Mural in South Boston saying "Welcome to South Boston" in English and "Fáilte go mBoston dheas" in Irish. Also shown is a Celtic cross, the coats of arms of the Provinces of Ireland and the words "Sinn Féin" "Irish Republican Army" and "Noraid." This Mural has been torn down along with the building to make way for high end condominiums.

South Boston is a densely populated neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts, located south of the Fort Point Channel and abutting Dorchester Bay. It was formerly known as Dorchester Neck and today is referred to as "Southie" by its residents. South Boston is well known for being a working class Irish-Catholic neighborhood. Almost all of the parishes are Irish-Catholic, the majority of restaurants and pubs Irish themed, and several Irish-American Clubs are located there. The politicians who represent the area are all Irish-Catholic. South Boston is a town located in Halifax County, Virginia. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 597 KB) Summary Taken by User:Looper5920 in October 2004 Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 597 KB) Summary Taken by User:Looper5920 in October 2004 Licensing I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Salle des illustres, ceiling painting, by Jean André Rixens. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Fáilte (IPA: ) is a word with identical spelling and pronunciation in both the Irish language and the Scottish Gaelic language. ... For the band, see Celtic Cross (band). ... A modern coat of arms is derived from the medi val practice of painting designs onto the shield and outer clothing of knights to enable them to be identified in battle, and later in tournaments. ... When under Gaelic rule, Ireland was divided into provinces to replace the earlier system of the túatha. ... For pre-Arthur Griffith use of the political name, see Sinn Féin (19th century). ... This article is about the historical army of the Irish Republic (1919–1922) which fought in the Irish War of Independence 1919–21, and the Irish Civil War 1922–23. ... Noraid or the Irish Northern Aid Committee is an Irish American fundraising organization founded after the start of the Troubles in Northern Ireland in 1969. ... Boston redirects here. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Fort Point Channel is a channel separating South Boston from downtown Boston, Massachusetts, feeding into Boston Harbor. ... Mural in South Boston saying Welcome to South Boston in English and Fáilte go mBoston Uheas in Irish. ... The term working class is used to denote a social class. ... Irish Catholics is a term used to describe people of Roman Catholic background who are Irish or of Irish descent. ...

History

Dorchester neck can be seen on this early map of Boston in the lower right.

Geographically, Dorchester Neck was an isthmus, a narrow strip of land that connected the mainland of the colonial settlement of Dorchester, Massachusetts with Dorchester Heights. Landfill has since greatly increased the amount of land on the eastern side of the historical neck, and widened the connection to the mainland to the point that South Boston is no longer considered separate from it. South Boston gained an identity separate from Dorchester, but the two were annexed by Boston in pieces, from 1804 to 1870. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (600x616, 407 KB) Early map of Boston showing the neck. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (600x616, 407 KB) Early map of Boston showing the neck. ... For other uses, see Isthmus (disambiguation). ... 1888 German map of Boston Harbor showing Dorchester in the lower left hand corner. ... Dorchester Heights Monument Dorchester Heights is the central area of South Boston. ...

See History of Boston, Massachusetts

South Boston in 1888 ("Sud Boston" on this German map.)

It was here on Dorchester Heights, during the American Revolutionary War that George Washington placed his cannon and forced the evacuation of the British troops from Boston on March 17, 1776. The British evacuated Boston and Fort William and Mary for Halifax, Nova Scotia. Fort William and Mary was replaced with a brick fortification known as Fort Independence. That fort was replaced by a granite fortification (bearing the same name) prior to the American Civil War, and still stands on Castle Island. 1740 Faneuil Hall, sketch by John Smybert The 18th-century Old State House in Boston is surrounded by tall buildings of the 19th and 20th centuries. ... 1888 German Map of Boston - From the German Wikipedia interesting! German Leuchtturm = lighthouse (bottom right); couldnt find any other German words though. ... 1888 German Map of Boston - From the German Wikipedia interesting! German Leuchtturm = lighthouse (bottom right); couldnt find any other German words though. ... This article is about military actions only. ... George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799)[1] led Americas Continental Army to victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and in 1789 was elected the first President of the United States of America. ... is the 76th day of the year (77th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1776 (disambiguation). ... Fort Willam and Mary in 1705 Fort William and Mary was a colonial defensive post at New Castle, New Hampshire. ... Motto: {{Unhide = {{{}}}}} E Mari Merces (Wealth from the Sea) Logo: Location City Information Established: April 1, 1996 Area: urban area 79. ... Motto: Munit Haec et Altera Vincit (Latin: One defends and the other conquers) Capital Halifax Largest city Halifax Regional Municipality Official languages English (de facto) Government Lieutenant-Governor Mayann E. Francis Premier Rodney MacDonald (PC) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament House seats 11 Senate seats 10 Confederation July 1, 1867... Fort Independence on Castle Island Castle Island is a 22 acre (89,000 m²) major recreation site located in South Boston on Boston Harbor, owned by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... Castle Island is a 22 acre (89,000 m²) major recreation site located in South Boston on Boston Harbor, owned by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. ...

