The Armenians of Boston’s Waterfront

The Columbus statue is one of two marble statues, likely of Italian manufacture, that were erected in this privately owned park in the mid-nineteenth century. The other statue represents the ancient Athenian statesman Aristides, perhaps as a subtle nod to Boston being referred to as the “Athens of America.” Both statues were donated by merchants with family ties to Smyrna, which is today known as Izmir in Turkey.

The Marquis Nicholas Reggio (1807-1867), of Genoese descent but born in Smyrna, is said to have donated the statue of Columbus. Meanwhile, his fellow Smyrinote of Armenian heritage, Joseph Iasigi (1800-1877), is credited with arranging the dedication of the statue of the Classical hero, who later earned the nickname “Uncle Louie” from college students living nearby.

In the early 1830s, Reggio and Iasigi were “exotic” fixtures in Boston. Their wealth and international connections facilitated their acceptance into Boston society, aided by their willingness to assimilate; for example, Niccolò became Nicholas, and Josef Yasigi, also known as Yazejian, adopted a more Italian-sounding name, Iasigi/Iasici. As ship owners and traders, their offices on the centrally located Boston wharves became hubs for Mediterranean trade. Partnering with Yankee merchants, they engaged in trading fruits, wines, carpets, spices, and other goods, and, like their Yankee counterparts, they were also involved in the opium trade. The effects of this drug were felt not only in distant China but also quite close to home, particularly in the “Black Sea” area of the Boston wharves, adjacent to what is now the Armenian Heritage Park.

The “safe and profitable” trade in Ottoman products attracted more traders from prominent Armenian mercantile families, including Vincent Azarian. Around 1840, he established the merchant shipping firm Azarian & Company on India Wharf. Although his ships operated under the American flag, his newly built 400-ton bark, launched in Newburyport in 1859, was named “Armenia.” The Italian artist Raffaele Corsini painted this ship at the end of its maiden voyage from Boston to Smyrna in 1860. In Corsini’s watercolor, the maritime flag displaying “Armenia” is proudly on display.

Meanwhile, Iasigi’s Race Horse clipper ship lived up to its name by setting a record in 1850 for the New York-San Francisco route. Shortly after, it departed for Smyrna carrying American Protestant missionaries to the Armenian community there. Within the exclusive circle of Boston’s merchant elite who had their own distinctive signal flags, the most notable “exotic” names were associated with Iasigi & Goddard, and V. Azarian & Co. Today, you can see a reproduction of Azarian’s flag in the rotunda of the Boston Custom House, which is open to the public. The building is just one block away from the Armenian Heritage Park.

Until the late 19^th century, Armenian merchants were a unique and prominent presence in Boston. Arriving with strong recommendations, they quickly became integral to the business community due to their social and diplomatic connections. The Armenian population in Massachusetts grew significantly during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This surge was primarily driven by the dire circumstances of persecution, making immigration to the United States a matter of survival. Along Long Wharf, there were not only offices for shipping companies but also an immigration processing center. Despite facing numerous challenges, many Armenians managed to preserve their ethnic identity while adapting to the laws and customs of the United States.