BROOKLINE HISTORY: Goodspeed's Livery Stable, Washington Street

This brick building at 316-320 Washington Street, which now houses offices and a Chinese barbecue restaurant, was for many years the home of Goodspeed’s livery stable. The old stable entry is easily recognizable in today’s arched entrance to the restaurant, directly opposite Holden Street near Town Hall.

Munroe Goodspeed (1842-1921) was born in Vermont and moved to Brookline in the mid-1860s. He found work with the Collins & Chase Express Company — express companies delivered packages by horse-drawn vehicle and later by rail — and became a partner in the company in 1870.

By 1874 Goodspeed was operating the Washington Street stable, first in partnership with Grafton Stone and later as sole proprietor. The stable, which began as a three-story wooden building (seen below) was later expanded and remade as a brick structure.

Goodspeed’s provided boarding for horses and horse-drawn vehicles. Customers could also rent horses or arrange for a hack, or horse-drawn taxi. The S.S. Pierce Company kept its horses and delivery wagons at Goodspeed's after opening its Coolidge Corner store in the 1890s.

Munroe Goodspeed was succeeded in the business by his son Carl M. Goodspeed (1872-1956). The stable remained in operation, under subsequent owners, until the early 1930s when it was converted to other uses.

Photos and description provided by the Brookline Historical Society and the Public Library of Brookline. For more local history, visit http://brooklinehistoricalsociety.org and https://www.brooklinelibrary.org/what-we-have/local-history/