Leonard Nimoy Remembers Boston's West End Neighborhood

[@mariavincenzi8724]

Thank you for Mr. Nimoy's interview. I am a fan of his.😢

[@dumboxthomas6151]

That story about the Grandma going down to the market, speaking in her own tongue is so nostalgic and beautiful. And people learning each others languages. This is real community, real family. Something I desperately long for, while I am living in these individualistic times. I think a lot has been taken away from America's soul, either taken away or covered up. But I suppose this is the lot of communities and families the world over. Communities come and go, and its not until they're gone that we realize what a beautiful treasure we had. It is wonderful to reminisce about those times, remember about the ways things were. Wonderful presentation, thank you!

[@brittsc]

Very, very tragic how money really destroys so much in America. We're left with merely an empty shell.

[@MrBoudlaine]

👑 💜 ... 🎨🖌️🧚‍♂️🌶️

[@adamgordon6435]

From Boston, but was born in '64, so never saw the West End or Scollay Square. Think of how Boston is considered now one of the most historic cities in the US, and how cool it would be if it still had those neighborhoods, which would surely have gentrified by now.

[@Southpaw128]

what was considered undesirable and "slums" are now some of the most expensive real estate in the country! Greenwich Village and Brooklyn Heights in NY and Boston's North End. It's sad that those neighborhoods changed but we can reconnect with the past in a way by walking down those streets and feeling the hustle and bustle made by those dense city blocks we don't build anymore. It makes me sad that I'll never walk down the North End and it's hard to quantify just how many more neighborhoods were destroyed in the name of urban renewal and freeway construction.

[@tombeegeeeye5765]

can remember my father yan me and my brother to the street side of the sidewalk as we passed a theatre with pictures of strippers in outfits considered tame by more contemporary standards in Scollay Square. That was in the early 60's.

[@BryanPike]

As a tenth generation Bostonian, I am quite happy to have this history captured.

[@spockboy]

Thanks for making me smile for all those years Leonard.

[@Wulfdane]

Fascinating, such a wonderful man with a great story to tell.

[@marthadwyer2856]

Wulfdane A friend of mine grew up in the West End with Lenny and said he was always a nice, sweet and gentle person.

[@mattygee79]

This was so fascinating. Mr. Nimoy is truly a great storyteller. Rest in peace 🖖

[@giadaverde3625]

I love listen him talking...I must do this for hours. Thank you Leonard, I miss you so much...😢😢

[@Liesl_Cigarboxguitar]

This reminds me of my own heritage only mine is from Glasgow Scotland..but it's the same as Boston. My grandparents came from central Glasgow where many Jewish families came from Russia and eastern Europe. Many continued on to the United States, many settled in Glasgow in the late 1800s and early 1900s, closely followed by Italian immigrants.. I discovered my Jewish heritage as an adult. I am so proud of my heritage.

[@colinmacdonald1869]

It brought to mind Ralph Glasser's book "Growing up in the Gorbals", he of course was a son of Russian Jewish immigrants but his account was to me a pretty shocking one, I knew about the Gorbals but the shear poverty he documented was something else.

[@theladymeed4157]

I am from Bristol in the UK and the area where I grew up has been gentrified. The people from the community could no longer afford to live there and as Leonard Nimoy said of the West End in Boston, they too have been scattered. So sad. Thanks for this, he was such an interesting man, it's so nice to hear his stories of his background and where he grew up.

[@tomking1890]

Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.

[@victordesimone2852]

Words to live by. Thank you.

[@RonnieD1970]

I am from Brockton and love these old neighborhood stories.

[@terryadler5975]

😢

[@ivorytower99]

Wow! That's amazing: I never knew Leonard Nemoy grew-up in the West End, where I live. In fact, the very first old photo shown--where you can see Bunker Hill Monument.... That is taken exactly at the viewpoint of my balcony. And at 6:19 St. Joseph's Church--it's directly below my dining room window. Amazing to see these pics. Funny thing: the building I live in recently had a coffee table book on the West End in a sitting area in the lobby. In the book, it talks about the particular building that I live in, and how it was considered at the time of it's erection, to be known as, "A scar on the skyline of Boston".

[@Nunofurdambiznez]

what a great human being and marvelous story teller! God rest his soul.

