| East Boston | |
|---|---|
| — Neighborhood of Boston — | |
| An airplane approaching Logan International Airport in 1973 | |
| Nickname(s): Eastie | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Suffolk |
| Neighborhood of | Boston |
| Annexed by Boston | 1836 |
| Population (2010) | 40,508 |
| Time zone | Eastern (UTC-5) |
| Zip Code | |
| Area code(s) | 617 / 857 |
East Boston is a neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, with approximately 40,000 residents. The community was created by connecting several islands using landfill and was annexed by Boston in 1836. East Boston is separated from the rest of the city by Boston Harbor and bordered by Winthrop, Revere, and the Chelsea Creek. Directly west of East Boston across Boston Harbor is the North End and Boston's Financial District. The neighborhood has long provided a foothold for the latest wave of immigrants, with Irish, Russian Jews and then Italians alternating as the predominant group. Today immigrants from El Salvador, Colombia, Brazil and elsewhere in South America have made East Boston one of the centers of Latino culture in New England.
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The landmass that is East Boston today was originally five islands — Noddle, Hog (later Orient Heights), Breed's, Governor's, Bird and Apple — that were connected using landfill, the latter three as part of the expansion of Logan Airport during World War II. Not long after the settling of Boston, Noddle Island served as grazing land for cattle.[1]
In 1801 William H. Sumner had proposed to the Federal Government that a turnpike that was planned to connect Salem to Boston take its route over the as yet undeveloped Noddle's Island. He argued that the route over Noddle’s Island would be more direct and easier to develop. He stated
… in my opinion that the circular route from Chelsea thro’ Charlestown to Boston is about 1 of a mile farther than a direct course over Noddle’s Island in Boston.... The course suggested will be almost in a direct line, from my knowledge of the land….On the back part of the Island is a muddy creek and the distance of the Island to Boston is not so great by one third, I presume as it is from Chelsea to Moreton Point in Charlestown.... There is no doubt that but that the necessities of the town of Boston will some require a connection with Noddle’s Island with the town of which it is part.[2]
The one issue that Sumner foresaw but tried to gloss over was the land on Charlestown that was purchased by the federal government as the site for a future naval yard. The ships route from this yard to the ocean would be blocked by the bridge. His belief was that since a standing navy was in such disfavor at that point in the nation’s history that this issue would not stand in his way. However the War of 1812, which was viewed as a naval war, changed the public's opinion about the needs for a navy. Because the route through East Boston and over the Boston Harbor would block ships' route to the future Charlestown Navy Yard the turnpike was set to go through Chelsea as opposed to over Noddle's Island.
Sumner began to make his move for the acquisition of all of Noddle’s Island upon the death of Colonel Greenough who had been a long time holdout against selling to Sumner. Greenough died of apoplexy, his wife and children wanted to rid themselves of their portion of the island. Interestingly in 1836 Sumner married Greenough’s widow, Maria Foster Doane. General Sumner, with the assistance of his newly acquired business partners Steven White and Francis J. Oliver, purchased this at $100 an acre or $32,500. This purchase gave Sumner control of one half of the island. In February 1832 after Sumner, White and Oliver had control of half the island, the group formed the East Boston Company. They stated that their half of the island was to be divided into 666 shares and that the island would be managed by a board of directors who would be able to sell or dispose of the company’s interest in the island. Realizing that establishing transportation to the locale was imperative in its formation they were dedicated to pushing for a railroad from Boston to Salem over the island and to establish a ferry between the island and Boston. Each share of the Company was equal to 0.5-acre (2,000 m2). There were 5,280 in total, of which Sumner owned 1320, Mrs. Gerard 880, Steven White 880 and Oliver 440; the rest were spread among 29 other shareholders. By the end of 1833, the East Boston Company had complete control over the whole island.[2]
As an island in the 1830s, East Boston's largest problem was transportation. The East Boston Company believed the neighborhood could not become a valuable asset until people had a reliable way to reach the area from the Boston mainland. In the 1830s as a temporary solution they adopted a "four man power paddle boat" to carrying 15 persons at a time from Boston Proper to East Boston. This was used primarily for the occasional public official and workers on the island. Later even though they did not have the ridership to support one, the company purchased the steamship Tom Thumb.
