Tremont Street [Boston]

An interesting promotional piece from a historic Boston bank.

“Boston is filled with legend and steeped in history. To many “oldsters” that portion of Tremont Street between Boston Common and Scollay Square holds many pleasant, lingering memories.” – Text, verso.

This charming little guide shows two views of Boston’s Tremont Street as it would have looked in the mid-19th century. It is a reproduction of a 42-foot-long painting, originally illustrated by Carroll Bill in 1947, that hung in the lobby of Home Savings Bank, the publisher of the piece. The company had recently celebrated its 100th anniversary, though struggles led to a rebrand from ‘The Home Savings Bank in Boston’ to just ‘Home Savings Bank’ in 1983.

The brochure may have been an effort to assuage public skepticism about the banks’ financial issues by revisiting their long history on the important Boston thoroughfare. If this was the goal, it was unsuccessful. A second rebranding took place in 1985 (Yankee Bank for Finance and Savings, followed by total collapse in 1987 and eventual acquisition by Citizens’ Bank. It’s possible the undated piece was issued somewhat earlier – Scollay Square was demolished in 1962 and the area had been undergoing significant urban revitalization.

Source.