Hero Square Business Node and Storage Building

A bustling business node on Dorchester Avenue, Hero Square is where Fields Corner got its name. Once the site of the Issac Newcomb Field House and a music hall holding “high brow” events, the square today is home to numerous businesses. 

The sounds of people, cars driving, and construction on the roads are the sounds of Hero Square.  Hero Square is a historic intersection in Fields Corner.  It is the site of the Isaac Newcomb Field house. Isaac Newcomb Field and his family is how they got the name Fields Corner.  A toll was charged to travelers on their way to Boston at the intersection before cars were around.  In the 1890’s, the house was moved and the storage building was built.

The storage building was a Music Hall, public meeting place, and stores when it was originally built.  In the 1900’s, Patrick O’Hearn bought it and it was made into the Storage building.  It was shut down in the 1980’s.  Today, it houses a smoke shop, bank, and post office, which I have memories of waiting for my mom to mail a letter.  The Field House is still standing behind the storage building, but it is bricked up.

Those buildings and shops just make up a small section of the bustling Hero Square.  Hero Square is made up of many diverse small businesses with many ethnic backgrounds such as the bridal shop, smoke shop, D-Benny’s, and many more. “It wasn’t always this way,” said Donna Finnegan of Fields Corner CDC. She said it has gone through many changes and businesses. The Catholic Church St. Ambrose is a huge diverse church. It fits in with the backgrounds of the area. When it burned down the community came together and rebuilt it.

Hero square is a great place historically and present day. I have many experiences with Fields Corner and Hero square. Before I stared working here in Fields Corner it was just a place I drove through and took the bus or train usually during school time. Now I am very familiar with the area I have tried more food places such as D-Benny’s which has good food of all kinds and Hi –Fi pizza which has good pizza. I know the area historically now. There is much history here that most people don’t know. I think hero square and Field’s Corner is going through many improvements such as cleaner parks and sidewalks, better roads, and more areas to just feel comfortable in. Fields Corner is great now and it will just get brighter and cleaner.

By Stefan Skalinski