Scollay Square: Boston’s Bygone Playground

Scollay Square served as Boston’s premier entertainment center for nearly 120 years until its demolition under urban renewal in 1962, later to be reborn as Government Center. Opera and theater gave way to vaudeville and minstrel shows, then burlesque and, ultimately, striptease. “Boston the Way it Was,” a two-part documentary produced by WGBH in 1995, features interviews with Bostonians sharing their favorite memories of Joe & Nemo’s famed hot dogs, “burly” shows featuring “the queen of Scollay Square” Ann Corio, outwitting surprise visits from the “Watch and Ward Society,” and more. 

“Scollay Square has served as the setting for a scandalous novel, a magical tale about rats, a video game and more. Hearing and watching Bostonians’ real-life memories of the infamous district provides a fascinating window on the city’s not-so-distant past,” said West End Museum Program Director Sebastian Belfanti.