Boston Flora

Category: Archives

  • From the Archives: Letter from Arthur Shurcliff

    The Committee of Beacon Street Residents raised money to plant trees on Beacon Street between Arlington Street and Massachusetts Avenue in 1910.  Mrs. Frederick T. Lord of 305 Beacon Street was the Chairman of that Committee.  On November 16, 1937, she received a letter signed by Arthur A. Shurcliff, pictured below, a prominent landscape architect at 11 Beacon Street, in answer to a letter she sent to him.  The text is as follows:

    “Dear Mrs. Lord:

    I am glad you wrote me on the 5th with the questions.  There are no plans showing the location of the Beacon Street tree pits as finally installed.  The tentative layout was modified on the ground just before pits were dug and were adjusted to property lines, hydrants, and existing trees.  I think some of the owners who were opposed to tree planting in those days would be glad to have trees now.

    It is pretty hard to answer the question about the landscape architect’s plans. I wish he had sat at a table with your daughter and roughed out some of his ideas to find out whether or not they seemed promising before going ahead with the elaborate plans.

    I wonder if your daughter gave the landscape architect a free-hand.

    If further work is done with the landscape architect, wouldn’t it be a good idea to rough out on the back of an envelope something which seems promising before any development is made? Rough preliminary sketches of that kind often expedite work and save later misunderstandings.

    I often think of the pleasant hours we passed together at the planting of the Beacon Street trees.  You have, of course, noticed how thriving they are and how fully our hopes were realized. We did not dream the trees would be injured more by collision with vehicles than by horses.  You remember we were afraid the horses would gnaw off the bark.

    Yours sincerely, Arthur A. Shurcliff”

    Vehicles still collide with the trees, and DigSafe often shows we must adjust a planting site due to utility lines, but don’t you just love the comment about the horses?

    http://www.history.org/foundation/journal/winter12/images/restoration3.jpg

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  • From the Archives: Beacon Street Tree Planting Fund

    Last week we shared a solicitation letter from the Committee of Beacon Street Residents from 1910, looking for funds to plant trees on Beacon Street between Arlington Street and Massachusetts Avenue.  Here is the follow up, the original residing at the Boston Athenaeum:

    “The fund has now reached $6,257, of which $5,275 is paid in and $982 is promised.  We must have $8,500 before work can be started.  Part of the promised money is conditional on the work being done this summer.  Therefore the deficit of $2,243 must be wiped out during this month or the plan given up. Will you not help to complete the fund?”

    The letter is signed by the Committee of Beacon Street Residents, the Committee of Metropolitan Improvement League, and the Secretary of the Massachusetts Forestry Association.  Fundraising then, as now, is always difficult.  One wonders whether someone made a $2 pledge?  Every $2 helps.

    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/BeaconStreet_Boston_1850s.jpg/1024px-BeaconStreet_Boston_1850s.jpg

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  • From the Archives: A Letter to the Residents of Beacon Street

    The Garden Club of the Back Bay’s pruning of the historic linden trees continues.  Below is the text of a letter to the residents of Beacon Street from 1909 or 1910, the original of which is at the Boston Athenaeum.  In the following days we will share some follow-up correspondence on the matter of the Beacon Street trees.

    “To the Residents of Beacon Street:

    A year ago a committee of residents of Beacon Street met with delegates of the Metropolitan Improvement League and the Massachusetts Forestry Association to consider the planting of a row of trees on either side of Beacon Street between Arlington Street and Massachusetts Avenue.  A strong sentiment in favor of tree-planting had previously been shown by a house-to-house canvass by ladies of this committee.  As a result of this meeting, Mr. Arthur A. Shurtleff, a well-known landscape architect and tree expert, was requested to make a complete study of the situation and to present a full report.

    The undersigned committee recommend that Mr. Shurleff’s plan be adopted and the details of the undertaking be placed in his hands as architect.  To do this will cost approximately $12,000, or an average of $34 per house, there being 352 houses between Arlington Street and Massachusetts Avenue.

    It is desirable that the work of preparing the pits be done during the summer months, when most of the residents will be away and when the work can be done more cheaply. The planting should be done either in November or April, better in the latter month.  If the pits can be prepared this coming summer the planting can be done next November or April.  Otherwise a whole year will be lost.  It is therefore hoped that the necessary sum can be raised before June 1, 1910.

    Will you not contribute toward this well-considered, desirable, and permanent improvement of Beacon Street?

    Cheques may be made payable and sent to R.G. Wadsworth, 323 Beacon Street.  If enough money is not raised, the cheques will be returned.  The committee wish to point out that as all the 352 houses between Arlington Street and Massachusetts Avenue are not occupied by permanent residents, it is hoped that those who are especially interested in the plan will not limit their contributions to any arbitrary sum.  On the other hand, small contributions from any one interested will be very welcome.  Should more money than is necessary for the actual planting be obtained, this excess will be used for the future care of the trees.

    Mrs. Frederick T. Lord, Chairman

    Mrs. Harold J. Coolidge, Mrss. Charles W. Amory, Mrs. Elbridge G. Cutler, Miss Eloise L. Derby, Mrs. Paul Revere Frothingham, Miss Anna H. Niles, Mrs. R.G. Wadsworth, Miss Katherine C. Pierce, Mrs. T.J. Bowker, Hon. Eben S. Draper, Mr. Frank L. Higginson, Mr. Henry P. King, Mr. Charles A. Stone, Mr. Ralph B. Williams, and Dr. Richard G. Wadsworth, Committee of Beacon Street Residents

    Mr. Sylvester Baxter, Mr. Frederick Law Olmsted, and Mr. W.W. Churchill, Committee of Metropolitan Improvement League

    Mr. Irving T. Guild, Secretary of Massachusetts Forestry Association”

    Of course, we’re still raising money for the trees.  For those who are interested in contributing to the pruning project, click “Donate” on our website today.  The image below is of Beacon Street near Carlton Street in Brookline, looking west.

    http://lalh.org//srv/htdocs/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Fig006.jpg_520.jpg

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