West Broadway and Dorchester Street

During the 1970s South Boston received national attention for its opposition to court mandated school (de facto) desegregation by busing students to different neighborhoods. In the 1990s, South Boston became the focus for a Supreme Court case on the right of gay and lesbian groups to participate in the Saint Patrick's Day (Evacuation Day) parade. The case was decided in favor of the parade's sponsors when the United States Supreme Court supported the South Boston Allied War Veterans' right to determine who can participate in their annual St. Patrick's Day parade. Local Dorchester author Paul Joseph Walkowski and Attorney William Connolly detailed the ordeals of the Veterans in their book "From Trial Court to the United States Supreme Court." West Broadway at Dorchester St, looking west File links The following pages link to this file: South Boston, Massachusetts Categories: Public domain images ... West Broadway at Dorchester St, looking west File links The following pages link to this file: South Boston, Massachusetts Categories: Public domain images ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ... De facto is a Latin expression that means in fact or in practice. It is commonly used as opposed to de jure (meaning by law) when referring to matters of law or governance or technique (such as standards), that are found in the common experience as created or developed without... Desegregation is the process of ending racial segregation, most commonly used in reference to the United States. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... For the band, see 1990s (band). ... GAY can mean: Gay, a term referring to homosexual men or women The IATA code for Gaya Airport Category: ... This article is about same-sex desire and sexuality among women. ... St. ... This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The Supreme Court Building, Washington, D.C. The Supreme Court Building, Washington, D.C., (large image) The Supreme Court of the United States, located in Washington, D.C., is the highest court (see supreme court) in the United States; that is, it has ultimate judicial authority within the United States...

"Southie" is home to the first memorial for Vietnam Veterans in the United States. It was dedicated on September 13, 1981 and is located at Independence Square, which is more commonly called "M Street Park." is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ...

The City Point area of South Boston, labeled "East Side" by realtors, has seen a major increase in property values due to its close proximity to downtown Boston and gentrification. Poorer areas around Andrew Square and the Lower End, referred to as the "West Side" by real estate brokers, face a lot of the same problems found in many city neighborhoods including drug addiction and street crime. In San Francisco, during the mid-1960s, the bohemian center of the city shifted from the old Beat enclave of North Beach to Haight-Ashbury (pictured) as a response to gentrification. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

The section of South Boston north of First Street is targeted for massive redevelopment by the administration of Mayor Thomas Menino and the Boston Redevelopment Authority.^[1] Initially referred to as the "Seaport District" by the BRA, this area was officially restyled the "South Boston Waterfront" after virulent protest from natives and local politicians, including City Council President James M. Kelly. The Central Artery/Tunnel Project, also known as the "Big Dig" has created a completely new transportation network for this area and quite a few new hotel and office projects have come online in the past few years. The recently opened Boston Convention and Exhibition Center straddles D Street and a new home for the Institute of Contemporary Art hangs over Boston Harbor just north of Northern Avenue. Thomas Michael Menino (born December 27, 1942) is the current mayor of Boston, Massachusetts, United States and the citys first Italian-American mayor. ... The Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) is the municipal planning and development agency for Boston, working on both housing and commercial developments. ... For other projects of the same name, see Big Dig. ... Boston Convention and Exhibition Center at night The Boston Convention and Exhibition Center (BCEC) is the largest exhibition center in the Northeast United States, with some 1,700,000 square feet of contiguous exhibition space. ... The Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA) is a museum and exhibition space in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, founded in 1936. ...

Demographics

South Boston is well known for being an Irish-American neighborhood. A small portion of its residents are of Polish, Lithuanian, and Italian descent. Irish Americans (Irish: Gael-Mheiriceánach) are citizens of the United States who can claim ancestry originating in the west European island of Ireland. ...

