Disney World Tribute to Boston History

Disney has a couple of tributes to Boston

In Disney World, there are two tributes to the city of Boston in America History. These are sites are located in Liberty Square - not too far from the Haunted Mansion.

Liberty Tree

Back in 2016, I blogged about the Liberty Tree in Liberty Square.

The Liberty Tree in Boston is where colonials would gather to talk about the future of America. In particular, they talked about how it would be much better apart from the British rule.

I'll blog more about the historical significance of the tree in Boston - later this month.

Columbia Harbor House

The Columbia Harbor House would feel right at home in the port city of Boston in the mid-1700s. It's the typical Bostonian style house that you would see along the Boston shore.

This is a great "fast food" restaurant where you can get a quick bite to eat. You might be lucky to score a seat on the second floor overlooking the Haunted Mansion.

This is one of the few places in the park where you can order a Boston Cream Pie. Bostonians will tell you that it's good, but you should try the original. When in Boston, head over to the Omni Parker House on Boylston Street and try some fresh Boston Cream Pie.

Gluten Free at Fenway Park

Enjoy some Gluten Free goodies at Fenway Park

There is a cart at Fenway Park where you can buy a Fenway Frank that is Gluten Free! The Cart is located at the top of the ramp at the Home Plate Concourse.

Gluten Free Cart at Fenway Park

Four Things We Learned

• The Hot Dogs are the same hot dogs that are available elsewhere in the park.
• The Gluten Friendly Fenway Franks cost $5.50 each (430 Calories)
• The person at the cart has to microwave each roll before putting it on the bun. We found that the roll was still pretty stale. My daughter said that the roll tasted very much like another roll she had - just couldn't remember it. Possibly it's Rich's Gluten-Free Fully Baked Roll.
• The Gluten Friendly Desserts cost $5 each and they have two options: a brownie or a cookie.

Rich's Gluten Free Brownies and Cookies are available at Fenway Park.

Full Gluten Free Options in 2019

Homeplate Concourse has the most Gluten-Free options. That's the place to go that has the Hot Dogs, Pizza and Deserts.

Franks with buns

• Home Plate Concourse

Pizza

• Home Plate Deck
• Gate E Concourse
• Big Concourse
• Home Plate Concourse
• Pavilion Level

Snacks/Deserts

• Home Plate Concourse (At the Gluten Free Cart)
• Coca Cola Deck
• Big Concourse

Christian Science Center Skyline

View Changes of the Boston Skyline

The Four Season's One Dalton Street is now open - actually has been since Memorial Day weekend.

The Four Seasons Hotel & Private Residences, One Dalton Street, is a 850,000 sq ft (79,000 m) skyscraper in Boston, Massachusetts. It is the third tallest building in New England - The Prudential Tower is 7-feet shorter than the Prudential Tower.

The new building has certainly changed the skyline of the backback

View from 2013

This is the view from the Christian Science Center< from 2013:

View from 2019

This is the view today:

Some Fun Facts

• You can stay at the hotel for $660 a night. But what a view of the Fenway area.
• There is a "sky walk" on the 50th floor.
• 104th tallest building in the United States is the Prudential Tower
• 118th-tallest building is One Dalton Street.

Statler Park

Some interesting facts about Statler Park in Boston

At the corner of Columbus Ave and Stuart Street, across from the Boston Park Plaza Hotel is a small park called: Statler Park.

Six Things I Learned About Statler Park

In 1927, Ellsworth Statler donated the land (.23 acres) to the City of Boston as a part of the design of the Hotel Statler. The hotel is now the Boston Park Plaza.

In 1930, he donated the water fountain as a park centerpiece. It's called "The Fountain Figure." It was given as a gift to the City of Boston from the Hotel Statler Company. The water fountain was created by Ulysses Anthony Ricci. There is a marker in the water fountain for Ulysses Anthony Ricci. If you visit the park, Check out the various signs of the zodiac in the fountain. At one time, the water used to flow from the top of the fountain.

In 2010, major renovation was done to the park to The redesign won the Halvorson Design Partnership the Preservation Achievement Award in 2010.

There are two markers in the park, one about the history and the other about the 2010 Improvement done in the park.

2004 - As part of the Silver Line Phase 3 planning, there was some consideration to put an underground station at Statler Park. Some users thought it might have caused some serious damage to the little park.

The park is located across the street from the Coconut Grove Night Club and was probably used as a staging area during the night that night club caught on fire.

