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November 5, 2020

The Barking Crab

Great background picture with real fishing buoys

Every Thursday in November, I'll be featuring unique photo spots around the City of Boston. These are great for background photos and perfect for those Instagram Stories.

Barking Crab Photo

Wall of Wooden Buoys

Near the Children's Museum is the Barking Crab. They have been in business for 26-years serving some of Boston's best seafood. They have a clam shack type of restaurant serving many popular dishes including lobster and clam chowder.

If you go to the backside of the restaurant, towards Fan Pier, you'll encounter a wall of Wooden Buoys! What a great picture spot!

One of the best times to be here is in the morning before the restaurant is open. The morning sun will provide the perfect lighting for your photos!

Bring a portable tripod if your taking group shots. You won't find anything to hold your camera.

Finding the Barking Crab

They are located at 88 Sleeper Street Boston, MA 02210. Right off of Seaport Blvd.

The best way via public transportation is to take the Silver Line to the Court House. Once you get up at Street level, walk along Seaport Boulevard towards the high rise buildings.

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October 29, 2020

Bartholomew Gedney

Interesting facts about a gravestone in the Kings Chapel graveyard.

At the King's Chapel graveyard is the place of where many early colonials are buried. You may find former Governors, Revolutionary War heroes, and more.

One grave that stands out as you walk into the graveyard is Bartholomew Gedney.

M Bartholomew Gedney Grave

Interesting Facts about Bartholomew Gedney

Bartholomew Gedney was born on March 22, 1698, and died on July 16, 1762.

He was a merchant of Boston.

His gravestone has an armorial tablet with three eagles. This is the family Coat of Arms of the Gedney family. There is no significant value to the armor engraving on the gravestone.

Gravestone location: Sec D, Row 16, Grave 387

If you look at the top of the gravestone to the left of Bartholomew you can see a letter "M".

To the right of the words Gedney you can see some numbers: No. 9 (There are more numbers but it's hard to make out.) Maybe it was a different grave number? I guess it would be better to see in person?

Some people may confuse this person with Bartholomew Gedney of Salem, Massachusetts. He was a magistrate to the Salem witchcraft trials and is not the person buried at the King Chapel Graveyard. The magistrate is buried in Salem, Massachusetts.

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October 22, 2020

Nathaniel Lewis Gravestone

A look at a gravestone in the North End

As you walk around Copp's Hill Burying Ground in Boston's North End. You'll encounter some notable gravestones. There are a lot of unknown people buried in this historic graveyard.

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Nathaniel Lewis

There isn't much that I could find out about Nathaniel Lewis.

  • He died on May 12, 1778.
  • There's no birthdate, based on his age it would be sometime in 1736
  • He was a Merchant. In the 1700s the would buy farmers surplus products and extend credit so the farmers could afford to buy supplied.
  • A flag is planted at his gravesite, which indicates that he was involve with the revolutionary war.
  • At the gravesite you can see a smaller gravestone that contains very little writing.

His Gravestone reads:

Here lies interred the Body of Mr. Nathaniel Lewis Merchant of Great Yarmouth in the Country of Norfolk Old England who departed this Life May 12th, 1778. Age 42.

The bottom of this gravestone has this quote:

"What's Fame, a fancy'd life in other's breath
A thing beyond us ev'n before our Death.
A Wit's a feather and a Chief's a rod
An honest Man's the noble Work of God."

This is a poem from a famous english poet - Alexander Pope ( May 21, 1688 - May 30, 1744).

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October 15, 2020

Prudential Mall

Just some notes on a recent visit

On Monday, I took a trip to the Prudential Mall in Boston. This was my first trip to the mall since the pandemic had begun.

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Five Things I Learned

I visited on Columbus Day, usually a busy time for the mall. I get that the pandemic has caused people to avoid the mall, but it seemed much quieter than expected.

