East Boston, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
East Boston is a neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

, 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
Port of Boston
The Port of Boston, , is a major seaport located in Boston Harbor and adjacent to the City of Boston...

 and bordered by Winthrop
Winthrop, Massachusetts
The Town of Winthrop is a municipality in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population of Winthrop was 17,497 at the 2010 U.S. Census. It is an oceanside suburban community in Greater Boston situated at the north entrance to Boston Harbor and is very close to Logan International...

, Revere
Revere, Massachusetts
Revere is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States, and located approximately from downtown Boston. It is named after the American patriot Paul Revere. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 51,755.- History :...

, and the Chelsea Creek
Chelsea Creek
Chelsea Creek, shown on federal maps as the Chelsea River, is a waterway that runs along the shore of Chelsea, Massachusetts and separates that community from the cities of Boston and Revere as well as feeding part of the current Belle Isle Marsh Reservation that separates Boston from Revere...

. Directly west of East Boston across Boston Harbor is the North End
North End, Boston, Massachusetts
The North End is a neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It has the distinction of being the city's oldest residential community, where people have lived continuously since it was settled in the 1630s. Though small , the neighborhood has approximately 100 eating establishments, and a variety of...

 and Boston's Financial District
Financial District, Boston, Massachusetts
The Financial District of Boston, Massachusetts, United States is located in the downtown area near Government Center and Chinatown.Like many areas within Boston, the Financial District has no official definition. It is roughly bounded by Atlantic Avenue, State Street, and Devonshire Street...

. The neighborhood has long provided a foothold for the latest wave of immigrants, with Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...

, Russian Jews and then Italians alternating as the predominant group. Today immigrants from El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...

, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...

, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

 and elsewhere in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...

 have made East Boston one of the centers of Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...

 culture in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...

.

Early history

The landmass that is East Boston today was originally five islands — Noddle
Noddle's Island
Noddle's Island is one of Boston Harbor Islands off East Boston, Massachusetts. In the 1940s the strait separating Noddle's Island from East Boston was filled, thereby connecting the island to Logan International Airport on the mainland.-History:...

, Hog (later Orient Heights
Orient Heights
Orient Heights is an historic section of East Boston. The neighborhood sits on a hill named "Orient Heights;" the hill measures 152 feet in elevation at its highest point...

), Breed's, Governor's
Governors Island (Massachusetts)
Governors Island was an island in Boston Harbor in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. The island was subsumed by land reclamation for the construction and extension of Logan International Airport....

, Bird and Apple
Apple Island (Massachusetts)
Apple Island was an island in Boston Harbor in Massachusetts. The island has been subsumed into land reclamation for the construction and extension of Boston's Logan International Airport....

 — that were connected using landfill, the latter three as part of the expansion of Logan Airport
Logan International Airport
General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways...

 during World War II. Not long after the settling of Boston, Noddle Island served as grazing land for cattle.
In 1801 William H. Sumner
William H. Sumner
William Hyslop Sumner was born on July 4, 1780 in Roxbury, Massachusetts, United States. He was the son of Gov. Increase Sumner. W H Sumner graduated from Harvard University in 1799. He served as a General in the Massachusetts militia. Sumner wrote The History of East Boston and died in 1861.-Early...

 had proposed to the Federal Government that a turnpike that was planned to connect Salem
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...

 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
Chelsea, Massachusetts
Chelsea is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States directly across the Mystic River from the city of Boston. It is the smallest city in Massachusetts in land area, and the 26th most densely populated incorporated place in the country.-History:...

 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.
The one issue that Sumner foresaw but tried to gloss over was the land on Charlestown
Charlestown, Massachusetts
Charlestown is a neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and is located on a peninsula north of downtown Boston. Charlestown was originally a separate town and the first capital of the Massachusetts Bay Colony; it became a city in 1847 and was annexed by Boston on January 5, 1874...

 that was purchased by the federal government as the site for a future naval yard
Boston Navy Yard
The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. Established in 1801, it was officially closed as an active naval installation on July 1, 1974, and the property was...

. 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
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...

, 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
Chelsea, Massachusetts
Chelsea is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States directly across the Mystic River from the city of Boston. It is the smallest city in Massachusetts in land area, and the 26th most densely populated incorporated place in the country.-History:...

 as opposed to over Noddle's Island.

Formation of East Boston Company

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
Apoplexy
Apoplexy is a medical term, which can be used to describe 'bleeding' in a stroke . Without further specification, it is rather outdated in use. Today it is used only for specific conditions, such as pituitary apoplexy and ovarian apoplexy. In common speech, it is used non-medically to mean a state...

