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The House That Started It All
While it scarcely looks like the Amityville Horror House, the little two-family Gray homestead on Fourth Street set off a firestorm of ill will among Emma and Lizzie and their stepmother Abby Durfee Gray Borden. Abby’s half sister Sarah Whitehead and her family (including daughter Little Abbie) lived in one half of the house while Abby Borden’s stepmother, Jane Gray (second wife of Abby’s father Oliver Gray) had the other side. When Jane Gray decided to move out, Andrew Borden bought out the other half of his wife’s family home and put it in her name without telling Emma and Lizzie. When the girls found out, they were none too pleased and made it clear to their father he would have to make things even, which he did by giving them the old Ferry Street house to manage. The girls ended up selling it back to their father, but the seeds of distrust and animosity were sown, and the Whiteheads were none-too-welcome at Second Street. Lizzie began calling Abby “Mrs. Borden” whereas she had been called “Mother” before. Women can be – unforgiving. The Gray Family Plot at Oak Grove: Oliver, Jane, Sarah Gray (first wife) (c)2007
(c)2007
Grave of Sarah Whitehead’s little girl, Abbie Whitehead Potter, who grew up with decided views about Lizzie Borden
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Got Taphophilia?
Sounds like an exotic disease but actually taphophilia is the love of old monuments and cemetery statuary, tombstones, memorials and well, stones! Oak Grove Cemetery, the final resting place for so many players in the Borden saga, is a true mid-nineteenth century garden cemetery inspired by Cambridge’s Mount Auburn, near Boston. The nearly 100 acres of winding pathways is a taphophile’s delight of heavily carved marble and granite, full of Victorian symbolism. Below is a representative of the personification of sorrow clutching a wreath, clinging to the Cross, the holding tomb where the Bordens were held for a week while awaiting a second autopsy which was done on the cemetery grounds, and the marker for Abby Borden’s half-sister, Mrs. Whitehead, whose Fourth Street house caused so much tension between Lizzie and Emma and her father. Click on photos for a larger view. (c) All rights reserved.
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The Truth About Orbs
Some folks get pretty excited about these glowing little balls. Are they dust particles? Moisture droplets? Reflections from flash? Whatever they are, there always seem to be plenty of them floating around the crime scene on Second Street- both inside and outside the house. Here are a few exterior shots of the house at night,, and one photo of the Dr. Kelly house, the yellow house, next door where Lizzie’s friend Alice Russell once lived and where another Borden once threw herself and her children down a well in the back yard.
There’s probably a perfectly good explanation for this phenomenon, but in the meantime, orbs are always good cocktail party conversation! -
The Eyes of Lizzie Borden
If the eyes are the windows of the soul, then much could be said about Lizzie’s. In the eight known photographs of her, there is only one in which she is looking directly at the camera. Other photos show a left or right profile at various angles. According to the arrest book, Lizzie’s eyes are pale- gray. Many have described her eyes as “unsettling”, unnerving, in their steady gaze. This photo was taken of Lizzie in the summer of 1893 on the porch of the Covel house on Farewell Street in Newport, RI, where Lizzie sojourned after her acquittal. Maybe Fall River was a little too hot to hold her that summer.
Still, this is a riveting photo of a content and satisfied woman of 33, posing with a Mona Lisa smile, just a little defiant in stance behind her chair. The house on Farewell St. is there still, at the far west end of Farewell street right next door to the Munson School, and the current owner, although a little weary of being told who slept at her house, is tolerant of Lizziephiles who wish to take a photo. One can only wonder at the thoughts in Lizzie’s head that long ago summer of 1893. . . .
The house on Farewell Street
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On the Old Fall River Line
After the great mills and textile industry, the old Fall River Line’s luxurious Floating Palaces should be the next thing Fall River should be remembered for (although many might say Lizzie Borden). The steamboats plied the south coast of New England from Fall River to New York with connecting rail service to Boston from 1847 to 1937.
The famous upbeat song, On the Old Fall River Line was written by prolific Tin Pan Alley Composer Harry Von Tilzer(1872- 1946) whose most well-know hit is probably She’s Only a Bird in a Gilded Cage, written in 1900.
