Boston Public Library Has Historic Photos Online

[unhappycamper]

I was checking my email this morning and was looking at a BPL eNews message:


10 Million

Earlier this month, the library's ever-growing Flickr photostream received its 10 millionth view. To date, there are more than 65,000 images available to view on an array of subjects. Find images from the Great Fire of 1872, the Molasses Disaster of 1919, the Cocoanut Grove Fire of 1942, and much more.

I was especially interested in photos from the Great Molasses Flood of 1919:




And the Charlestown Navy yard:




And the Coconut Grove fire of 1942:




http://www.flickr.com/photos/boston_public_library/ <<-- Enjoy!

[iemitsu]

1. how cool.

thank you.

[mucifer]

2. Cool Pics! A great website for old photos is shorpy.com they

have a Boston page:

http://www.shorpy.com/image/tid/268

I love old photos and looking around the shorpy site.

[Si MC]

3. Bookmarking n/t

[TaleWgnDg]

4. my goodness, unhappycamper . . .

You are still hanging out in DU? Hello.

In any event, yup, I found those BPL archive photos VERY interesting and fun to see. My ancestors were living in, and owned a retail/wholesale business in, the North End when that horrific disaster (Great Molasses Flood of 1919) occurred. The flood did not involve their housing but did their business. Many stories exist to this day in my family about the flood and about the days that followed. Terrible carnage particularly amongst the working class housing and surrounding businesses and city offices/stations. Did you find the old photos of that monstrously HUGE molasses tank b4 it exploded? If I remember correctly, BPL photos have it.

And, oh, yeah, btw, there's a fascinating book about it written by a local guy . . . I'll get that book off my bookshelf . . . ok. It's "Dark Tide - The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919," Stephen Puleo, Beacon Press, Boston, MA, 2003. Most likely it can be ordered online at amazon.com for a song. Puleo has authored another book about Boston's immigrant Italians -- another great read that I highly recommend particularly if there's Italian blood in your veins! I believe that book, too, is easily procured at amazon.

Happy reading! And take care. Enjoy the holidays.

[MBS]

5. wow, fantastic: thanks. n/t