, 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 acres (2,023.4 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.

Connections to the mainland

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
Steam railroad
Steam railroad is a term used in the United States to distinguish conventional heavy railroads from street railways, interurban streetcar lines, and other light railways usually dedicated primarily to passenger transport....

 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" 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
Eastern Railroad (Massachusetts)
The Eastern Railroad was a railroad connecting Boston, Massachusetts, to Portland, Maine. Throughout its history, it competed with the Boston and Maine Railroad for service between those two cities, until the Boston & Maine finally put an end to the competition by leasing the Eastern in December...

 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
Boston Sugar Refinery
The Boston Sugar Refinery was started in 1834 and is credited as the first refinery to create granulated sugar. It was the first manufacturing business to set up shop in East Boston. Since sugar refining was a specialized process and required special machinery and knowledge John Brown traveled to...

 was built. It was the first manufacturing establishment in East Boston and is credited for the creation of white granulated sugar.

The Kennedy Family

The Kennedy family
Kennedy family
In the United States, the phrase Kennedy family commonly refers to the family descending from the marriage of the Irish-Americans Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. and Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald that was prominent in American politics and government. Their political involvement has revolved around the...

 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
P. J. Kennedy
Patrick Joseph Kennedy was an American politician. He was the father of Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., and paternal grandfather to United States President John F. Kennedy, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, and Senator Edward M. Kennedy.-Early life:P.J...

'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
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....

 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
Maverick Square
Maverick Square is a business district in the Boston neighborhood of East Boston that is intersected by several thoroughfares, most notably Chelsea Street and Meridian Street. It is the location of a station on the Blue Line of the MBTA...

 and is photographed waving to the public in front of Santarpio's
Santarpio's
Santarpio's is a restaurant in the Boston, Massachusetts neighborhood of East Boston. A landmark to locals and a destination for out-of-towners, the eatery is primarily known for its East Coast/American-style pizza, which it has served in the same location since 1933. Established in 1903 as a...

.
Ted Kennedy
Ted Kennedy
Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. Serving almost 47 years, he was the second most senior member of the Senate when he died and is the fourth-longest-serving senator in United States history...

 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.http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK+Library+and+Museum/Visit+the+Library+and+Museum/Museum+Exhibits/The+Kennedy+Family.htm?active=permanent_exhibits

Later history

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.

Transportation

For a long time, transportation has played a role in the shaping of East Boston. The world's finest clipper ships
Clipper ships
At the 'crest of the clipper wave' year of 1852, there were 200 clippers rounding Cape Horn.Notable examples of the clipper ship include:* Archibald Russell, 1905, a steel-hulled 4-masted barque, 291.3 ft. x 43 ft. x 24 ft., built by Scott Shipbuilding and Engineering Co of Greenock...

 were built at the shipyard owned by Donald McKay
Donald McKay
Donald McKay was a Canadian-born American designer and builder of sailing ships.He was born in Jordan Falls, Shelburne County on Nova Scotia's South Shore. In 1826 he moved to New York, working for shipbuilders Brown & Bell and Isaac Webb...

 in the mid-19th century. A subway
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...

 tunnel connecting the neighborhood to the rest of the city opened in 1904 and was the first underwater tunnel
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...

 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 International Airport
General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways...

.

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
Winthrop
-Places:United States*Winthrop, Arkansas*Winthrop, Indiana*Winthrop, Iowa*Winthrop, Maine*Winthrop, Massachusetts*Winthrop, Minnesota*Winthrop, WashingtonAustralia*Winthrop, Western AustraliaUnited Kingdom*Winthrop, Nottinghamshire, England-Other uses:...

). 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
Massachusetts Port Authority
Massachusetts Port Authority, or Massport, is a port district in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It operates seaports and airports in eastern and central Massachusetts, mainly the Port of Boston. Its headquarters is located in the Logan Office Center, adjacent to Logan Airport in East Boston,...

, 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
Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted was an American journalist, social critic, public administrator, and landscape designer. He is popularly considered to be the father of American landscape architecture, although many scholars have bestowed that title upon Andrew Jackson Downing...

. 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. The tension between the airport and some local citizens continues, with MassPort attempting to expand again and add a fifth runway.

Demographics

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
Orient Heights
Orient Heights is an historic section of East Boston. The neighborhood sits on a hill named "Orient Heights;" the hill measures 152 feet in elevation at its highest point...

. 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.

