Boston: Layers of Dorchester: Unearthing 190 Bowdoin Street

~ VietAID, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the Vietnamese-American community, has announced plans for a new building in Dorchester, Massachusetts. The building, named Hollins Park, will be a 100% affordable family housing development and will involve the removal of a long-vacant house that dates back to 1810.

In an effort to preserve the history of the property and its previous occupants, the City Archaeology Program has planned a survey excavation of the site. This excavation is supported by historical research that sheds light on the long history of the lot and its inhabitants.

The property at 190 Bowdoin Street has a rich history dating back to before European settlers arrived. It was originally part of the traditional homelands of the Massachusett people, with a principal village located near present-day Lower Mills. However, colonial law largely disregarded Indigenous land ownership and sovereignty, allowing English settlers to claim authority over the land.

The earliest documented owner of the land including 190 Bowdoin Street was John Wiswall in 1742. However, records show that there was already a house on the property by 1759. The current house on the property was built around 1810 by teacher Stephen Hale for his boys' school, Dorchester Juvenile Academy. Financial difficulties led to the closure of the school in 1817 and subsequent ownership changes.

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In 1831, cabinetmaker and farmer Warren W.H. Richards purchased the property and lived there with his family until his death in 1862 during the Civil War. His son Amasa Stetson Richards continued to live at 190 Bowdoin Street and operated his business from a shop on nearby Bowdoin Street.

Over time, ownership of the property changed hands several times before being acquired by VietAID in 2024. Founded by refugees and immigrants in 1994, VietAID aims to provide housing, human services, and economic opportunities for the growing Vietnamese-American community in Dorchester.

In order to uncover more about the history of the property, the City of Boston Archaeology Program conducted a survey excavation. Four trenches were strategically placed to explore the workshop, greenhouse, and shed that were marked on historic maps. The team also excavated behind the c. 1831-1874 house ell.

Although only a small number of artifacts were recovered, including a 19th-century copper alloy corset closure and a small blade for a hacksaw, the team was able to locate the stone foundation wall of the workshop and structural elements of the greenhouse and shed.

City archaeologists may return to further investigate the site before deconstruction of the 1810 house begins. The project is being overseen by Project Archaeologist Lauryn Sharp.

The new building, Hollins Park, will not only provide much-needed affordable housing for families in Dorchester but also serve as a reminder of the rich history of this property and its previous occupants.

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