Dudley Borland Card Collection
Collection
Identifier: CHC072
Scope and Content
This collection contains property cards, some with images, newspaper clippings, calling cards, correspondence, receipts, and maps, dating to 1927 from the Dudley and Borland real estate firm. This was owned by Parker Dudley and James P. Borland. The cards "include notes and pictures of many of the houses that still stand as well as ones that are missing."
Dates
- ca. 1927
Language of Materials
Material is in English.
Access
Collection is available for research under the CHC rules of use.
Copyright Notice
Copyright for materials resides with the creators of the items in question, unless otherwise designated.
It is the responsibility of the researcher to understand and observe copyright law and to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyright. Questions concerning copyright and permission to publish should be directed to the Cambridge Historical Commission Archives.
It is the responsibility of the researcher to understand and observe copyright law and to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyright. Questions concerning copyright and permission to publish should be directed to the Cambridge Historical Commission Archives.
Biographical Note:
Dudley & Borland Realtors Inc. was established in 1927 to specialize in the sale of single-family homes and condos. It was founded by Robert Parker Dudley and James P. Borland. The business was located at 1374 Massachusetts Avenue.
Robert Parker Dudley was born on June 20, 1900 in Buffalo, NY but moved to Massachusetts by the age of three with his father, William N. Dudley, an architect. According to the U.S. federal census, they moved frequently during his childhood and early adult years, including Belmont, Concord, Newton, and Wellesley. He attended Phillips Andover Academy and then Yale University, class of 1923. He became extremely active in the Cambridge Boy Scouts, which he continued throughout his life, becoming the president of the Cambridge Council, Inc., Boy Scouts of America during his later years. In 1941 Dudley married Anne Kirk and they lived at 250 Brattle Street in Cambridge. In the 1950s Dudley became a member of the Cambridge Savings Bank and was later elected VP in the 1960s. He also served as the president of the Society of Real Estate Appraisers. Dudley died on July 9, 1983.
James Post Borland was born in Oakland, New Jersey on February 22, 1900 to Charles R., a chemist from England, and Elizabeth Borland. By 1920 the family moved to Elm Street in Concord, Massachusetts. He then attended MIT and served in WWI. On October 15, 1932 Borland married Cantabrigian Eliza Stringham Morton and they had two children, Elizabeth and Charles R. Borland. Initially living at 11 Norton Place in Cambridge, the family moved to 8 Coolidge Hill Road in 1940 as their family grew. Similar to Dudley, Borland was extremely active in the Cambridge Boy Scouts, and both men were members of the Cambridge Kiwanis Club. Borland also served on the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce. Borland died on June 156, 1979.
In the 1980s, the proprietor of Dudley & Borland Realtors Inc. became Robert G. Crocker and the business was relocated to 124 Mt. Auburn Street.
Robert Parker Dudley was born on June 20, 1900 in Buffalo, NY but moved to Massachusetts by the age of three with his father, William N. Dudley, an architect. According to the U.S. federal census, they moved frequently during his childhood and early adult years, including Belmont, Concord, Newton, and Wellesley. He attended Phillips Andover Academy and then Yale University, class of 1923. He became extremely active in the Cambridge Boy Scouts, which he continued throughout his life, becoming the president of the Cambridge Council, Inc., Boy Scouts of America during his later years. In 1941 Dudley married Anne Kirk and they lived at 250 Brattle Street in Cambridge. In the 1950s Dudley became a member of the Cambridge Savings Bank and was later elected VP in the 1960s. He also served as the president of the Society of Real Estate Appraisers. Dudley died on July 9, 1983.
James Post Borland was born in Oakland, New Jersey on February 22, 1900 to Charles R., a chemist from England, and Elizabeth Borland. By 1920 the family moved to Elm Street in Concord, Massachusetts. He then attended MIT and served in WWI. On October 15, 1932 Borland married Cantabrigian Eliza Stringham Morton and they had two children, Elizabeth and Charles R. Borland. Initially living at 11 Norton Place in Cambridge, the family moved to 8 Coolidge Hill Road in 1940 as their family grew. Similar to Dudley, Borland was extremely active in the Cambridge Boy Scouts, and both men were members of the Cambridge Kiwanis Club. Borland also served on the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce. Borland died on June 156, 1979.
In the 1980s, the proprietor of Dudley & Borland Realtors Inc. became Robert G. Crocker and the business was relocated to 124 Mt. Auburn Street.
Extent
8 boxes
Scope and Contents
This collection contains property cards, some with images, newspaper clippings, calling cards, correspondence, receipts, and maps, dating to 1927 from the Dudley and Borland real estate firm. This was owned by Parker Dudley and James P. Borland. The cards "include notes and pictures of many of the houses that still stand as well as ones that are missing."
In addition to the property cards, there are indexes for property sales and mailing lists. The photographs section contains loose photographs as well as individual property-related documents and photocopy pages from the Harvard Crimson 1973 Registration Issue.
In addition to the property cards, there are indexes for property sales and mailing lists. The photographs section contains loose photographs as well as individual property-related documents and photocopy pages from the Harvard Crimson 1973 Registration Issue.
System of Arrangement
The majority of this collection is arranged by street name. Also included are card catalogs of a mailing list, arranged alphabetically by last name, and an index of property sales. The Property Sales index covers 1927 to 1979 and lists date, former owner, new owner, and price, and it is arranged alphabetically by address. The List of Streets has a top-level alphabetical street order and then streets of particular interest are parsed out into their own sub-sections. The street names containing numbers indicate the addresses that have accompanying photographs. Accompanying the Photographs section are photocopy pages from the Harvard Crimson 1973 Registration Issue.
To retain the original arrangement of the collection, the series imposed on this collection correspond to their original organization. While there are photographs present in both the List of Street names and the Photographs sections, they have retained their separation in this finding aid to indicate their differing origins. The series are as follows:
To retain the original arrangement of the collection, the series imposed on this collection correspond to their original organization. While there are photographs present in both the List of Street names and the Photographs sections, they have retained their separation in this finding aid to indicate their differing origins. The series are as follows:
- Series I: A-Z Mailing List
- Series II: A-Z Property Sales
- Series III: List of Streets
- Series IV: Photographs
Physical Location
Collection is stored onsite.
Provenance
Donated by Bob Crocker, Manchester, MA, in April 2021.
Separated Materials
About 25 books donated with the collection were separated from the cards since they were unrelated to Dudley and Borland. Most of the items were duplicates of publications already available in the CHC Library. Only four books were new acquisitions: Saving Cambridge: Historic Preservation in America's Innovation City; and Cambridge Historical Society Proceedings Vol 38, 39, and 43. A full listing of the original inventory can be viewed upon request.
Processing Information
Processing and finding aid completed by Brittany Fox, April 2021.
- Title
- Inventory of the Dudley Borland Card Collection, ca. 1927
- Author
- Processing and finding aid by Brittany Fox, April 2021; machine-readable finding aid by Brittany Fox, August 2021.
- Description rules
- Finding Aid Was Prepared Using Dacs
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Description is in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Cambridge Historical Commission Archives Repository
Contact:
831 Massachusetts Avenue
2nd Floor
Cambridge Massachusetts 02139 US
617-349-4683
histcomm@cambridgema.gov
831 Massachusetts Avenue
2nd Floor
Cambridge Massachusetts 02139 US
617-349-4683
histcomm@cambridgema.gov