Somerville Time Warp

Earlier this year, we invented a new holiday, Time Warp Tuesday, for Your Town Somerville‘s Facebook page. Since getting such fantastic feedback, we rounded up our past Time Warp photos into a one-stop destination for all your Somerville nostalgia! Click on to explore the past, and check back to our Facebook page (facebook.com/YourTownSomerville) every Tuesday for a “new” vintage photo and community conversation!

A physically handicapped man works at Ace Electronics Associates at 99 Dover St. in Somerville in 1958! Back in that day, the president of the business had been appointed to President Eisenhower’s Committee for Employment of the Physically Handicapped. Beginning pay during a four-week training period was $1.25/hour, and merit increases went up to $1.60/hour for a 40-hour week.

A Ford plane prepares for takeoff on March 15, 1927 at Boston Airport (before it was called Logan International). Ford used to have a factory in Somerville until the mid 50s.

Here, Somervillians hope a brave diver doesn’t belly flop into a local pool on June 19, 1954.

Check out these Somerville studs! In this vintage photo, boys line up at a local pool in June 1961.

Somerville students and dropouts take the general aptitude test at the junior high school for the Neighborhood Youth Corp in 1965.

Students learned on massive computers at the Somerville Center for Adult Learning in 1983.

Robert Bickford and Patty MacDonald tack up a sign at the Teen Social Work Center at 93 Broadway in 1971.

Somerville families got together to sail boats in a local pond in 1927.

This is the oldest photo we’ve revealed yet! In fact, it’s not even a photograph; it’s a drawing of the “proposed library” [as in, before it existed] from 1912.

The District Court on June 12, 1969.

Somerville City Hall stands in all its glory on February 11, 1924.

A look at 44 South St (at the corner of Harding Street) on Jan 30, 1929

Here is the Somerville Home for the Aged on September 28, 1927. The building still stands today, although they go by the abridged title, Somerville Home, to make you feel less old if you end up there.

Annette Serrao stands behind the counter at La Contessa Pastry Shop on Sept. 27, 1986.

Teachers picket contract offers at Somerville High School on September 5, 1984.

Women have been protesting violence against women for a long time. Protesters marched outside the district court on Oct. 7, 1986.

Ahh, the days of foosball at the local community center while sporting a mullet… Do you remember it well?

Pictured: “Kathy Lauria, 13, and Ann Benner, 14, play a soccer game at the Somerville Boys and Girls Club,” April 7, 1986

A woman and child wait for the bus in Davis Square on December 10, 1977.

May 7, 1990:

“Somerville students join in a rally outside City Hall to protest proposed school budget cuts.”

Remember the days when all-day parking cost just 25 cents? … Yeah, we don’t either. This photo was taken May 29, 1956.

This shot was taken Jan. 20, 1971.

“These new year resolution signs are being put up all over the city of Somerville. It is hoped that the signs will help to lower the accident rate.” – January 4, 1933

42 Simpson Ave in Somerville on March 9, 1969.

Firefighters posing next to their horse carriage in 1907

Joan Mondale, wife of former Vice President Walter Mondale, enjoys herself at Davis Square in 1983. Seated behind her is James Tyler, the artist responsible for the statue in front of Mondale.

St. Benedict’s Roman Catholic Church in Somerville in 1911. St. Benedict’s was one of the first Spanish missions in the Boston area.

A pedestrian walks through the October air on the Monsignor O’Brien Highway in 1986.

Prospect Hill in 1973 with downtown Boston in the background.

Southern Junior High School in 1948

Winter Hill is seen from Prospect Hill in 1934.

A Somerville resident takes a nap on a wooden swing set in 1961.

April 8th, 1934:

Winter Hill is pictured from Highland Avenue.