The Starbucks at Copley was closed. This is surprising since the pre-pandemic it was always busy. I think that it must be closed because of the holiday.

Some stores were enforcing the number of customers in the stores.

The parking lot was very empty. Thankfully it didn???t cost an arm and a leg to park there for 3 hours. It cost $15 to park. Personally, they should lower the parking rate to encourage people to visit the mall.

A couple of stores were closed since I was their - David???s Tea and the Microsoft store.

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October 8, 2020

Samuel Adams Gravestone

Interesting facts about Samuel Adams Gravestone

When you are walking around Granary Burying Grounds your encounter many famous gravestones. One gravestone that stands out is Samuel Adams - it's located along Tremont Street.

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Looking at the gravestone, against others in the cemetery, it makes you wonder what is special about this marker. Why was it chosen and is there anything special about it.

Fun Facts About Samuel Adams Gravestone

Samuel Adams died on October 2, 1803.

For 95 years the gravestone was a simple in-ground marker. It wasn't visible from the street as people walked by.

He was buried in the tomb of his relatives, the Checkley family.

His grave was unmarked and only had the inscription: No. 63 Richard Checkley 1737. This was the property of Samuel Adams's wife.

In 1898, a bowlder of Roxbury stone was placed on to of the grave of Samuel Adams

The bowlder weighs about three tons. It comes from Roxbury, Massachusetts where

The grave marker was unveiled on April 19, 1898, by the Massachusetts Society Sons of the Revolution. It was the One Hundred and twenty-third anniversary of the battle of Lexington and Concord.

The Samuel Adams tomb was last open on March 26, 1808. It was open for identification purposes.

Gravestone Text

This is the text on the gravestone:

Here Lies Buried
Samuel Adams
Signer of the Declaration of Independence
Governor of this Commonwealth
A Leader of Men and An Ardent Patriot
Born 1722 - Died 1803

At the bottom:

Massachusetts Society Sons of the Revolution 1898

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October 1, 2020

Top 5 Underrated Places in Boston to Have a Perfect Date

Great locations for a date night/day

Boston Public Gardens Summer

Boston is the capital of Massachusetts, from which the historical origins of America began. Kilometers of streets and visits to the sights of Boston are turned into emotions, impressions, and thoughts. Regardless of the purpose of the visit, any couple in love will choose for themselves what to see in Boston and its environs.

Feel the romance in the Boston public garden

Do you know that many Ukrainian brides for marriage??consider it boring to go to the park when you have a date? But still, this one is probably the most picturesque and most crowded park in the city. Boston???s main city park is considered to be the oldest in the USA. And, although it is not the largest, still, it has the status of the best park in such a large country as the United States, and it deserves attention. It is located in the heart of Boston. At the main entrance to the park, visitors are greeted by a statue of George Washington on horseback. A lot of people are sitting or lying on the grass. People in love can often be seen bringing food and having picnics in the park. So, it is a quite romantic place.

Look at the city at Skywalk observatory

For stunning panoramas of Boston, visit the observation deck called the Skywalk Observatory. It is located in the Prudential Tower. From the indoor observation deck on the 50th floor of the building, you can enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the city???s skyline. At nightfall, you can admire the pictures of sparkling Boston from a bird???s eye view, and in the daytime, it is better to go to the??observation deck??on sunny days when the city buildings are more clearly visible.

Visit Boston zoo at Franklin park

A visit to this zoo will bring joy even to adults. It covers an area of about 29 hectares and is located just a few kilometers from the center of Boston, in the historic Franklin Park. The zoo employees see their mission in inspiring people to preserve and protect the world around them. In support of the nature conservation program, the zoo regularly hosts exciting events and exhibitions dedicated to animals from different continents, as well as charity concerts. The zoo???s inhabitants include a wide variety of animals: lions, tigers, ocelots, tapirs, lemurs, mandrills, giant anteater, kangaroos, emus, tropical birds, and many other representatives of the fauna. If your??girlfriend adores animals, then visiting this zoo is a must!

