HubTrotter

The Lady in Black and Tales of Confederate POWs at Fort Warren

2011-10-31T08:04:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween, everyone.

Salem hogs all the limelight when it comes to haunted happenings, but there are plenty of ghostly tales in Boston as well, including out on Georges Island. And this October 31 marks the 150th anniversary of a particularly noteworthy date in the history of Fort Warren, that granite garrison out on Georges Island.

It was on October 31, 1861, that the first Confederate prisoners of war arrived at Georges Island. Colonel Justin Dimick, a West Point graduate and veteran of the Mexican-American War, was told to ready the fort for the arrival of 150 prisoners, so he was understandably shocked when the steamer docked at the island with more than 800 political and military prisoners. Fort Warren was overrun and ill-prepared, which resulted in food rations and prisoners sleeping on floors. A newspaper account from November 1861 reported that when the prisoners arrived at Fort Warren “pity rather than the hatred of the visitors was excited by the sad spectacle.”

What’s remarkable is how Bostonians responded to the plight of the enemy. They donated food, beds, and other supplies to assist the Confederate prisoners, hoping that proper treatment of the prisoners might inspire equal compassion toward Union prisoners of war. The story of Boston’s response to the crisis at Fort Warren and Dimick’s role in ensuring the prisoners were treated humanely is a remarkable one, and you can read more about it in an article I wrote for The New York Times Disunion blog.

While Dimick’s story is little known, if you were to ask anyone familiar with Georges Island what its most enduring story is, they would respond by telling you about “The Lady in Black.” Popularized by historian Edward Rowe Snow, this tale is now an essential part of the island’s fabric. According to the legend, the wife of a Confederate prisoner, dressed as a man and brandishing a pistol, snuck into the fort in an attempt to free her newlywed husband. She succeeded in reaching her husband’s cell, but as they tried to escape the dungeon, Union troops discovered their scheme and notified Colonel Dimick. When the colonel came upon the pair, the wife fired at Dimick, but her gun exploded and killed her husband instead.

To make a bad day even worse, Dimick had no choice but to order the woman to hang as a spy. Before her execution, she requested that she be properly dressed in women’s clothing. She was given black robes and hanged from the gallows.

Now we never like to have history get in the way of a good ghost story, but there are no recorded instances of Confederate soldiers or Confederate sympathizers being executed at Fort Warren. However, from the Civil War through the Second World War, many a soldier stationed on the parapets claimed to see the frightening ghost of the Lady in Black, who is said to prowl through the fort’s many passageways to this day. As far back as January 1862, the Gloucester Telegraph reported that sentinels keeping midnight rounds saw a spiritual phenomena near some of the rebel graves. The soldiers reported spying the image of an old woman “vindictively frisking about the ruins of an old building from which she was ejected some time previous to her death.”

I’ve yet to have the pleasure of meeting the Lady in Black. But if any of you have seen her, let me know!

NBA Lockout Alternatives for Celtics Fans

2011-10-17T14:10:00.000-05:00

Jonesing for some basketball? Hungry for hoops?

Well, NBA action...it's fantastic!

Well, maybe not.

With the NBA in a lockout and the TD Garden's parquet floor locked up in storage, basketball fans (those who love the game like Rodney!) are going to have to be a little creative to get their fix, at least until college hoops starts up in a few weeks. Here are some ideas for Boston basketball fans:

Visit the game's birthplace. Get that Fastlane pass out and head west on the Mass Pike out to Springfield, where Dr. Naismith invented hoops and where you can visit the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The Celtics certainly have their fair share of enshrinees. You could spend hours looking at the artifacts in the galleries, including Naismith's original rules of the game, confined to two simple typewritten pages. Afterwards, you can shoot some hoops on the hall's regulation court. While in Springfield, check out the new monument at the location of the first basketball game and the statue of Dr. Naismith with his peach basket at Springfield College.

Head to the Sports Museum. Closer to home, you can explore the history of the Celtics and New England basketball, at the Sports Museum. There are lots of exhibits on the Celtics dynasty years, including Larry Bird's locker, as well as an interesting exhibit on the evolution of women's basketball. Check out the gowns worn by the college players in the 1890s. Not exactly form fitting. Added bonus: the museum is located in the TD Garden, so you can peek inside and see the Celtics banners hanging from the rafters.

