Waltham, Massachusetts city directory 1950, Part 1

Author:
Publication date: 1950
Publisher: R.L. Polk
Number of Pages: 652


USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Waltham > Waltham, Massachusetts city directory 1950 > Part 1


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WALTHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 4867 00436 1376


WALTHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY


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B


BROWN & BENSON


REAL ESTATE


Purchase - Sa


For Reference


Property Mai


Not to be taken


Mortgages -


from this library


GENERAL INSURANCE


Fire - Life - Casualty


PROMPT and EFFICIENT SERVICE


300 CRESCENT ST. Tel. WAltham 5-4900


WALTHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY


WALTHAM CITY DIRECTORY (1950)


C


CARLSON BUSINESS SERVICE


"Secretary to the Public"


Confidential Service For


Professions - Clubs - Associations - Churches - Schools and Business Houses


MIMEOGRAPHING-STENOGRAPHIC SERVICE TYPING - PLANNED MAIL SERVICE


BUSINESS LETTER COMPOSITION - PROOF READING


NOTARY PUBLIC


23 PALMER STREET Off Banks Square


Telephones WAItham 5-3223-5-1372


(1950) R. L. POLK & CO.'S


POLK'S


WALTHAM (MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASS.)


CITY DIRECTORY


Vol. 1950 XIII


Containing an Alphabetical Directory of Business Concerns and Pri- vate Citizens, a Directory of Householders, Occupants of Office Buildings and Other Business Places, Including a Complete Street and Avenue Guide, and Much Information of a Miscellaneous Character; also a


BUYERS' GUIDE


and a Complete


Classified Business Directory


FOR DETAILED CONTENTS SEE GENERAL INDEX


The


PRICE


DIRECTORY IS THE COMMON INTERMEDIARY BETWEEN BUYER AND SELLER


$30.00


R. L. POLK & CO., Publishers


District Office 179 LINCOLN STREET, BOSTON 11, MASS.


DIRECTORY LIBRARY FOR LIMITED FREE USE OF PUBLIC AT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE


Member Association of North American Directory Publishers


Copyright, 1951, by R. L. Polk & Co.


1-2


2


Section 28, Copyright Law In Force July 7, 1909


That any person who wilfully and for profit shall infringe any copyright secured by this act, or who shall knowingly or wilfully aid or abet such infringement, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by imprisonment for not exceeding one year, or by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars, or both, in the discretion of the court.


2


ASSN OF NORTH"


UBLICO


AMERICAN


C


1898


IZED


DIRECTORY


PUBLISHERS


PUBLISHERS' NOTE


The information in this Directory is gathered by an actual canvass and is compiled in a way to insure maximum accuracy.


The publishers cannot and do not guarantee the cor- rectness of all information furnished them nor the complete absence of errors or omissions, hence no responsibility for same can be or is assumed.


The publishers earnestly request the bringing to their attention of any inaccuracy so that it may be corrected in the next edition of the directory.


R. L. Polk & Co., Publishers


3


96:44 4


GENERAL INDEX


PAGE


Abbreviations


32


Advertisers' Index


4


Alphabetical Section


33


Assessors


18


Association of North American Directory Publishers


X


Buildings, Public & Office


447


Buyers' Guide


. opp


440


Calendar


5


Cemeteries


449


Chamber of Commerce


24


Churches


450


City Government


17


City Statistical Review


8


Classified Business Directory


441


Clubs


453 454


County Officers


24


Courts


25


District Court


22 459


Fire Alarm Boxes


19


Fire Department


18


General Directory


33


Halls


464


Homes & Asylums


465


Hospitals and Dispensaries


465 26


Libraries


21,


469


Massachusetts Government


26


Medical Examiners


25


Middlesex County Officers


27


National Guard


24


Organizations


475


Parks & Playgrounds


478


Permits & Licenses


17


Police Department


22


Post Office


28


Probate Court


26 18


Railroad Passenger Stations


482


Registrars of Voters


18


Schools-Parochial


485


Schools-Public


23


Schools & Colleges


485


Sheriff and Deputies


24


State Officers


26


Street and Avenue Guide


493


Superior Court


26


Supreme Court


26


Theatres


488


Trial Justices


25


Trust Funds


18


United States Courts


25


United States Government


28


United States Postal Information


30


Walter E Fernald State School


.. . 23


Wards


29


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HOW TO USE YOUR CITY DIRECTORY SEE PAGE 31