Schools

Public

• Excel High School (9-12)
• Monument High School (9-12) Seperate Division
• Odyssey High School (9-12) Seperate Division
• James Condon Elementary School (K-5)
• Joseph P. Tynan School (K-5)
• Michael J. Perkins School (K-5)
• Oliver Hazard Perry School (K-5)
• Patrick F. Gavin Middle School (6-8)

Private

• Gate Of Heaven Elementary School (K-8)
• St Brigid School (K-8}
• St Peter Academy (K-8)

Source: ^[2]

Public housing

South Boston is home to some of the oldest public housing projects in the United States.^[3] In the last 30 years they have changed from having a mostly white population to a more ethnically mixed population. These housing facilities are under the control of the Boston Housing Authority^[4] and include West Broadway,^[5] and Mary Ellen McCormack^[6] (also known as the Old Harbor). A local authority tower block in Cwmbrân, South Wales Public housing or project homes are forms of housing tenure in which the property is owned by a government authority, which may be central or local. ...

Other developments are the Foley^[7] and Monsignor Powers.^[8] According to recent information from the Boston Herald (January 14, 2007), three out of the six most dangerous housing projects in Boston are in "Southie". West Broadway, Mary Ellen McCormack, and Old Colony ranked fourth, fifth, and sixth on the list with 88, 77, and 72 reported crimes last year.^{[citation needed]} The Boston Herald is a tabloid newspaper (not to be confused with tabloid press periodicals), the smaller of the two big dailies in Boston, Massachusetts, with a daily circulation of 230,543 in September 2005. ... is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

Transportation

South Boston is served by three Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Red Line rapid transit stations: Broadway, Andrew and JFK/UMass (formerly Columbia). The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) is a quasi-governmental organization formed in 1964 that controls the subway, bus, commuter rail, and ferry systems in the Boston, Massachusetts area. ... Red Line train of #1 Red Line stock crossing the Charles River on the Longfellow Bridge, towards Boston View of Boston from the Red Line The Red Line is a rapid transit line operated by the MBTA running roughly north-south through Boston, Massachusetts into neighboring communities. ... An MBTA Redline T Departs Andrew Station Andrew is a station on the rapid transit Red Line at Dorchester Avenue at Andrew Square, by Southampton Street, Dorchester Street, and Boston Street in South Boston Massachusetts. ... JFK/UMass Station is located at the intersection of Columbia Road and Morrissey Boulevard, in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston. ...

MBTA bus service connects these stations with the residential areas of South Boston, downtown Boston and the Back Bay. The MBTA Silver Line, a bus rapid transit service running partly in a tunnel from South Station, also serves the north side of South Boston and City Point. South Boston is also served by five bus routes including the numbers 5, 7, 9, 10, 11. Several Cab companies also service southboston including http://southbostontaxi.com 617-269-4444 The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority operates a number of buses in South Boston, Boston, Massachusetts, most of them connecting to the Red Line at Andrew, Broadway or South Station. ... Map The Silver Line is the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authoritys (MBTAs) sole Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line, running in two, unconnected sections, from Dudley Square in Roxbury to downtown Boston, Massachusetts and from South Station to several points in South Boston and to Logan Airport in East Boston. ... This article is about high-capacity bus transit systems. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Notable residents

• James "Whitey" Bulger, brother of William M. Bulger and alleged head of Boston's organized crime Winter Hill Gang. Is a federal fugitive on the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Most Wanted List^[9]
• William M. Bulger, president of the Massachusetts Senate, president of the University of Massachusetts
• James Brendan Bennet Connolly, athlete and author who, in 1896, became the first modern Olympic champion
• John Cunniff, professional hockey coach and athlete
• Richard Cushing, Cardinal Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Boston
• Raymond Flynn, United States Ambassador to the Holy See and former Mayor of Boston
• Michael Patrick MacDonald, author
• Stephen Lynch, Congressman, one of the lead investigators in the "Steroids in baseball" investigation
• John W. McCormack, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
• Will McDonough, sportswriter and television analyst
• John Joseph Moakley, Congressman, Chair of U.S. House Committee on Rules
• Patrick Nee, bestselling author and former associate of Whitey Bulger
• Brian Noonan, Stanley Cup Champion 1994, New York Rangers
• Kevin Weeks, Bulger's successor the boss of the neighborhood's Irish Mob, Federal witness, and bestselling author.