The steam powered railroad at this point was in its infancy and the East Boston Company was approached by an inventor of a new type of rail system, "the suspended railroad". This was one of the earliest suspended railroads to be built. The cars were humorously named "Saddle bags" and fit 6 persons each. They were propelled by a steam engine hanging from a suspended track. Henry Sargent, the inventor, presented it as a wonder that people from Boston would flock to and "that his invention would make the island a centre of attraction to many people"[3] The company allowed this to be built on its land and it was an attraction for nine days in 1834 and then was closed because of lack of ridership.
In the mid 1830s the company made several investments and moves to further East Boston's desirability. They continued the attempts on getting the Eastern Railroad to come to East Boston, The Maverick and The East Boston Ferries began service from Lewis Wharf on the Boston mainland to East Boston, a free bridge to Chelsea was built, roads were laid out and houses were built. Much of this activity was being spurred by the formation of the East Boston Lumber Company. During this period the Boston Sugar Refinery was built. It was the first manufacturing establishment in East Boston and is credited for the creation of white granulated sugar.[4]
The Kennedy family lived on Meridian Street. It is now a small home wedged between a Hispanic market and hardware store approaching the Meridian Street branch of the Boston Public Library. The family later moved to a larger home on Monmouth Street. P. J. Kennedy's success enabled him to purchase a home for his son, Joseph Patrick, and two daughters a home on Jeffries Point in East Boston. John F. Kennedy famously paraded through East Boston with his wife Jackie in 1954 in anticipation for his run for President of the United States of America securing the votes of the people of East Boston. In a photo, Kennedy is walking down Chelsea Street heading towards Maverick Square and is photographed waving to the public in front of Santarpio's.[5]
"When my great grandfather left here to become a cooper in East Boston, he carried nothing with him except two things: a strong religious faith and a strong desire for liberty. I am glad to say that all of his great grandchildren have valued that inheritance."— President Kennedy to the people of New Ross, Ireland, June 1963
Ted Kennedy mentioned his families roots that are embedded in East Boston on numerous occasions throughout his career in the Senate. The Kennedy Family never forgot their roots in East Boston which has been "home" for thousands of immigrants from Ireland, Italy and Russian Jewish during the great immigrant wave.[7]
The character of the area changed when the marshland was filled in and the streets laid out. Since the mid-19th century, the community has served as a foothold for immigrants to America: Irish and Canadians came first, followed by Russian Jews and Italians, then came Southeast Asians, and, most recently, large numbers of Central and South Americans.
The population of East Boston, which was recorded as a mere thousand in 1837, exploded to a high of just over 64,000 according to the 1925 census. Most of these were families from southern Italy. Today the neighborhood is home to slightly more than 38,000 people, with the median income per household around $31,000. Current demographic is a true potpourri of cultures, with groups of residents of Italian, Central American, Vietnamese, and even Irish descent populating various enclaves of the neighborhood. Though the North End is today thought of as Boston's "Little Italy," Orient Heights, the historic hill in East Boston, was the very first area in Massachusetts to which Italians immigrated, back in the 1860s and 1870s, and remains the heart of the Italian community in East Boston.
The expansion of Logan Airport in the late 1960s – early 1970s removed houses and families on what was once Neptune Road. The area is now used as warehouses and rental car property.
For a long time, transportation has played a role in the shaping of East Boston. The world's finest clipper ships were built at the shipyard owned by Donald McKay in the mid-19th century. A subway tunnel connecting the neighborhood to the rest of the city opened in 1904 and was the first underwater tunnel of its kind in the United States. Rows of houses were torn down to build the Sumner (1934) and Callahan (1961) tunnels, directly connecting automobile traffic from downtown Boston to the neighborhood. An airfield built in East Boston in the early 1920s eventually expanded to become Logan International Airport.
