by Peter Petrigno I was recently referenced in a comment stream as the one “who conceived and forcefully pursued the 55-foot height limit initiative.” The article was NEWRA Response to NEWNC Proposal: “Reality Trumps Nostalgia.” It pleased me to see that after all these years some in the North End remember how I secured both Read More…
St. John School students received a lesson in local history last Friday, March 14 after the South Boston Historical Society stopped by the school to reenact the events of Evacuation Day. Led by Suffolk University’s History Chair, Professor Bob Allison, the troupe of re-enactors were all dressed in period clothing, and included a fife and a drummer, which Read More…
Before the North End was an urban neighborhood community, it was an island. Before Hanover Street was a commercialized concrete jungle, it was a neck. Characterized by the early colonial, John Winthrop, “the north part of the town separate from the rest by a narrow stream which was cut through a neck of land by Read More…
On Sunday, March 2, 90 North Enders convened in Del Ray Beach, Fl. at the 5th annual reunion of the Friends of the North End South. The event was organized by Louis Gilardi and his wife Camille who are winter residents in Del Ray. Gus Pesaturo, Charlie Copolla and Victor Passacantilli assisted them in preparing Read More…
UNITY ST (a link that runs parallel between Salem St. and Hanover St.) — feeding from the head of Garden Court, Unity Street is a narrow passageway that serves as a vessel for the surrounding streets- Hanover St, Charter St, Tileston St, Salem St. Unity Street is also an old neighborhood watermark. Centuries ago, the Read More…
CLEAN ENERGY– Sustainability is wired to the DNA of Boston. The birthplace of America is on a mission that began with a windmill. WINDMILL HILL (the predecessor to the site of Boston’s second largest burying ground, otherwise known as Copp’s Hill)– was the site of the first working windmill erected in Boston. ‘Puritan Picnics’ occupied the Read More…
Here is another photo of Salem Street. This one was taken in January of 1949 at the corner of Parmenter and Salem Streets. It’s a Friday morning and the merchants are setting up their displays, some almost in the middle of the street. On the right side you can see Jack’s shoe store, the Liberty Read More…
SNOW HILL (a shortcut from Charter St to Prince St) – has nothing to do with snow or ice. According to the origin of its namesake, the street is named after Snowhill Lane in London: “It occurs very early as Snor or Snore Hill, later as Sore, and finally as Snow Hill. It has been Read More…
Navigating through the North End can often make this neighborhood feel like the Prague of Boston — narrow streets laden in antiquity. Tracing the history of these streets can often reveal less-known stories that coincide with the advent of days like today. Valentine’s Day calls upon the opportunity to share the nomenclature of Love Lane, otherwise Read More…
When we recently posted the street signs where Atlantic Avenue meets Commercial Street, it reminded us of a series of “before” and “after” photographs in a new book called Things Change by father / daughter team, Alanna and Gerald Reilly. The father, Gerald, took a series of 35mm black and white photographs back in the 1970’s Read More…
Have you ever looked at the Prado and the Paul Revere Statue while walking down Hanover Street and wondered how that large space was cleared in the heart of the North End? In this two part series, we present historical facts and stories about the Prado / “Paul Revere Mall,” based on newspaper articles, magazines, and other Read More…
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…