Era
Organizational category for historical articles
I-91, Springfield’s North End, and Urban Renewal Today the fourth most populous city in New England, in the mid-twentieth century Springfield underwent an ambitious and catastrophic urban renewal project. Highway construction along the Connecticut River and the isolation of a historically immigrant neighborhood led to long-lasting consequences. Four Commonwealth cities – Boston, Cambridge, Salem, and…
How One Address Became the Geography of My LifeLiving Long Enough to Become Part of the West End’s Story Cindy Strousse has lived in Longfellow Place for over thirty five years. From her apartment, she has watched historical events unfold, seen fireworks and public displays, and run a business. This personal reflection on life in…
The West End (Of Cincinnati) and Urban Renewal Cincinnati’s West End neighborhood was a center of Black life in the city. Originally settled by self-emancipated Black residents and developed by meatpacking and other industries, the area went on to become a segregated but well-loved area of the city. Much like its Boston counterpart, the West…
Roosevelt Island: An Urban Planning Experiment in NYC’s East River Roosevelt Island has had many names and purposes since Europeans first began to settle New York City. After centuries as an isolated island for inmates, hospital patients, and impoverished New Yorkers, Roosevelt Island underwent a makeover in the late 20th century. It became a mixed…
The William Blackstone SchoolSchools of the Old West End, part 1 Built in 1913 to serve the West End’s growing immigrant population, the William Blackstone School served as a place of learning, a gathering place, and a sight of many memories until it closed its doors in 1959. The school was spared the initial years…
Charles Angoff Charles Angoff (1902-1979) was a West Ender originally from Minsk who went on to a career in writing and publishing. His series of semi-autobiographical novels following the immigrant Polonsky family reflected on his youth in the diverse West End neighborhood and his experience as a Jew in America. His writings offered a glimpse…
The West Enders Who’d Rather Not Be Here: The Past and Present of Jails in the West End Join the WEM volunteer Brendan Kent on a guided tour of the jails of the West End through the past four centuries. From the original Boston Gaol to the modern Nashua Street Jail, the West End has…
Behind Closed Doors: Illegal Gambling at 11 Irving Street In August of 1949, Boston Police raided an apartment at 11 Irving Street. Inside they found evidence of illegal gambling connected to a nationwide baseball betting racket. This raid and the coverage it received in the Boston Globe offers a glimpse into how illegal enterprises existed…
