House numbering [1817 Boston]

[Joel S. Berson]

It's not the 1770s or the early days of Long Wharf, but enough of a
curiosity for Caleb Snow to mention the numbering in his History of
Boston (this site is land, not a wharf over water):

"In 1817, a block of stores was erected on each side ... They are all
four stories high and have uniform fronts. The stores on the north
side are marked with the odd numbers (1 to 91) and those on the south
with the even numbers, (2 to 76) [sic] the chambers in each building
one number, and the store, below, the odd or even number next in order."

Page 328.  Page 327 is entertaining on the structures built at that
time on Central-wharf.  (GBooks)

Joel

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org