[@paulfmurphy617]

I LIVED IN THE LAST REMAINING RESIDENTIAL BUILDING FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD (42 LOMASNEY WAY) TILL FOUR YEARS AGO WHEN MY RENT WENT FROM $700/MONTH TO $2500. FOR 20 YEARS I WOULD WALK TO WORK. THE SUBURBS DON'T HAVE THE SAME FEELING OF BEING ALIVE; THAT THE CITY POSSESSES

[@guywhousesapseudonymonyout4272]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/42_Lomasney_Way

[@johnsilva9139]

Whenever I pass that building I wonder about how much the rent is now ( or if it's now condos ). I imagine a new owner came and tripled your rent. How does Boston let that happen? It's hard to believe citizens don't storm city hall or the state house to demand affordable housing. Millions of people have been displaced this way or have had to pay a much higher percentage of their income to stay.

[@jcortese3300]

New York did the same thing with Little Italy -- it's gone now, and has been "renewed" to the point where the only people who can afford to live there have no interest at all in the history and zero connection to it. This interview is amazing -- it's like listening to a Yiddish version of my mom's memories of South Philadelphia as a daughter of southern Italian immigrants in a neighborhood that had the exact same mix: two-thirds Italian, the rest Russian Jews with a sprinkling of Lebanese and Syrians.

[@Southpaw128]

The sad truth about New York's little Italy is that the youth simply moved on and there wasn't a steady flow of Italian immigrants to fill their place. The neighborhood was not razed like the West End. Nearby Chinatown is still very true to its identity because new Chinese immigrants come and fill the places of those who have achieved more means and moved on. You can however find strong Italian enclaves in south Brooklyn, Bergen and Hudson counties in NJ, and throughout Long Island. These are more second and third generation Italian American communities unlike the Little Italy's of the past.

[@antonellisa]

RIP Mr Nimoy

[@voraciousreader3341]

I love these interviews, and Monty Hall’s are wonderful, too! I’m not even Jewish, I’m Episcopalian! Anyway, I feel for Leonard Nimoy, bc there’s very little left of my life in the city where I was born. The house I grew up in, my church, my elementary and jr. high schools (which was the Summer White House for Calvin Coolidge, lol!), the hospital where I was born....there’s just nothing left of the most important times of my life except my high school to show my children. It leaves me feeling pretty empty when I go back, and we concentrate on my husband’s “landmarks.” This is such a great program, thank you!

[@DissociatedWomenIncorporated]

I’m a spiritual-leaning agnostic who’s core value system literally comes from being exposed to (and very into) Star Trek as a little girl 😂 I love watching these interviews with Leonard Nimoy. He was such a remarkable man.

[@InformationIsTheEdge]

Leonard, such a compelling story teller.

[@alexcarter8807]

What a lovely person he was.

[@mariavincenzi8724]

I'm a big Leonard Nimoy fan from my youth. This is a wonderful interview for years to come !!

[@gesco]

My dad and my 3 uncles were born in the West End. My Grandparents lived on Parkman St.

[@gusterulsanatatii1151]

love the great Leonard Nimoy!

[@davef.2811]

Such a wise man. We could use more like him now.

[@beantownie1]

very sad about the west end. it's sad to see the old photo's after walking around there today

[@arnaldosandoval453]

Leonard, thank you for sharing these memories, in the end, they become part of the 'West End' legacy

[@Thomas-yr9ln]

The most precious memories you have are when you are growing up.

[@elinoractipis3759]

Thank you for capturing this history. I sense the ghosts of the past when I am in that area, which is so diminished now. May it inspire us to hold on to other neighborhoods in Boston, like the North End.

[@esterherschkovich6499]

So interesting how nationalities mixed well.

[@MichaelDavis-mw1vs]

very touching and sad

[@mikestone6527]

Boston lost so much by tearing down the west end, the history and culture wiped away. We could have another beacon hill or north end style neighborhood instead of the ugly boxy concrete buildings that are their now.

[@marthadwyer2856]

mike stone exactly. I remember the West End of Boston but a lot was already changed,still I so enjoyed walking over the Washington Bridge from Charlestown and hitting the show (10 cents ) going to the Hotel Madison to see actors and durning the summer going to the West End pool. The little shops were great, could buy penny candy of ever sort. You name it the stores sold it. Miss the buildings and the family’s sitting on the stoop or hanging out the window. Everyone knew everyone and watched out for each other, great memories.

[@MrJoeybabe25]

The city fathers of many towns throughout the United States brought Urban Renewal to wonderful ethnic districts all around the country. In my hometown of Norfolk, Virginia nearly 90% of the downtown area was destroyed. Urban Renewal was an unmitigated disaster for so many reasons.

[@treym1966]

I live in one of those apartments now lol

[@chickenwing111]

Leonard Nimoy's father was my Dad's barber when he was a kid living in the West End.

[@whiteribbonman1]

Yiddish Book Center I REALLY enjoy your presentations!