Get your Chuck Taylors on. Right around the corner from the Garden is Basketball City. Inside you'll find six full-length basketball courts with glass backboards and electronic scoreboards that are available for rental. You can also register for clinics and leagues.

Crack open a book. I've got a whole host of basketball books in my library that I still need to dig into: A Season on the Brink, A March to Madness, A Season Inside. But if you have felt that you haven't had time to dig into Bill Simmons' 752-page tome, The Book of Basketball, well, here's your chance.

Get your passport out. That's what some NBA players are doing. Rather than eating fried chicken and biscuits like Red Sox pitchers, they're staying in shape by playing in Europe. The Euroleague Basketball season kicked off October 17 with the blockbuster you've all been waiting for: Zalgiris vs. CSKA Moscow. Not inspired to buy a plane ticket to Russia? Then you can get a season pass to watch online for $93.

Get the popcorn out. How about a great basketball flick? No, not Teen Wolf. (Sorry, Boof.) Hoosiers! Hoosiers! Hoosiers! Man, I love that movie. I could watch Hickory run the picket fence all day long. "Now boys, don't get caught watching the paint dry!"

Go old-school. Get those short shorts out. With the lockout, the NBA Network can't put on any programming with current players in it. So, in between showings of Teen Wolf (seriously, Boof) you're going to find plenty of Larry and the rest of the '80s Celtics. As I write this, the NBA Network is showing Bird v. Jordan in the '86 playoffs. And tonight: 6 PM Larry Bird's 50 Greatest Moments; 7 PM Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals; 9 PM Lakers/Celtics from the 1984 Finals. Oh, you're going to be out tonight? No problem, it all repeats starting at 11 PM. I'm sure you won't wait long for Teen Wolf to follow.

New Map and Poster Exhibit Celebrates the Golden Age of Travel

2011-10-11T11:33:00.000-05:00

I’m definitely a map geek. Mercator is a rock star to me, and I can’t wait to dig into Maphead, the new book from Ken Jennings (the Jeopardy! guy). I also love vintage travel posters. I’ve got a few of them hanging up around the house, including this great one from the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

So I’m really looking forward to the October 14th opening of a new exhibit at Boston’s Grand Circle Gallery: “Journeys through the Mediterranean: Maps, Guides and Posters from the Golden Age of Travel.” The exhibit will pair Grand Circle Gallery’s collection of vintage travel posters from the region with a selection of antique maps and pocket travel guides from WardMaps.

Not only are the vintage travel posters so colorful and evocative of a different age, but the rare maps that will be on display, including those from German publisher Wagener & Debes that depict cities and historic sites as they were in the late 1800s and early 1900s, are works of art as well.

Of particular interest will be a display from WardMaps’ collection of antique Baedeker travel guides and maps covering destination sites in Italy, France, Greece, Northern Africa, Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine. The Baedeker travel guides date from the mid-1800s. With their red leather cover and regal, gold lettering, Karl Baedeker’s guides were considered superior to other travel guides of the day due to their detailed and accurate information on accommodations, transportation, pricing and rating system of the given destination.

The opening of the exhibit coincides with the Fort Point Fall Open Studios the weekend of October 14-16. More than 150 artists’ studios in the district will be open to the public for this popular weekend event; there is no charge for admission and free parking is available.

While it may not rise to the level of Venice’s Grand Canal, the Fort Point Channel neighborhood will also be represented in the exhibit as a small selection of antique maps of the neighborhood will be on display.

The Grand Circle Gallery is located at 347 Congress Street. Hours are Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 11:00am-6:00pm and Thursday, 11:00am-8:00pm. Admission is free, and the gallery is handicap accessible. The exhibit runs through January 28, 2012.

For more general information, to schedule a private tour, or for more details about special programming, please visit www.gct.com/grandcirclegallery or call 617-346-6459.

Mass. Memories Road Show Collecting Photos and Stories of Boston Harbor Islands

2011-09-13T22:07:00.001-05:00

Granted I'm pretty sure I couldn't construct a dollhouse let alone a single-family home without at least one trip to the ER, but I do see some similarities between writing about history and building a home. To me, I find that major historical events--and the newspaper accounts and government records associated with them--provide the basic framework to structure a narrative. They are the foundation and walls of the house if you forgive the analogy.

