Help us map Allston Christmas

Northeastern chair

2011’s great Moving Day is nearly upon us. We have this crazy idea for the occasion. Well, actually it’s the same idea we have for everything: make a map of it.

Tim and I have both spent time in cartography school in Madison, Wisconsin. Most leases in the student areas there turn over on August 15, an occasion known as Hippie Christmas, when the streets are full of filthy furniture and all kinds of treasures. We’ve had our truck-parking challenges and homeless summer nights. That’s fun, but this is Boston, baby! Boston has about as many students as Madison has anybody.

Tracking U-Hauls stuck at Storrow Drive overpasses is too easy. Our idea is this: map all the couches, chairs, &c. seen on the street as the September 1 moving day approaches and passes. We intend to conduct some expeditions around Allston and other places ourselves, but we’re hoping to crowdsource this too. Please help us on this noble mission! Here’s how:

  1. See furniture or the like discarded or otherwise sitting on the street or sidewalk because of a move.
  2. Note its location.
  3. Tell us about it! Tweet at us (@bostonography), send an email (bostonography@bostonography.com), reply to this post, or otherwise track us down. Describe what you saw and/or send a photo (photos are definitely encouraged), and give its location as specifically as possible so that it can be pinpointed on a map.
  4. Hope, along with us, that something interesting comes of all this data. Enjoy documenting your city.

It’ll be fun. Are you in?

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11 Responses to Help us map Allston Christmas

  1. sean says:

    This is a great idea, you should make a link to craigslist free stuff or freecycle so others will hopefully take some of the discarded stuff.

  2. sup3rmark says:

    don’t forget, watch out for bed bugs!

  3. Pingback: September 1st: Boston’s Big Move - Union Park Press

  4. Jan Dumas says:

    No camera with me yesterday, but nice living room set at 117 Nonantum Street near Newton line. Sofa, love seat, book cases and table.

  5. Selkie says:

    In the past few year in Allston there have been guys driving around in trucks and vans- circling- grabbing up any decent furniture (tables, dressers, chairs) that sit out for very long.
    That said- there was a big green sectional sofa on Wadsworth Street this morning when I left for work- at about 20 Wadsworth. It looked pretty beat, though.

  6. Brook says:

    Couch with several miscellanous items around 890 Broadway in Somerville

    Papasan chair frame, but no pad at corner of Broadway and Hinckely St. in Somerville

    These were there yesterday afternoon around 5pm.

  7. Selkie says:

    Enjoy! (Linden, Pratt and Wadsworth Streets, with a couple of pictures on Farrington.)
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/selkie30/sets/72157627440612269

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