“Friday Night Bingo” is the sixth in a series of 1990 skits from “My Corner of Boston” performed at the North End Union, produced by resident Rosaria DiFinzio. See all the scenes here. Without a doubt, the biggest and most profitable industry in the North End when I was a child was gambling. It blended Read More…
“Songs by Rosaria” is the fifth in a series of 1990 skits from “My Corner of Boston” performed at the North End Union, produced by resident Rosaria DiFinzio. See all the scenes here. This skit has Rosaria singing in French and Italian and I think she does a fantastic job. She is accompanied by the Read More…
“Childhood Memories” is the fourth in a series of 1990 skits from “My Corner of Boston” performed at the North End Union, produced by resident Rosaria DiFinzio. See all the scenes here. In this skit Rosaria reminisces about growing up and playing in the streets of the North End. It’s almost inconceivable to today’s parents Read More…
“The Wake” is the third in a series of 1990 skits from “My Corner of Boston” performed at the North End Union, produced by resident Rosaria DiFinzio. See all the scenes here. Wakes and funerals were a big deal in the Italian North End. When I was a kid there were a dozen funeral homes Read More…
“Tourist Season” is the second is a series of 1990 skits from “My Corner of Boston” performed at the North End Union, produced by resident Rosaria DiFinzio. See all the scenes here. Rosaria called this next skit “Tourist Season” because back when we were kids tourists came to the North End mainly during the summer Read More…
The North End has always had more than its share of characters, unique individuals who stood out from the crowd and charted their own course through life. That’s one of the reasons living here was so interesting. One of my personal favorites is Rosaria DiFinizio, a lovely and talented lady who grew up on Battery Read More…
Last week, NorthEndWaterfront.com ran an article about the new plans for the Rachel Revere park at the intersection of North Street and North Square. I thought our readers would like to see a picture of the Hotel Rome which occupied that site for almost a century before being demolished in the 1950’s. In a previous post, Read More…
By 1965 my family had left Salem Street and was living over my father’s tavern at 3 Lewis Street. Tarquino Gilardi, one of the guys who hung out in the tavern, renovated the first floor for us and for the first time we had an apartment with heat and hot water. East of Hanover Street Read More…
A while ago I wrote an essay entitled A North End Mystery featuring the above photograph of what is likely depicting George Scigliano’s funeral procession. You may recall that there was some discussion as to whether the picture was taken in Boston and what street it was. I’ve been doing some further research and I may Read More…
This is the second of a two-part series on the destruction of the old West End in the name of urban renewal. Catch up with Part 1 here. For over thirty years Felicia Solimine was a North End institution. In 1958 she opened Felicia’s on Richmond St. and it immediately became one of the North Read More…
There are still a few of us left who remember when the West End was demolished and replaced with Charles River Park. It’s a sad story and one that has always been of particular interest to me because my wife was born there and because so many West Enders moved to the North End. One Read More…
The photo I’m sharing today comes from a postcard dating from the 1890’s. It depicts Salem St. looking towards Cross St. The photographer was most likely standing near Blackstone St. in front of the new Boston farmer’s Market. At that time Salem St. was mainly a Jewish colony although Italians were starting to move in. Read More…