Front and center the Burlington City road construction crew is shoveling a fresh truck load of hot asphalt onto North Winooski Avenue while the steamroller puffs away in the background. The crew is most likely shoveling on the top 2-inch asphalt wear surface.[1] Eventually the entire street would be resurfaced, but in early October of 1932, paving was underway on several parts of the road simultaneously.

Behind the road crew several buildings can be seen, most notably Fassett’s Bakery at 294 North Winooski Avenue. The vernacular Italianate-style, wood-framed building, similar to many in this area built in the later part of the 19th century, housed several residents including Harry Brown and Harold Holloway, an employee at Empire Steam Laundry.[2] Mr. Brown ran a used furniture store from the building, but it is not clear whether his shop was next to Fassett’s in the front of the building or around the side. In addition to the bakery storefront, Fassett’s, run at the time by Hyman Gladstone[3], also occupied a rear addition to the building that contained the ovens where the actual baking process took place[4].

To the left of Fassett’s stands 290 North Winooski Avenue, a one-and-a-half story, gable-front, wood-framed, vernacular Victorian home. In 1932 two people were listed as residing here, Richard Martin, an enlisted man in the U.S. Army, and Frank Robinson, a clerk.[5]

One door down at #288, lived Mrs. Elizabeth O’Brien, an employee at Bullock’s Standard Steam Laundry.[6] Her two-story, Italianate-style home resembles many along the street, although most others include some commercial space on the first floor.