East Boston

Images of America: Massachusetts

by Anthony Mitchell Sammarco

Originally called Noodle's Island, East Boston was once comprised of five islands connected by marshland. Today, many people identify East Boston as the location of Logan International Airport, but it is really much more than that. From colonial times through the late twentieth century, the neighborhood of East Boston has experienced significant developments in the fields of city planning, transportation, and urban development. Until the nineteenth century, East Boston was a rural community whose land was used for grazing and firewood. The East Boston Company was incorporated by William Hyslop Sumner in 1833 to plan the residential and commercial growth of this Boston neighborhood. Connecting East Boston to the city were various modes of transportation including ferries, railroads, and an underground streetcar tunnel. In the 1920s, construction of the Boston Airport, later Logan International Airport, was begun.

128 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1996

About the author

Anthony Mitchell Sammarco is a noted historian and author of over sixty books on the history and development of Boston, and he lectures widely on the history and development of his native city. He commenced writing in 1995, and his books Lost Boston, The History of Howard Johnson’s: How A Massachusetts Soda Fountain Became a Roadside Icon, and The Baker Chocolate Company: A Sweet History
are among his many books that have made local bestseller lists.

Reviews

[Robert Snow]

A rich history of this ethnic neighborhood, where many stepped foot in the new world!

[Amy]

It was nice to learn a little more about my neighborhood and see some of the old pictures