Notice the post office which is now Donohue Federal Building behind the Brown Building which is left of the trolly. There is a fountain in place of that building now.

Also Behind the Trolley on the left side of Main St Where the Registry of Motor vehicles now stands was a hock shop that Had miniture Trains going around in the Windows,also a bar-restaurant.Royal theatre and Royal Hotel on upper floor.Then next was a Western Auto Store and last but not least was Worcester Market That Became Brocklemans market,then Goodwills,Then they had a Fire and then became Welfare Offices.Dont know whats there now.

OH ps......Further up on Main st at the corner of Ionic Ave and Main St was the Sears & Roebuck Building which later moved to the Auburn Mall. A big loss for Worcester. The building is still there and I believe Last was selling Restaurant Eguipment.. Sears Automotive was in the rear for changing tires, batteries,etc. Very limited parking and the loss of foot traffic due to the increased auto world And the building of the Auburn Mall I'm sure had a lot to do with their deciding it was time to move.

Also, where the garage is became the Lowes Poli theater. I went there in the 50's

Third picture is labled incorrectly. Not view from present day front street. That is a past view from Franklin street known in the past as "Park St," and also "South St," because it is on the south side of the common.

The land where tall commercial buildings are now found across Main St from City Hall was once called "Nobility Hill." Mansions of prominent citizens were located there.

Harrington Corner was named after an old schoolmaster who taught in the school on the Common. He had but one leg yet he hobbled around with the aid of a wooden one.

What were the boundaries of Nobility Hill and why was it called such? Per this note: The land where tall commercial buildings are now found across Main St from City Hall was once called "Nobility Hill." Mansions of prominent citizens were located there. Written by: Jeff Cote

the "Main street from present day Front street.........that picture wasnt taken from front street it was taken from Franklin street, take a good look at the angle.........

The third picture down, on the left hand side where the yellowis tinted building is, there is now a glass skyscraper reaching 24 floors high.

Some observations from a current downtown resident: -The Worcester Market building is now government offices, I believe the Environmental Protection Agency is in there. -The closed Showcase theatre (formerly Poli theatre) has been sold to a nonprofit arts group, who hope to restore it as a live-action venue. -The Sears building still has a sign for restaurant equipment, but it appears abandoned. -The Federal building and the little park at the 'point' of the intersection have been walled off with jersey barriers since Sept. 11th. Makes crossing the street in that block difficult!

The City of Worcester brings fond memories of my past.(1984-1987 timeframe). At that time, I serviced the "city" as a Sales Manager for Honeywell Information Systems, which had installed computing equipment at city hall. I will review some "archived" notes/files so as to contribute my memories of your wonderful "City of Seven Hills".

Further down Main, near what's now the Jacob Hyatt School, there was a coffee house called the Y Not Cafe. I believe it was sponsored by the YMCA and/or Worcester Jr. College. The waitresses volunteered, basically, because it was a way to see some excellent folk-singers. The most famous was Bonnie Raitt --- I fell in love with her music at the Y Not because it was so obvious she was special.

Some of the stores on Main Street were Denholms, Filene's, Lerner's, Richard Healey's, Marcus', Sherer's, Grants, Kresge's etc --- they were open Wednesday nights until 8, I think.

I loved main street! It's an amazing place to be in. This century they've replaced it with the Media Mall and the bank across.

Comments regarding NH Donahue's 2nd posting on this page. The pawn shop on the corner of Austin & Main next to the old Post office was Kinney's. As I recall the New Main Lunch was next on this side of the Royal Theater(.14 cents for kids & .28 cents for adults) I believe the Royal Hotel was known as the Lenox in the late 40's...it definitely started with an "L". Next, going up Main St.was the narrow & deep shoeshine stand which also blocked hats. The owner always had a cigar in his mouth. Next would be Brockelman's/ Worcester Market, Frank Puretta from Jackson St. made all their great candy. Continuing up Main St. across Madison St. was Hadley's furniture store, then Kay Jeweler's. The next 2-3 storefronts were also Hadley's, then Sear's. On the corner of Ionic Ave. & Main was Western Auto which I remember well as my Dad purchased my Shelby bicycle there. For those who can recall, Shelby's were to Schwinn's as Lincoln's were to Cadillac's. Across Main St. from Kinney's was the Davis Drug Store. I fondly recall stopping in on many a hot summer's day, after attending the Royal theater which had no air conditioning, to have a frosted mug of Hires Root Beer.