[@YiddishBookCenter]

Glad you like them! You can see our other short films at kzbin.info/aero/PLiy76p74oWnuayDdneA8RKf5avVco0qpt or on our website: www.yiddishbookcenter.org/language-literature-culture/wexler-oral-history-project-presents

[@sciacca44]

So interesting, I grew up in nearby North End and had an uncle who lived in West End. West End should never have been torn down for urban renewal. So many people were displaced, its destruction is one of the sore spots in Boston history.

[@marthadwyer2856]

Sal Arena Indeed. People will never forget what was done to them and now its history as it should be.

[@kennethconnors5316]

Memories NOT to be forgotten

[@josephgello955]

My mother's side of the family lived in the west end heard so many great stories. If anyone knew the yeatons let me know.

[@MsSmitty9]

An Older High School Teacher of Mine is a Former West Ender and when he speaks of him and his Family being forced out of there homes it’s sad to listen to him. ( I sense Justifiable Anger ). He doesn’t like to speak about that part of his life. One thing that I found extremely interesting was when he told Me Leonard Nimoy’s Father was his Barber in the West End. Very Very Cool.

[@D.N..]

Unfortunately, nearly every major city tore down these type neighborhoods to make room for high ways or open office plaza. Granted that most had fallen into step decline by the early 1960's and the idea of turning these areas into historical districts was not important at the time. Scollary in Boston was one such neighborhood!

[@astrogirl1usa]

Thank you for sharing with us. Very interesting, to say the least. :)

[@dauntae24]

I lived on the north slope for three years in the late 2000s. I had no idea Mr. Nimoy was from the West End. Very interesting.

[@srich10732]

I LIVED AND WAS BROUGHT UP IN THE WEST END ON 15 PITTS ST NEXT TO BOWDON SQ. IT WAS A GREAT PLACE

[@encellon]

I went looking for streets on that old map 0:42 -- and couldn't find any there today. Such was the utter destruction of the old West End.

[@trudigoodman4825]

My Dad was from the West End, too.

[@troubledsole9104]

When I was a kid I used to roam around that area not knowing anything about what was once there. However, I did see artifacts of the old West End without understanding much about it: old signs, buildings with old or defunct businesses with "West End" still marked on them. It is hard for me to comprehend that a whole neighborhood was extracted from the map of Boston, just like that - what a tragedy! And where did everyone go?

[@catherinetouloukian2815]

My dad too

[@theman2017inc]

@@troubledsole9104 Very good and poignant question!

[@kathrynbellerose3925]

The West End was a wonderful neighborhood and can never be duplicated. It was my neighborhood and it was destroyed by the greed of the politicians.

[@Proverbs3-]

Amen!

[@tomfields3682]

The West End was the most dense hood in the city but also had the lowest crime rate. So they bulldozed it 😢

[@DonMeaker]

The Urban Planning course I took at RPI used Boston with its strong neighborhoods as one of its examples. Sad that the strong neighborhoods couldn't survive the urban planners.

[@No8549]

Also,Massachusetts General Hospital expanded from the urban renewal.

[@marthadwyer2856]

No8549 oh yes, they sure did probably the main reason for that demolition as it’s right on the Charles River, ugh

[@asteverino8569]

Thanks for these Yiddish chronicles of history. I now find these cultural connections in African countries via the internet. It is and was beautiful, and also of necessity.

[@AssinnippiJack]

Very interesting! Walk through uninspiring Government Center & try to imagine the sights & sounds of Old Boston.

[@marthadwyer2856]

AssinnippiJack It’s almost impossible as I knew it and find it hard as all the streets and buildings are dramatically changed

[@Braglemaster123]

Wonderful

[@Mitch_Feral]

It pains me that Leonard doesnt discuss, because I do think he knows, that there was nothing accidental or financial about destroying the West End, or any of the Black or immigrant communities around Boston - Boston has always wielded 'progress' as a weapon against everyone except the monied White people who imagine the city to be 'theirs'. Old buildings and brick work are venerated anywhere the wealthy White families sit - and everywhere else, well, it's time for progress! I miss Mr. Nimoy. I miss his balance.

[@OldBiker54]

My Father grew up in West End Married my Mother in St Josephs..in 1947

[@tammyking6506]

I'm from Charlestown mass born and raised

[@tomcooley3778]

Tammy King Waltham for me born 1944

[@marthadwyer2856]

Tammy King I am as well. Moved out twice but returned to a stranger town but never the less once a Townie always a Townie

[@lienlawmaven7967]

The West End was also the 'antique district' in Boston and many of the street level shops were occupied by antique dealers. My late uncle, Morris, was one of them until the middle '60's when the neighborhood began to be dismantled by urban renewal. Leonard talked about the Catholic church in the neighborhood but neglected to mention that the spiritual history of the Jewish community in the West End is enshrined in what is now The Boston Synagogue on Martha Road.

