east boston history

East BostonOUR HISTORY IS BOSTON’S HISTORY

INTRODUCTION

The story of East Boston is one of change. Change in the land, change in the people, and change in technology. The story of East Boston is the story of how Boston became, and continues to be, the center of an urban metropolis.

BOSTON’S ELLIS ISLAND

Immigration

Early History

The islands that make up modern day East Boston were used by Native American Indians for hunting and fishing grounds.

East Boston annexed to the City of Boston in 1636. This was one of the first non-incorporated areas to become part of the town of Boston.

Early HistoryOriginally, East Boston was a resort and residential suburb for Boston’s wealthy.

Maverick House.

Source: Images of America, East Boston by Anthony Sammarco. (date unknown)

Maverick House.Source: Boston Public Library (date unknown)

Early 19th Century

East Boston eventually became a center of Clippership building, shipping, and trade. With that development, the population of East Boston became a working class neighborhood, attracting Irish, Norwegian, Canadian and Portuguese immigrants to work in its ports, shipyards and other industries.

Early 19th Century

The Glory of the Seas built by Donald McKay in 1869.

The Launch of The Great Republic in 1853. At the time, it was considered one of the largest merchant

ships in the world.

Mid 19th Century

The Irish Potato Famine diversified the neighborhood again with the arrival of tens of thousands of Irish environmental refugees.

Despite what many believe, the Cunard line was not the main means by which the Irish came to Boston. The Cunard was primarily a mail and freight ship until 1862. But the Cunard line did spark lower cost passenger ships straight from Liverpool to East Boston, like the White Diamond Line. Most of the 1.5 million Irish that emigrated to the U.S. arrived here in East Boston on these lower cost ships.

Mid 19th Century

Source: The Story of the Irish in Boston: Together with Biographical Sketches of representative men and noted women . Written by William Taylor Jr

(1889)

Late 19th Century

Towards the latter half of the 19th century, even as demand for clipper ships declined, East Boston’s trade and port activity increased. This coincided with the departure of the Irish and the development of new immigrant communities. First came Russian and Eastern European Jews.

Late 19th Century

Kosher butcher shop and other Jewish run businesses.

Early 20th CenturyItalian immigrants and Italian-Americans from Boston’s North and West Ends began moving into East Boston in large numbers at the turn of the 20th century.

As they moved in, the Eastern Europeans and Irish migrants moved out.

Through the 1970s

East Boston was a primarily Italian immigrant and Italian-American neighborhood for the first three-quarters of the 20th century.

This was the first time in East Boston’s history where the ethnic population was relatively stable for more than a few decades.

Through the 1970s

The Last Quarter of the 20th Century

Court ordered desegregation in public housing developments and schools in the 1970s began the process of diversifying East Boston. African American and Puerto Ricans residents first began to move into East Boston in small numbers during this time.

At the end of the 20th century, the population of East Boston further diversified with South-East Asian and North African refugees and Latin-American migrants moving into the neighborhood and establishing roots.

This change was sometimes the source of conflict, mirroring the rest of Boston.

Source: Schumacher,Edward. (1979, October 22). School Violence in Boston Reflects A Deep-Seated Racial Animosity. New York Times.

Source: Butterfield, Fox. (1985, August 31). Violent Incidents Against Asian-Americans Seen as Part of Racist Pattern. New York Times.

Source: Associated Press. (1974, September 21). Busing Protests Spread to East Boston. New York Times.

The 21st Century – the Modern Era

Consistent with our long history, the neighborhood is again changing. Today, East Boston is a diverse mix of ethnicities, with immigrants from Latin America and Latino/Hispanic-Americans forming the largest population.

Immigrants from different countries, and different parts of the USA, continue to diversify the neighborhood.

The 21st Century – the Modern Era

Source: Neenah Estrella-Luna ©2006

Place of Birth of Current Immigrants

Latin America79%

Europe9%

Asia6%

Africa5%

North America1%

Source: 2005-2009 American Community Survey, US Census Bureau

The largest Latin American countries represented in East Boston are:· El Salvador· Colombia· Brazil· Mexico

More than half of European immigrants in East Boston are from Italy.

Morocco and Vietnam comprise the two largest African and Asian groups in East Boston.

ISLANDS THAT ARE NO LONGER ISLANDS

Landscape and Environment

East Boston’s Original Landscape

East Boston was originally a group of several islands. The main island, Noddle Island, was a popular pastoral spot and an important source of wood for early colonists. By 1833 most of the islands had been completely denuded of all but two trees.

