Past and Present
Browse the digital gallery, showcasing photos and descriptions of past and present Winooski. Descriptions written by Joe Perron. Photos subject to copyright. For more Past and Present photos, follow the Winooski Historical Society on Facebook.
Spring Street
West Spring Street
The North side of West Spring Street in Winooski, as seen ca. 1910 just past the old St Louis Convent. I believe the first house on the right was the longtime home of Cecile Lesage. The next house up has gained a second full story in the subsequent decades, and further down can be seen the brick commercial block which housed Fred Blais' corner market. Just past on the opposite corner of North Street can be seen an elegant Victorian home which I believe burned in the 1970s and has been replaced with a more modern duplex. By Joe Perron- 11/16/23
East Spring Street
A ca. 1910 postcard view of an unpaved East Spring Street showing trolley tracks. On the left with the fenced yard is the elegant brick home of Samuel Bigwood, born in Somerset, England in 1833. As a 16 year old boy, he came to Winooski Falls in 1849 with his father William who had taken employment with the Burlington Woolen Company. Samuel Bigwood learned his trade as a tinsmith in New York and Pennsylvania before returning to Winooski in the 1860s where he became a successful hardware merchant, once in partnership with Ira Allen (not Ethan's brother). Samuel Bigwood was prominent in local politics, and a deacon of the First Baptist Church in Burlington before his passing in 1907. His son Frank carried on the family hardware business and was also a longtime Winooski resident. Just past on the left can be seen the longtime home of the Brault family; and the Graves/Horton house beyond. Postcard image courtesy of the Vermont Historical Society. Special thanks to librarian Marjorie Strong for assistance.
Main Street
Main Street
"Then and Now" of 262 Main Street Winooski showing Craig Jaques in front of his auto body shop which he opened around 1980. The building was later razed in the early 2000s for a Simon's convenience store, but Craig is still doing auto body repairs on Lime Kiln Road in South Burlington.
Lower Main Street
The Winooski Restaurant and Camie's Shoe Shine Parlor located at 28, 30, 32, and 34 Main Street Winooski, as shown in this mid 1970s photo. The Winooski Restaurant was operated by Francis Dixon (1923-1974) for 30 years, and Camie's Shoe Shine Parlor, known for it's back room card games, was operated by Francis "Camie" Cameron (1913-1989).
In more recent years, Champion's Tavern operated by John O'Brien occupied the block, and since 2002 The Monkey House, a bar and music venue have been located in the former Winooski Restaurant space.