Famous people

  • Augie Lio
    Augie Lio
    Agostine "Augie" Salvatore Lio was an American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Detroit Lions, Boston Yanks, and the Philadelphia Eagles. He also played in the All-America Football Conference for the Baltimore Colts...

     NFL
  • Jermaine Wiggins
    Jermaine Wiggins
    Jermaine Wiggins is an American football tight end who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 1999. He played college football at Georgia....

     NFL
  • Jeff Kalligheri TV & Film Producer

Madonna Shrine & Don Orione

One of the most recognizable icons of East Boston is the 35 feet (10.7 m)-high statue of the Madonna
Madonna (art)
Images of the Madonna and the Madonna and Child or Virgin and Child are pictorial or sculptured representations of Mary, Mother of Jesus, either alone, or more frequently, with the infant Jesus. These images are central icons of Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox Christianity where Mary remains...

. The Madonna Shrine, atop Orient Heights
Orient Heights
Orient Heights is an historic section of East Boston. The neighborhood sits on a hill named "Orient Heights;" the hill measures 152 feet in elevation at its highest point...

, 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
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...

, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

. It was constructed in 1954 by Jewish-Italian sculptor Arrigo Minerbi
Arrigo Minerbi
Arrigo Minerbi was an Italian sculptor.-Life:Born to a Jewish family in Ferrara in 1881, he took a course in arts and crafts before working as a ceramicist, designer, teacher and stucco-artist in Florence, Ferrara and Genoa .Aged 35 he...

, who wanted to show his gratitude to the Catholic Church for having shielded him and his family from the Nazis during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. 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.

Constitution Beach

Also located in East Boston is one of Boston's more popular public beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...

es. Constitution Beach
Constitution Beach
Constitution Beach is a small, crescent-shaped, sandy beach located in the Orient Heights section of East Boston, a neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts, USA...

 — which is known to locals as "Shay's Beach" — is a small beach located in the Orient Heights
Orient Heights
Orient Heights is an historic section of East Boston. The neighborhood sits on a hill named "Orient Heights;" the hill measures 152 feet in elevation at its highest point...

 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
Blue Line (MBTA)
The Blue Line is one of four subway lines of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority serving Downtown, East Boston and the North Shore. It runs from northeast to southwest, extending from Wonderland station in Revere, Massachusetts to Bowdoin station near Beacon Hill in Boston...

 to Bennington Street. During peak season, it is not uncommon to see more than 100 residents on the sands of Constitution Beach.

Piers Park

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
Donald McKay
Donald McKay was a Canadian-born American designer and builder of sailing ships.He was born in Jordan Falls, Shelburne County on Nova Scotia's South Shore. In 1826 he moved to New York, working for shipbuilders Brown & Bell and Isaac Webb...

. Along with amphitheater there is a community boating program, Piers Park Sailing Center
Piers Park Sailing Center
Piers Park Sailing Center is a 501 nonprofit community sailing center located on Boston Harbor. The sailing center is composed five programs: adult, adaptive, youth, racing, and coastal.- History :...

.

Suffolk Downs

Fed by Rte 1 and a Blue line
Blue Line (MBTA)
The Blue Line is one of four subway lines of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority serving Downtown, East Boston and the North Shore. It runs from northeast to southwest, extending from Wonderland station in Revere, Massachusetts to Bowdoin station near Beacon Hill in Boston...

 stop, Suffolk Downs
Suffolk Downs
Suffolk Downs, a thoroughbred race track in East Boston, Massachusetts, United States opened in 1935. Famous horses that have raced at this track include Seabiscuit, Whirlaway, Funny Cide and Cigar. The MassCap is held there, as well at the annual Hot Dog Safari...

 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
Graded stakes race
A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...

 event at the track called the MassCap. Because of declining revenues as result of Indian Casinos in Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...

 and Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...

 Suffolk Downs canceled the 2009 MassCap. On 18 August 1966, the Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...

 played a concert before approximately 24,000 music fans in the infield of Suffolk Downs.

Italian restaurants

Santarpio's
Santarpio's
Santarpio's is a restaurant in the Boston, Massachusetts neighborhood of East Boston. A landmark to locals and a destination for out-of-towners, the eatery is primarily known for its East Coast/American-style pizza, which it has served in the same location since 1933. Established in 1903 as a...

 Pizza, Spinelli's, Mario's, Meridian Market, Jeveli's, Rino's, and Kelly's Square Pub are well-known East Boston Italian eateries.

Soccer field

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.

