Boston Garden
Photographer: Jones, Leslie, 1886-1967
Boston, Massachusetts
1940
Built in 1928 by the
City of Boston on Causeway Street, upstairs from the new Boston North Station, the facility had a capacity of 14,890 seats and was considered state-of the-art. The Boston Garden was opened in 1928 and became a major venue for Boston’s sports, entertainment, social, and cultural activities. The Garden took over from the Boston Arena as the most important multi-use site in the city. Over the years it hosted thousand of events including professional and amateur sports, circuses, ice shows, and rock concerts. Boston Garden served as an exposition hall and provided a home to political rallies, including John F. Kennedy's famous election-eve address in November of 1960.
As a major Boston “sports temple" the “Gahden” was home to the
Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins and team championship banners and
retired numbers of mythic sports players were hung from the rafters.
The Garden was one of the major
boxing arenas in the United States. One of the unique elements of Boston
Garden was its intricate parquet floor. Originally built and installed
in the Boston Arena on St. Botolph Street, the floor was removed piece-by-piece and reinstalled in Boston Garden in 1952.
The Boston Garden was demolished in November 1997, after the completion of the new Fleet Center, but its legend, lives on with the many fans that sat in its seats and cheered on their teams.
2. Ladies and children at Boston Garden
Image number: 05_02_010207
Photographer: Jones, Leslie, 1886-1967
Boston, Massachusetts (ca. 1954)
Group posed in front of plaque entitled, "Roll of Honor, Boston Garden-Arena Corp." Picture of the Boston Olympics Hockey Team, 1939-40 hangs above door.
3. Pigeons on the floor at Boston Garden
Image number: 05_02_010209
Photographer: Jones, Leslie, 1886-1967
Boston, Massachusetts (ca. 1954)
Set up for an unidentified event. Wood planks over floor with folding chairs.
5. Boston Garden owner Walter A. Brown
Image number: 05_02_010678
Boston, Massachusetts (ca. 1955)
Walter Brown in office at the Garden holds the circulation statement for the Providence Journal-Bulletin papers.
6. Alice and Helen Peterson pose with the Boston Garden clock
Image number: 05_02_010855
Boston, Massachusetts (1970)
Newspaper caption on verso reads, "Bruins garters - Alice Peterson (left) and twin sister Helen of Weymouth display their Bruins garters as they climb ladder in front of Garden clock. The girls are secretaries at the First National Bank of Boston."
7. Sonja Henie in the dressing room at the Boston Garden
Image number: 05_02_010002
Photographer: Jones, Leslie, 1886-1967
Boston, Massachusetts (1940)
"She never refused to pose for me at Boston Garden, (when I took this pic I was young, watch her eyes)" is written in pencil on back of photo by photographer.
8. Harlem Globetrotters in dressing room at the Boston Garden
Image number: 05_02_010006
Photographer: Jones, Leslie, 1886-1967
Boston, Massachusetts (1950)
Newspaper caption on verso reads, "Globetrotters troupe pauses for instructions from Coach Abe Saperstein (far right) before trotting out of Garden dressing room for game against Clark Twins last night. Left to right - Ermer Robinson, Marquis Haynes, Bil
9. North Station from Custom House
Image number: 05_02_010007
Photographer: Jones, Leslie, 1886-1967
Boston, Massachusetts (1931)
Boston Garden, North Station in center background with Hotel Manger on the left and the North Station Industrial Building on the right.
Sports
Temples of Boston: Images of Historic Ballparks, Arenas and Stadiums,
1872-1972
has been made possible through a Library Services and
Technology Act grant
administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library
Commissioners.
