclose your yard:
Walpole Woodworkers‘ exquisite work can be spotted along Brattle Street and elsewhere in Cambridge.
W.J. McDonough Fence has done a couple of fences for me and does very nice work
Here’s a gallery of local fences and walls:
Porch Railings with Curved Spindles
A Garden Bed On Wheels – Cambridge Real Estate Agents on Tour
Pickup Truck with a Vegetable Garden Bed
Cambridge real estate agents – or at least the big bunch that work at Coldwell Banker – every Wednesday tour the properties that are coming on the market for the weekend. It’s a great way to get a first look at a lot of real estate and is one of my favorite days of the week.
I’ve taken to carrying my camera with me looking for fodder for this blog. We’re often out and about through three to six towns, touring up to 20+ properties, so there’s a good chance I’ll stumble across something that’s picture-worthy.
This pickup truck was cause for a double-take. I don’t know the story behind it – if you do let me know. There’s a mini-farm – a garden bed – a raised bed for sure – in this truck bed. Corn, tomatoes, and a bunch of other plants that I assume are also vegetables (can you guess I’m not a gardener?). We spotted it on a Somerville side street and every real estate agent with a camera was snapping away. Wherever this truck goes it’s sure to be a head-turner.
Check back for more oddities and interesting sights spotted while we’re out and about in Cambridge, Somerville and nearby towns. And if you’d like a heads up about properties we see on our weekly real estate tour or want to talk about how our property tour can get your home sold fast give me a call at 617-504-1737.
The Turret – House Parts We Love
Victorian House with a Turret in Arlington Center
A turret, or a tower as it’s also called, is an enormously appealing house part. There’s something romantic about a tower and the rooms inside it. The pull is strong enough that some people search for a house with a turret to call home – and around Cambridge they just may find one.
Turrets or towers were features in houses in several architectural styles including the Second Empire, Shingle Style, Romanesque Revival, and Gothic Revival. It is the Queen Anne style however that is most commonly identified with the turret. Many of these turreted Queen Anne Victorians can be found around Cambridge, Arlington and Somerville.
Turrets were typically topped with conical roofs, often covered in slate. Multi-sided turrets were capped with multi-sided roofs. The roof on a Second Empire Mansard tower often mimics the mansard roof of the main portion of the house.
Here are some other house parts we love:
Here are some pictures of houses with turrets.
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