Main Street: Southeast from University Place UTM: 180643231E; 4926377N |
 Louis L. McAllister c. 1925 |
 Sarah L. Graulty October 30, 2006 |
This photograph, which appeared in the 1926 Annual Report, was taken circa 1925 on the Burlington Reservoir and pump house on Main Street, looking east-southeast from the intersection of Main and University Place. Plans to create a reservoir in Burlington were adopted by City Council on April 1, 1867 and, on December 25, 1867, the machinery was first put in motion and water pumped into the reservoir.[1] "Since that time," remarked Chief Engineer D. C. Lindsey in a January 1868 report, "pumping has been considerably interrupted by the repairs upon the cement pipe, but it is now proceeding regularly every day."[2] The small, charming masonry structure in the foreground is the reservoir's pump house. After the construction project was completed, city officials were thrilled to find that it came in well under budget, and Chief Engineer Lindsey proposed that Burlington use the extra money to beautify the grounds and turn it into a "favorite resort for our citizens to enjoy this delightful prospect, the fresh pure air and the many pleasant surroundings." "Every such improvement," he continued, "not only adds to the real estate of the City… but experience has shown that the provision, by any large town, of pleasant and attractive public pleasure grounds tends to improve not only the taste but the morals of the community."[3] Another interesting detail to note is that the house next to the reservoir, 565 Main Street, was not yet built at the time of this photograph. A close examination of the area past the reservoir reveals a block-shaped building with a large entrance porch and white roof balustrade, which belong to the United States Weather Bureau building (built 1905-06) at 601 Main. 565 Main Street, seen here, went up very shortly after McAllister captured this image. To see more pictures of the Burlington Reservoir and the Main Street widening and resurfacing project of 1933-34, please click here.
[1] Burlington City Annual Report, 1868, p36-7. |
Today, this view is dominated by the expanding University of Vermont campus. Main Street is considerably wider, the row of trees lining the street is gone, and the area has been substantially developed The building to the far left in the above image is Morrill Hall, which existed at McAllister's time (built 1904-7) but did not appear in his above image. To the right of Morrill Hall, one sees the construction of the University's large and imposing Dudley H. Davis Student Center, set to open September 2007. In addition, it is notable that 601 Main Street, mentioned at left, has served several uses since its tenure as the U. S. Weather Bureau. It was known as the Military Science Building, the Pringle Herbarium, the University of Vermont Natural Resources Department, and now serves as the home of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the University of Vermont.
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Historic Burlington Project Depression Era Streetscapes: Old North End | Burlington 1890 | Burlington 1877 | Burlington 1869 | Burlington 1853 | Burlington 1830 Produced by University of Vermont Historic Preservation Program graduate students in HP 206 Researching Historic Structures and Sites - Prof. Thomas Visser - in collaboration with UVM Landscape Change Program Historic images courtesy of University of Vermont Library Special Collections, Louis L. McAllister Photograph Collection |