On January 15, 1919, a 50-foot tall tank collapsed that was located about two short blocks around the corner to the left of this scene on Commercial Street. The 2.3 million gallons of molasses that was stored in it was suddenly released in a 15-foot wave traveling at 35 miles per hour that killed 25 people, injured about 150, destroyed several buildings, buckled the elevated train structure seen in the photograph. and caused millions of dollars in damage. Since it was only about six years after this photo was taken, some of the people in it were most likely witnesses or even victims.

Dark Tide is a great book on the disaster.

ChryslerCub, you are right! You can still see the bracket that held the light on the brick building that is located at the corner of Foster Street and Commercial Street. So cool! :)

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It's definitely looking down Foster to Commercial. Not only is the corner building with the lamp stub still there, but the brick building they're in front of still exists as well. The litter has been cleared away a bit as well.

I'm new to the site so I'm not sure how to post images from Google Maps, but if you check out the intersection of Foster & Commercial Streets there, you'll see this view! The building with the wooden siding is gone, so is the brick one that the group of people are in front of. However, the building on the corner is identical, you can even see a portion of the bracket that once held up the light!

Great site, I love seeing all the old photos, thanks for sharing them!

I can almost see a bit of the old "Little Rascals" or Our Gang " episodes. My cousins lived on a very similar alley in Roxbury, no hill but quite similar. Boston was once a city of alleys and cow paths. Wonderful photo!

This picture is from the Boston Police Department Archives. It was taken on Henchman Street in the North End.

I know its nearly a year and a half too late but the sign above the woman's head says something about Better (something) Shoe Polish so no clues there. The El is at the bottom of the hill, it ran roughly along where Commercial Street is now. It's wicked narrow - I say it's the corner of Foster & Commercial in the North End.

These people do look happy, even though they clearly aren't rich in monetary terms (the kids on the opposite side of the street look rather well-dressed, though). And that is one of the cutest dogs ever! Heartwarming pic.

I can't help but think of Ma Joad's words, "Rich fella's come up and they die, an' their kids ain't no good an' they die out. But we keep a'comin. We're the people that live. They can't wipe us out; they can't lick us. We'll go on forever, Pa,'cause we're the people.

... and if we can just make out what that sign says above the head of the woman standing in the middle, we might even be able to track down the address, using City Directories. Cool shot! - but I'm struck by how littered the lane is. It's also nice to see the women smiling and enjoying themselves. The woman in the dark cape or shawl, standing on the far right looks "normal". Oftentimes, in old photos, the people look too serious and stern. These folks are a pleasure. It also looks like a mixed Irish and Italian neighborhood.