This photo shows Blackstone Street looking up towards the North End circa 1950. While the majority of this scenery has changed, one thing you may still be familiar with is the street market taking place, referred to as Haymarket!
At the time of this picture, street vendors were much more confined, as the street was lined with buildings on both sides. These buildings were ultimately demolished in the 1950s to make room for the Boston’s overhead expressway known as the Central Artery. A more recent photo of the area is shown below.
Tune in on Thursday’s to view our featured neighborhood photo from back in the day! Submit your historical photos by tagging @northend.waterfront on Instagram. Please include a caption or story telling about your photo.
I can hear the vendors yelling out their prices. I can see my nonna with her cart getting her vegetables and fruits. What a memory!
Many unforgettable characters were vendors there.
Unforgettable characters…I was one of them. Worked for a guy named Johnny Fiumara. 4AM to whenever the pushcart was emptied.
Great experience.
Brings back so many good memories Bob.
I worked there also for my father-in-law, “Dunbar” Viscione and his son, Paul while I was going to Boston College. He specialized in only selling all kinds of potatoes, onions and garlic. He was a great guy and a real hard worker. Truly lots of unforgettable characters and customers too.
Dunbar was a friend of my father. What a nice guy he was.
I lived on Charter Street in the North End until I was nine. I remember shopping with my mother and my aunt Lena or my dad especially when we move to Arlington. He would drive to Boston and shop for his fruit and vegetables. He knew the vendors.