Stonemasons remove stucco from the outside of the old Bank of America building at 8433 Germantown Ave. in Chestnut Hill. (Photo courtesy of Chestnut Hill Historical Society)

by Alex Bartlett, Archivist, Chestnut Hill Historical Society

Workers have always been a critical part of everyday life in America, and Chestnut Hill is no exception.

In this 1955 view, stonemasons begin to remove the stucco adhering to the outside of the old Bank of America building at 8433 Germantown Avenue as part of a plan to architecturally unify the facades of Chestnut Hill’s storefronts. Stonemasons like those visible here played a critical role in the construction and maintenance of many buildings in Chestnut Hill. Many of these stonemasons had their origins in Poffabro, a town in the province of Friuli in northeastern Italy, and came to Chestnut Hill starting around the turn of the 20th century to work the stone in local quarries. These quarries were located along East Mermaid Lane, East Willow Grove Avenue, and along the 7600 and 7700 blocks of Germantown Avenue. Though the quarries have long since been filled in and redeveloped, the legacy of these stone workers lives on in the beautiful stonework that is so integral to the character of Chestnut Hill today.

You can browse through thousands of Chestnut Hill-area historical photos from your home. Visit the Chestnut Hill Historical Society’s Online Photo Collection at chhist.org