Boston
March 2003
I would go to the show early
in the mornings, then in the afternoon take the shuttle downtown. The
first day I got dropped off at the famous Faneuil Hall Marketplace - the
center of it all. It began in 1764 as 'the cradle of Liberty' when Sam
Adams and the Sons of Liberty rallied colonists to assert their
independence during the American Revolution. Today it is Boston's central
meeting place. The world famous Bull Market, named for the weathervane
that sits atop the historic Quincy Market Building, is home to shops now.
Commerce below and politics above, since the day it was built. The 2
pictures of the market place have the street lamps with all the round
clear globes in them.
Next
stop was the Granary Burying Ground - 4 pictures - one including
the slate grave markers. Last resting place of the Patriots. In
this two acre plot are the remains of more famous people than in
any other small graveyard in America. Three signers of the
Declaration of Independence, nine governors of Massachusetts,
victims of the Boston Massacre, Benjamin Franklin's parents and
Paul Revere are all here. First used in 1660. It's name derives
from the old grain warehouse that once stood next door.
The
picture right after these is one of the Shaw/54th Regiment
Memorial. They have put benches here that you can sit and read
this memorial to interracial co-operation as well as to individual
heroism. This memorial took 14 years to complete and was the first
sympathetic portrayal of black men by a white artist. Considered
one of the finest works of art to come out of any American war.
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Next
picture with the golden dome is the Massachusetts State House.
Construction on this building began in 1795. 15 white horses, one
for each state in the Union, pulled the cornerstone up the hill,
where Samuel Adams and Paul Revere presided over its laying.
Designed by Charles Bulfinch at a total cost of 133,333.33 (more
than five times the sum originally budgeted) he went on to design
state capitals for Connecticut and Maine and even worked on the
U.S. Capital in Washington. The state house stands on land once
owned by John Hancock, who funded the secret activities of the
Sons of Liberty. He was also the first person to sign the
Declaration of Independence.
Then
into Beacon Hill and the wonderful purple tinted glass panes ...
originally the hued glass resulted from sun exposure to
imperfections in German glass manufactured between 1818-1825.
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I
next went to the Public Garden in Boston Common. This is the
nation's first botanic garden, established in 1837 I believe.
There is a wonderful history about this area but the short of it
is that is was called the 'common' because it was common land and
once was the training field for the militia and then pasture land
for cattle. The cows were finally evicted in 1830. The gardens
themselves are a sight with some of the most beautiful trees, even
if not in bud, you can see their size by their limbs...lots of
Mongolian elm and ginkgo. Of course the statue of Washington is
there as well as the dog walkers...a very pretty park in the
summer I can imagine. |
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Then
I had a wonderful experience with the policeman on the horse. They
came around a corner and the horse looked so stately and you could
hear him snorting down the street. I quickly took out my camera to
get a shot when the policeman just about stopped for me and gave
me this huge grin....then he waved after I had taken the picture.
Like I said before, a unique experience meeting such courteous
people in a large city.
Here I was standing
on a street corner with my map out when I turned to look at what
the building was to get my bearings...then I saw it was the Old
Corner Book Store. What a find, this building has been standing
here since 1712 when built for Thomas Crease, an apothecary who
had his shop, office and home here. It became famous in the mid
1800's when Ticknor and Fields, the nations leading publisher of
the day had their offices here. The greatest authors in American
history walked these same floors - Emerson, Longfellow, Hawthorne
and Harriet Beecher Stowe were a few that called this place a
hangout, as well as English writers Thackeray and Dickens. From
this spot were published such works as Walden, The Scarlet Letter
and Hiawatha, as well as the Battle Hymn of the Republic.
The building with the
clock and balcony is that of the Old State House. 'Here the child
Independence was born' Built in 1713 the Old State House is one of
the oldest public buildings still standing in the U.S. Much could
be told about this building and its history. The clock was made by
Simon Willard and first installed here in 1831. Below the clock is
the balcony from which the governors made their official
proclamations to the colony. The tables were turned here on July
18th, 1776 when Col. Thomas Crafts stood here and read the
Declaration of Independence, a copy of which had just arrived from
Philadelphia. That night the citizens staged a bonfire in this
square to burn flags and other reminders of British rule,
including the original lion and unicorn, the royal symbols of
Great Britain. The ones you see here are replicas and were
installed in 1882. Another very notable event took place here on
March 5th, 1770 - the Boston Massacre. There is a circle of paving
stones marking the spot that this took place. |
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The
thin tall building used to be the Customs House. It has been
restored and it is now an upscale hotel and preserved by the
Marriott Corporation. It was Boston's first skyscraper and is
crowned with a very distinctive clock tower. A bit hazy to see the
top because there was a fog coming off the water...
Pictures of the John
Hancock building with a beautiful old church reflected in its
glass. They were just setting up to do some restoration on the
church. |
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The
next area I visited was Copp's Hill Burying Ground. The summit
here is the oldest surviving landmark in the North End. Little is
known about the owner of this land, William Copp, but his children
are buried here. Again, the headstones are all in slate. I have
taken pictures of the signs here so you can read them yourselves.
There is a picture I took from Copp's Hill across the water. You
can see the U.S.S. Constitution and Bunker Hill - the monument was
built in 1825-42 and is a granite obelisk that stands 221 feet
high.
The next two pictures
are of Old North Church, perhaps Boston's most famous landmark.
Here on the night of April 18, 1775, the signal lanterns of Paul
Revere shone to warn the country of the British troops' march.
This church opened for worship in 1723 and is still used today.
The interior was very plain and virtually unchanged with high box
pews and brass chandeliers from 1724. |
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Next
we visit the U.S.S. Constitution...'the ship! Never has she failed
us!' Launched in 1797 and now the oldest commissioned warship
afloat in the world. Built in Boston just across the Charles River
from where she sits today. I was surprised at the size of this
ship, much smaller than I had thought, yet she carried a crew of
450. She got the name 'old ironsides' because she was made of live
oak and cannonballs literally bounced off her impenetrable hull
and fell into the sea. They were working on the masts on the day
that I visited. There was also another ship there, the U.S.S.
Cassin Young DD-793, a Fletcher class destroyer. |
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The
last picture is that of the skyline of Boston from the Charlestown
Navy Yard.
A wonderful memory of
Boston and the Boston Flower Show...hope you enjoy! |
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