Waltham, Massachusetts city directory 1955, Part 1

Author:
Publication date: 1955
Publisher: R.L. Polk
Number of Pages: 690


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ACG 4625


WALTHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY


3 4867 00436 1269


For Reference Not to be taken from this library


POLK'S WALTHAM (MIDDLESEX COUNTY, MASS.)


CITY DIRECTORY


Vol. 1955 XV


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


DIRECTORY


IS THE COMMON


INTERMEDIARY


PRICE


$35.00


BETWEEN


BUYER AND SELLER


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


American Directory Publishers


PUBLIC LIBRARY Copyright 1955, by R. L. Polk & Co.


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.


ASSN OF NORTH


RISTico


AMERICAN


OPER


ATY


898


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


RU) 917.44 195 3


GENERAL INDEX


PAGE


Abbreviations


33


Alphabetical Section


Apartment Buildings 466


Assessors 18


Association of North American Directory Publishers


X


Buildings, Public & Office


472


Buyers' Guide


opp 464 5


Calendar


474


Cemeteries


25


Churches


475. 18


City Government


8


City Statistical Review


465


Classified Business Directory


457


Clubs


480


Convents


26


County Officers


26


Courts


23 484


Express Companies


19


Fire Alarm Boxes


19


Fire Department


33


Halls


491


Homes & Asylums


491


Hotels


491 4


Index to Advertisers


27


Land Court


22, 494


Massachusetts Government


27


Medical Examiners


26


Middlesex County Officers


27


National Guard


25


Organizations


502


Parks & Playgrounds


504


Permits & Licenses


16


Police Department


23


Population of Waltham


15


Post Office


30


Probate Court


27


Public Welfare Commission


23


Railroad Passenger Stations


507


Registrars of Voters


19


Schools-Parochial


510


Schools-Public


24


Schools & Colleges


511


Sheriff and Deputies


25


State Officers


27


Statistical Review


8


Street and Avenue Guide


521


Superior Court


27


Supreme Court


27


Theatres


514


Trial Justices


26


Trust Funds


19


United States Courts


26


United States Government


29


United States Population


520


United States Postal Information


31


Walter E Fernald State School


24


Wards


30


HOW TO USE YOUR CITY DIRECTORY SEE PAGE C


District Court


General Directory


490


Hospitals and Dispensaries


Libraries


32


Chamber of Commerce


4


INDEX TO ADVERTISERS


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


PAGE


Abbott Motors Inc .. .left top lines and 3 Allen Thomas M R 17


Allied Machinists of Waltham Inc


top stencil, left top lines and 35


Ames B C Co left side lines and 43 21


Arc Welding Co


48


Atlantic Register Co


44


Barker George J Lumber Company


right top, right side lines and


33


Barnes Rowland H & Co 20


Bay State Supply Co .. left top lines and Beaudoin Conrad O


18


back cover, left top lines and 42 Bigham & Sons Inc . 5 Bird Richard H & Co Inc


left top lines and 32


Bleachery Coal & Oil Co right side lines and 15


Bowers Insurance Agency Inc ..


right top lines and 29 Sheer Sign Co ... . right side lines and Sinclair Warren Insurance Agency 31 16


21


11


Stearns R H Co


46


Stone H L Dairy Inc


right top lines and 15 31 11


Tyler Brenton E ... right side lines and Union Market National Bank The


Vectron Inc .right top lines and 18 Viles Daniel F & Co Inc right side lines and 30


Waltham Chamber of Commerce B Waltham Citizens National Bank back cover and 8


Waltham Coal Co front edge and 14 Waltham Credit Bureau right top lines and 15 Waltham Federal Savings & Loan Assn. . front cover and 9 Waltham Floor Covering right top lines and 20


Waltham Foundry Co


right side lines and


22


Waltham Hospital The


left top lines and


Waltham Machine Works Inc .. Waltham-Nash Co


Waltham Publishing Co .front cover and Waltham Salesbook Co Inc


Waltham Savings Bank .. back cover and Waltham Screw Co .. right top lines and Watch City Electric Co


Watertown Federal Savings & Loan Asso- ciation 11 11


Watertown Savings Bank


Wentworth Freedom & Sons Inc bottom stencil, left top lines and West Buick Co Inc 4


23


Metal Fabricators Corp


Miller William R Funeral Service


24


41


Mitchell & Corcoran ... left top lines and Mooney Frank J 29


Mor Real Sewing Machine Co 45


PAGE


Mullin Bernard F


24 New England Mica Co Inc 39 Newton Sash & Door Co Inc right top lines and 16


Nichols W H Co


.left side lines and


Nims Robert E


. left top lines and


Nolan Thomas F right top lines and


Nonantum Lumber Co


O'Neil Joseph H


O'Toole-The Florist


Parke Snow Inc .... right side lines and Porter's Texaco Service Station


Raytheon Manufacturing Company A and 19 48


Redfern Welding Co Inc


Rinehart Handwriting System 26 Robinson J F & F I Inc 31 Salvation Army The 13 46


