As we welcome another new year, there is much activity in the greater Concord area. We see ongoing increases in both population and motor vehicles on our streets these days and many commuters as well. Lots of people work in the downtown area, and our state office buildings require even more parking. Yes, life is busy and life is good but there is a need to accommodate the ever-growing task of managing our traffic and parking our motor vehicles in convenient locations around our community.
As I write this article, we are on the verge of opening another parking garage across from the present-day Concord police station. I have walked past this multi-story parking garage and the quality and design seem very nice. Certainly, a large garage on the grounds of three of our former Concord schools will allow for many convenient parking locations. The process of building utilizing precast petitions is quite fascinating allowing for relatively quick construction while limiting the inconvenience of construction obstructions to a degree.
As this latest parking garage is being built my thoughts go back to prior parking garages in Concord and the usefulness, or not so usefulness, of the parking. Perhaps another story for another day, but public parking in Concord is nothing new. In fact, the very first public parking in Concord dates to the year 1831 to provide for our ancestor’s horses and carriages.
Travel back with me to 1831 and think about the population of Concord during that period. The 1840 census tells us that there were between 6,000 and 8,000 people living in Concord during this period. Industry was growing but certainly not like the following years would see. Why would Concord need public parking in 1831?
Quite simply stated, we were growing and not every member of the community owned a home — some were renting or most likely residing in a boarding house with additional people. People of means would build fine homes in Concord and add a carriage house for their carriages and horses, but you would have to have the resources to do this, something that the average laborer could not do. In addition, there were houses being built close to the Concord downtown area where the new homes were situated closely together on much smaller lots. If you think of the South Main Street area and look at streets today such as Thorndike Street, Monroe Street, Fayette Street and more, you will find homes closely situated. Many of the residents living in these homes did not own horses or carriages, they simply walked to work like most people did during this period of time. Many worked for Abbott Downing, Durgin Silver or perhaps Page Belting and walked to their respective places of employment each day.
As Concord continued to grow, there were people doing well financially and the desire for the luxury of a horse or two, a carriage or a simple wagon was growing. A ride in the country on a beautiful day with your family was once just a dream, but it was becoming something that people could afford in 1831.
But if you purchased a horse and carriage and you lived in either a boarding house, tenement building or a residence that did not offer a carriage house, what would you possibly do to shelter your horse and buggy? That was the question being asked in 1831, and those that desired a horse and buggy voiced their opinions to the city of Concord requesting a solution to this dilemma. Quite simply, our ancestors wanted access to public parking in Concord, something that just did not exist.
Concord decided it was time to answer this call for public parking. The city of Concord constructed horse stalls along North State Street right in front of the present-day Old North Cemetery. This seemed the perfect location because it was between the cemetery and the Old North Church, a place frequented by many people. This very first venture into public parking was for members of the First Congregational Society and rented at the rate of $12 per month. These horse stalls were primarily only used on Sundays or during the weekly prayer services.
When the new meeting house was built in 1842, some of the horse sheds had to be relocated. This was the beginning of public parking and it started a trend where parking and horse sheds were made available at various locations around Concord. Investors noted a profit could be made and the people felt this trend for public parking was good for the community, they desired this and it continued from this point forward.
The need for public parking and a safe place to keep your horses and carriages continued to grow. Half a century after this initial venture in public parking, we saw the first horseless carriages appearing in Concord. The automobile arrived and with it the need for rules and regulations. Horses and automobiles needed to coexist for a number of years and the public parking for automobiles was desired too.
As I look at the peaceful Old North Cemetery today, I imagine the long timber framed horse stalls filled with horses and carriages. Perhaps a convenient location in 1831 but the tranquil view of the Old North Cemetery surrounded by the iron fence is a bit more pleasing today. It is a hallowed place that contains many of the people that perhaps utilized the public parking in front of their present graves back in 1831.