Swan Boat Experience

Tips on riding the Boston Swan Boats

The Swan Boats in the Boston Public Gardens is a great way to experience Boston. Hop on board and enjoy a few minutes around the Boston Public Gardens.

Six Things to Know about the Swan Boat Experience

• The Boston Public Garden's lagoon is very shallow - maximum 3-feet deep. This is why you won't see any life jacks on the boats.
• This is a very short ride - about 12 minutes. The total duration depends on the number of boats in the water and the number of passengers on each boat.
• Each Swan boat has six rows of benches, with room for 2-adults and 2 small children in each row. Rarely will they fill the boat in each ride - as they don't want to crowd people in.
• The line for the Swan Boats move pretty fast. It's about a 10-minute wait from the trash can - just outside of the stone circle.
• Pro-Tip: You'll want to sit on the right side of the boat so that you can pay attention to the island as you go around it. You'll have an opportunity to see nests and babies around the island. Keep an eye out for turtles.
• Tickets are good forever. Cost $4 for adults and $2.50 for Children over 2.I would recommend getting some extra tickets as a souvenir when you return to Boston. (If you're a local, it makes for unique stocking stuffers or birthday gift!) The Swan Boats accept MasterCard and Visa - I believe they were once an all-cash business. (In 2016, the ride was $3.50 for adults and $2.00 for children)

Shallow Water

This is what the lagoon water looks like in the early March 2018. As you can see the lagoon is very shallow:

Sailing the Charles River

Rent a sailboat for a unique Boston adventure

One way to enjoy Boston is to take on the views from the Charles River. Certainly, you can do this by the Boston Duck Tours, but it would much more adventurous and rent a sailboat.

• Cape Cod Keel Mercury which carries 4-person ($89 day)
• Rhodes 19 which can hold 5-people ($119 a day)

Some Key Rule on Rentals

• Sailing is limited to the Charles River Basin between the Mass Ave bridge and the Longfellow bridge.
• Lifejackets are provided and must be worn at all times.
• Must be able to swim 75 yards.
• Prior experience is required, candidates are interviewed by the dockmaster on duty.
• Minimum rental age is 18 years old. Guests under 18 may crew with parent or guardian permission.

About Community Boating

Five things I Learned About Community Boating

• When the non-profit Community Boating first open in 1946 it was America's only public Yacht club.
• In 1956 they had 51 boats. Today they have 63 Centerboard Mercuries, 20 Keel Mercuries,2 RS Venture Connects, 4 Rhodes 19s, 7 Sonars, 6 Ideal 18s, 12 Lasers, 18 E420s, 30+ Sit-on-Top Single/Double Kayaks, 20+ Windsurfers, 15+ Stand-Up Paddleboards.
• Every March the Community Boating house has an early season open house. It's a great way to learn about their summer sailing program.
• During the July 4th Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular you can get reserved seating at the Boat house! It's the only public reserved seating event on the river. People that attend the event get to watch the Pops on Jumbotrons, enjoy Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream, face paintings and much more.
• There is no on-site parking. The nearest parking lot is the Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary. If your taking public transportation, get off at the Charles/MGH Red Line station.

Elm Bark Beetle Trap

The Elm Bark Beetle is responsible for killing lots of trees in Boston

As you walk around the Boston Public Gardens you may see a strange white box on some of the Elm Trees. This is Elm Bark Beetle trap. The beetles transmit Dutch Elm disease which have been killing trees.

Six Things I learned about the Elm Bark Beetle

1. The Boston Public Commons use to have a lot of Elms trees but many of them had to be cut down because of the Elm Bark Beetle.
2. There's only two known natural predators to the Elm Bark Beetle: Woodpeckers and Wasps.
3. The beetle is originally from Europe and was first spotted in 1909. By 1933 the beetles were spotted in seaports of Boston, New York and Philadelphia.
4. The Friends of the Public Garden removes ailing trees to prevent the spread of the disease. (Several trees near the Park Street Station were removed because of the Dutch Elm disease.)
5. You can learn a lot more about how to Identify and Manage the Dutch Elm Disease on the United States Department of Agriculture document.
6. In 2010, one of the oldest Elms Trees in New England had to be cut down because of the Dutch Disease: https://www.csmonitor.com/The-Culture/Gardening/2010/0112/New-England-s-oldest-elm-tree-to-be-chopped-down

Text of the Sign below the Beetle Trap

Kip Tiernan Memorial

Fun Facts about the Kip Tiernan Memorial

On Dartmouth Street, between the Boylston Street and Newbury Street, is a special memorial to one of Boston's community activist Kip Tiernan.

