Welcome to Scollay Square

Scollay Square
Today is 
  • Library Photo collections
  • YOUR Memories and photos
  • NEW: Scollay Square Station returns
Site Map | Contact | Author Bio | Slide Show
 
  • History of Scollay Square
  • The Old Howard
  • Sally Keith
  • Joe and Nemo
  • Last Days of Scollay Square: 1940 - 1960
  • Demolition of Scollay Square: 1960 - 1963
  • Jerry Williams brings back Scollay Square
  • Scollay Square today
  • Links
 
Burlesque Queens!  Vaudeville Comics!  Hot Dogs, Tassels - even George Washington - they're all here on the Scollay Square web site. Created by the author of the only two books ever written about Scollay Square, this website is packed with pictures and stories of the people and the places that drew millions here during its 120-year reign as Boston's entertainment district. There are also pages filled with cartoons, postcards, movie clips, even some rare recordings of Sally Keith singing. So take a look around and, please, feel free to email any questions or with your own memories of Scollay Square.
Scollay Square from Arcadia Publishing
Always Something Doing: A History of Scollay
                      Square from NEU Press


And, thanks to the generosity of the people who lived, worked, and played in Scollay Square (as well as some lucky bidding on eBay) there's even more to share with you, including pages on...
 
  • Comedian Fred Allen and the Old Howard (from his autobiography)
  • Francis W. Hatch's Yankee Magazine article on the Old Howard
  • Adams Square
  • Hotel Manger/Madison
  • Scollay Square returns - for a day, thanks to this Art/architecture project
  • Building Boston's subway Three 1898 magazine articles
  • Excerpts from the books as well as some errata
  • Scollay Square in books (from Sylvia Plath to Robert Parker, you'll be amazed who's written of the Square)
  • Scollay Square in the movies (Lights! Camera! Dr. House?!)
  • The Scollay Family A page devoted to the family that gave the Square its name
  • Cavalier Magazine was an erstwhile "girlie" magazine which, in 1962, featured this article on the Old Howard
  • Site Map


The Tragedy of Buddy Wade that wasn't...

On page 240 of Striptease (Oxford University Press, 2004) author Rachel Shteir wrote "Buddy Wade's tap shoes caught fire, the sparks igniting her costume, and she burned to death one night at the Old Howard in Boston."  When I contacted Ms. Shteir about this claim, she was unable to recall the source of this story, said she could not find her notes of the interview, nor could she remember the date the fire is alleged to have occurred.  My search, which includes reaching out to my network of Scollay Square denizens came up empty.  So, for those of you who have asked, I conclude that this fire did not take place.  But if you can prove it did (something Ms. Shteir is unable to do) then please email me today.


Thank you for visiting


Original design (c) 2006 by DENiAL