In the early 20th century, car dealerships, tire companies, parts distributors, and other related businesses lined a section of Commonwealth Avenue in Allston that was known as Automobile Row, a sort of urban forefather of the suburban Auto Mile today. Local historian Ken Liss joins the show to tell us what made these early dealerships … Continue reading Ghosts and Shadows of Automobile Row, with Ken Liss (episode 180)
Enjoy two classic stories this week. First up is the story of the Cocoanut Grove fire. In November 1942, Boston was on a wartime footing, business was booming, and the streets were packed with soldiers and sailors on their way to fronts around the world. On the Saturday after Thanksgiving, a fire broke out at … Continue reading Disasters and Disaster Response (episode 282)
Joseph Lee was a hotelier, caterer, and one of the richest men in his adopted hometown of Newton. By the time of his death in 1908, Lee had worked as a servant, a baker, and for the National Coast Survey; he had worked on ships, in hotels, and at amusement parks. He had earned a … Continue reading Joseph Lee and his Bread Machines (episode 268)
106 years ago this week, a terrible accident took place within sight of South Station. November 7, 1916 was election day in Boston, but it was an otherwise completely ordinary autumn afternoon for the passengers who packed themselves into streetcar number 393 of the Boston Elevated Railway for their evening commute through South Boston to … Continue reading The Trolley of Death (episode 261)
Two deadly murders were committed in and around Boston using military grade assault weapons, and both of them happened in the middle of a raging debate around gun control in this country. You might assume I am talking about an incident that happened after the school shootings in Parkland Florida in 2018 or Columbine in … Continue reading How two of Boston’s strangest shootings fueled the gun control debates of their times (episode 246)
During a legendary New England blizzard, trains and trolleys ground to a halt in Boston, stranding commuters at South and North Station. Thousands of drivers were forced to abandon their cars in the middle of traffic and just walk away in search of shelter. Dozens of people were killed in the storm. Much as it … Continue reading The Valentines Day Blizzard (episode 242)
This week, Jake interviews Dr. Jared Ross Hardesty, author of the new book Mutiny on the Rising Sun: a tragic tale of smuggling, slavery, and chocolate, which uncovers the dark web of interconnections between Old North Church, chocolate, and chattel slavery. Dr. Hardesty will explain why a reputable sea captain would become a smuggler, trafficking … Continue reading Mutiny on the Rising Sun, with Dr. Jared Ross Hardesty (episode 234)
When Starr Faithfull’s body washed up on a Long Island beach 90 years ago, the case became a national obsession. At the center of the story was a beautiful young flapper, with a diary full of covert sexual conquests, a sordid history with a prominent politician, and a drug and booze fueled nightlife in the … Continue reading The Mysterious Murder (Maybe) of Starr Faithful (episode 223)
This week, Jake sits down with Matthew Dickey, the Communications and Operations Manager at the Boston Preservation Alliance to discuss the organization’s important work in saving the historic nature of Boston’s many diverse neighborhoods. They fight to preserve individual buildings of historic importance, but they also work to keep the cohesion of historic neighborhoods and … Continue reading Matthew Dickey: Saving History with the Boston Preservation Alliance (episode 205)
The early 20th century was a time of aviation firsts, and one of those firsts dropped into Boston for three long, exciting days in 1924. Five months after they started their journey in California, the Army Air Service pilots who made the first flight around the world were expected to touch down on US soil … Continue reading The World Fliers in Boston (episode 201)
