I was born in Boston in the early sixties, after the West End was gone. I never even knew there was once a neighborhood there until I got a job in Government Center in the early eighties. A couple of my much older colleagues on that job, (old men; Jim was 62 and Bob was 75) would speak nostalgically about Scollay Square and the West End. To think that the empty space of City Hall Plaza, and the monstrous ugliness of the city hall building, displaced the entertaining diversions and nightlife of Scollay Square. When you reflect over the loss of Scollay Square and the trauma of the West Enders' evictions, you have to say: what a shame and what an injustice!
I went to a lot of Bruins games in the 70s and 80s , coming from Medford, and I would see that Building every time and never could understand why it was there. This is an excellent story. Great Job.
My family was all from the West End. The psychological bond they had with this place is hard to describe to outsiders. They were all very proud "West Enders" who had moved out to the suburbs, though most of them are passing on now.
We lived on Poplar Street. I went to Peter Faneuil School. Our building was destroyed when I was 12. My aunts, grandmother all lived on the block. My grandfather owned a candy store on the corner before he died. Everyday coming home from school I’d see the bulldozers, see the rumble. I’ve never recovered from the trauma. My grandmother could not speak English. Everyone had to move. Family scattered and shattered. Nothing was ever the same. No one cared. My aunt refused to move. There was a picture in the globe of her being forcibly carried out of her home by a fireman. I have empathy for storm survivors. Having your neighborhood destroyed in front of you is very traumatic.
Great to see Jim Vrabel here! Author of "A People's History of the New Boston,"" an indispensible read for anyone with an interest in the history of Boston's last half-century-plus.
![30 ชั่วโมงคนเดียว บนรถไฟชั้น 3 โซเวียต [Around The World Ep. 2]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/MlE9boAVqDA/mqdefault.jpg)
I was born in Boston in the early sixties, after the West End was gone. I never even knew there was once a neighborhood there until I got a job in Government Center in the early eighties. A couple of my much older colleagues on that job, (old men; Jim was 62 and Bob was 75) would speak nostalgically about Scollay Square and the West End. To think that the empty space of City Hall Plaza, and the monstrous ugliness of the city hall building, displaced the entertaining diversions and nightlife of Scollay Square. When you reflect over the loss of Scollay Square and the trauma of the West Enders' evictions, you have to say: what a shame and what an injustice!
I went to a lot of Bruins games in the 70s and 80s , coming from Medford, and I would see that Building every time and never could understand why it was there. This is an excellent story. Great Job.
Half of the West End ended up moving to Medford.
My family was all from the West End. The psychological bond they had with this place is hard to describe to outsiders. They were all very proud "West Enders" who had moved out to the suburbs, though most of them are passing on now.
We lived on Poplar Street. I went to Peter Faneuil School. Our building was destroyed when I was 12. My aunts, grandmother all lived on the block. My grandfather owned a candy store on the corner before he died. Everyday coming home from school I’d see the bulldozers, see the rumble. I’ve never recovered from the trauma. My grandmother could not speak English. Everyone had to move. Family scattered and shattered. Nothing was ever the same. No one cared.
My aunt refused to move. There was a picture in the globe of her being forcibly carried out of her home by a fireman.
I have empathy for storm survivors. Having your neighborhood destroyed in front of you is very traumatic.
Great video Danny! The interviews were great, I didn't know the history of this.
Thank you Joe!
ah this made me tear up. relatable. thanks for sharing
Excellent work!
Came here from tiktok, had no clue about this prior to seeing this, great video.
Me too. Just now. I think so often of the tight bonds we had living in that neighborhood.
Hi watching it from Las Vegas, I am your first viewer and a new subscriber to your channel
Great to see Jim Vrabel here! Author of "A People's History of the New Boston,"" an indispensible read for anyone with an interest in the history of Boston's last half-century-plus.
I always wondered why the last tenement survived.
They stole my home.
Terrica Williams princess