Join filmmaker Federico Muchnik for a special premiere screening of his new documentary, Massachusetts Avenue: Life Along Cambridge’s Main Artery, showing at The Brattle Theatre on Saturday October 18th starting at 12pm.
“A high-flying whirlwind grand tour of Mass. Ave. featuring stunning aerial cinematography, revealing interviews with small business owners, controversial news-making stories (the MIT and Harvard encampments), a look at the city’s political life and the Ave’s history, Central Square’s dance party as seen from above, more dance (!), our local music scene and, of course, the turkeys.”
Today for National Small Business Week, we’d love to give a hearty shoutout to Cambridge’s most happening vintage consignment shop, Raspberry Beret! The kind you find in a second-hand store.
Views of 2298-2304 Mass Ave at the corner of Rice St in 1970 and today (CHC staff photos)
The business was founded by Rachael Bankey of Brookline and has been operating in Massachusetts for over 15 years, but their North Cambridge location at 2302 Massachusetts Ave. opened in 2017. When asked what inspired Rachael to break into the vintage business she said, “I have always loved clothes and vintage since I was able to walk into my mom’s closet and try on her clothes. I like knowing that a piece of clothing has a history and that it’s one-of-a-kind. Being able to provide a fun place for people to find interesting and fun clothes is very rewarding.” She said choosing to open her second location in Cambridge was a natural choice because “Cambridge has always been a destination for the creatives.”
If you consider yourself a fashionable creative, with fun clothing to contribute to this awesome business, Raspberry Beret accepts consignments by season on an appointment basis. Visit their website to schedule your appointment today and read to the end to see how I style some of my own Raspberry Beret finds!
It’s not just the clothes at Raspberry Beret that have a cool history. The building that the store currently occupies was originally a two-story residential home with a mansard roof, built in 1867 by Stephen Stiles as shown in this c.1890 photograph taken by Donald C. Presho. At that time, the address was recorded as 6 Rice St.
6 Rice St (now 2298-2302 Mass Ave) c.1890 (CHC collections)
In 1907, a permit was granted to the owner, Adaline Lonergan, and architect, G.H. Tyler to have the existing two stories raised with an additional floor added underneath and add a brick storefront to the perimeter of the house. It’s possible this was done in an effort to preserve the original mansard roof. The 1907, Cambridge Tribune documents the cost of these alterations to total $8,500. The three atlas photos below (1873, 1903, and 1916, respectively) document the building’s evolving footprint and eventual brick addition.
Details of 1873 Hopkins, 1903, and 1916 Bromley atlases (via Atlascope)
This storefront has been home to many businesses over the years including Water House Market, Dover Market, X Files Recovery, and a vintage furniture store.
Exterior of 2302 Mass Ave when it was occupied by Dover Market (CDD Urban Design Study, 1981) and later XFiles Recovery (Assessor’s photo, 2015)
And now for the reveal!
Today’s post was written by CHC Archivist, Viv Williams
Formed on December 6, 1893, the Rindge Club, named for real estate developer and major City benefactor Frederick H. Rindge, first met in the Odd Fellows Hall building in North Cambridge on December 27, 1893. To accommodate the club’s athletic classes and activities, leaders leased a gymnasium building at 9 Beech Street (now the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses) from Samuel F. Woodbridge. At the behest of Mr. Rindge, the group changed its name to the Newtowne Club in June 1895.
Exterior of the Rindge Club House when located at the Samuel Woodbridge gym, 9 Beech Street. Cambridge Chronicle, 20 January 1894
Earlier that year, plans for a new and larger clubhouse were prepared by Boston-based architect J. Chandler Fowler. In June, Mr. Adams, a member of the club’s governing board, purchased land for the purpose of erecting the new building at the corner of Davenport Street and Massachusetts Avenue, about one block southeast of the Woodbridge gym. With a bid of around $30,000, a contract to construct the building was awarded to Wellington Fillmore & Co. and ground was broken towards the end of June.
Drawing of Newtowne Club by architect J. Chandler Fowler, published in the Cambridge Chronicle, 19 January 1895
The club officially opened on January 29, 1896 and nearly 2,000 invitations to the open house were distributed to the community. The new club house was described as “one of the handsomest and most substantial buildings in ward 5.”
Exterior of the Newtowne Club, ca. 1895. Historic New England
Designed in the colonial style, the building was “square and grand, with a wide porch, generous windows and dormers on the roof.” The exterior was painted bright red and finished with white trimmings and green blinds. (Semi-Centennial)
A corner of the library and glimpses of front hall and ladies parlor, drawn by L.F. Grant for the Cambridge Chronicle, 1 February 1896
“The house contains a fine gymnasium, with stage, six of the best bowling alleys in the state, shower baths, billiard and pool room, ladies parlor, lounging room, ample lockers for a 500 [person] membership, and, all the appurtenance to a first class clubhouse.” (Semi-Centennial)
Detail of the corner of Davenport St and Mass Ave from Cambridge Bromley Atlases, 1903 and 1930
Over the years, the parlors, gymnasium, and other facilities were rented by area groups, clubs, and committees for events ranging from charity parties to film screenings. In 1916, the Newtowne Theatre opened as a tenant of the club on the north end of the building, offering matinee picture shows and small concerts.
Clipping from the Cambridge Chronicle, 9 December 1916
Although the Newtowne Club had been prosperous for many years, it soon found difficulty maintaining memberships and meeting the expenses of the building. In 1917, the building was purchased by the Ozanam Council, Knights of Columbus through a foreclosure sale. The K of C also purchased the club’s furnishings and acquired the moving picture accoutrements for the club’s private use. The club was then renamed Newtowne Hall. In 1924, the Mass Ave frontage was sold and a block of stores were built on the clubhouse lawn. The building was subsequently divided and rented to local organizations.
5 Davenport St, ca. 1975. CHC staff photo
In 1960, Stephen and James Zaglakas remodeled Newtowne Hall and opened Stephen James House, an 800-seat function hall and restaurant that was a popular site for social and political functions until it closed in 1991. Several rounds of interior and exterior repairs, alterations, and additions throughout the mid-twentieth century left the building nearly unrecognizable. By the 1970s, the only features from the original 1896 building were the the hip roof and right side dormer. The building was sold and demolished in 1994 to make way for a condominium development.
Sources Cambridge Chronicle, 19 January 1895 The Cambridge Chronicle Semi-Centennial Souvenir, 1 February 1896 CHC survey files “Newtowne Club” by the Cambridge Historical Commission and North Cambridge Neighborhood Stabilization Committee, 2000
