Then and Now, June 7, 2023

This is what real estate development along Marvin and Bingham streets looked like in the mid-1930s. Bingham Street, seen running left to right in these photos, was built in 1895 by Morton Marvin, who owned the house at 100 East State Street. Development of this area began in earnest in 1907, when a group of five Montpelier businessmen including Hugh J.M. Jones, who then owned the house at 100 East State Street, seen in the upper left corner of the historic photograph, purchased 22 acres of land from the Thomas Morton estate and laid out 50 building lots. The first two houses in this development were built in 1909; the city installed water pipes the same year. A few more houses followed in the 1910–1912 period. This picture shows that development had slowly moved up the hill by 1935, with several potential building lots still available. This historic photo can be seen in more detail with approximate building dates of each building at digitalvermont.org/items/show/4822.