In 2014, Boston’s West End neighborhood continued its transition into a dynamic residential and corporate address. In some ways, the changing neighborhood is a reminder of the incredible transformation that occurred more than half a century ago as residents of the old West End relocated amid the slum clearance project that gave rise to a modern urban landscape.
The Parkman-Webster Murder Case The 1849 murder of George Parkman in Boston stands as the most sensational case of its time, and the prosecution of John Webster is often described as the O.J. Simpson trial of the 19th century. This case had it all: a grisly murder, a wealthy victim, a respected suspect, a dubious…
Streets of the Industrial Era Streets of the Industrial Era focuses on the history of the streets in and around what is now known as the Bulfinch Triangle Historic District in the West End. The exhibit is a study of the changes brought about in an area that was, and remains now, a hub of transportation.…
Connections North: Bridges of the West End Connections North tells a story that spans 300 years—from the time when Harvard College’s main source of income was the Charlestown ferry, through present-day Boston and the $253million Longfellow Bridge reconstruction project. The exhibit reveals how the progression of bridges changed not just the area immediately surrounding the Charles…
Immigrant Hostel focuses on Samuel Walusimbi’s architectural work and studies, specifically the architecture of Boston’s Old West End. Mr. Walusimbi’s work demonstrates the strongly bonded relationship between a city’s architecture and its memories.
Life in the West End 1947-1953: the Photography of Jules Aarons Jules Aarons is an important figure in documenting the West End of Boston before the ravages of Urban Renewal. His photography bears witness to the vibrant, close-knit old neighborhood—the people, their lives and their relationships. Where city planners saw the West End as a…
Street Names: Lost and Found Street Names: Lost and Found focuses on the changes to Boston’s Old West End brought on by the Urban Renewal period of the mid-20th Century. Both the physical geography and the names of streets changed significantly between 1955 and the present day. For example, Green, Chambers and Allen Streets were reconfigured…
150 Years of Saint Joseph’s Church St. Joseph’s Church displays the history of the West End Project Area’s only surviving Roman Catholic Church, which served generations of West Enders, and continues to serve both displaced and current residents of the neighborhood.
From the mid-17th century to the end of the 19th century, the rope-making industry thrived in Boston. Ropewalks—long, narrow plots with covered walks and sheds that housed rope-making facilities—dotted the landscape of West Boston and supplied rope primarily for seafaring vessels. One of the city’s earliest ropewalks lay less than 100 yards from today’s West End Museum.
Ward Boss Lomasney, commemorates the legendary status of Martin Lomasney, the undisputed boss of Boston’s Ward 8 (later Ward 5, then Ward 3 under redistricting) from about 1885 until his death in 1933. Reproductions of W. Norman Ritchie’s political cartoons from the Boston Post and others from the Boston Globe are display together with graphic panels featuring related articles and Lomasney’s most renowned quotes, including “Don’t write when you can talk. Don’t talk when you can nod your head.”