fbpx

Woolworth's

Remembering Haverhill’s Shopping District

There was a time when, across America, going downtown to shop was the norm. Streets were lined with pharmacies, markets, department stores, and five and dimes. Haverhill, Massachusetts, was no exception. Once known for its bustling shopping district, Haverhill boasted a plethora of department stores and five and dimes, including an F.W. Woolworth’s built in the iconic Woolworth style: yellow brick featuring a red banner and gold letters.

As in many communities, urban renewal, shopping malls, mega super stores, and the internet brought an end to an era, leading the way for the decline and disappearance of Haverhill’s downtown shopping district and the closure of F.W. Woolworth’s.

woolworth_s_l3

More About This Project

Historic New England partnered with the Buttonwoods Museum, Haverhill Community Media, and Haverhill Public Library, Special Collections, to preserve memories, stories, and images of Woolworth’s and other downtown shops now long gone in the film Woolworth’s: Remembering Haverhill’s Shopping District.

The film features oral-history interviews with past and current residents of Haverhill who shopped at the Woolworth five and dime and remember a vibrant shopping district in the center of town.

More to Explore

Browse more Everyone's History projects from Historic New England.

Learn More

Watch more Everyone's History documentary films on YouTube.

Learn More

Become a member and tour Historic New England properties for free.

Learn More