[@PrimeDirective101]

Wow, love this.

[@ernestestrada2461]

Sounds exactly like the same tragedy that has taken place in San Francisco where older affordable buildings were torn down and replaced with expensive high-rise condominiums. It exacerbated the homeless situation in San Francisco to this day. Our new

[@TheRealStevieB]

#LLAP we will miss you Leonard.

[@trexguy]

RIP sir.

[@kathrynbellerose6216]

It was disgusting what they did to us. Rest in peace Leonard Nimoy. He was always proud of his beginnings and we were proud of his accomplishments.

[@pinoassenza2970]

We lived on sprring st.

[@The_ZeroLine]

As a Jew, I oddly never suspected Nimoy of being Jewish. I also grew up in Chicago in an area where Jews and Italians were intimately intertwined. Besides one having terrible food and the other having great food, it was often hard to tell where one community began and the other ended. Pretty much because so many Italians and Jews intermarried.

[@benjaminrush4443]

Over by China Town they left another Catholic Church as they expanded the Urban Removals expansion towards Dover Street - off Washington St. 1960s. I 95 came to Boston. Tore-up everything into Jamaica Plain along the Railroad tracks out of the Back Bay Station. Also expanded displacement into Sommerville. Tragic.

[@alexcarter8807]

That $10 or $12 was like taking home an extra $100 or $120 today. I trained in electronics and am lucky to have work at all, and make a bit over $40 a day here in "Silicon Valley". This guy was making huge, huge, money. Although in my case high-tech is a very low-paid sector of the economy and going into it was a very poor choice.

[@cherokee16346]

So long Mr Spock!!!

[@cleavisbutkus9373]

Very logical.

[@wingwalker27]

Live long and prosper

[@islandpalm148]

Leonard Nimoy and Stanley Kubrick. Simultaneous stuff.

[@thomasklugh4345]

My parents had an icebox the first few years of their marriage. That was in 1945 to around 1952.

[@ohmeowzer1]

Mazel Tov

[@kjlemovitz]

My mother was born in the West End.

[@nottavictim5]

Contrast this with Nat Hentoff’s Jewish memories of Old Boston. Anti Semitism was rife, came from the highest levels and was especially severe among the Irish. In fact, it was considered unsafe for identifiable Jews to be out at night. “As I wrote in my memoir, ‘Boston Boy’ (Paul Dry Books, 1986): ‘Senator Henry Cabot Lodge had proclaimed, without fear of political reprisal, that these immigrants and their progeny were ‘inferior.’ ‘And Henry Brooks Adams, grandson of John Quincy Adams, had written of the ‘furtive Ysaac or Jacob still reeking of the Ghetto … snarling a weird Yiddish … The Jew makes me creep.”- Nat Hentoff, Boston Boy

[@RSF-DiscoveryTime]

I completely forgot about "Spock" in these last 7min.

[@francesworkout]

Love his story! Gentrification happening again now, displacing families and communities. I wonder what happened to the blacks he said lived there when they and Italians started moving in.

[@vassa1972]

Interesting

[@esterherschkovich6499]

Around the world big cities,communities destroyed..very sad...

[@ogeegonesoon8549]

Sad Never been to Boston , but saw thru the years " progress" take down landmarks in my neighborhood, Was gone for 4 years, came back, confused - what are all these tall buildings here for? Oh I see ,had to find the street sign to see that what I grew up with for 50 years or more,,gone .

[@COLETHORN10]

Leoanard, You were Star Trek.

[@jaenmartens5697]

Urban renewal gutted old Plymouth neighborhoods too... a stupid greedy terrible thing.... years later I discovered that most cities in Europe preserved their heritages

[@alanoffer]

It was obviously a hard life then , but are we really any better off today ? I don’t think so , how nice he kept his grandfathers wallet he made ..

[@6atlantis]

❤️

[@psjasker]

Correction … Black and IRISH neighborhood prior to the Italian & Jewish arrivals

[@annymaytiedye2055]

Rub around in the neighborhood and find Schell and his sistwr

[@Gregory-kn2xx]

Poor Leonard, you can tell he's sad.

[@Tinymoezzy]

עליו השלום

[@romeoromero9612]

Of course the chief science officer was a westsider

[@marcuscornelius3521]

the beautiful multicultural life that america gave up in favor of suburbs - so bizarre.