Boston, MA
Boston was founded in 1630 by Puritan settlers led by John Winthrop and quickly became the political, economic, and cultural center of colonial New England. It was here that events such as the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, and the Siege of Boston ignited the movement for American independence, earning the city its title as the "Cradle of Liberty." Beyond the Revolution, Boston has continued to shape the nation through its leadership in education, medicine, literature, and innovation. For me, Boston has always been more than a historic city. Living nearby and returning countless times over the years, it has been a place where history comes alive, reminding me that the story of America can be found on nearly every street corner.
Recent Posts
Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area
Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area is one of the more unusual units of the National Park System. Established in 1996, it preserves a collection of more than 30 islands scattered throughout Boston Harbor, each with its own unique history. Together they tell the story of Boston’s maritime heritage, military defenses, immigration, public recreation, and […]
Shaw Memorial
Every time I visit Boston Common, I find myself stopping to admire this remarkable relief by Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Not only is it one of the finest works of public art in America, but it captures its subject with extraordinary power and dignity. Rather than glorifying war, the sculpture honors the courage, sacrifice, and determination of […]
Nichols House Museum
Many historic houses close for the winter season, making December a challenging time for a house museum enthusiast. When Marty was looking for something to do for my December birthday, he managed to reserve a tour of the Nichols House Museum on Boston’s Beacon Hill. What seemed like a simple outing quickly became an adventure of […]
The Otis House
Perched at the top of Boston’s historic Beacon Hill stands the Otis House, one of the finest surviving examples of Federal style architecture in the city. Designed by renowned architect Charles Bullfinch in 1796 for Harrison Gray Otis, the house reflected the growing prestige and sophistication of Boston’s wealthiest citizens. Otis was a lawyer, politician, real estate developer […]
Make Way for the Ducklings
Walking through the Boston Public Gardens, there is a familiar and beloved sight: a line of small bronze ducks following closely behind their mother. Most locals recognize them as characters from the classic children’s book “Make Way for Ducklings” by Robert McCloskey. These statues were created by sculptor Nancy Schon and installed in 1987 as a […]
William Billings Plaque
Walking along the Boston Common, there are a number of plaques that quietly mark the lives of people who helped shape the early character of the city. One of them is for Willian Billings, listed as one of America’s earliest native-borncomposers. Billings was born and lived in Boston at a time when the country was just beginning to define its […]
Mayor Kevin White
Walking near Faneuil Hall, it is easy to focus on the history you expect to find: Revolutionary sites, early American stories, the familiar markers of the city’s beginnings. Just beyond that, is a figure that is hard to ignore: the life size bronze statue of Kevin H. White. Located at street level and captured mid-stride, the sculpture immediately […]
Norman Lear Statue
Heading back to our car, I stopped to grab this photo in the alley near Emerson College. It is one of those narrow Boston passageways that I might have easily walked past without a thought but tucked into this space is something special: a life-size bronze statue of Norman Lear. Lear attended Emerson in the early 1940s, enrolling […]
Boston National Historical Park
Standing here in front of Faneuil Hall, you feel both the energy of the present and the weight of the past at the same time. Built in 1742 as a marketplace and meeting hall, it quickly became something more. This is where the people of Boston gathered to speak openly about their future, and where […]
Boston African American National Historic Site
Tucked into the narrow streets of Beacon Hill, the African Meeting House stands quietly, but its presence carries the full weight of a community determined to define itself. Built in 1806, it is the oldest surviving Black church building in the United States, constructed largely by free African American artisans who refused to be limited by the constraints of […]
The Embrace
On Boston Common stands a powerful and modern tribute to Dr Martin Luther King, Jr and Coretta Scott King. The memorial is called: The Embrace. Unveiled in 2023, the sculpture does not depict faces in full figures. Instead, it focuses on a moment, an embrace. Two sets of arms, joined together, rising in bronze. The design […]
Gibson House Museum – Baker’s Breakfast Cocoa
When visiting the Gibson House Museum in Boston, this colorful tin caught my eye in the kitchen. Baker’s Breakfast Cocoa, the title sparked my curiosity. The tin was produced by Walter Baker & Co, the oldest continuously operating chocolate manufacturer in the United States. Founded in the late 1700s, in Massachusetts, Baker’s became a household […]