Logan Airport, New England’s primary international airport and the 20th busiest in the US, resides mainly in East Boston (though part of the airfield itself lies in Winthrop). It is almost completely surrounded by water. Landing at Logan is interesting as passengers are continuously over water and do not see the land until shortly before touchdown. There has been some controversy surrounding Logan. Conflict with MassPort, which owns and operates Logan, has been a source of bitterness among some local residents for decades. One expansion of the airport resulted in the community losing Wood Island Park, a green space designed by the noted landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. In another episode, Logan construction caused noisy trucks to rumble through the neighborhood until a group of local women took to the streets with their baby carriages and blocked the vehicles.[6] The tension between the airport and some local citizens continues, with MassPort attempting to expand again and add a fifth runway.
East Boston, often truncated to "Eastie" (like the better-known "Southie"), is now predominantly Hispanic, though the once-sizeable Italian population still resides in areas such as Orient Heights. Though East Boston has a spectacular view of the downtown skyline, the community's rents and property values have increased more slowly than the extraordinary growth seen in the rest of the metro-Boston region during the late 1990s and early 21st century. This slower growth can be attributed to factors such as: the isolated nature of the neighborhood, difficulties of real estate development along the waterfront and the negative attitude towards Logan Airport that local East Boston residents have perpetuated. For many years, East Boston’s connections to Boston, which included the Sumner (westbound) and Callahan (eastbound) tunnels and the Tobin Bridge by way of Chelsea, were overcrowded. Persons driving to the Airport from the west or south would have to use one of these two access points, causing constant traffic jams. The building of the Ted Williams Tunnel, which extends the Massachusetts Turnpike ("Mass Pike"/I-90) to the airport, has alleviated much of this traffic problem. Boston has also supplied residents with special transponders that allow them to pay reduced tolls on the Sumner and Ted Williams tunnels. Local government has hindered private investment in the waterfront for many years. Recently this has changed and the Boston Redevelopment Authority has begun implementing the East Boston Municipal Harbor Plan[5]. This development is created in order to reconnect East Boston with its waterfront through condominiums, restaurants and shops.
One of the most recognizable icons of East Boston is the 35-foot (11 m)-high statue of the Madonna. The Madonna Shrine, atop Orient Heights, is the national headquarters for the Don Orione order. Constructed in 1954, the statue is a full-size replica of one at the Don Orione Center in the Montemario district of Rome, Italy. It was constructed in 1954 by Jewish-Italian sculptor Arrigo Minerbi, who wanted to show his gratitude to the Catholic Church for having shielded him and his family from the Nazis during World War II. Across the street from the Shrine is the Don Orione Home, a nursing home which, like the Shrine, was founded by the Don Orione priests.
Also located in East Boston is one of Boston's more popular public beaches. Constitution Beach — which is known to locals as "Shay's Beach" — is a small beach located in the Orient Heights section of the community. It underwent renovations in the late 1990s, adding a new public bathhouse and refreshment stand as well as a new pedestrian walkway over the tracks of the Blue Line to Bennington Street. During peak season, it is not uncommon to see more than 100 residents on the sands of Constitution Beach.
Piers Park is on the west side of East Boston and overlooks Boston Harbor with downtown Boston in the background. The park consists of meandering brick promenades with open grass and tree sections. There are several pavilions, one of which is dedicated to Donald McKay. Along with amphitheater there is a community boating program, Piers Park Sailing Center.[7]
Fed by Rte 1 and a Blue line stop, Suffolk Downs was opened in 1935 and at the point it was considered modern, although now it looks dated. For years they have held a Grade II event at the track called the MassCap. Because of declining revenues as result of Indian Casinos in Rhode Island and Connecticut Suffolk Downs canceled the 2009 MassCap.[8] On 18 August 1966, the Beatles played a concert before approximately 24,000 music fans in the infield of Suffolk Downs.
