No. 5227 Friendship Hall, painting on brick
Edward A. Huebener, a former Board member of the Dorchester Historical Society, was a collector of materials relating to Dorchester history including a very large collection of graphic materials, including prints and photographs, now owned by the Society. His very own contribution to this group of materials was the idea of taking a brick from a house that had been demolished and asking a local illustrator to paint a picture of the house upon the brick. The painted bricks may be viewed at the Dorchester Historical Society.
Friendship Hall was located at Cracker Hollow near the intersecton now of Bowdoin Street and Geneva Avenue.
Friendship Hall was set back from Bowdoin Street, between the corner of Geneva Avenue and Blakeville Street. Construction was started in 1844, and the building was dedicated January 22, 1845 by Norfolk Lodge No. 48, I.O.O.F., which met there for fifty years. Many other societies, social, political and fraternal gathered here during the last half of the nineteenth century. About 1915 the old structure was torn down to make room for a garage.
No. 2096 Davenport House and Union Hall.
No. 5352 Map detail from 1889 Bromley Atlas showing the location of Friendship Hall and the Davenport House–property owned by Stone heir, on Bowdoin Street near Geneva Avenue.
No. 2537 Another photo owned by the Dorchester Historical Society.
No. 2486 Pen and ink drawing in the collection of the Dorchester Historical Society. Caption: Home of Samuel Davenport 1757-1802, Boston Street, adjoining Friendship Hall.
This drawing shows the Samuel Davenport House before Friendship Hall was built.