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4


INDEX TO ADVERTISERS


PAGE NUMBERS BELOW REFER TO THE BUYERS' GUIDE SECTION, THE YELLOW PAGES


PAGE


Abbott Motors Inc ... .left top lines and 4 Allen Thomas M R 18


Ames B C Co left side lines and 41


Arc Welding Co 45


43


Barnes Rowland H & Co


Barry Printing Co


Bay State Supply Co. . left top lines and Bell Bros Inc 21 5


Bigham & Sons Inc


Bird Richard H & Co Inc


left top lines and 32


Brasco Funeral Home


23


Brewster Oil Co Inc. . right side lines and 25


Brown & Benson.


top stencil, right top lines and B


Carlson Business Service. .


Central Square Taxi left top lines and C


right side lines and 44


Central Welding Co


45


Clarkson Furniture Co


right top lines and 24


Dreelan Heating Company


right side lines and 26


Eastern Heating Company left top lines and 25


Eddy C F Company


13


Finn Insurance Agency


30


15


Gilchrist Co ........ right top lines and Gray's Furniture Co Inc 24 Guthrie Lumber Co


35 4


Howard Clock Products Inc 27


Ideal Concrete Block Co


back cover and


Johnson Robert B Co


Joyce Francis J. .. .left top lines and


Joyce Thomas A. .. .right side lines and 42 Waltham Lumber Co. . left top lines and Waltham Machine Works


Kay Jewelry Co


Kelly George I Inc


Logan E M Studio .... left side lines and Madden W J.


16


Manning H A Co Massachusetts Hardware & Supply Co .. left top lines and 10 13


McGinnis C J .. right side lines and


Mendelsohns Inc


25 41 23


Miller William R


29


Mooney Frank J


Mullin Bernard E 24


New England Mica Co Inc


38


Newton Sash & Door Co Inc.


right top lines and 18


PAGE


Newton-Waltham Bank and Trust Com- pany . back bone and 6


Nolan Thomas F .... right top lines and 40 Nonantum Lumber Co 35 O'Donnell Charles J. . 42


Ogilvie B L & Sons Inc


right top lines and


13


O'Neil Joseph H.


40


Parke Snow Inc. right side lines and 15 30


Perkins D E.


Potter C W Inc. 43 45


Precision Products Company


Raytheon Manufacturing Company back cover and


Riseberg's


right top lines and


20 11 31 44


Spencer Herbert T Inc


Stearns R H Co . Stone H L Dairy Inc.


right top lines and


Tele-Radio Servicenter


Thomas Motors Inc Tyler Brenton E. . right side lines and Viles Daniel F & Co Inc right side lines and 29 A


31


Waltham Chamber of Commerce. Waltham Citizens National Bank


back cover and


Waltham Coal Co. .front edge and


Waltham Credit Bureau right top lines and 14


Waltham Federal Savings & Loan Assn front cover and 8


Waltham Foundry Co. right side lines and 21


Waltham Hospital The left top lines and 26


Waltham Hy-Grade Liquor Store Inc .... left top lines and


34 35 36 5 Waltham Motor Co Waltham Publishing Co. . front cover and Waltham Salesbook Co Inc 39 Waltham Savings Bank. . back cover and Waltham Screw Co. . right top lines and Watertown Co-operative Bank 43 9 44 10 Watertown Savings Bank


Wentworth Freedom & Sons Inc


bottom stencil, left top lines and West Buick Co Inc


10 22


3 4 West End Chevrolet Inc. . front cover and Weston H E Jewelry Co


33 21 28


Whittemore Harvey F Wilder R S Inc ...... right top lines and Woodward & Tyler. . right top lines and 30


7 12


back cover, right top lines and 11 and Hall-Mara Co .. .left side lines and Hawes Electric Co 18


37 33 23


33 11 40 2


Metal Fabricators Corp


Atlantic Register Co Barker George J Lumber Company .. right top and right side lines and 34 21 42 19


Robinson J F & F I Inc Sheer Sign Co ..... right side lines and Sinclair Warren Insurance Agency right top lines and 31 26 15 14 45 4


"A Real Necessity in Every Office"-The City Directory


"Vital Information at Your Fingertips"-The City Directory


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INTRODUCTION


R. L. POLK & CO., publishers of more than 800 city, county, state and national Directories, present to subscribers and the general public. this, the 1950 edition of the Waltham City Directory.