But just as it's the personal photographs, family heirlooms, and treasured items that make a house your home, I've found that small details unearthed from personal histories--photographs, diaries, etc.--add the necessary finishing touches that really add character to a story.

When I was writing Discovering the Boston Harbor Islands, I felt fortunate that I was able to view the personal photographs and hear the personal stories of not only present-day Bostonians, but of those of generations past. It reiterated to me that the history we learn in textbooks engages the mind, but the history we find in scrapbooks can tug at the heart. And both sources have the equal capacity to inspire our spirits.

Needless to say I think it's important that we capture these personal histories, and great work is being done every day in compiling digital histories. And if you happen to have photographs and stories related to the Boston Harbor Islands, I would encourage you to bring them with you to the Massachusetts Archives on Columbia Point in Dorchester this Saturday (September 17) for the Mass. Memories Road Show. This is an initiative of the Massachusetts Studies Project at UMass Boston and co-sponsored by Mass Humanities.

The organizers are encouraging anyone with family photographs of the Boston Harbor Islands (be they yours or your ancestors') to bring a handful of them to the Road Show where they will be scanned and immediately returned them to you. You will be invited to share a 3-4 minute story about your photographs on camera. All photos and stories scanned at the event will become part of the UMass Boston digital archive, online at www.MassMemories.net.

The hours of the Road Show are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Click here for more information or contact Project Manager Heather Cole at heather.cole@umb.edu or 617-287-5929. Who knows? The memories you share might provide the perfect finishing touches for authors and historians writing about the Islands hundreds of years from now.

Tips for Going to 2011 New England Patriots Training Camp

2011-07-27T07:06:00.001-05:00

Call it a Punxsutawney Phil moment. A sure sign that a barren season is finally behind us and better days have arrived. As I was driving around my neighborhood yesterday, I saw a 70-year-old woman shuffling away from her mailbox. She was wearing a gray T-shirt with some lettering on the front and back. As I drove closer I saw that the front said "I Hate Peyton Manning." The back: "Eli Sucks Too".

The new football season is here! The new football season is here!

At times, it looked like the NFL lockout could jeopardize part or all of the season, but with the new deal now signed and sealed, the players are back on the gridiron. The New England Patriots will open their public training camp on Thursday, and fans will notice some changes this year due to the new agreement between the players and the owners:

Don't expect to see much hitting during the first few days of camp. Players have hopefully kept in shape during the off-season, but they will still take a little longer than normal to get back into the swing of things. The Patriots have announced that "initial practices will likely be scaled back a bit while the players continue to work toward playing shape." So if you're going to make one trip down to Foxborough, plan to do it towards the end of training camp.

Expect to see more walk-throughs and drills this year. One of the changes under the new agreement is that there are no more two-a-day sessions in full pads. The Patriots have usually held training camp sessions in both the morning and afternoon. Full-pad practices are usually more interesting to watch. Particularly on hot days, it might be a better bet to see padded practices in the morning sessions. (The Patriots have already announced that the first two days of camp will be unpadded.)

Training camp rosters are bigger. Under the new agreement, training camp rosters expand from 80 players to 90, so there's even more reason to get a roster sheet.

Here are some more tips for fans going to New England Patriots Training Camp:

Where: Patriots training camp is held on the practice fields next to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

Schedule: The tentative schedule calls for two-a-day practices for the opening days of training camp with practices from 9:30 to 11:30 AM and 3:30 to 5:30 PM on July 28 and July 29. The schedule is always tentative based on the desires of the coaching staff and oftentimes the weather. Practice times will be announced on the Patriots web site and you can double-check it by calling the team's hot line at 508-549-0001.

Parking: The practice is free to attend, and the parking is free as well. (Yes, I said it, "Free.") Parking is along the west side of the stadium, and it's a short walk over to the fields. From US 1, enter the parking lots at P8 from the south and P6 from the north. Lots open an hour before each practice.