East Boston’s Original Landscape

1775 Map of Boston and Environs. Source: Boston Redevelopment Authority

1774 Hinton Map of Boston.

Source: Leventhal Map Center, Boston Public Library

East Boston Company

When the islands of East Boston were annexed to Boston, the city took little interest in its development for almost two hundred years. In the early 19th century, General W.H. Sumner incorporated the East Boston Company, which created a street and development plan for Noddle Island. That street plan, with very little change, continues to exist to this day.

East Boston Company

1834 Lewis Plan for the East Boston Company.


Landfilling

East Boston as it exists today was created in the early 19th century by joining five islands through wharfing out* along the harbor and also general infilling the mud flats between the islands.

The EB Company planned to first fill the mud flats in the eastern part of Noddle’s Island.

*Wharfing out is a specific form of landmaking in which the space in between docks is filled in as they extend into water. This is different than general infilling where land is made by depositing fill in tidal areas.

Landfilling

1851 Eddy Plan showing improvements and lots sold.


Landfilling

1893 Walker Map.


LandfillingAerial Photograph of Boston Municipal Airport, 1932Source: Boston Public Library

Aerial Photograph of Boston Logan Airport, 1950Source: Boston Public Library

LandfillingThe biggest landfilling project to occur in East Boston was in the creation of Boston’s Logan airport. The City of Boston began construction on the Boston Airfield in the mid 1920s by filling the mud flats just north of Jeffries Point.

The airport’s expansion was slow until the 1950s. Originally, airport expansion was pursued by filling in between Noddle, Bird, and Governor’s Island.

In expanding the airport to Governor’s Island, the City demolished Fort Winthrop. This was originally intended to be a defensive stone fort but it was never fully completed. The earthen fort served as a recreational spot for Boston residents until it was taken for the airport in 1946.

Landfilling

In 1968, the state, which had been operating the airport since 1959, decided to take over Wood Island Park and some surrounding neighborhoods to further expand the airport. Residents were outraged. A group of mothers laid down in the path of trucks coming to work on the expansion in protest. Several were arrested and the airport’s expansion continued. Today, Logan Airport comprises two-thirds of the land space of East Boston and continues to be a source of controversy among residents.

WHERE PEOPLE LIVED, WORKED, AND PLAYED

Land Use

Urban Development

In the early 18th century, General W.H. Sumner incorporated the East Boston Company, which created a street and development plan for Noddle Island. That street plan, with very little change, continues to exist to this day.

Clipperships

From the 19th through most of the 20th century, East Boston’s waterfront was a busy port and industrial center. Through the mid-19th century, East Boston was the center of New England’s Clippership building. Lining the streets leading to the ports were warehouses that held goods entering and leaving Boston.

Clippership building

Source: Boston Public Library

Ferries

The ferries were the most important means of transportation between East Boston and Boston proper until the construction of the trolley tunnel in the early 20th century. They continued to be heavily used until about mid-20th century. The North Ferry accommodated only passengers, while the South Ferry could accommodate both commercial traffic and passengers. Ferry service ended in 1952.

Ferries

North Ferry.


People’s Ferry Line.


An Active Port

When Eastern Railroad constructed the first rail line in 1838, there was only one pier in East Boston, located near Maverick Square. Within a few decades, the entire waterfront transformed into a busy working port.

The famous Cunard line had its own wharf from 1840 until the mid-20th century.

An Active PortBoston and Albany Piers, c. 1925Source: Boston Public Library

Docks in East Boston, c.1906Source: Library of Congress

Railroads

Through much of its history, East Boston was a busy center for the transport of both goods and people. Railroads facilitated much of that from the 19th through the mid-20th centuries.

Eastern RR built the first rail line in 1838. It was quickly followed by Boston and Albany. Boston, Revere Beach, and Lynn Railroad also established a line through East Boston.

Railroads

Bremen Street Railyard, c. 1925Source: Boston Public Library

Other Industry

Other industries located along the waterfront included coal storage warehouses, slaughterhouses, macaroni manufacturing companies, sugar processing facilities, metal works and foundries, and docks for lobster trawlers.

The National Ice Cream Company, famous for ice cream brands like Fudgesicle and the Eskimo Pie started in East Boston near what is now the Sumner Tunnel entrance. The facility sold ice cream to residents, as well as distributors, from this location.

