Boston's Lost Landmarks: Jordan Marsh

BOSTON (CBS) - Whether you window shopped or had a list of items to purchase, for decades Bostonians flocked to Downtown Crossing, the city's shopping mecca.

Read-Listen: Boston's Lost Landmarks Series

Jordan Marsh was one of the district's main attractions. It was Boston's first department store, and at one time, its largest. Its origins date back to 1841, when Eben Jordan opened a dry goods store and later partnered with Benjamin Marsh.

However, the Ladder District, as it was called because of the narrow streets that intersect Washington and Tremont Streets, has been struggling for decades.

Some shoppers can remember the good old days.

"Well, I think this building is the old Jordan Marsh," one man from Milton said as he pointed to what is now Macy's. "Over there was Kneelands 5 & 10. There was Gilchrist over there. It's just like a trip down memory lane," he told WBZ NewsRadio 1030.

More often than not, however, shoppers had no idea what the district looked like in its glory days.

Anthony Sammarco, a Boston historian who has written books on the history of Howard Johnson's and the Baker Chocolate company is now focusing on the history of Jordan Marsh.

"Why Jordan Marsh?" he asks.

"Why not Jordan Marsh? Every time I go by Macy's I can't think of anything but Jordan Marsh."

Sammarco says the demise of Jordan Marsh can be blamed, in large part, on the exodus to the suburbs in the 1950's and 60's.

"Suburban shopping malls were something that impacted Boston tremendously," he explained.

Sammarco says Jordan Marsh began thinking outside the box. Not only was the store recognized for its blueberry muffins, during the holidays the Enchanted Village opened on an upper floor.

The village contained animated figures, moving in a Victorian Christmas setting. Lines would snake around corners, with store managers hoping visitors would purchase merchandise on their way out.

However, Jordan Marsh sputtered, and was eventually absorbed into the New York-based Macy's chain in 1995.

Macy's then ripped down a portion of the Washington Street building to make way for a more modern shopping experience.

Sammarco misses the old Jordan Marsh.

"You know, Jordan Marsh had creaking floors and ferns and clocks on the wall and I think a lot of its cache was lost," he said.

Coming up in part seven - What happened to Filene's?

Listen to Part 6