Fall River Painted Ladies and City Treasures

  The term Painted Lady came into the American vernacular  with a popular publication featuring San Francisco’s lovely old Victorians, which were being lovingly restored and painted in ice cream parlor shades in the 1960’s-70’s. Every city has a few of these grande dames from another era.  For awhile they became white elephants, cut up for multi-family units, condos, or business offices.  In the 1970’s, with the gas crisis, nobody wanted a Painted Lady with her 10-12 foot ceilings to heat. 

Finally, preservationists and homeowners everywhere are coming to appreciate the intricate gingerbread, interior woodwork, tin ceilings, hardware, stained glass and irreplaceable beauty and craftmanship of these gracious old homes. 

 The Hill area in the north end of Fall River boasts a plethora of Painted Beauties from Rock, Belmont, Highland Avenue, Underwood, High, French, Lincoln, North Main and Maple to the south end of town.  This little album is one of several to come extolling the grandeur and the glory of old Fall River homes, churches and mills.