Temple Ohabei Shalom Cemetery

The Temple Ohabei Shalom Cemetery
Temple Ohabei Shalom Cemetery
Temple Ohabei Shalom Cemetery is located at Wordsworth & Horace Streets in East Boston, Massachusetts. In 1844, Boston's first synagogue asked for permission to purchase this then-remote East Boston lot as a burying place. This cemetery was the first legally established Jewish cemetery in the state...

 is the oldest Jewish cemetery in Massachusetts. The Mystic River Jewish Project
Mystic River Jewish Project
The Mystic River Jewish Communities Project is a non profit organization dedicated to preserving the heritage of the Mystic River Jewish communities of Chelsea, East Boston, Everett, Malden, Medford, Revere, Somerville, and Winthrop, Massachusetts....

 is restoring the cemetery's handsome 1903 Gothic revival chapel for use as a museum.

Community gardens

East Boston is home to six community gardens
Community gardening
A community garden is a single piece of land gardened collectively by a group of people.-Purpose:Community gardens provide fresh produce and plants as well as satisfying labor, neighborhood improvement, sense of community and connection to the environment...

, managed by various organizations such as the Boston Parks and Recreation Department and the Boston Natural Areas Network
Boston Natural Areas Network
The Boston Natural Areas Network , founded in 1977 is a non-profit organization based in Boston, in the U.S. state of Massachusetts, which works to identify and protect significant natural areas described as urban wilds and greenways in the metropolitan area.-Mission:The Boston Natural Areas...

. 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

Zumix
Zumix
ZUMIX is a non-profit cultural organization dedicated to using the arts, particularly music, to build community, foster cultural understanding, and encourage self-expression among youth in the diverse neighborhood of East Boston...

  is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) cultural organization dedicated to building community through music and the arts. Located in East Boston, MA, Zumix
Zumix
ZUMIX is a non-profit cultural organization dedicated to using the arts, particularly music, to build community, foster cultural understanding, and encourage self-expression among youth in the diverse neighborhood of East Boston...

 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
Zumix
ZUMIX is a non-profit cultural organization dedicated to using the arts, particularly music, to build community, foster cultural understanding, and encourage self-expression among youth in the diverse neighborhood of East Boston...

 is located at 260 Sumner Street, a few blocks from the Maverick Square Subway Station on the Blue Line.

Government and infrastructure

The Logan Office Center, which contains the headquarters of the Massachusetts Port Authority
Massachusetts Port Authority
Massachusetts Port Authority, or Massport, is a port district in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It operates seaports and airports in eastern and central Massachusetts, mainly the Port of Boston. Its headquarters is located in the Logan Office Center, adjacent to Logan Airport in East Boston,...

, is adjacent to Logan Airport.

The United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...

 operates the East Boston Post Office at 50 Meridian Street.

The Tunnel Administration Building is located at 145 Havre Street.

East Boston is home to District A-7 of the Boston Police Department
Boston Police Department
The Boston Police Department , created in 1838, holds the primary responsibility for law enforcement and investigation within the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the oldest police departments in the United States...

. 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.

Economy

Prior to its dissolution, Air New England
Air New England
Air New England was an American commuter airline with service to New England communities during the 1970s. It was headquartered at Logan International Airport in the East Boston area of Boston, Massachusetts....

 was headquartered on the grounds of Logan International Airport
Logan International Airport
General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways...

.

Public schools

Boston Public Schools
Boston Public Schools
Boston Public Schools is a school district serving the city of Boston, Massachusetts, United States.-Leadership:The district is led by a Superintendent, hired by the Boston School Committee, a seven-member school board appointed by the Mayor after approval by a nominating committee of specified...

 (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.

East Boston Early Childhood Center is a district K0-1 school in East Boston. District elementary schools include Samuel Adams, Dante Alighieri, Manassah E. Bradley, Curtis Guild, Patrick J. Kennedy, Hugh R. O'Donnell, and James Otis.

Umana Middle School Academy is the sole district middle school in East Boston. Donald McKay K-8 School is the sole district K-8 school in East Boston. East Boston High School
East Boston High School
East Boston High School is a public high school located in the East Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. The school is part of the Boston Public Schools system.-Academics:...

 is the sole district public high school in East Boston.

Excel Academy Charter School, a charter middle school, is located in East Boston.

Private schools

The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States. It comprises several counties of the state of Massachusetts...

 operates Catholic schools. East Boston Central Catholic School, on the Most Holy Redeemer Parish site, is the Catholic K1-8 school in East Boston. The school is managed by a board from the Our Lady of the Assumption, Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church (East Boston)
Our Lady of Mount Carmel is a church and parish located in the neighborhood of East Boston in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The church was built in 1905 and was a focal point of the local Italian-American community until it was ordered shut down by the Archdiocese of Boston in the autumn of...

