When I did the post overlaying the 1829 canal map I noticed that Summer St. did indeed formerly go somewhere more important.
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| 1829 Map of Worcester Showing Summer St. (Red is Present Day Alignment, Blue is 1829 Alignment Connecting to Lincoln Square) Superimposed on Map of Present Day Worcester |
As you can see from the map above, Summer St. formerly served as the primary connection between Union Station and Lincoln Square. In those days there was no such thing as the roadway now known as Major Taylor Blvd. You can see a short stub of this former alignment near the gas station near where Summer St. tuns into Goldsberry St.
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| Present Day Intersection of Summer and Goldsberry Sts. with Stub of Former Summer St. Connection to Lincoln Square |
Sadly, we would have to demo the Police Headquarters Bldg. if we wanted to restore this historic connection between these two important (both historically and today) Worcester squares.
I know a couple of good demo contractors if you need some names.
Demo the police station?! Are you crazy?! Maybe they could move into the Junction Shops. Seriously, though, this is an historically important throughway, along with the neighborhood that was destroyed to build the highway--the original Plumley Village. The highway and resulting traffic pattern essentially cut off the northeastern potion of the city from downtown, both economically and in terms of foot traffic. Plumley village was also an important cultural district, and like many other black neighborhoods in the northeast, it developed close to the industrial core. Sadly (and again like many other northeast black neighborhoods) it was termed a "slum" and raized in the name of urban renewal. There is a weird--and not completely unintentional--symbolism in both the appearance and location of the modern police station.
ReplyDeleteAnother interesting part of downtown to look at is the area south of Salem Square. This was also termed a "slum" and was targeted as a prime development area in the urban renewal efforts of the 50's and 60's. Another downtown connector was also lost at this time when these neighborhoods and business districts were leveled; Washington Street used to pass under the railroad embankment (and before that over the canal) and through to Franklin Street at what then Trumbull Street at Carrol Square.
As a footnote, Summer Street used to be called "Back Street" because it was behind everything. It was the first street to run parallel to Main Street and was quite aristocratic in its day--in fact it name was changed to Summer Street in 1828 to relect its stature. The industrial revolution changed everything, of course.
Jim M.