Boxing champions Rocky Marciano and the North End’s own Tony DeMarco were good friends. This throwback photo appeared in the April 8, 1955 Italian News a few days after DeMarco won the Welterweight Boxing Championship of the World. The pre-fight printing of the win was a big scoop for the local newspaper. Tony DeMarco, the Read More…
Nothing New Under the Sun. Some legislation isn’t easy, on Beacon Hill or in Washington. The Italian News reported on Feb. 17, 1956, that 118 legislators backed a bill to make Columbus Day a legal holiday in Massachusetts, to be celebrated on October 12. Hearings on the bill, held by the Committee on Constitutional Law, Read More…
Not only is nothing new under the North End sun, it can apply today to Washington. Despite tremendous demand from a long list of immigration reform organizations, anti-discrimination associations and “ethnic” groups, the U.S. House of Representatives in August 1956 took no action to amend the racist McCarran-Walter immigration law. This law established national immigration Read More…
“Practicing for Winter” – reserved parking spaces on Hanover Street on Sunday afternoon, September 29, 2013.
An editorial story from The Italian News, January 15, 1954 is shown below, disparaging the concept of parking on the roof of the Brink’s Garage at 600 Commercial Street. The opposition to increased traffic to be caused by expanding parking to the roof of Brink’s Garage is similar to questions now raised about the three Read More…
Here is a story from The Italian News, Oct. 20, 1953 == almost 60 years ago. This was when construction of the Central Artery was underway. The last paragraph of the story is cut off, but tells it all: Meanwhile, the traffic and parking situation in the area gets no better, with North End businessmen Read More…
This car had a rough time at the corner of Richmond and Hanover Streets. It was there Friday and Saturday. No idea what happened, but it looks like someone sideswiped the car and tore off the front bumper and lots of other stuff with it. They don’t make cars like they used to. Parking can Read More…
If Public Markets are ever created at Haymarket — in the multi-million dollar white elephant Big Dig ventilation building (Parcel 7) or in a future building on Parcel 9 — the big winner could be the Haymarket pushcarts. That’s because the public markets might introduce countless new customers to the tremendous variety and values offered by the pushcarts. And they are no Read More…
Raise a glass to the 10th anniversary of a proposed supermarket for the North and West Ends. Here, below, from my old files, is a letter describing the need for an “affordable ” and “easily-accessible” supermarket. It was sent May 17, 2001, by Boston City Councillor At-Large Francis “Mickey” Roache to the BRA — with a copy Read More…
The brand new Cab Stand on North St., at the corner of Commercial St., is no longer a Cab Stand. In record-breaking speed by the City of Boston, it has been transformed into a marked Handicap Ramp. Readers of this blog learned the story of the space a few days ago, when a handicap ramp was Read More…
A handicap ramp on the North St. sidewalk, at the corner of Commercial St., outside the real estate company office (former home of Sarni Cleaners) has been a gold-mine for the city and towing truck operators for quite some time. The ramp is not at a crosswalk. One was there years ago. The ramp is hard to Read More…
The following is a guest contribution from Bob Skole with his submitted comment letter regarding the Greenway Conservancy’s Guidelines. Let the Greenway remain a park and a green way. Otherwise, change the name of the Conservancy. Is the Working Draft a belated April Fool’s Day joke? Many thanks for offering the opportunity to comment on Read More…