Hom's Delicious Chinese Food

The HU5 phone exchange was for the town of Hull. This was originally HUL xxxx with HUL standing for HULL, when Boston had 3 letter + 4 digit phone numbers. In 1948 the Boston metro area changed to 2 letter + 5 digit numbering, and this became HU 5-xxxx, with HU still standing for HULL. Sometime in the 1950s -- by 1960 at the latest -- the Hull exchange was changed to WArwick 5, which eventually became the 925 exchange when we converted to all-digit dialing in the late 1960s/early '70s.

By 1965 the HU5 exchange had been reassigned to Marlborough, where it was HUntley 5, later 485. Marlborough was always a toll call (as opposed to message units) from Boston, even though it was for many years in the 617 area code.

I'm not sure why this real estate company had a phone number in Hull, in addition to their HAncock 6 (Boston - Harrison Ave. central office) number which makes much, much more sense for this neighborhood. But as another commenter has noted, by the date of this photo it was a moot point, since Duane wrecking had already taken possession of the building -- notice their double padlocks!

Grid of streets in the South End named after cities and towns in New York that the railroads ran through. They were obliterated as part of the urban renewal project which resulted in the Castle Square Housing project and the Boston Herald industrial site.

"Dover St." is the old name for what is now E. Berkeley St. The blue thing is Dover station on the Washington St. Elevated. The street grid appears to have changed a fair bit, with many minor streets having been eliminated.