Seating: There are bleachers along the side of one practice field on which to sit. Another popular spot is on the hillside that lies behind the end zones of the practice fields and in front of the stadium. Wherever you sit, you're pretty close to the action. If you have a camera with a good zoom lens, you should get some good shots.

Food and Drink: There are concession stands that sell food, drinks, ~~and beer~~. (Note: The Patriots no longer serve beer at training camp. Apparently it wasn't worth the cost of hiring police to have it.) Be prepared to pay normal stadium prices for food and beverages, however, if you buy it there. Adjoining Patriot Place has plenty of restaurants and bars where you can get a meal, too. (For a good, cheap meal, I highly recommend Five Guys Burgers at Patriot Place.)

For the Kids: Along the west side of the stadium during Training Camp is the Patriots Experience, filled with interactive games that allow young fans to test their kicking, passing, and tackling skills on a variety of obstacle courses, football tosses, and other similar challenges. It's a popular draw for families. (All fans participating in Patriots Experience must sign a waiver form, available at training camp. It's usually online as well at the Patriots web site.) Note that the hours for the Patriots Experience are not the same as the practice schedule; so check the web site. (In general, the hours are usually 11-4.) Kids will also enjoy all the interactive exhibits at the Hall at Patriot Place. Even if you don't have kids, a visit to this museum dedicated to the Patriots franchise is an absolute must for Pats fans.

Scoring Autographs: The players enter and leave the field near the hillside, so it's a good spot to get autographs, and a designated group of players, which rotates from practice to practice, will often sign along the front row of the bleachers when practice is over.

With as many as 90 players on the field, plenty of new faces (particularly this year as the feeding frenzy on free agents begins), and uniforms without names on the back, it may be tough knowing who you are watching, so print out a roster from the Patriots web site before you go or pick up a complimentary roster from the Patriots Football Weekly tent.

For more tips on enhancing your experience at Patriots Training Camp--and for all the information you'd ever want to know about spectator sports around Boston--check out The Die-Hard Sports Fan's Guide to Boston.

Boston's 1976 World's Fair That Wasn't

2011-07-25T09:19:00.001-05:00

Swimming in Boston Harbor in wintertime. Hiking tree-lined trails under a translucent dome. Renting electric cars for a spin around Thompson Island.

It definitely seems like something out of a sci-fi book, perhaps a vision of life in Boston in 2020. But rather than some futuristic view of the Boston Harbor Islands, this was a proposed plan for developing the islands in the 1970s. Believe it or not.

Plans were drawn up in the early 1970s to stage a huge international exposition in Boston in 1976 to celebrate the American bicentennial. The planners of Expo '76 projected that up to 60 million people would visit the 690-ace fairground, which, in addition to Thompson Island, would have been located on Columbia Point in Dorchester and a new harbor island created from a combination of landfill and floating platforms.

The plans called for construction of a 500-boat marina and a hotel on the southern end of Thompson Island as well as the conversion of the school facilities into a youth camp and demonstration farm. Visitors would have been able to rent bikes or electric cars to traverse the island.

The piece de resistance, however, was the proposal to build a huge, transparent dome, more than two football fields in diameter, that would have covered part of the islands' natural landscape of grassy knolls, woods, and winding trails. The dome would have been climate-controlled, allowing for boating, swimming, and picknicking year-round, even in the throes of a New England winter. For more, click here for a 1968 Boston Redevelopment Authority planning report on the fair.

Luckily, these plans never came to fruition, and the landscape of Thompson Island has been preserved. As is often the case, it's everyday city residents who are partly to thank for the plan's demise.

This Thursday (July 28), the Friends of the Boston Harbor Islands are putting on a program at the Thayer Public Library in Braintree exploring the World's Fair that wasn't. The program will include a screening of a public service film made by Save Our Shores, a grassroots organization, as well as a panel discussion with some of the film's creators. There will be exhibits on display as well. Click here for more on the program.

The plans for the 1976 World's Fair were some of the most compelling items I came across in researching Discovering the Boston Harbor Islands. Always interesting to see an alternate history for how Boston could look today. Electric cars and swimming under a giant dome sounds pretty cool, but I'll take the walking trails and open skies of Thompson Island just how they are.

Get Your Civil War Trading Cards!