Santarpio's Pizza, Spinelli's, Mario's, Meridian Market, Jeveli's, Rino's, and Kelly's Square Pub are well-known East Boston Italian eateries.
There is a full-size soccer field with field turf about three blocks from Santarpio's. Adjacent is a playground and parking lot. Soccer, or futbol, is very popular among East Boston's various immigrant communities.
The Temple Ohabei Shalom Cemetery is the oldest Jewish cemetery in Massachusetts. The Mystic River Jewish Project is restoring the cemetery's handsome 1903 Gothic revival chapel for use as a museum.[9][10][11]
East Boston is home to six[12] community gardens, managed by various organizations such as the Boston Parks and Recreation Department and the Boston Natural Areas Network. Participating gardeners at some of the gardens are assigned small plots which they may plant as they like, in exchange for a nominal annual dues payment. Other gardens, such as the "Nuestro Jardin" garden across from the Umana School, are reserved for use by schoolchildren.
Zumix is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) cultural organization dedicated to building community through music and the arts. Located in East Boston, MA, Zumix provides cultural programming intended to provide an alternative way for young people to deal with frustration, anger and fear, and as a method of building cultural understanding and acceptance in one of Boston's most diverse neighborhoods. Zumix is located at 260 Sumner Street, a few blocks from the Maverick Square Subway Station on the Blue Line.
The Logan Office Center, which contains the headquarters of the Massachusetts Port Authority, is adjacent to Logan Airport.[13]
The United States Postal Service operates the East Boston Post Office at 50 Meridian Street.[14]
The Tunnel Administration Building is located at 145 Havre Street.
East Boston is home to District A-7 of the Boston Police Department. The Boston Fire Department has three fire stations in East Boston; Ladder 2 & Engine 9 in Maverick Square, Engine 5 in Day Square, and Ladder 21 & Engine 56 in Orient Heights.
Prior to its dissolution, Air New England was headquartered on the grounds of Logan International Airport.[15]
Boston Public Schools (BPS) operates schools in East Boston. BPS assigns students based on preferences of the applicants and priorities of students in various zones. Due to the geography of East Boston, for all grade levels each child in East Boston is guaranteed a seat at a school in East Boston. The district instructing parents wanting to send their children to East Boston schools to place East Boston campuses on their school assignment priority lists higher than any non-East Boston campuses.[16]
East Boston Early Childhood Center is a district K0-1 school in East Boston.[17] District elementary schools include Samuel Adams,[18] Dante Alighieri,[19] Manassah E. Bradley,[20] Curtis Guild,[21] Patrick J. Kennedy,[22] Hugh R. O'Donnell,[23] and James Otis.[24]
Umana Middle School Academy is the sole district middle school in East Boston.[25] Donald McKay K-8 School is the sole district K-8 school in East Boston.[26] East Boston High School is the sole district public high school in East Boston.[27]
Excel Academy Charter School, a charter middle school, is located in East Boston.[28]
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston operates Catholic schools. East Boston Central Catholic School, on the Most Holy Redeemer Parish site, is the Catholic K1-8 school in East Boston.[29] The school is managed by a board from the Our Lady of the Assumption, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Most Holy Redeemer and Sacred Heart parishes.[30]
In Spring 1892 a school named after Father James Fitton was dedicated on the Holy Redeemer site. In 1974 a school merger occurred, producing the current East Boston Central Catholic School.[30] Savio Preparatory High School was formerly located in East Boston before its 2007 closing.[31] In spring 2008 the archdiocese ordered the closure of St. Mary, Star of the Sea School, a K-8 school in East Boston. The parish attached to the school closed three years prior to the closure of the school.[32]
Boston Public Library currently has two locations in East Boston. The East Boston Branch at 276 Meridian Street[33], and the Orient Heights branch at 18 Barnes Avenue[34] There are also plans to build a third location in Bremen St Park. [35] The first public branch library in the United States was established in East Boston in 1870.[36]
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