Other Industry

Coal Packets (date unknown)Source: Boston Public Library

Industry on Sumner at New and Border streets, 1911Source: Boston Public Library

Source: Boston Public Library

Redevelopment

One common redevelopment pattern seen in the 1990s and 2000s was to take closed or abandoned schools and turn them into housing, usually for seniors and the disabled.

Former Chapman Elementary School currently the Chapman House ApartmentsSource: Neenah Estrella-Luna©2006

Former Lyman School currently the Lyman School ApartmentsSource: Neenah Estrella-Luna©2006

RedevelopmentAnother common redevelopment pattern we see is the transformation of former industrial spaces into either housing or open space.

The gumball factory was built in 1920 by the Cox Confectionary Company. It was converted to condos in 1989 by a private developer. The former Goddess Bra factory at 156 Porter Street was recently converted into condos. It was built in 1900 and was originally a GE light bulb manufacturing facility.

Piers Park, East Boston’s award winning waterfront park, was the site of the National Dock Storage Warehouses (at Pier 4) as well as one of the largest grain elevators in Boston. The Bremen Street Park was previously a massive railyard. The YMCA at the southwestern end of the park was previously an engine house and later a box spring manufacturing facility.

Redevelopment

Pier 3 and Grain Elevator, c.1934Source: Boston Public Library.

Piers Park, 2008Source: Marcos Luna © 2008

Social Institutions

East Boston had always had lively social institutions for all kinds of people.

The Maverick House was a popular hotel and banquet hall originally built in 1838. It was a summer resort for the wealthy, a place of “jollification” for area residents, and an overnight spot for people waiting to catch a ship to Europe or a train further north. It is rumored that the late King Edward of England, before becoming king, stayed at the Maverick house when visiting Boston. The Maverick House was an important landmark until 1929 when new owners demolished it and built a filling station and parking lot.

Social Institutions

The Trinity House was built in 1847 as a private residence. It became a settlement house operated by the Trinity Church in 1906 long before the settlement movement took hold. The Trinity House was an important community resource for Eagle Hill residents, offering social services, outreach, language training, and acculturation before there were other community institutions doing so. It eventually evolved into a recreation center for the Italian community with mother’s clubs, children’s camps, and men’s and women’s activities.

Social Institutions

East Boston had one of the highest concentrations of religious institutions of any neighborhood in the city. East Boston once had over ten Catholic churches alone. Many of these churches have either closed and been converted to other uses or been demolished in the building of the tunnels and freeways.

Maverick Congregational Church, now the site of the East Boston Social CentersSource: Boston Public Library

Buddhist Temple, formerly the Church of Our Father UnitarianSource: Neenah Estrella-Luna ©2006

East Boston Head Start school, formerly St. John’s Episcopal ChurchSource: Neenah Estrella-Luna ©2006

Social Institutions

Many social service organizations, both secular and church affiliated, were created to provide support and social services, as well as education, to newcomers. The Goodwill House, the Immigrant Home, the Sailor’s Home, and the Mission House, were some of many missions, settlement houses, and social service agencies serving immigrants and the working class. In addition, local public schools like the Lyman School and East Boston High School provided vocational and language courses.

Social InstitutionsEast Boston Branch LibrarySource: Boston Public Library

Immigrant ‘s Home, c1912Source: Boston Public Library

Lyman School, date unknownSource: Neenah Estrella-Luna, personal collection

Trinity HouseSource: Neenah Estrella-Luna, ©2006

Social InstitutionsThe Paris Street Public Gym and Baths is one of the oldest public gyms and bathhouses in the country. It opened in 1909 to provide recreation space, educational and social programs for the rapidly growing population. It also provided a much needed source of personal hygiene during a time in which indoor plumbing was only beginning to be installed in many of the tenements. People were able to use the bathing facilities for a small fee with different schedules of availability for men and women (with or without children).

Paris Street Gymnasium and BathsSource: Neenah Estrella-Luna ©2006

This is just a sample of the varied and complex history we would like to share at the East Boston Visitor Center and Museum. We would like your help in telling this story. For more information on how you can help, please contact:

The East Boston Initiative:Ron Hardaway, Project [email protected]

Susan Parker Brauner, Site [email protected] or 617.568.1749

This work by Neenah Estrella-Luna is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/

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