2011-07-07T10:33:00.000-05:00

“I’ll trade ‘ya three Justin Dimick cards for your Robert E. Lee.”

You just might be hearing kids proposing this barter following the National Park Service’s release of its collection of Civil War Trading Cards. The 189 cards in the series feature prominent soldiers and politicians from the Civil War along with major historical events and landmarks. Just like on the backs of baseball cards, the Civil War versions include vital stats (e.g., birth dates) and fun facts. The cards are intended for youngsters to get them excited about Civil War history, and I love the idea. Of course, I’m a history buff and baseball card collector, so this is the best thing since Reese’s combined peanut butter and chocolate.

I first came across the trading cards last week on Georges Island at the Boston Harbor Islands national park area. Since it’s home to Fort Warren, which was used to house Confederate POWs and New England’s most historic Civil War landmark, the location was a natural. The cards at Fort Warren included Justin Dimick, the commander of the fort; Sgt. John Brown, the true namesake of the song “John Brown’s Body”; Alexander Stephens, the Confederate vice president imprisoned at the fort; and the Trent Affair. In the Boston area you can also find the cards at the Boston African-American National Historic Site, Boston National Historical Park, New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, and Lowell National Historical Park. The cards are free, and kids who are collecting them can get a free backpack to hold their cards.

In total, the cards are available at 22 different locations across the country. If you can’t get to every site, well, do what trading card collectors always seem to do, head to eBay. (Yes, the Civil War cards have already started to pop up on eBay. Let the bidding commence!) OK, so I’m sure the 2011 Benjamin Butler card won’t rival the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card or the T206 Honus Wagner, but kids, make sure you don’t stick the cards in your bicycle spokes and watch out that your mom doesn’t throw away your shoebox of Civil War trading cards. You never know what they might be worth someday.

Half-Price Tickets to the Boston Harbor Islands

2011-06-29T08:48:00.000-05:00

One of the current drawbacks in visiting the Boston Harbor Islands is that the $14 price of ferry tickets for adults is on the steep side. But there's some good news for anyone who's been hesitant to visit the islands because of the ferry prices.

Travelzoo is selling half-price tickets for the Boston Harbor Islands ferries until 7 PM EDT on June 30. Tickets have been discounted to $7 for adults, $5 for seniors, and $4 for children. You will receive a voucher that can be redeemed for any ferry from Long Wharf through September 30. Click here to purchase tickets and get more information.

Ten Years After Their Darkest Day, Boston Fans Celebrate Again

2011-06-16T10:00:00.000-05:00

June 13, 2001.

To me, it was the nadir of Boston sports.

Thousands of Boston sports fans flocked to City Hall Plaza to watch Bruins legend Ray Bourque lift high the Stanley Cup. Stymied in his quest for championship glory in Boston, Bourque finally got to drink from Lord Stanley’s chalice as a member of the Colorado Avalanche. Just days after the pinnacle of his career, Bourque brought the Cup to Boston to share with Bruins fans, who had just suffered through a second playoff-less season.

It was a gracious act, but honestly it was absolutely embarrassing as a Boston sports fan to watch the reaction. City Hall Plaza had been the gathering spot for the city to celebrate its Bruins and Celtics championships in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Now we were latching on to another team’s glory. This felt like table scraps being fed to a fan base starving for a championship. It had been nearly 30 years since the last Bruins championship, 15 since the last Celtics title, 83 since the last Sox crown. The Patriots? Please.

To me, the thousands who had turned out to see #77 bring the Stanley Cup to town seemed like an admission that this town would not see championship glory ever again.

But, oh what a difference a decade makes. Nearly 10 years to the day after the most pathetic moment in Boston sports, the city has hit the Grand Slam. Seven titles by all four teams. Duck Boat parade after Duck Boat parade. The longest title drought in town now belong to the Patriots. Wow.

Ten years ago when the Stanley Cup stopped by Boston for a cup of coffee, it was “Look, but don’t touch.” But today, you Bruins fans can not only look, not only touch, but embrace it with all of your might. Saturday you’ll get the party in downtown Boston that this fan base deserves.