James Joseph Bulger (born September 3, 1929), is an American believed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to have played a role in at least eighteen murders that took place in the 1970s and 1980s. ... The Winter Hill Gang is a loose confederation of Boston, Massachusetts area, mostly Irish-American organized crime figures. ... The following data is cached and may not be completely up to date. ... Bill Bulger former President Massachusetts Senate William Michael Bulger (born February 2, 1934) to James Joseph Bulger and Jean (McCarthy), was the third of their six children. ... The Massachusetts Senate is the upper house of the Massachusetts General Court, the bicameral state legislature of Massachusetts. ... This page is about the university system across Massachusetts. ... For the Irish labor leader, see James Connolly (nationalist) James Brendan Bennet Connolly (October 28, 1868 – January 20, 1957) was an American athlete and author. ... John Cunniff (9 July 1944, 10 May 2002) was an American NHL hockey coach. ... Richard James Cushing (1895 - 1970) was a U.S. cardinal in 1958. ... The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States. ... Raymond Leo Flynn (born July 22, 1939), also known as Ray Flynn, was the Mayor of Boston from 1984 to 1993, and later the American ambassador to the Vatican (1993 - 1997) under President Bill Clinton. ... This is a list of Mayors of Boston, Massachusetts. ... Michael Patrick MacDonald (born in 1966) is an Irish-American activist against crime and violence and author of his memoir, All Souls: A Family Story From Southie. ... Stephen F. Lynch (born March 31, 1955), American politician, has been a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives since he was elected to replace the late Congressman Joe Moakley, who died in office in 2001. ... The question of steroid use in baseball has been an ongoing issue for Major League Baseball since the mid 1990s and into the 21st century. ... John William McCormack (December 21, 1891 - November 22, 1980) was an American politician from Boston, Massachusetts. ... The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives is the presiding officer—or speaker—of the United States House of Representatives. ... Will McDonough (July 6, 1935 - January 9, 2003) gave the American Football League honest exposure in his articles and columns in a nationally prominent newspaper, the Boston Globe. ... John Joseph Moakley (1927 2001) was a Democratic Party congressman from Massachusetts. ... The Committee on Rules, or (more commonly) Rules Committee, is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. ... Patrick Nee (b. ... Brian Noonan (born May 29, 1965 in Boston, Massachusetts) is a retired American ice hockey right-winger. ... The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York, New York, U.S.A. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL). ... Kevin Two Weeks (b. ... The Irish Mob, or Irish Mafia, is one of the oldest organized crime groups in the United States, in existence since the early 19th century. ...

Pop culture references

South Boston is the home of the fictional Irish-American character "Will Hunting," a troubled young prodigy played by Matt Damon, who works as a janitor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Good Will Hunting, a 1997 film directed by Gus Van Sant. Irish Americans (Irish: Gael-Mheiriceánach) are citizens of the United States who can claim ancestry originating in the west European island of Ireland. ... Matthew Paige Matt Damon (born October 8, 1970) is an American screenwriter and actor. ... A janitor is a person who takes care of a building, such as a school, office building, or apartment block. ... “MIT” redirects here. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... The year 1997 in film involved some significant events. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Mystic River directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon, and Sean Penn was partially filmed in South Boston. A local corner store, Miller's Market of 366 K Street, was used as one of the character's businesses. For other uses, see Mystic River (disambiguation). ... This article is about the actor/producer/director. ... Tim Robbins at Cannes, 2001 Height: 6 ft 4 in / 1. ... Kevin Norwood Bacon[1] (born July 8, 1958) is an American film and theater actor who has starred in Footloose, Animal House, Stir of Echoes, Wild Things, JFK, and Apollo 13, among many others. ... Sean Penn (born August 17, 1960) is an Academy Award-winning American film actor and director, known for playing intense, often humorless and unsympathetic characters. ...

The movie The Boondock Saints also takes place in South Boston, paying homage to the area's loyalty to Catholicism, St. Patrick’s Day, and Irish heritage. The Boondock Saints is a 1999 action crime drama film written and directed by Troy Duffy. ...