No trip to Fall River would be complete without a trip to the Marine Museum at Battleship Cove, which houses an incredible display of luxury Fall River Line appointments,- from china to crew uniforms and parlor chairs, carved paneling, to newel posts from the grand staircases. The museum also boasts a 28 foot model of the Titanic from the movie of the same name starring Clifton Webb and Barbara Stanwyck, and a fantastic display of artifacts from the sunken Italian liner, the Andrea Doria. Be sure to plan some time to visit Battleship Cove and see what’s left of the old Fall River Line pier.
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Lizzie’s Morgan Street School is Safe from the Wrecker’s Ball
In a recent conversation with the principal of the Nathaniel B. Borden school, sometimes called the Morgan Street school, it was learned that contrary to rumors circulating around town, the grand old edifice is safe from the wrecker’s ball. As a National Register property, it may soon close as a school, but will remain as a building of historical significance. Here is the entry from the register:Borden, N. B., School ** (added 1983 – Building – #83000631)
43 Morgan St., Fall River
Historic Significance: Architecture/Engineering, Event Architectural Style: Second Empire Area of Significance: Education, Architecture Period of Significance: 1850-1874 Owner: Local Gov’t Historic Function: Education Historic Sub-function: School Current Function: Education Current Sub-function: School Although the magnificent cupola is gone, and some of the elaborate decoration which once adorned the roof, the basic structure of red brick is intact and ready to face another 100 years. The interiors still boast magnificent beadboard, Renaissance Revival cornices and winding staircases terminating in snailshell topped newel posts. Can you picture Lizzie skipping rope in the schoolyard?
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Fall River Public Library- A Visual Feast
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80 Years Ago, June 1, 1927
Today marks the 80th anniversary of the death of one of Fall River’s most notorious citizens. Estranged from her sister Emma, Lizzie would die without family near on June 1, 1927 after declining health following gall bladder surgery. Emma would follow her nine days later, There may be no flowers at Oak Grove Cemetery today to mark this milestone year’s mind, but Lizzie’s legend lives on eighty years after her lonely demise.
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Lizzie’s leg o’ mutton sleeves
Most people, when they make a mental image of Lizzie Borden, have the famous photo of Lizzie in Newport at the Covell house on the porch in mind. Lizzie stands triumphantly behind a chair with those voluminous leg o’ mutton sleeves ballooning from her blouse. Vintage duds from antique shops are usually too fragile to be worn today although vintage jewelry, shawls and small accessories can add age to simple outfits. By 1892, the leg o’ mutton sleeve was all the rage, and would continue to grow to enormous proportions until 1896 when the sleeve grew to ridiculous size. What is a leg o’ mutton? A wide- topped sleeve gathered into a tapered cuff fits the bill- and it does look like a real sheep leg, or the French “gigot” sounds more elegant. And the sheep does not mind a bit!
Many pattern books offer 1890’s patterns in the costume section, and many such as Butterick’s and Simplicity and McCall’s offer historical patterns based on real vintage pattern books. Butterick’s has a particularly nice leg o’ mutton blouse pattern# B4418 which comes with a companion 7 gore skirt. Skirts from the 1890’s are wonderfully comfortable with a wide “morning glory” bottom and a smooth- fitted hip and waist. This simple duo can be dressed up with jewelry and accessories which would make
the perfect ensemble. For those not handy with a needle, many ready-made options may be found on the Internet. Blanche’s place www.blanchesplace.com offers a spectacular array of men’s and ladies’ garments including ball gowns, corsets, blouses, walking suits, calicoes, taffetas, accessories and more in a wide range of prices. Here is a Blanche creation fit for Rock Street!
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The Old Central
The old Central Congregational Church, where Lizzie attended has hosted several Lizzie Expos and served as a setting for an Aerosmith rock video. Today it is a training school for chefs and a first class restaurant called The Abbey Grille. The Grille is situated in the old church hall, where Lizzie’s welcome home party took place on her return from the Grand Tour in 1890. The restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner. Visit the website at http://www.iicaculinary.com/iica-students.htm and the Abbey Grille at http://www.iicaculinary.com/abbey.htm. -
Scene of the Crime
If you have not visited the house on Second Street in the past three years- there are some changes in store. The Borden barn has been rebuilt following original blueprints, the house has had a fresh coat of paint, and the old Leary Press has been torn down. The landscaping and other improvements to the property have brought back a closer vision to what the house looked like on the day of the murders. There are even pear trees on the property again, and a hayloft! The barn contains a giftshop selling books and other Lizzie-related items. Tours are on the hour daily 11-3 p.m. Visit the website at http://www.lizzie-borden.com/
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Lizzie’s new courthouse neighbor
The old bus station is demolished and the groundwork preparation is underway for the courthouse to come on 2009. The site will occupy what was the location of Hall’s Livery, the Bowen and Miller house, and a considerable chunk of real estate on the west end of the lot facing South Main.
