Nuttings on the Charles

[dancerjodi]

This is all that remains today of a swanky dance hall that used to be in Waltham:
http://www.diabolis.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=200&pos=20

Here's what it used to look like until it burned down in a fire in 1961:
http://www.city.waltham.ma.us/main4.htm

Here's an e-bay auction related to a show at Nuttings; apparently a lot of famous people used to perform here (including Glen Miller and Jimmy Durante):
http://www.jabw.demon.co.uk/nuttings.htm

The city was rich with the arts back then - in addition to Nuttings was the Waldorf Theater (next to the Common, now houses a chinese medicine/acupuncture practice and some apartments), the old Embassy and the Hovey theatre. There are some descriptions and one pic here:
Here's what it used to look like:
http://www.walthammuseum.com/theaters.htm

History (and that of industrial cities and towns) fascinates me. One of these days I'll actually make it into the two Waltham museums (and those in Lowell too for that matter) :)

****

These things have been on my mind given that my dance teacher has taken a turn for the worse. Her kids are visiting from Tennessee and prepping for the end. I'm glad that I was able to study with such an amazing woman who was a part of something very neat in our community and could give the historic perspective of the local arts (in addition to Boston, Broadway and beyond).

Comments

[alabastard.livejournal.com]

I love histories like this; before I move, I must get you to give me the local's eye view of Waltham. I bike through it all the time, but I'd like to see more of it.

The old Watch City

[dancer.livejournal.com]

"I love histories like this; before I move, I must get you to give me the local's eye view of Waltham. I bike through it all the time, but I'd like to see more of it."

No problem, I'd love to! :)