Photo: Courtesy AP

Boston Harbor Islands Pavilion Unveiled

2011-06-02T22:20:00.000-05:00

Today marked an exciting--and very important--landmark in the development of the Boston Harbor Islands national park area with the unveiling of a new welcome center on the Rose Kennedy Greenway. The grand opening was marked by a ceremony that included remarks by Mayor Menino and Vicki Kennedy.

My first impression is that the Island Alliance, National Park Service, and all involved in the painstaking project did a tremendous job. The pavilion was much larger than I expected. It features self-serve kiosks where you can buy ferry tickets to the islands and large panels that profile the eight islands served by public ferries. The panels give brief rundowns on the islands' historical and recreational offerings on one side, and on the other they feature beautiful photography. Look down and you'll literally find yourself wandering the islands on a 2,000-square-foot topographical map of the park inlaid in granite. Rangers will be on hand during extended business hours to answer any questions.

Lovers of the islands already know what they have to offer, but for most visitors to the city--and probably the majority of its residents as well--the islands have been "out of sight, out of mind." Since this pavilion is in a very high traffic area between Quincy Market and the Marriott Long Wharf, it's going to catch the eye of thousands of people every day. No doubt the visibility of the Boston Harbor Islands national park area is going to get a big boost.

The pavilion is the first building to open on the Rose Kennedy Greenway. While you can't see any of the islands directly from the pavilion since it's a few hundred yards from the water, the Greenway is still a fitting location. The Greenway has reconnected downtown with its historic waterfront, and the pavilion will serve to further the connection between Boston and the harbor that gave birth to this city. Plus, the Big Dig project was responsible for the redevelopment of Spectacle Island, as fill from the harbor tunnel was used to resculpt the island into a vast recreational area.

If you swing by the pavilion, be sure to check out the gift shop. They have some pretty cool Civil War memorabilia (Fort Warren on Georges Island is one of New England's most historic sites connected to the war), postcards, and books on the islands. Not surprisingly, I encourage you to pick up a copy of Discovering the Boston Harbor Islands at the pavilion.

Globe Corner Bookstore Closing Its Doors

2011-06-01T07:45:00.000-05:00

I've sung the praises of the Globe Corner Bookstore in Harvard Square on numerous occasions. It's a great travel bookstore and a local institution. Step inside and in just a few square feet you can travel the world. Sorry to hear the news then that the Globe Corner Bookstore is going to be closing its retail store, although it will live on online. The bookstore was put up for a sale a number of months ago and an acceptable buyer was not able to be found. The announcement came on the same day that Alex Beam of The Boston Globe wrote of the difficult times facing bookstores. Sickeningly prophetic.

Book Review: The Big Scrum

2011-05-25T08:24:00.000-05:00

Last November I wrote an article for The Boston Globe taking a look back at the crisis that faced football in the early 1900s because of the violent nature of the sport (19 players died as a result of gridiron injuries in 1905) and Teddy Roosevelt’s intervention in 1905 to get the leading colleges to reform the sport. It had been suggested to me that the subject would make a good book. The primary source material about TR’s role seemed thin to me, though, and I wasn’t sure how such a book could be structured.

Well, now I see how the project could have been executed. John J. Miller delves into this particularly timely topic, given the current spotlight on hard hits and concussions in the NFL, in his new book, “The Big Scrum: How Teddy Roosevelt Saved Football.” Given the limited research materials on Roosevelt's actions in 1905, Miller’s work encompasses a broader timespan, taking a dual storyline of the evolution of football from its early days and the sporting life of Roosevelt from his days as a sickly youth.

Miller mentions early in “The Big Scrum” that he was surprised that the epic biographies of Roosevelt by Edmund Morris omitted any mention of his role in lobbying for college football reform, and I was as well when I was researching the subject. The book’s subtitle, “How Teddy Roosevelt Saved Football,” however, is probably a bit of hyperbole. Miller himself writes this about Roosevelt on page 17, “It is probably too much to call him football’s savior.”

Still, as a TR buff and a football fan, “The Big Scrum” was an informative and entertaining read, and I definitely learned some new factoids.