Brasco Florist


Burlen Robert & Son . right top lines and Central Square Taxi . right side lines and Clarkson Furniture Co


right top lines and 25 22 25


Demco Frank H Inc


.right top lines and 3


Falling Oscar F Jr .... left top lines and Finn Insurance Agency


Gray's Furniture Co Inc 25


Guaranty Trust Company of Waltham ribbon book mark and 6


Guthrie Lumber Co back cover, right top lines, 12 and Hall-Mara Co


Hawes Electric Co


Holland Thomas P Co


Holmes Motors Inc .. right side lines and Home Heat Co ...... right top lines and Howard Clock Products Inc 27 34 38


Hyde's Incorporated .


Ideal Concrete Block Co


Johnson Robert B Co


31


Joyce Francis J & Son


Kay Jewelry Co


Kelly Geo I Inc


Lee Drug Co


left top lines and 24 33 13 17 20 16 12


MacNabb Engineering Co Inc


Maple Hill Farm Dairy Inc


Massachusetts Hardware & Supply Co Mckenzie Travel Service . back cover and Mendelsohn's Inc


47 26 43


West End Chevrolet Inc front cover and 2


Weston H E Jewelry Co Inc 33 Whittemore Harvey F 21 Wilder R S Inc .... right top lines and 28


Newton-Waltham Bank and Trust Com- pany . back bone and 7 36 12 41 34 41 21


16 4


Crescent Park Brass Foundry


Diener Motors .. Dreelan Heating Company right side lines and 26 30 30


34


3


17


13


3


22


26 37 4 40 44 10 45 17


Anderson Florist


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


5


1954


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"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 1955 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 30, 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 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 per- sonnel, nature and address of each firm and corporation in the city.


THE BUYERS' GUIDE, beginning opposite page 464 and separately paged, on tinted paper, contains the advertisements of leading manu- facturing, business and professional interests of Waltham. The advertisements are indexed under headings descriptive of the business represented. This is reference advertising at its best, and merits a survey by all buyers eager to familiarize themselves with sources of supply. In a progressive community like Waltham, the necessity of having this kind of information immediately available, is obvious. General apprecia- tion of this fact is evidenced by the many reference users of this City Directory service.


THE CLASSIFIED BUSINESS DIRECTORY is included on yellow paper. This department lists the names of all business and professional concerns in alphabetical order under appropriate headings. This feature constitutes an invaluable and indispensable 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 is on pink paper. 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 intersecting 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.


THE KNOWLEDGE OF


WHERE TO BUY


IS AS IMPORTANT AS WHERE TO SELL GOODS


8


WALTHAM


(Courtesy Waltham Chamber of Commerce)


Statistical Review Issued September 15, 1954


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) 47,187. State-City Census, (1950) 47,187. Waltham Chamber of Commerce Estimate, (1954) 50,200. Area: 13.56 square miles


Altitude: 67 feet.


Assessed Valuation: $74,896,300.00 (January 1, 1954)


Number of Dwelling Houses Assessed: 8,241 (January 1, 1954) Number of Families: 12,785


Total Dwelling Units: 9,998 (Last City Returns)


Native Born Population: 79.80% of whole population.


Predominating Nationalities in City: American, Canadian, Italian.


Parks: 4 with 325 acres valued at $1,237,050.00. 2 Metropolitan District


Parks with 81.5 acres; 22 Playgrounds with 64.81 acres; 1 Bathing Beach.


City's Bonded Debt: $2,542,000.00 (January 1, 1954)


Financial: 1 Bank and Trust Company with resources of $56,670,992.38 (June 30, 1954). 1 Savings Bank with total deposits of $22,044,438.00 (June 30, 1954). 1 Federal Savings and Loan Association with assets of $27,464,494.19 (June 30, 1954). 1 National Bank with resources of $5,519,416.84 (June 30, 1954). 1 Trust Company with resources of $3,118,761.89 (June 30, 1954). 1 Family Co-operative Bank with resources of $318,187.67 (June 30, 1954).


Post Office Receipts for Year Ending December 31, 1953: $736,213.98 Churches: 24


Building and Construction: Value of Building Permits: $5,467,113.00 for year ending December 31, 1953. Number of Building Permits: 710.


Motor Vehicle Registrations for Year Ending December 31, 1953: 19,007. Real Estate Transfers for Year Ending December 31, 1953: Approxi- mately 1,300.


Industry: Number of Indusrtial Establishments 175: Warehousing 7: Total: 182.


Trade: Territory (Retail) serves 454,000 people, 29 communities, with- in the trading area covering a radius of fifteen miles.


City Served by: 2 railroad lines, 11 bus lines.


Amusements: Largest theatre or auditorium seats 2,100 people. There are 2 theatres with a total seating capacity of 3,086 people.