Four things I Learned about Kip Tiernan

1. Kip Tiernan was born on June 17, 1926 in West Haven, Connecticut. She moved to Boston in the 1940s to work as a writer.
2. In 1974, She opened Rosie's Place - the first shelter for homeless women in the United States.
3. In 1981, She founded the Greater Boston Food Bank - an organization to help create Easter Massachusetts hunger-free.
4. Kip Tiernan died on July 2, 2011 in the South End of Boston.

Nine Things I Learned about the Kip Tiernan Memorial

1. The memorial title is "Passages"
2. According to Rosie Place, The three arches represent personal growth and raising awareness to issues. On each of the arches are quotes by Kip Tiernan.
3. The memorial height is 14-feet
4. The design won against 50 other architects who submitted bids.
5. The Boston Art Commission Approved the design on March 22, 2016.
6. The words of Kip Tiernan were chosen by a team at Rosie's Place. They represent Kip, the Person, Justice, Hope, Faith, Compassion and Risk/Challenges.
7. The memorial was complete self funded by private donations. It's estimated the memorial cost $150,000.
8. The memorial opening was on Saturday, October 6, 2018, and the public was encouraged to attend. Boston Mayor Walsh did the official dedication.
9. The Kip Tiernan Monument is only the fourth memorial to honor a women in Boston.

Sample of the Quotes on the monument

Boston Public Gardens Japanese Lantern

Fun facts about the Japanese Lantern in the Boston Public Gardens

As you ride on the Swan Boats in the Boston Public Garden, you may spot a large lantern near the pond island. There's a lot of history behind the lantern.

Seven Things I learned about the Japanese Lantern

• In 1905, the Lantern was a donation by a Japanese Art Dealer name Bunkio Matsuki (1867 - 1940) as a gift to Boston.
• Bunkio Matsuki was the first Japanese person to establish a Japanese art and antique store on Boylston Street in Boston. He later built the first Japanese house in Salem, Massachusetts.
• The lantern was constructed in 1587 - Making the lantern 432 years old. It’s even older than Boston’s Fenway Japanese Temple Bell (344 years old). The Millstone by Haymarket might still hold the record as the oldest item on public display in Boston.
• The Lantern is 10 1/2 feet high, made out of heavy iron.
• It was originally made for Emperor Toyotomi Hideyoshi. For many centuries, it stood in the gardens of Moyoma in Japan. (The garden doesn’t exist anymore)
• At one time people saw the lantern as a lighthouse on the pond in the Boston Gardens
• Tip: If you look carefully at the lantern you can see monkeys climbing trees.

Merchant Marine Monument

Only Monument dedicated to the Radio Officers of World War 2

In Boston's North End is a small monument to the Merchant Marines that died in World War Two. The monument is located in Langone Park.

Some Notes About the Monument

• It's the first monument to Radio Officers of World War 2.
• Monument was initially dedicated 1944 in the Fenway area
• It was rededicated in November 11, 1988 (Veterans Day) by Gladys Reed a Sea Captain Widow
• The top of the monument is a small boat in an angle as if it was sinking.
• It's located in a grassy area of Langone Park with views of the USS Constitution.
• The location of the monument was once where the 1890 Massachusetts training ship Nantucket was created.
• If you look carefully at the monument you'll see a morse code signifying the the famous radio sign off.

On one of the side, where the bush is growing next to the monument, you can see a U.S. Maritime Service Logo with the slogan, "By Their Deeds Measures Yours"

Duty Done (Front Side)

Names that appear on the front side:

• Alonzo Carter
• James T. Cotton Jr.
• Richard V. Carlson
• Stone V. Lowry
• James J. Flynn
• Walter Skiba
• Milford G. Bloom
• Herman R. Mosler
• James Clark
• Edwin W. Ardzienski - Radio Officer, S.S. Paul Hamilton, U.S. Merchant Marines during World War II.
• Andrew J. Tocco
• Vincent A. Kirk
• Thomas S. Porter Jr
• George S. Hord

On the bottom it says, "Presented to the people of Boston by the U.S. Maritime Service"

Country Served

Names that appear on the right side:

• Arnold L. Tangen
• Roy O. Thomas
• William H. McLaurin
• James A. McGill
• Dean H. Cook
• Martin Kuger
• John P. Leahan
• Theodore R. Scrivener
• Carl S. Dalbey Jr
• Isidore J. Weinberg
• William R. Fletcher
• Daniel P. Singer
• Andrew L McLeod
• Fred C. Handson