A Little Further Into the North End

From Dave "David" Brigham:

I've lived in and around Boston for more than half of my 53 years, and feel bad about not spending more time in the city's North End. I've only eaten at a handful of the dozens upon dozens of Italian restaurants. I've only attended one of the numerous annual Italian feasts. And I've only walked around the neighborhood a few times to shoot photos for this blog (see June 14, 2018, "A Prince of a Building" and July 11, 2018, "North End Stroll").

But, like Middle-Aged Man says about his gut, I'm working on it.

While today the North End is considered the Little Italy of Boston, the neighborhood has been home to immigrants from England, Ireland, Portugal, Africa and Europe since the 1600s. And I'm sure Native Americans knew a little something about this area, too. For a quick, but informative history of the North End, read this.

One of the things that draws so many tourists (and locals) to the North End is the old-world feel of the place: narrow streets; locally owned cheese shops, bakeries, restaurants, barber shops, convenience stores, etc.; buildings that crowd the sidewalks without blocking the sun. And while the one-square-mile waterfront neighborhood isn't as Italian as it was a generation ago (more below about gentrification), the place still has an overwhelming feel of the country of the boot.

When I took the two photos above I had no idea who I was shooting, just that the two banners obviously commemorated the same event. A quick bit of research (I may or may not have searched online for "religious guy holding baby") led to the discovery that Saint Anthony of Padua is second only to Mary depicted in artwork holding baby Jesus.

Among the many feasts in the North End each year is the St. Anthony's Feast, considered the largest Italian religious festival in New England. It is held in late August.

While this photo depicts another North End doorway, unlike the other two, this one doesn't have a St. Anthony & Jesus banner. This is the home of the Knights of Columbus, Ausonia Council #1513. The council announced earlier this year a plan to redevelop the building and its site, adding affordable apartments for the elderly, a community room and a new headquarters for the council.

You'll notice, perhaps, that over the doorway it says "GEORGE ROBERT WHITE FUND." Who was George Robert White, you ask? The head of Potter Drug and Chemical Company who made a fortune and who was an active philanthropist. The fund was established in 1922 in his will, in which he bequeathed $5 million to the City of Boston as a permanent charitable fund.

I apologize for the bad angle on this photo. This is the McLaughlin Building, which is the oldest cast-iron building in New England, according to this web site. Formerly home to the McLaughlin Elevator Company, the 1875 building is now condominiums. Which leads me to....

Gentrification. As I said earlier, the North End maintains Italian influences, but they're not as heavy as they once were. Sure, there are still tons of Italian restaurants and bakeries. But the population of the neighborhood is no longer so heavily Italian, a shift that has taken place gradually over the last four decades. Just as in other traditionally working class areas such as South Boston and Kendall Square in Cambridge, young professionals have moved in to the North End as the local economy has boomed with tech jobs (keep your eyes peeled for posts about each of those neighborhoods in the near future). For a look at the beginning of this trend, as well as a shot of the McLaughlin Building before its conversion to housing and offices, read this article.

The final two buildings in this brief feature are, in my mind, quite incredible.

The Segel Building was built in 1896. Just look at that facade! Built with Jewish financing, the building must have been stunning in its heyday, and likely included retail or office space on the ground floor, with apartments above. The Segel was erected during the prime years of Jewish immigration to the North End, which was heaviest between 1870 and the early 1900's and which resulted in the Jewish population growing to about one-third of the North End, according to this article.

Finally, the Vermont Building.

Built in 1904, the brick-and-marble building was funded by Redfield Proctor, U.S. Senator from Vermont, and one of the owners of the Vermont Marble Company, per Wikipedia. Formerly a warehouse, office and retail space, the building has been condos for a while.

That's it for now. I promise to visit the North End again and post more history.