Unpacking the Town within Sailortown: The Port District Neighborhoods of Antwerp and Boston,c. 1880-1900

Abstract

By examining the port districts of Antwerp, Belgium, and Boston, Massachusetts, this essay argues that late nineteenth-century sailortowns were not solely defined by local economies catering to transient seafarers who visited boarding houses, taverns, and brothels. These neighborhoods near the harbor, often infamous for their reputations as centers of vice and entertainment, housed a diverse and often locally rooted population, which challenges the notion of sailortown as a space defined primarily by maritime activities and temporary visitors. Local conditions, particularly economic structures, migration patterns, and urban development, suggest a more complex and nuanced understanding of the occupational roles and demographic characteristics of both male and female residents. These findings underscore the need to reassess the role of port districts within both maritime and urban history, moving beyond the dominant focus on transience to recognize their social and economic significance.