Boston’s Oldest Buildings and Where to Find Them, with Joe Bagley (episode 230)

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Joe Bagley is the archaeologist for the city of Boston, and his new book Boston’s Oldest Buildings and Where to Find Them catalogs 50 of the oldest houses, stores, churches, and even lighthouses that still stand here in the Hub. In this episode, he tells us how it’s still possible to rediscover an unknown house from the 1700s in the North End in 2020, and how a house from the 1790s, the 41st oldest building in Boston, could be demolished in the few short months since the book was published. Along the way, we’ll talk about how he researched the book, the rules he had to write for himself about what “counts” as a historic building, and how similar his life is to Indiana Jones. We’ll also explore how historic buildings can reveal the otherwise untold stories of enslaved Bostonians, women, and even some of the earliest Japanese citizens to visit the United States. Plus, I’m joined by special guest host Nikki this time around!

Please check out the full show notes at: http://HUBhistory.com/230/

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Boston’s Oldest Buildings and Where to Find Them

Joe Bagley is the archaeologist for the City of Boston, a post he has held since 2011. Educated at BU and UMass, he specializes in both Native American and Historical archaeological analysis. Through the Archaeology Department, Joe manages Rainsford Island, as well as the archaeology lab and collection that will reopen on Rivermoor Street in West Roxbury in 2022. His first book was A History of Boston in 50 Artifacts, and he joins us today to discuss his latest, Boston’s Oldest Buildings and Where to Find Them.

• Follow Joe Bagley and the Boston Archaeology Department on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to see his latest digs and discoveries.
• In this episode, we discussed these past podcasts:
  • Episode 132 describes how Governor William Shirley got the fortune that allowed him to build his Roxbury estate
  • Episode 163 recounts Lafayette’s visit with Governor William Eustis at the same Roxbury estate
  • Episode 167 explains the documentary case that the residents of the oldest home on Pinckney Street may have been a gay couple.
  • Episode 151 catalogs the historic buildings connected to the Revolution and Founding that Bostonians wanted to tear down for the Centennial in 1876
  • Episode 205 includes my interview with Matthew Dickey of the Boston Preservation Alliance