Get inspired in Harvard art museum

In 2014, the Harvard Art Museum building was renovated and expanded. As a result, it became possible to place a huge collection of three museums of 250,000 works of art under one roof. An Italian architect was the author of the project. The exposition of the museum covers a wide cultural and historical period ??? from antiquity to the present day. Separate collections are dedicated to the culture of people from all parts of the world ??? Europe, America, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. The rich collection of works of art of European modernism attracts special attention.

Go to a concert at the Hatch Shell and eat in Faneuil Hall

Relax by the river while musicians show their creativity to the city. At this venue, you can meet many of the local pop stars. After the end of the concert, take a boat ride or just enjoy the good weather.

Anyone visiting Boston should have a meal at Quincy Market at least once. Order food in one of the many restaurants and go outside to enjoy the street musicians and other talented people who perform a real show there. Well, if you prefer to eat in a restaurant, then you will find many cozy places in Faneuil Hall.

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September 24, 2020

Spanish/American War Cannons

Located on the State House Lawn

On the Massachusetts State House front lawn, you may notice a cannon near the West Entrance.

Prior to September 11, 2001, people could walk up and look at the cannon, but the lawn is closed to the general public and only the John F. Kennedy monument is available to see on the tour.

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This cannon is from the Spanish/American War. It was taken in 1896 by the American forces in battles in Cuba. This cannon was officially assigned to Massachusetts by the Navy Department on July 24, 1901.

Today the closest you can to the cannon is via Joy Place, which is one of the side streets next to the state house.

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September 17, 2020

Beacon Hill Monument

Monument people may miss near the Massachusetts State House

Walking around the outside of the Massachusetts State House, you may see a column monument with an Eagle on the top, this is the Beacon Hill Monument. There's plenty of history behind this monument.

The Beacon Hill Monument is there to remember an actual beacon that stood on the same spot since April 1635.

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Fun Facts about the Beacon Hill Monument

On March 4, 1634, the Massachusetts General Court ordered the beacon to warn Bostonians of impending danger. The court order was for the time period between April 1st and October 1st.

It was placed on this particular site as it was the highest point in the city. At the time, the hill was named Centry Hill.

The area, "Beacon Hill" was named after the Beacon.

The original Beacon, which was basically a boat mast held up by board on the base, was there from 1635 to 1789. (It was taken down between 1775 and 1776.)

In 1789, a storm blew down the Beacon. Instead of replacing the beacon, local residents favorited putting a more permanent monument.

Charles Bulfinch created a plain Doric column monument with an eagle on top. The column was 60-feet in height built with brick and covered with stucco. There was a large wooden eagle at the top. There were four tablets. Two of the tablets were inscribed with important events in the history of the Revolutionary war.

The tablets were authored by Honorable Thomas Dawes, who was a Supreme Court judge in Boston.

By 1810 Boston was in a deep recession and they sold the land where the monument was on to Samuel Spean and John Hancock. The "Old Beacon Hill Monument" was taken down by Atherton Haugh Steven on July 9, 1811. The surrounding hill was dug up.

The wooden effigy of the eagle is over the President chair in the Senate Chamber. The tablets were stored in the State House.

In 1865, the Massachusetts legislature authorized the Beacon Hill monument to be rebuilt. It was dedicated on June 17, 1899. The monument is exactly the same as the 1810 version, and the tablets were put back on the monument.

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Wooden Eagle in the Senate Chamber.