This view is from the south lawn of #92 Second Street. The buildings in the background are on South Main Street, where the Andrew J. Borden building is still located and where Lizzie’s shoplifting tendencies found fertile possibilities in department stores such as McWhirr’s. As of July 25th, the lot is still a large gravel pit with no signs of activity for the next stage of construction. -
July 19th, 1860 Happy 147th Miss Lizzie!
Who else shares the day?1834 Edgar Degas France, impressionist painter
1851 Hendrik J Jut Dutch murderer (head of Jut)
1865 Charles Horace Mayo surgeon/co-founder (Mayo Clinic)
1896 Archibald J Cronin England, author (Citadel, Shining Victory)
1937 George Hamilton IV NC, actor (Evel Knievel, Love at 1st Bite)
1938 Richard Jordan NYC, actor (Dune, Old Boyfriends, Interiors)
and Vikki Carr [Florencia Casillas], El Paso Tx, singer (Let it Be Him)
1947 Bernie Leadon Minneapolis, guitarist/vocalist (Eagles-Take it Easy)
and Brian May London, rock guitarist (Queen-We are the Champions)
1952 Alan Collins rock guitarist (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
and Dominic Muldowney composer
and Howard Donald Saunders Danbury Ct, murderer (FBI Most Wanted List)
1954 Kathleen Turner actress (Accidental Tourist, Jewel of Nile)
1962 Anthony Edwards Santa Barbara Calif, actor (It Takes Two, ER)Things to Remember for July 19:
Baked Beans-Hot Dog-Ice Cream-Hitch Hiking Month
Flowers-water lily & larkspur Gem-ruby
Park & Recreation Month-National Picnic Month
2 Days Astrological sign: CancerHighlights in History Which Occur July 19:
64 Circus Maximus in Rome catches fire
1524 Boer war begins in Germany
1545 King Henry VIII’s flagship Mary Rose sinks at Portsmouth; 73 die
1553 15-year-old Lady Jane Grey deposed as England’s Queen after 9 days
1836 HMS Beagle/Charles Darwin reaches Ascension
1848 1st women’s rights convention (Seneca Falls, NY)
1850 Airship Elizabeth leaves in storm for Fire Island, crashes (42 die)
1860 1st railroad reaches Kansas
1862 Forrest’s 1st raid
1863 Battle of Buffington’s Island, OH
1864 Battle of Winchester, VA (Stephenson’s Depot
1870 France declares war on Prussia; Franco-Prussian war begins
1918 German armies retreat across Marne River in France (WW I)
1940 Hitler advises Great Britain to surrenders
1957 1st rocket with nuclear warhead fired, Yucca Flat, Nevada
1961 1st in-flight movie shown (TWA)
1965 Shooting begins on Star Trek 2nd pilot “Where No Man Has Gone Before”
1966 50 year old Frank Sinatra marries 21 year old Mia Farrow in Las Vegas
and France performs nuclear test at Fangataufa Island
and Gov James Rhodes declares state of emergency in Cleveland (race riot)
1967 1st air conditioned NYC subway car (R-38 on the F line)
and Race riots in Durham NC
and US launches Explorer 35 for lunar orbit (800/7400 km)
1969 Apollo 11 goes into Moon orbit
and Don Bowden becomes 1st American to break 4 minute mile (3m58s7)
and US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
1977 Floods in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, kills 76
1985 Christa McAuliffe chosen 1st school teacher to fly space shuttle
and Dam in Fiemme Valley Italy bursts; 200 die
1990 BASF plant in Cincinnati explodes in flames, 1 dies
and Cincinnati Red Pete Rose is sentence to 5 months for tax evasion
and Richard Nixon library opens in Yorba Linda, Calif
1992 NYC Ballet star Peter Martins, arrested for beating his wife
1993 Pres Clinton fires FBI director William Sessions
1994 1st game ever cancelled at Seattle Kingdome (falling tiles)
and Bomb explosion in Alas Airlines at Colon Panama, 21 killed