, Most Holy Redeemer and Sacred Heart parishes.

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. Savio Preparatory High School
Savio Preparatory High School
St. Dominic Savio Preparatory High School was a Catholic educational institution located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. The school shut down in June 2007.-Background:...

 was formerly located in East Boston before its 2007 closing. 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.

Public libraries

Boston Public Library
Boston Public Library
The Boston Public Library is a municipal public library system in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was the first publicly supported municipal library in the United States, the first large library open to the public in the United States, and the first public library to allow people to...

 currently has two locations in East Boston. The East Boston Branch at 276 Meridian Street, and the Orient Heights branch at 18 Barnes Avenue There are also plans to build a third location in Bremen St Park. The first public branch library in the United States was established in East Boston in 1870.

See also

  • Kennedy Family
    Kennedy family
    In the United States, the phrase Kennedy family commonly refers to the family descending from the marriage of the Irish-Americans Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. and Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald that was prominent in American politics and government. Their political involvement has revolved around the...

  • Battle of Chelsea Creek
    Battle of Chelsea Creek
    The Battle of Chelsea Creek was the second military engagement of the Boston campaign of the American Revolutionary War. It is also known as the Battle of Noddle's Island, Battle of Hog Island and the Battle of the Chelsea Estuary...

  • Central Square
    Central Square, East Boston, Massachusetts
    Central Square culminates around the intersection of Bennington Street and Meridian Street in the Boston neighborhood of East Boston. The square’s intersecting streets also includes Border Street, Saratoga Street and Liverpool Street...

  • Day Square
    Day Square
    Day Square is the area surrounding the intersection of Bennington Street and Chelsea Street in the Boston neighborhood of East Boston. It is one of the community's larger business districts, housing a significant number of restaurants, barbershops, and beauty salons including Elvis and Eli's....

  • East Boston gas surge
    East Boston gas surge
    The East Boston gas surge was a series of fires and at least one explosion that took place early on the morning of September 23, 1983, when an underground control that regulated the flow of natural gas failed, causing a surge of the fuel into the community of East Boston, Massachusetts...

  • Maverick Square
    Maverick Square
    Maverick Square is a business district in the Boston neighborhood of East Boston that is intersected by several thoroughfares, most notably Chelsea Street and Meridian Street. It is the location of a station on the Blue Line of the MBTA...

  • Maverick National Bank
    Maverick National Bank
    The Maverick National Bank was a bank in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. It was established in 1854 in East Boston and failed on October 31, 1891. The bank had extended large loans to its president, Asa P. Potter, who used the funds for speculative investments....

  • Orient Heights
    Orient Heights
    Orient Heights is an historic section of East Boston. The neighborhood sits on a hill named "Orient Heights;" the hill measures 152 feet in elevation at its highest point...

  • Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church (East Boston)
    Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church (East Boston)
    Our Lady of Mount Carmel is a church and parish located in the neighborhood of East Boston in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The church was built in 1905 and was a focal point of the local Italian-American community until it was ordered shut down by the Archdiocese of Boston in the autumn of...

  • General William Hyslop Sumner
    William H. Sumner
    William Hyslop Sumner was born on July 4, 1780 in Roxbury, Massachusetts, United States. He was the son of Gov. Increase Sumner. W H Sumner graduated from Harvard University in 1799. He served as a General in the Massachusetts militia. Sumner wrote The History of East Boston and died in 1861.-Early...

  • East Boston MBTA Buses
    MBTA buses in East Boston, Chelsea and Revere
    The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority operates local buses in East Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, connecting to the Blue Line at Maverick or Wood Island...

  • Bennington Street Burying Ground
    Bennington Street Burying Ground
    Bennington Street Burying Ground is an historic cemetery on Bennington Street, between Swift and Harmony Streets in East Boston, Massachusetts.This cemetery was added to the National Historic Register in 2002....

  • Mystic River Jewish Project
    Mystic River Jewish Project
    The Mystic River Jewish Communities Project is a non profit organization dedicated to preserving the heritage of the Mystic River Jewish communities of Chelsea, East Boston, Everett, Malden, Medford, Revere, Somerville, and Winthrop, Massachusetts....


Further reading

  • Sammarco, Anthony Mitchell, East Boston, Arcadia Publishing, Images of America series, 1997.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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