Tablets Texts

Stamp Act passed 17 repealed 1766
Board of customs established 1767
British troops fired on the inhabitants of Boston
March 5, 1770
Tea Act Passed 1773
Tea defrayed in Boston December 16
Port of Boston shut and guarded June 1, 1774
General Congress at Philadephila
Provinvial Congreffs of Concord
Battle of Lexington April 19, 1775
Battle of Bunker Hill June 1775
Washington took command of the army July
Boston evacuated March 17, 1776
Independance declared by Congress July 4, 1776
Hancock President

Capture of Heffians at Trenton Dec: 26, 1776
Capture of Heffians at Bennington Aug: 16, 1777
Capture of British Army at Saratoga Oct: 17
Alliance with France Feb 6, 1778
Confederation of United States formed July 9
Consitution of Massachusetts formed 1780
Bowdeoin Presiden of Convention
Capture of British Army at York Cot 19, 1781
Parlimenaries of Peace Nov, 30 1782
Definitive Treaty of Peace Selt 10, 1783
Federal Consitution formed Sept 17, 1787
and ratified by the United States 1787 to 1790
New Congress assembled at New York April 6, 1789
Washington inaugurated President April 30.
Public debts funded Aug 4, 1790

In 1634 The General Court Caused a Beacon To be placed on the top of this hill

In 1730 A Brick and Stone Monument
Designed by Charles Bulfinch
Replaced the Beacon
But was removed in 1811
When the hill was cut down

It is now reproduced in stone
by the Bunker Hill Monument Association 1898

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September 10, 2020

Blue Bikes

Rent a Bike when visiting Boston

Boston might be "America???s Walking City" but there???s nothing like a great bike ride.

Throughout Boston and Cambridge you will find bike stands where you can rent a bike for a ride. For $2.50 you can get a quick ride any place in the Boston area.

Note: There's a $101 security deposit, per bike, that will be placed on your credit card. Deposit is returned when the bike is back in the dock.

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Fun Facts about the Bikes

Started on Earth Day in 2011 as Hubway. It started with 61 stations and 610 bicycles. Today there are 325 stations and 2, 500+ bikes.

In March 2018, Blue Cross Blue Shields announced a six-year marking arrangement with Hubway and the bikes were renamed Bluebikes - along with the website: bluebikes.com.

The furthest north bike station is at the Glendale Street Park in Malden.

The furthest west station bike station at Watertown Square in Watertown.

The furthest south station bike station at the Mattapan T Stop in Mattapan.

There is a bike station at Encore Hotel and Casino, Fenway Park, USS Constitution, and within walking distance to the Bunker Hill Monument.

$99 for unlimited. 45-minute rides. So if you work in the Back Bay, you can take a bike and ride to the North End to get some ice cream at lunch every day.

It???s a 2-hour bike ride from the Old North Church to the Old North Bridge in Concord. (21 miles) What a great way to see the historic route that Paul Revere took.

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September 3, 2020

Boston Bars Closing

Many popular bars are closing in Boston

I haven???t been in Boston since March 12th. This is true for most people that commute to Boston for work. Most Bostonians have been working from home during the pandemic. It's uncertain when we would be going back to our offices.

Pandemic has Been Bad for Restaurants

COVID-19 has impacted Boston small business a lot. A walk down Boylston Street and you???ll find some business are now gone.

Mc Greevy Pour House Lir

Here???s a tweet from BostonTweet that pretty much explains the situation in Boston.

Commuter Rail

The MBTA Commuter rail has taken a hard hit. At one point the number of daily commuters was down 80%. The numbers have come back up slightly since April, but still way down from February.

The MBTA has put together a 2-year budget plan, due to the COVID-19 crisis. This means that they anticipate that ridership will be down for a long time.

The sad thing is within that two year time, leases will come up for renewal and some companies may take advantage of that and downside their Boston offices.

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About

There are many interesting things and places around Boston, MA that you should know about. Here are a few that caught my attention. From historical sites such as the USS Constitution Museum, the Freedom Trail, and the iconic Fenway Park, to modern attractions like the New England Aquarium, the Boston Public Market, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, there is something for everyone. Whether you are looking for a fun family trip or a romantic getaway, Boston has it all.

Check out all the blog posts.

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SundayOpen Topic
MondayMedia Monday
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WednesdayNew England