Growth on North Winooski Avenue, North Street and North Prospect Street between 1877 and 1890

The area between North Street-North Winooski Street-North Willard Street experienced a large growth between the period of 1877 and 1890.  Many Eastern European Jewish immigrants moved to the area and developed their own sub-community in Burlington. [1] They erected two synagogues and moved into the houses surrounding the area on Archibald Street.  

The other population that moved to this area were general laborers such as carpenters, mill laborers, and teachers. They built, bought, or rented simple vernacular houses that were mostly 1 1/2-stories, gable front with a side entrance. [2]  Many of these houses still show original stick work that added to the individuality of the house.  

Many of the houses in this area were also built on speculation.  Builders would buy plots of land, build a structure and then sell when construction was complete. [3]  This was highly risky, but if successful, the returns were great.  As a result of the speculation, many of these houses were used as boarding houses, and many people stayed on for a short year or two.  

Also during this time period two streets were developed:  Charles Street and Russell Street. Charles and Russell connect to make an elbow that connects North Street and North Willard. No houses were built on these streets during the time period. [4]  The streets did not even appear in the Burlington City Directory until 1892. [5]

All in all this area of the Old North End changed year to year during this time period; with the construction of new buildings and people moving in and out of the houses, this area was probably a pretty busy and exciting area to be between 1877 and 1890.