Hello, My Fellow Retro Boston Lovers!
Today we look back fifty years to the last weeks of 1963.
The assassination of President Kennedy for many Americans
was a moment they would never forget; a moment that time stood still. Grief,
horror and total disbelief all flooding in at once...and leaving an everlasting
freeze-frame in their mind of that exact moment they heard the shocking news.
Boston was hit extremely hard, President Kennedy was their
hero. The local Brookline boy who rose up and became President...Boston was so proud!
Much of America was in a love with the suave young President
and his charming and delightfully stylish wife. A look at the advertisements
from the Boston area stores tells so much...you can see JFK’s hairstyle or Jackie’s
unique dresses everywhere. They were truly icons of the early 1960’s in every sense
of the word.
Looking back to the end of 1963 in Boston is quite astonishing
indeed.
The “new” Boston was taking shape for better or worse.
Government Center was starting to rise up bit by bit in 1963 out the rubble that
once was colorful Scollay Sqaure. The West End of Boston was now gone and the
Prudential Building was looming tall above the Back Bay and nearly ready for
completion by 1964.
In October of 1963, the MTA officially opened the new
Government Center Station using part of the old Scollay Station and a large new
section. Adams Square Station, today nearly forgotten, was closed and
demolished as part of the building of the new Boston City Hall. The little
used, antique station was seen outbound on-route to Haymarket Square Station
only and sadly, it was considered a waste of space. A new track layout for the
Green Line made the ride from the new Government Center Station to Haymarket
more direct and much less scenic...gone forever were the noisy, winding curves
that made a ride on the Boston subway just a bit more fun!
The assassination of President Kennedy on Friday, November
22, 1963 rocked the world and Boston found itself in deep mourning. The days
around the tragedy were very solemn and Monday the 25th was a
national day of mourning. The newspaper advertisements around this time reflect
both great sadness and deep respect...the clippings speak volumes and are very
moving to read.
All of our once beloved Boston stores paid tribute to the
fallen President. Each tribute was simple and dignified. They paid homage and
also announced closures for Monday as a memorial.
Amidst all this sadness, another Boston Strangler murder
took place...it had been so many months since the last killing. But Boston
still had a killer or killers on the loose and so the city and its surrounding
suburbs resumed a high police alert.
The kick-off to the 1963 Christmas season was very gloomy
indeed and Boston carried on...with a heavy heart and a lot less sparkle than
usual.
I compiled a selection of retail and entertainment advertisements
that give you a taste of what the latter days of 1963 in Boston was like. The memorials
and tributes all ran in the various Boston newspapers from the 23 to the 25th
of November 1963. The photographs were all from the end of 1963 and highlight a
time of great change in Boston itself.
Another interesting item was the sad announcement that the
much loved Norumbega Park was going to be torn down and developed...just
another facet in the “new” look of the Boston area.
I hope you find this look back to fifty years ago both
insightful and moving...I know I did.
More soon! Charles
Boston
charles65ofboston@yahoo.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24334155@N03/
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_163309760355786&ap=
Ps...Don't forget....I am still working on my Jordan Marsh memory project. Write me!!!!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24334155@N03/
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_163309760355786&ap=
Ps...Don't forget....I am still working on my Jordan Marsh memory project. Write me!!!!