Confidence in the growth of Waltham's industry, population and wealth, and in the advancement of its civic and social activities, will be maintained as sections of this Directory are consulted, for the Direc- tory is a mirror truly reflecting Waltham to the world.


The enviable position occupied by R. L. POLK & CO.'S Directories in the estimation of the public throughout the country, has been established by rendering the best in Directory service. With an un- rivaled organization, and having had the courteous and hearty co-opera- tion of the business and professional men and residents, the publishers feel that the result of their labors will meet with the approval of every user, and that the Waltham Directory will fulfill its mission as a source of authentic information pertaining to the city.


Five Major Departments The five major departments are arranged in the following order :-


THE MISCELLANEOUS DEPARTMENT, pages 8 to 29, on white paper, presents lists of city, county, state and federal officials; post office, public school and fraternal organization Directories; statistical review; historical sketch; and manufacturing, trade and civic surveys.


THE ALPHABETICAL LIST OF NAMES of residents and business and professional concerns is included in pages 33 to 439, on white paper. This is the only record in existence that aims to show the name, marital status, occupation and address of each adult resident of Waltham, and the name, official personnel, nature and address of each firm and cor- poration in the city.


THE BUYERS' GUIDE, beginning opposite page 440 and separately paged from 1 to 48, on tinted paper, contains the advertisements of leading manufacturing, business and professional interests of Waltham. The advertisements are indexed under headings descriptive of the busi- ness represented. This is reference advertising at its best, and merits a survey by all buyers eager to familiarize themselves with sources of sup- ply. In a progressive community like Waltham, the necessity of having this kind of information immediately available, is obvious. General appreciation of this fact is evidenced by the many reference users of this City Directory service.


THE CLASSIFIED BUSINESS DIRECTORY is included in pages 441 to 492, on yellow paper. This department lists the names of all business and professional concerns in alphabetical order under ap- propriate headings. This feature constitutes an invaluable and in- dispensable catalog of the numerous interests of the community. The Directory is the common intermediary between buyer and seller. As such it plays an important part in the daily activities of the commercial and professional world. More buyers and sellers meet through the Classified Business Directory than through any other medium.


THE DIRECTORY OF HOUSEHOLDERS, INCLUDING STREET AND AVENUE GUIDE, on pink paper, covers pages 493 to 590. In this section the streets are arranged in alphabetical order; the numbers of the residences and business concerns are arranged in numerical order under the name of each street, and the names of the householders and concerns are placed opposite the numbers. The names of the intersect- ing streets appear at their respective crossing points on each street. Special features of this section are the designation of tenant-owned homes and the listing of telephone numbers.


7


Municipal Publicity


The Directory reflects the achievements and ambitions of the city, depicting in unbiased terms what it has to offer as a place of residence, as a business location, as a manufacturing site and as an educational center. To broadcast this information, the publishers have placed copies of this issue of the Directory in Directory Libraries, where they are readily available for free public reference, and serve as perpetual and reliable advertisements of Waltham.


The Waltham Directory Library


Through the courtesy of the publishers of the Waltham City Direc- tory, a Directory Library is maintained in the offices of the Chamber of Commerce, for free reference by the general public. This is one of more than 500 Directory Libraries installed in the chief cities of the U. S. and Canada by members of the Association of North American Directory Publishers, under whose supervision the system is operated.


The publishers appreciatively acknowledge the recognition by those progressive business and professional men who have demonstrated their confidence in the City Directory as an advertising medium, with assur- ance that it will bring a commensurate return.


