Neighborhood Borders: Exploring behavior on the boundary and way-finding in the North End

Neighborhood Borders: Exploring behavior on the boundary and way-finding in the North End

My project focuses on the North End in Boston, a unique part of the city as it has a dual role as a residential neighborhood and tourist attraction. After finding the street layout of the North End drastically different from the city around it, I decided to focus on how the boundary between the North End and the rest of the city is received by those who cross into and out of the neighborhood. In particular, in my fieldwork, I focused on the behavior of tourists and of residents as they entered and exited the North End on the boundary line, which I claim to be where the North End meets the Rose Kennedy Greenway. I focused on two street corners, Hanover and Salem Street, finding that the behaviors of tourists/outsiders differed from those of residents, particularly in terms of how many people travelled together and the pace at which they entered and exited the neighborhood. To complement behavior on the boundary, I also looked into way-finding in the neighborhood itself and what it meant for each group, tourists versus residents, respectively. The purpose of the project is to shed light on how neighborhood boundaries and borders are received by those who interact with it and what types of mechanisms govern how people find their way through the neighborhood.

Natalia Rzepka