City Hall

Imagine if City Hall were replaced with a large arch

By adamg - 6/29/11 - 10:24 am

Temporary 300th anniversary arch

The Boston Public Library has posted a number of photos by Herald-Traveler photographer Leslie Jones of the city's 300th-anniversary celebrations in 1930, including several showing the temporary arch the city erected on the site of what's now City Hall. Worth looking at large for all the details. And here's the reverse view, showing what was then an expanded Dock Square (now City Hall and City Hall Plaza). No doubt, Sam Adams just stood there, glowering.

Another view of the temporary arch

Posted under this Creative Commons license.

Burrito battle: How a downtown restaurant was almost shut down over donated food for a city event

By adamg - 4/22/11 - 4:44 pm

It began, John Pepper says, with a phone call Wednesday from City Hall: Could one of his Boloco restaurants supply burritos for a major announcement the mayor wold be making in front of City Hall on Thursday?

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Is this why Scollay Square went down?

By scollaysq - 12/20/10 - 2:51 pm

A few years ago I ran across this large booklet/flyer, not dated but likely put out between 1960 and 1968, called "John F. Collins Look How Wonderful I Am". Ummm....not really. It's called Boston on the Move.

Leafing through it I was rather surprised to see our venerable Mayor was apparently in the process of trying to bring a World's Fair to Boston. There is an architectural rendering of the Fair, as it will look out in Boston Harbor (or near as I can make out, how it might look in St. Louis, Missouri)

The booklet trumpets accomplishments, past, current & upcoming, of Mayor Collins. City Hall is still only a drawing, women are wearing Jackie Kennedy headbands and the 'War Memorial Auditorium' is brand new.

Since finding this I can't help but think a wholesome family event like a World's Fair wouldn't be prudent where there is 'Burlesk'and Ann Corio and Sally Keith. So down with Scollay Square says John F. Collins....maybe

http://www.scollaysq.com/pix/fair3.jpg

Ask for the more complete stenographic machine record of the public meeting of Boston City Council.

By theszak - 12/11/10 - 5:49 am

Ask for the more complete stenographic machine record of the public meeting of Boston City Council.

Swingsets not included

By JohnAKeith - 10/30/10 - 10:43 am

That Google Maps has Boston City Hall Plaza tagged as a "park" is a bit sad, no?

(However, they get points for still including Cornhill Street on their maps considering it doesn't really exist and hasn't for, say, 64 years.)

Firefighters try to retrieve elevator from Twilight Zone at City Hall

By adamg - 5/26/10 - 5:23 pm

Around 6 p.m., Boston Fire rescue units responded to City Hall when an elevator got stuck between the third and fifth floors in a part of the building that doesn't have a fourth floor. The Fire Department reports one person is stuck in this elevator purgatory.

UPDATE: BFD reports a mechanic was able to get the elevator lowered to the third floor around 6:40. The person inside had been there for 90 minutes.

Police talk jumper down from City Hall ledge

By adamg - 10/9/09 - 1:43 pm

Nobody injured, nothing more to see, Boston Police tweet, adding he was talked down by the hostage negotiation team.