Quincy Market Archives - Lost New England

Custom House Tower, Boston

February 9, 2018March 25, 2016 by Derek Strahan

The Custom House Tower in Boston, as seen from Quincy Market during its construction, around 1913-1915. Image courtesy of the Boston Public Library.

The scene in 2015:

As explained in this earlier post, Boston’s Custom House was built in 1849, with a convenient location near Long Wharf that easily allowed officials to inspect incoming cargoes. Boston’s role as major seaport grew over the years, though, and by the early 1900s it was necessary to expand it. Rather than demolishing the old building, though, they simply added a 32-story skyscraper on top of it. At the time, Boston had a 125 foot limit on skyscrapers in the city, but as a federal building the Custom House Tower was exempt. At 496 feet tall, it was nearly four times the maximum height, and it dominated the Boston skyline for many years, as this early 1930s view of the city shows.

The c.1913-1915 photo above shows the building during its construction, with the original 1849 structure clearly visible at its base. It would remain the tallest building in the city until the completion of the Prudential Tower nearly 50 years later, and it would be used by US Customs until 1986 when they moved into the Thomas P. O’Neill, Jr. Federal Building. After a long period of vacancy, the historic tower is now a Marriott Hotel, and it is part of the Custom House District on the National Register of Historic Places.

North Market, Boston

November 26, 2016September 11, 2014 by Derek Strahan

North Market in Boston, next to Quincy Market, around 1855. Photo courtesy of Boston Public Library.

The scene in 2014:

These photos show the same scene as the ones in this post, just from a different angle. The building on the far left of the 1855 photo is the Old Feather Shop, the same one seen in the photo in the other post. Built in 1680, it was demolished around 1860, soon after the first photo was taken. Both pictures were taken from right in front of Faneuil Hall (which can be seen on the far right of the 2014 photo), and this area has been a major commercial center since the 1600s, when it was known as Dock Square. Today, most of the commercial activity centers around tourism, and the location is adjacent to Quincy Market and along the Freedom Trail. The red brick path of the Freedom Trail can be seen in the foreground of the 2014 photo.

Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market, Boston

February 9, 2018July 31, 2014 by Derek Strahan

The east face of Faneuil Hall, with Quincy Market to the right, taken in 1875. Photo courtesy of Boston Public Library.

The same view in 2014:

Compare with the photos in this post, wheich show Faneuil Hall a little closer and about 20 years after his 1875 photo was taken. Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market are still there, having been built in 1742 and 825, respectively. However, the scene is very different in the background. Boston’s massive City Hall building is just beyond and to the left of Faneuil Hall, with other modern skyscrapers behind it. This was once the Scollay Square neighborhood of Boston, which was completely demolished in the 1960s to build City Hall and the surrounding buildings, with the neighborhood being renamed Government Center.

Quincy Market, Boston (3)

February 9, 2018July 31, 2014 by Derek Strahan

Quincy Market, facing west toward Faneuil Hall, sometime in the 1800s. Photo courtesy of Boston Public Library.

The scene in 2014:

Another view of Quincy Market, showing the difference between the business-oriented market in the 1800s, and the tourist-oriented scene today. In this particular 2014 view, it was taken during the Urban Raid, a 5k race and obstacle course that went through the City Hall area of Boston.

Quincy Market, Boston (2)

February 9, 2018July 31, 2014 by Derek Strahan

Another Quincy Market scene, facing west, looking toward Faneuil Hall, around 1904. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress, Detroit Publishing Company Collection.

The same scene in 2014:

Another view of Quincy Market, with the 1904 photo showing the various food vendors outside the building. Today, the market is oriented toward tourists instead of Boston residents, although the exterior of the building is largely the same. The South Market building, on the extreme left-hand side of the photos, is also there, as is the corresponding North Market building on the opposite side of Quincy Market.

Quincy Market, Boston (1)

February 9, 2018July 31, 2014 by Derek Strahan

The view of Quincy Market looking east from in front of Faneuil Hall, sometime in the 1800s. Photo courtesy of Boston Public Library.

The same view of Quincy Market in 2014:

Built in 1825, Quincy Market has been a major commercial center for nearly 200 years. However, its role and the surrounding neighborhood have certainly changed. Originally, as seen in the first photo, it was a place for Bostonians to buy and sell food products, ranging from fruits and vegetables to cheese and meat. It was also built right along the waterfront; today it is several blocks from Boston Harbor. But, the building hasn’t moved – the waterfront has. Over the years, Boston has significantly expanded its land area, both through annexing surrounding towns but also through landfill, which included dumping dirt, rocks, construction debris, and even old ships into the harbor and building atop it.

Because of that, Quincy Market is no longer has a waterfront location, but it is still a commercial center, although today it consists of fast food vendors that primarily cater to tourists and workers from nearby City Hall. The Quincy Market area also offers shopping, gift stores, and in this particular scene, photos with Spider-Man. It is also located along the Freedom Trail, which is marked by the brick path in the foreground.