Pi Alley (often misspelled Pie Alley) in
Boston
Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...
,
Massachusetts
Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
, is located off
Washington Street, near the
Old City Hall Old City Hall may refer to:
Asia
In Hong Kong
* Old City Hall (Hong Kong)
Europe
In Croatia
* Old City Hall (Zagreb)
In Denmark
* Old City Hall (1479–1728), in Copenhagen
* Old City Hall (1728–1795), in Copenhagen
* Old City Hall (Aalborg ...
on
School Street
School Street is a short but significant street in the center of Boston, Massachusetts. It is so named for being the site of the first public school in the United States (the Boston Latin School, since relocated). The school operated at variou ...
. The origin of the short street's name remains in question. It may be named after the
pied type which newspaper composing rooms dumped into the alley in the past, or after the local restaurants that sold coffee and a piece of pie for a nickel. It is also known as Williams Court, Savage's Court, Peck's Arch, and Webster's Arch.
History
Through the years, tenants have included:
* The
Bell-in-Hand (est. 1795) was "a faithful reproduction of the taverns fashionable in London" in the 18th century.
* ''
Boston Herald
The ''Boston Herald'' is an American conservative daily newspaper whose primary market is Boston, Massachusetts, and its surrounding area. It was founded in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States. It has been awarde ...
''
*
Boston police
The Boston Police Department (BPD) is the primary law enforcement agency of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1854, the BPD is the oldest municipal police department in the United States. It is also the 20th largest law enforce ...
(c. 1854), corner of Court Square and Williams Ct.
* Private residences in 1832 of a clerk, colorer,
cordwainer
A cordwainer () is a shoemaker who makes new shoes from new leather. The cordwainer's trade can be contrasted with the cobbler's trade, according to a tradition in Britain that restricted cobblers to repairing shoes. This usage distinction is ...
, handcartman, housewright, mariner, nurse, truckman,
wheelwright
A wheelwright is a Artisan, craftsman who builds or repairs wooden wheels. The word is the combination of "wheel" and the word "wright" (which comes from the Old English word "''wryhta''", meaning a worker - as also in shipbuilding, shipwright ...
, and several laborers, printers, and widows
* David Francis (1779-1853), printer, publisher (
Munroe & Francis)
* "
Oakum
Oakum is a preparation of tarred fibers used to seal gaps. Its traditional application was in shipbuilding for caulking or packing the joints of timbers in wooden vessels and the deck planking of iron and steel ships. Oakum was also used in p ...
pickers tenement" (c. 1711). "In 1711, Oct. 2, a fire commenced in Williams' Court in an oakum pickers tenement, where the woman suffered the fire 'to catch the oakum she was employed in picking of;' all the houses and stores on both sides of Washington St. between School St. and
Dock Square were laid in ashes."
* ''Life in Boston'', a weekly periodical (c. 1851)
*
Samuel Sewall
Samuel Sewall (; March 28, 1652 – January 1, 1730) was a judge, businessman, and printer in the Province of Massachusetts Bay, best known for his involvement in the Salem witch trials, for which he later apologized, and his essay ''The Selling ...
(c. 1727). "Monday, July 10th, 1727, removed with my family to Boston. Hired a house in Deacon Williams Court next house to Deacon Williams, N. Gates and N. Gleason, bringing my household stuff."
Image:1743 SavagesCourt Boston map WilliamPrice.png, Detail of 1743 map of Boston, showing Savage's Court
Image:1774 JohnJoy MassachusettsSpy June16.png, Drugs and medicines, 1774
Image:Bell in Hand PieAlley Boston.png, Bell-in-Hand, established 1795
Image:BostonHerald WilliamsCourt.png, Boston Herald, Williams Court, 19th century
Image:WashingtonSt PiAlley Boston 2351556878 detail1.jpg, Entrance to Pi Alley "through the arch at 103 Washington Street," Boston, 19th centuryBoston Directory
''The Boston Directory'' of Boston, Massachusetts
Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and ...
. 1832
See also
*
Newspaper Row (Boston)
References
External links
{{commons category, Pie Alley (Boston)
* Google news archive. Articles abou
Pi AlleyPie AlleyWilliams Court
*
* Flickr:
*
View East from Pi Alley, 2008
photo by Nicholas Nixon
*
Photo of Washington St.
from the Pi Alley Garage, mid-1970s
** Photos of Pi Alle
2008200820092010
History of Boston
Streets in Boston