R. L. POLK & CO. Publishers.


8


WALTHAM


(Courtesy Waltham Chamber of Commerce)


Statistical Review


Form of Government: Mayor and Council; Council consists of four councillors-at-large, and seven councillors, one from each ward, elected biennially.


Population: U. S. Census, 1950-47,198. State-City Census, 1949- 46,574.


Area: 13.56 square miles.


Altitude: 67 feet.


Assessed Valuation :


$64,755,700.00 with $46 tax per thousand.


Native Born Population: 79.69 per cent of whole population.


Predominating Nationalities in City: American, Canadian, Italian.


Parks: 13 City Parks and Playgrounds with 290 acres valued at $1,150,- 900.00. 2 Metropolitan District Parks with 81.51 acres.


City's Bonded Debt: $1,794,000.00 (December 31, 1949).


Financial: 1 Bank and Trust Company with resources of $57,375,392.30 (Dec 31, 1949). 1 Savings Bank with total deposits of $16,218,393.18. 1 Federal Savings and Loan Association, assets in excess of $16,- 999,999.00 (Dec 31, 1949). 1 National Bank with resources of $3,206,- 695.00 (Dec 31, 1949).


Post Office Receipts for Year Ending Dec 31, 1949: $448,400.32. Telephones in Service: 16,355; 10,470 resident-1,769 business-4,116 extensions.


Churches : 24.


Building and Construction: Value of building permits, $3,500,418; Num- ber of Building Permits, 533 for year ending December 31, 1949.


Real Estate Transfers: 1,400. Number of Homes: 7,176.


Industry: Number of mills, factories, etc., 194.


Trade: Territory (Retail) serves 350,000 people, 29 communities, within the trading area covering a radius of fifteen miles.


City Served by: 2 railroad lines. 10 bus lines.


Amusements : Largest theatre or auditorium seats 2,100 people. There are 3 theatres, with a total seating capacity of 3,700 people.


Hospitals: Waltham Hospital with 203 beds; also Metropolitan State Hospital, 1,622 beds; Middlesex County Sanatorium, 380 beds; Wal- ter E Fernald School for Feeble Minded, 1,927 beds; (Murphy General Hospital, U. S. Army, 550 beds).


Schools: Number of public school buildings 15 including 1 high school, 2 junior high schools and 1 trade school. Enrollment: 5,707 pupils, with 253 teachers. Parochial schools: 2 parochial high schools and 3 elementary school buildings, enrollment 2,230.


Libraries: There are 145,743 volumes in the libraries of the city.


City Statistics: Total street mileage 128.194 with 91.100 miles paved. Miles of sewers, 77.051. Water Works (Metropolitan), daily average pump, 3,844,896 gallons with 107.961 miles of mains. Fire Depart- ment employs 119 men with the following motor equipment: 2 autos, 7 engines and 1 reserve, 2 hose and chemical wagons, hook and ladder trucks and 1 reserve in 5 station houses. Value of Fire Department with property is $453,667.71. Police Department has 59 regular men and 13 reserves with 1 station and 8 pieces of motor equipment.


WALTHAM, MASSACHUSETTS


Incorporated a town in 1738. Voted to apply for City Charter November 30, 1883.


Incorporation act approved June 2, 1884.


Accepted by town July 16, 1884.


Election of first Mayor and Aldermen December 2, 1884.


Inauguration of first Mayor June 5, 1884.


LOCATION


Situated on the beautiful Charles River, nine miles west of Boston, the rich and fertile plain on which stands the present city of Waltham was called "Eden Vale" by the earliest settlers. Altitude 67 feet, total area 13.56 square miles.


9


INCORPORATED


In 1738 this area, which then comprised the Western Precinct of the town of Watertown was incorporated as a separate town and named Waltham, but it was not until the establishment of a paper mill in 1788 that it became anything more than an agricultural community.


TRANSPORTATION STARTS


In 1826 Waltham achieved the distinction of a daily stage to Boston, and with the improved transportation thus afforded, became a popular residential town. One of the early Governors of Massachusetts, Christopher Gore (1805) built a magnificent house with bricks brought from England, and surrounded it with imported shrubs and trees. This house and the extensive grounds were used for several years as the property of the Waltham Country Club. The property, especially the house and immediate grounds is being restored to their former grandeur and historic attractiveness by the present owners, the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities.


