“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…
With all the media hype about building an Olympic stadium at Widett Circle I thought our readers would like to see where the wholesale fish, meat and produce dealers were located before the city moved them out in the 1970’s. Would you be surprised to know they were right here in the North End? The Read More…
This photo is a view of Haymarket Square looking down Canal Street. It was taken at the same time as the photo in Part 1, around 1905 and both post cards look like they were printed by the same company. The building with the columns is the Boston City Hospital health dispensary. Behind it you Read More…
I have a small collection of old postcards depicting scenes of the North End which I will share with readers of this column over the next few months. This first photo is of Haymarket Square at the turn of the 20th century, I would guess around 1905, and the view is looking down North Washington Read More…