Hospitals: Waltham Hospital with 203 beds; also Metropolitan State Hospital. 2.184 beds; Middlesex County Sanatorium, 370 beds; Walter E Fernald School for Feeble Minded, 2250 beds; Murphy Army Hospital (U. S. Army), 250 beds.


Schools: Number of public school buildings; 16 including 1 high school, 2 junior high schools and 1 trade school. Enrollment; 7,163 pupils, with 269 teachers. Parochial schools: 2 parochial high schools and 3 elementary school buildings; Enrollment: 2,262. (As of September 15, 1954).


Libraries: There are 158,212 volumes in the library and branches of the city.


City Statistics: Total street mileage is 146.034 with 105.875 miles of public way paved. Miles of sewers; 81.23. Water Works (Metro- politan) daily average consumption: 5,442,801 gallons with 117.696 miles of mains.


Fire Department: Employs 125 men with the following motor equip- ment; 2 autos, 1 auto utility truck, 7 triple combination pump and hose trucks, 2 aerial trucks (65' and 75'). Also, 5 combination pumps in reserve in Auxiliary. 6 station houses. Values of Fire Department with property is $1,239,600.


Police Department: Has 78 permanent patrolmen and officers and 15 vacancies for permanent reserves with 1 station and 10 pieces of motor equipment.


Meters: Electric meters, 16,011; Water meters, 9,804; Gas meters 11,137.


Telephones: 20,864 (includes Weston). As of June 30, 1954. Resident. 12,377, Business: 2,058, Extensions: 6,429.


9


WALTHAM FACTS


Incorporated a Town, 1738. Incorporated a City, 1884


When incoporated a town, Waltham was bounded on the south side by the Charles River, on the west by Weston and Lincoln, on the north by Lexington and West Cambridge and on the east by Watertown.


A SHREWD INVESTMENT


In 1849 Waltham received from Newton that part of our city south and east of the Charles River (approximately 700 acres), paying to New- ton $1,000 and the year's taxes.


When Waltham was incorporated a city in 1884, the charter made provision for a Mayor and a single Board of Aldermen, an innovation at that time. This charter continued in force for 34 years. In 1918 another charter, providing for a City Manager, was granted, and on January 1, 1923, the present plan of a Mayor assisted by a Council of eleven members, was inaugurated.


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 January 5, 1885.


* *


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.


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.


GORE PLACE


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 im- mediate grounds, is being restored to its former grandeur and historic attractiveness by the present owners, the Gore Place Society.


LYMAN HOUSE (THE VALE)


This magnificent and unsurpassed country residence has been pre- sented to the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities through the generosity of five children of the late Arthur and Susan C Lyman, descendants of the original Theodore Lyman. It is located on Lyman Street at its junction with Beaver Street. Erected in 1793 by Theodore Lyman, a Boston merchant, "The Vale" was designed by the noted American architect Samuel McIntire. Several features of the spacious building reveal Bulfinch's influence on the great Salem archi- tect of that early day, McIntire. The house is a central motif of an estate of 36 acres with spacious lawns, old and modern greenhouses and many attractive shrubs, flowering vines, plants and trees, some of the latter being 200 year old specimens. The place is open for inspection from early June until the middle of September with a nominal charge of admission to help maintain the interesting estate.


BOYS' CLUB OF WALTHAM


One of the nation's finest youth centers occupies 38,000 square feet of land on Exchange Street, a short distance from Central Square. Valued at an estimated million dollars, the Waltham Boys' Club was erected for $690,000 on a "self-help" plan designed to make two dollars do the work of three. Citizens raised $190,000 in a capital fund drive and by self-help qualified for matching dollar assistance from the Charles Hay- den Foundation to complete the facility, which also serves as a com- munity center. The building, dedicated on November 24, 1952, is de- signed for a membership of 2,000 boys. It contains the William H. Nichols Gymnasium, the Thomas Worcester Auditorium, a flush-deck swimming pool with spectator facilities for 300, games and crafts rooms, a dining room with full kitchen for civic meetings and a conference room. Special activities are made available to girls, as well as to adult groups, without encroaching upon the boys' schedule. The Boys' Club


10


is a Red Feather agency and supported in part from funds raised by the United Community Services of Greater Boston.


WALTHAM HOUSING AUTHORITY


The Waltham Housing Authority was established in 1948 for the purpose of constructing and maintaining adequate housing for veterans. The rentals are based on income and size of family, and apartments may be secured only by veterans. At the present time there are 278 units comprised of: Chesterbrook Gardens, 100 apartments; Prospect Terrace. 146 apartments; and Dana Court, 32 apartments. The Waltham Hous- ing Authority chairman is Ball Bartlett. Charles A. Lawless is the Executive Director, and his office is located at 5 Brookway Road, Wal- tham.


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 six 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 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, 47,187, with a poten- tial population of approximately 454,000 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.


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.




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