I lived out Main South, rollar skated at Webster Square Friday nights Saturday afternoons.

Any pictures of the block between Elm and Maple Street? My grandfather's optical shop was at 368 Main - Magay & Barron Opticians.

My Grandfather Dr. Asadoor Markarian had his dental practice at 561 Main from around 1915-1923. He graduated Classical High in 1910, Clark Unviersity and Tufts Dental School.

A bit of trivis,507 Main Street Worcester, MA National Register of Historic Places Name Park Building NRHP Area Worcester MRA ID Number 80000607 Park built new circa 1915 and had a strange height(neasured in Floors). It that time buildings were limited in height, so that fire ladders could reach the top. Is it 9,10 or 11 stories tall????

from: http://books.google.com/books?id=UclLAAAAYAAJ&output=html Inland Massachusetts illustrated Elstner Publishing Company - 1891 page066 HOLLAND & HAVENER Dealers in Bicyles, Tricycles, Athletic and Sporting Goods—Gymnasium Apparatus— Instruction in Fencing, Boxing, etc.— No. 507 Main St. This, the only exclusively sporting goods house in Worcester county, was founded in 1877 by Hill & Tolman, who succeeded in making it famous and profitable. Those gentlemen, however, retired on the formation of the present firm, Messrs. Lincoln Holland and Lud C. Havener, in 1889. Both are experienced in the sporting goods trade and widely and favorably known to the general public, Mr. Holland, a native of Worcester, twenty-nine years of age, having been at one time with Hill & Tolman and subsequently in the same business on his own account, while Mr. Havener is a professor of gymnastics and was formerly an instructor of the Boston Athletic Club and in several of the largest Y. M. C. A. gymnasiums of the country. In rear of the salesroom is a private gymnasium presided over by Mr. Havener, who gives regular lessons to a large and growing class. The firm carry a general and varied stock of bicycles, tricycles, athletic, gymnastic and sporting supplies and apparatus, etc., and have a liberal patronage from clubs and individuals. The store, handsomely arranged, is quite large, 35 feet front and 100 feet deep, including the gymnasium, boxing and fencing school in rear. Broad and lofty plate glass windows admit ample light, showing the whole attractive interior. They also conduct a well-appointed riding-school at No. 215 Front street, and a branch store at Cottage City. The goods sold here are of standard excellence, selected by the firm especially for this market, and include as leading specialties a line of safety cycles for both sexes, made by the most reputable manufacturers and warranted. They have a completely equipped shop at No. 19 Allen street, where every description of cycle repairs are made in the best and neatest manner. Wheels are also rented by the hour, day, week, or month, so that strangers visiting the city need not forego exercise and practice. Among the machines in stock the buyer or renter has choice of the following list, the places of manufacture being appended: Columbias, Hartford, Conn.; Victors, Chicopee Falls, Mass.; Broncho (Chainless), Westboro, Mass.; Hartford, Hartford, Conn.; Hickory (Ladies or Gents), Newton, Mass.; Diamond, Worcester, Mass.; Giant (Ladies or Gents), Toledo, Ohio; Premium (Ladies), Washington, I). C.; Nonpareil (Boys), Chicopee, Mass.; Lovell (Girls), Washington, D. C.; Little Beauty (Boys), Washington, D. C.; H.& H. Safety (Boys), New York. Any other style furnished to order. pictures: Fac-simile, John Clarkson's arm. Pitcher Boston League team, & woman on bicycle

Behind the Federal Building where the Registry of Motor Vehicles is now,it was in the 1930's to 1961 the Worcester City Hotel,which was owned by my grandfather.