WGBH in the Neighborhood

2hrs
Body

Please note that while all tickets have been claimed for this free event, there will be a rush line which we will release any empty seats to prior to the show.

Did you know that Boston City Hall had cascading water fountains? Or that Legal Sea Foods started as a small fish counter in Inman Square?

Experience the forgotten sights and sounds of Boston neighborhoods with the WGBH Media Library and Archives (MLA). This screening will feature segments of Michael Ambrosino’s Show, a WGBH series broadcast between 1969 and 1970 about Boston’s people, byways, and culture.

Following the screening will be a panel discussion with the original producer and host, Michael Ambrosino, along with Boston City Archaeologist, Joseph Bagley, and the WGBH David O. Ives Executive Director of the MLA, Karen Cariani.

The MLA preserves and provides access to unique and historically important content produced by WGBH’s public television and radio stations. View the collection on-site or online at openvault.wgbh.org.

For a quick preview, check out the descriptions of episodes for Michael Ambrosino’s Show below!

BRING HOME THE BACON, 1969

This program looks at Boston culture through shops and shoppers including Haymarket and Stop & Shop, a grocery chain founded in Somerville, MA.

CITY HALL, 1969

Michael Ambrosino takes viewers on a walk through Boston’s City Hall Plaza, just prior to its opening. In this screening, a community member reminisces about Scollay Square and audience members call-in to the show with suggestions for how to use the city hall plaza.

BOSTON HARBOR, 1970

Audiences get a bird’s eye view of Boston, its harbor and islands in 1970. Host Michael Ambrosino takes a deeper dive into the health of Boston’s waterways and what is, or can be, done to lessen the pollution.

DON’T FORGET EAST BOSTON, 1970

Once a close-knit community, East Boston experienced change with the development and expansion of Logan Airport. This program features interviews with residents and land developers.

INMAN SQUARE, 1970

Michael Ambrosino takes a tour around one of Cambridge’s “forgotten squares”, exploring the people and images that make up Inman Square. This program features an interview with George Berkowitz, owner of the Legal Seafoods and commentary from the Square’s people about its history, problems, and future.

Presented In Partnership With