(Continuing our walking tour of downtown challenging your mind's eye.)

On the other side on Moran Sq. can also be found numersous Queen Anne
Revival homes.  Described as the "codfish aristocracy", the nouveau riche of
the 1880's and 1890's continued to build elegant homes in the vicinity of
Summer St. and Atlantic Ave.  Two residences, ornate in every detail line
the corner of Bluff Ave. and Summer St.  The chimneys, stained glass
windows, turrets and trellises all show exquisite artistic design.
Unfortunately, the Great Depressiohn of the 1930's brought to a close the
halcyon days of Fitchburg's home-building period.

The area bordered by Main St., Prichard St., Academy st. and Merriam Parkway
at the Upper Common has not changed significantly in years, enabling us to
see how downtown Fitchburg looked several generations ago.  This area has
traditionally been the downtown, the focal point of the community.  Some of
the buildings in recent years have been altered or even demolished, but,as a
neighborhood, it still has characteristics which keep the area historically
intact.  Numerous townhouses abound, some in good condition, others not so
good.  Single family homes still exist amidst the commercial hubbub of the
industrial city.  Shaded streets, shutters, and white picket fences still
catch the eye of persons with a little time to spare, who like noticing
architectural details.

The streets in this area are for the most part laid out in blocks.  From
east to west you'll find Prichard, Oliver, Fox  Hartwell, Wallace, Grove,
Central and Academy Streets. From south to north the streets are Main, Elm,
Adams and again Prichard St.  Each are worth taking the time to explore,
because they contain a wealth of information concerning the history and
development of the city.  In addition to these there are smaller
lesser-known streets which are hidden between buildings.  Baker Street, so
named because of the bakery which was located there, is a narrow dirt lane
meandering between Circle and Rollston Streets.  An old Wonder Bread sign on
the corner of Baker and Circle Sts. is the only indication today of that
activity.  Factory Square, laid out in 1807, lies behind the Sentinel
building and the Calvinistic Congregational Church.  Wesleyan Place, Farwell
Place, Caldwell Plade, Brood Street and Cottage Square are all names which
though unfamiliar, exist often  unnoticed by the causal passerby.  All of
the building related to city govenment and to its cultural life are located
in this area.  It is difficult to mention every building of importance here
because space would not permit it.  Here I'm suggesting a pleasant walkihng
tour around the historical section of Fitchburg.  By following this tour
you'll spend the better part of the morning, depending on your own pace.
You may even shorten it if you want.

Starting at the traffic lights at Main and Oliver Streets, you can stroll
and get acquainted with a great deal of the city.  Heading north on Oliver
Street, you'll immediately leave behind the big four-and-five-story
buildings which characteriza a once-busy city.  The first block contains a
dignified yellow clapboard house with black shutters, almost hidden by
structres on either side.  What is amazing is that it is located so close to
the large buildings on Main Street.  Beyond the Fire Statin is a three and
one-half story frame structure.  This was once the old Ficthburg Hotel,
built before 1820.  It formerly stood on the site of the C. C. Church at
Rollstone and Main streets and , like many other buildings was moved - not
demolished - to make way for another structure.  The shutters have been take
off and the clapboarding covered over, but, using imagination, it's easy to
visualize what it used to look like in its early days.  The beige
townhouses, now used as doctors' offices at the corner of Adams and Oliver
Streets, was also a section of the same Fitchburg Hotel, and it too was
moved to its present location.  Looking across the parking lot here, you'll
glimpse another set of townhouses, renovated several years ago.  Taking a
left turn onto Adams Street brings you in view of several Victorian houses,
of brick and clapboard construction.  At the intersection of Adams and Fox
Streets, a variety of architectural styles exist.  They include brick
townhouses built in 1873, a white clapboard house from the 1840's an altered
1850-style house and looking up toward Prichard Street, several homes built
between 1840 nad 1860.  At the end of Adams Street take a left onto
Hartwell.  At the corner here is a hip-roofed, brick-ended Federal building
with black shutters, a fine example of a well-proportioned, single-family
house of 130 years ago.  A stucco tile-roofed house next to this shows that
even as late as the 1920's people were building expensive private homes
downtown.

(to be continued)