The movie The Verdict takes place in South Boston and was filmed there. The movie starred Paul Newman and was a legal thriller about an alcoholic lawyer who takes on the Catholic church in a case of medical malpractice involving a Catholic hospital and a dead plaintiff. The Verdict is a 1982 film which tells the story of a down-on-his-luck lawyer who pushes a medical malpractice case in order to improve his own situation, but discovers along the way that he is actually doing the right thing. ... This article is about the American actor and race team owner. ...

The movie Southie is set in South Boston, about a mobster who returns home to South Boston and finds that things have not changed in the old neighborhood. It stars Donnie Wahlberg, a native of nearby Dorchester and former singer with New Kids on the Block. Southie is an American film directed by John Shea and starring Donnie Wahlberg. ... Donald Edmond Wahlberg, Jr. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Two recent films have been shot in South Boston: The Departed starring Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio, and Gone Baby Gone the directorial debut of Ben Affleck. The Departed is a 2006 crime film directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio (in his third movie with Scorsese), Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg. ... John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937), known as Jack Nicholson, is a three time Academy Award-winning American actor internationally renowned for his often dark-themed portrayals of neurotic characters. ... Matthew Paige Matt Damon (born October 8, 1970) is an American screenwriter and actor. ... Leonardo Wilhelm DiCaprio (born November 11, 1974[1]) is a three-time Academy Award-nominated and Golden Globe Award-winning American actor who garnered world wide fame for his role as Jack Dawson in Titanic. ... Gone Baby Gone is a crime thriller adapted and directed by Ben Affleck, set in Boston, and based on the novel of the same title by Dennis Lehane. ... Benjamin Géza Affleck (born August 15, 1972) is an American Golden Globe Award-nominated film actor, director, an Academy Award-winning and Golden Globe Award-winning screenwriter. ...

There have been many books written about the South Boston culture ranging from the political, in The Boston Irish, the personal in All Souls: A Family Story from Southie, the gang-related Black Mass, and/or the historical, political, social, and personal in That Old Gang of Mine.

The punk band Dropkick Murphys frequently reference South Boston's Irish heritage and sports loyalties in their songs — despite forming in nearby Quincy. “DKM” redirects here. ... Location in Massachusetts Coordinates: , Country State County Norfolk County Settled 1625 Incorporated 1792 Government  - Type Mayor-council city  - Mayor William J. Phelan Area  - City  26. ...

The Buffy the Vampire Slayer character Faith Lehane was born and raised in South Boston, MA and maintains a dialect reminiscent of the area. For other uses, see Buffy the Vampire Slayer (disambiguation). ... Faith Lehane (known in the TV series only as Faith)[2] is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, portrayed by Eliza Dushku. ...

The Chicago improv comedy show Dirty Water takes place in a fictional bar by the same name in "Southie." The bar is loosely based on The Stadium Sports Bar and Grill^[10] (formerly "Lally's Tavern") on Old Colony Avenue and D Street. Dirty Water is a song composed in the 1960s and performed by the California rock and roll band, The Standells. ...

The movie Broadcast News a young Aaron Altman played by Dwayne Markee states "You're never gonna leave South Boston and I'm gonna see the whole damn world." Broadcast News may refer to: Broadcast News, the 1987 movie. ...

Further reading

• Alcorn, Frank, "Southie Boy", Carmel, Ind.: Cork Hill Press, c2005.
• Malloy, Ione, "Southie won't go : a teacher's diary of the desegregation of South Boston High School", Urbana : University of Illinois Press, c1986
• MacDonald, Michael Patrick, "All Souls", London: Little, Brown, 2000, c1999.
• McMullin, Thomas A., "South Boston: My Home Town, The History of an Ethnic Neighborhood", Historical Journal of Massachusetts, Winter 2000. Review of Thomas O'Connor's book.
• O'Connor, Thomas H., "South Boston: My Home Town, The History of an Ethnic Neighborhood", Northeastern University Press, 360 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115, 1994.

References

External links

• South Boston Green Pages
• South Boston Online
• South Boston Information & Guide
• South Boston Tribune
• Citysquares.com - Your Neighborhood, Online...
• South Boston Neighborhood
• Saint Patrick's Day Parade
• South Boston Vietnam Veterans Memorial
• Hurley v. Irish-American Gay Group of Boston (St. Patrick's Day Parade court case)
• Topographic Map of South Boston
• Southie Parade
• South Boston Little League
• South Boston Taxi