Winter Hill Gang Headquarters in Somerville, Massachusetts

Today, the structure at 12-14 Marshall Street in the Winter Hill neighborhood of Somerville, Massachusetts, houses a church. But it was once the central headquarters of the Winter Hill Gang and the site of grisly acts of violence. In the 1960s and 1970s, the back room of Marshall Motors was where Howard T. Winter, John Matorano, and Whitey Bulger—who was once the second most wanted man in America after Osama Bin Laden—held court and presided over their empire. Their exploits have been the inspiration for countless books and movies. When the Church of God acquired the property in 2008, the garage's infamous trapdoor, which led to a basement where the Winter Hill Gang tortured or disposed of their rivals, was still intact. Pastor Colin Green of the current church says he has "rebuked anything in there, in the name of Jesus." Probably only of interest for true gangland aficionados (or those in the Winter Hill area looking for a Sunday service), 12-14 Marshall Street nonetheless has a significant place in the history of organized crime in the United States.

May 8, 2025 - 21:54

Winter Hill Gang Headquarters in Somerville, Massachusetts

The nondescript building where Whitey Bulger once held court.

Today, the structure at 12-14 Marshall Street in the Winter Hill neighborhood of Somerville, Massachusetts, houses a church. But it was once the central headquarters of the Winter Hill Gang and the site of grisly acts of violence.

In the 1960s and 1970s, the back room of Marshall Motors was where Howard T. Winter, John Matorano, and Whitey Bulger—who was once the second most wanted man in America after Osama Bin Laden—held court and presided over their empire. Their exploits have been the inspiration for countless books and movies.

When the Church of God acquired the property in 2008, the garage's infamous trapdoor, which led to a basement where the Winter Hill Gang tortured or disposed of their rivals, was still intact. Pastor Colin Green of the current church says he has "rebuked anything in there, in the name of Jesus."

Probably only of interest for true gangland aficionados (or those in the Winter Hill area looking for a Sunday service), 12-14 Marshall Street nonetheless has a significant place in the history of organized crime in the United States.