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Horace Gray, an influential
Boston businessman and horticulturist, who played a
leading role in
establishing the Boston Public Garden built an imposing
country house
at the crest of Nonantum Hill, overlooking the valley in
which
Chandler's Pond would later be created. In 1848,
however, Gray was forced by financial difficulties to sell
his
Brighton property. The purchaser was William C. Strong,
who expanded
the horticultural business there by laying out additional
vines and
adding other plants. Strong also built an immense
greenhouse for his
Nonantum Valley Nurseries under one
continuous roof of glass of 18,000 square feet.
http://www.newtonma.gov/gov/historic/durant/default.asp (Newton History Site)
Nonantum Hill
Drawing.
The year and location of this drawing is
unknown, but the view is probably from Nonantum St
or Tremont St.
This photo was taken from Bigelow St in the late 1800s. The house at the top center at the top of Nonantum Hill is the house on the drawing above and is shown on the Bowman property in the lower left of the 1885 map below. This house later became the St Sebastian Country Day School (see below) Nonantum
Hill Map 1885
For more information on Joseph Breck, click on these links: http://brecks.com (
Today's Breck Seed Company link)
1925 Map with William Elliott Nursery bounded by Kenrick street on the bottom and Brayton Rd on the right Elliott Nursery with Nonantum Hill in the background (Margo and Huntington Rd area) Interior of the Elliott Nursery
For more information <click here>
On the other side of Nonantum Hill on Tremont St near the Newton line below the OLP Church, there were three Florists as shown on the 1919 map above: Devin, Holbrow and Brackett Florists. In later years, the Holbrow Florist would acquire the Brackett Florist. The Brackett home on Washington St was torn down c1960 for the creation of the OLP Church parking lot.
Above is an aerial photo of the St Sebastian's School property in the late 1980s before housing construction started. Breck Ave is at the top center and Brayton Rd to the left. Kenrick St would be to the right. The blue box was where the main high school building stood. Below the blue box is the skating rink and gymnasium and to the right are the tennis courts. The open field above the blue box was the baseball/football field. The Green box was the residence of William Elliott, owner of the nursery, and c1930 became the Elliott House or the St Sebastian's Priest's house. See the blue and green box in the 1925 map above for their location before further development in the 1900s. Margo Rd was developed in the 1950s. The rectangle area in between these two boxes was where the school's baseball/football field. To the right of the blue box is the tennis courts and behind the blue box is the Ice hockey rink. The gymnasium was to the right of the ice rink. Today this open green area has been replaced by housing. St Sebastian's High School building c1985. See blue boxes in the above photo and 1925 map. For interviews of Brighton residents remembering this area <click here> |