1843 - THE RAILROAD


The Fitchburg Division of the Boston & Maine Railroad Company was opened for operation as far as Waltham, November 10, 1843 and to travel, December 20, 1843.


BECOMES A CITY


Waltham had outgrown town government, and was incorporated a city on June 2, 1884. The last three decades have seen a rapid increase in the number of homes within its borders, not at all surprising in view of the advantages which Waltham offers both to those who commute to Boston and to those who work near their homes. There are excellent automobile roads, three convenient stations on the steam railroads, and bus lines which connect with the Metropolitan Transit Authority system at several points.


POPULATION


Waltham's population in 1765 was 663; in 1865-6,896; in 1930- 39,247; in 1940, 40,020; in 1945, 43,579 and in 1950, 47,198, with a poten- tial population of approximately 350,000 residing in 29 communities that comprise the Waltham Shopping District. It is essentially an in- dustrial city with a very definite shopping center serving many com- munities which latter form a complete circle about Waltham. Waltham is making a substantial growth as a residential city. With an area of 13.56 square miles, the city has ample room for expansion without over- crowding.


TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES


Waltham is situated in the fourth largest metropolitan district, which in itself insures an excellent local market for all kinds of products. It is connected with Boston by two railroad lines, the Massachusetts Central and the Fitchburg Division of the Boston & Maine Railroad, the latter offering excellent rail shipments to the Central, West, Far West and Northern and Canadian points. Motor truck lines add to the ease of quick shipping facilities. Together with the Watertown Branch, these three roads provide ample shipping facilities, with spur tracks available when needed. It is only a short haul by truck to tap the main line of the Boston & Albany Railroad at Newtonville providing quick rail transportation to points South and West. Inter-city bus service is provided by the Middlesex & Boston St. R. R. Co.


1788 - THE FIRST MILL


Paper manufacturing was the chief business of the town in the early days. Here, in 1788, John Boies, taking advantage of the waterpower privileges on the Charles, built a paper mill. This was soon followed by similar mills at the western and eastern boundaries of the town. In 1812 the Waltham Cotton and Wool Factory Company started operations at the present site of the large mills of the Waltham Bleachery and Dye Works, Inc. on River Street. In 1813 came the Boston Manufacturing Company, famed the world over as the first complete cotton mill to in- clude both spinning and weaving by power under one roof. The Wal- tham Bleachery and Dye Works, Inc., was established in 1820 as the first bleachery and dye works in the world.


1854 - WATCHES


Waltham is often familiarly called the "Watch City" because for years the making of fine watches was its principal industry. The Wal- tham Watch Company, one of the largest manufacturers of watches in the world, made fine watches by machinery as early as 1854.


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DIVERSITY OF INDUSTRIES


There are 194 industries engaged in the manufacture of watches, clocks, knit goods, precision machinery, furniture, enamelware, jewel bearings, plumbing supplies, paper, iron and brass castings, traffic signs, window frames, optical goods, paper tubes, dairy and poultry food, pest exterminators, mica products, electrical switches, batteries, salesbooks, loose leaf account systems, grinding wheels, rivets, builders' finish, gauges, rayon metering pumps, and radar and electronics, also hundreds of other products. (Several warehousing projects are included in the 194 firms).


AGRICULTURE


Although Waltham has long been known throughout the world as the home of high grade industries engaged in the manufacture of quality products, it has always maintained its position as an important agricul- tural center. Here are located the headquarters of the Middlesex County Farm Bureau. In the beautiful section of the city known as Cedar Hill is located the Waltham Field Station, a branch of the Massachusetts State College. Experiments are in progress in vegetable gardening, fruit growing, and ornamental horticulture. Civic pride is strong among the residents of Waltham and at the Field Station our citizens receive help and free information regarding the maintenance of their lawns and shrubbery and the general upkeep of the home grounds.


METERS-POST OFFICE RECEIPTS


Statistics of interest show 13,754 electric meters; 16,355 telephone stations, 8,396 water meters; 11,001 gas meters; postal receipts of $448,400.32.




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