Washington Street Aerial

Washington Street Aerial

One of my favorite aerial views of Canton Center.

Now look closely, you will see at the center of the image, the old St. John's Church. The steeple rises up and you can see where it was set back from the present day church. Behind the church is the St. John's School. Also, the Grover House has yet to be moved and is across the street from the Church entrance.

Suburban growth has certainly changed this view from circa 1965. Missing from this image is the large construction projects of hundreds of condominium developments that had sprung up in the late 1980's through current projects today off of Ames Avenue. The shovel shop is now gone as is the block along Washington Street across from St. John's. You can see the large amount of open-space that once graced the downtown. Missed opportunities for a "town common" perhaps.

There is the familiar curve of Washington Street, and while folks may be concerned about traffic today, at least at the moment this picture was taken, traffic seems downright idyllic. Click on the picture to enlarge and then enjoy the nostalgia and the hunting for past and present landmarks.