"The Big Scrum" reaffirmed my belief that Roosevelt could not have been a mere mortal (Could anyone else have given a 90-minute speech after being shot in the chest?). President, author of 18 books, big game hunter, trust buster, Rough Rider. Did this guy ever sleep? From Miller’s book I learned that one day a young TR rowed across Long Island Sound from Oyster Bay, NY, on a 25-mile roundtrip. During his honeymoon, he scaled the Matterhorn. Screw the Dos Equis guy; Teddy Roosevelt is “the most interesting man in the world.”

Even though many say that football is our “new national pastime,” the history of the early days of football hasn’t gotten nearly as much ink as that of baseball. “The Big Scrum” helps to fill that void, and this may be the most engaging part of the book. Miller takes us all the way back to Medieval Europe, whole towns would play a form of football where large mobs played with an inflated pig’s bladder. Hence the term “pigskin.” The tradition continues at the Royal Shrovetide Football Match. Augusta National this is not, however, if you check out the YouTube video. The story of the 1876 Harvard-Yale game, which opens the book, with Roosevelt in the stands as a spectator is a cracker. Yale won 1-0. Touchdowns did not count for points; only the kicks after touchdowns counted if they cleared a clothesline strung between two poles 20 feet apart from 100 feet away.

The evolution of rules is fascinating as well. One season safeties did not count against teams. As Miller writes, “A safety mere let [the offensive team] put the ball on their own 25-yard line and start over.” In the 1880 Princeton-Yale game, Princeton took the ball in the second half, took 11 safeties, and never gave Yale the ball. Result: a 0-0 tie. Fun! Makes Ravens-Steelers seem like an AFL shootout in comparison.

One other fun factoid: the first Cal-Stanford game in 1892 was delayed for an hour because no one remembered to bring a football. Perhaps the Stanford band entertained the crowd in the meantime.

Stay thirsty my friends...

Click: Historic Boston Harbor Islands Photographs

2011-05-23T13:01:00.002-05:00

One of the great things about the Internet for any history buff is the ability to access photographs and historical resources that were once buried deep inside archives and libraries. Case in point are the fantastic vintage photographs that the Boston Public Library posts on Flickr. The recent release of baseball photographs taken by Leslie Jones received considerable press, and deservedly so. (Check out this incredible shot of a Cubs player sliding into home at Braves Field.) But I was just as excited to see the recently posted vintage photographs of the Boston Harbor Islands.

Check out this photograph taken on Long Island sometime around 1930. It shows the contestants of the annual baby crib race down Long Island Head at the starting line. Gentlemen, start your cradles!

OK, just kidding. It's a photograph of some of the children who were being cared for at Long Island Hospital along with some of the nurses out getting some fresh air.

The cool breezes and the open air of the islands were thought to have salubrious properties. Thus, the Boston Harbor Islands were a place of healing for generations of sick children from Boston. In addition to the hospital on Long Island, the Burrage Hospital on Bumpkin Island provided care and treatment for poor children with physical disabilities between 1902 and the start of World War I. And if you've always been confused as to why the Floating Hospital for Children at Tufts Medical Center is fully landlocked, well, it's because that it dates back to the days when it actually did sail on Boston Harbor. For 33 years starting in 1894, the Floating Hospital sailed the harbor so that its patients could benefit from its supposedly healing breezes.

(Photo courtesy of Boston Public Library)

The First to Fall in Defense of the Union?

2011-04-15T14:52:00.000-05:00

One of the exhilarating--and sometimes frustrating--aspects of history is that there are times when there are no definitive answers, only opinions, theories, interpretations, and reasoned debates. In that respect, it can be very similar to being a sports fan. Quick, who's the greatest athlete of all-time? Who invented baseball? Good luck coming to a consensus.

Well, with the 150th anniversary of the Civil War upon us, the question has been raised: Who was the first casualty of the Civil War? Who was the first to shed his blood for his country? The answer can be subject to interpretation. No soldiers were killed during the actual bombardment of Fort Sumter, but Private Daniel Hough, an Irish immigrant, was ironically felled during the formal surrender ceremony as a cannon misfired in the middle of a 100-gun salute as the United States flag was lowered. Some consider Daniel Hough the first casualty, albeit not at the hands of an enemy combatant.

A week after the guns blazed in Charleston Harbor, the Sixth Massachusetts Regiment was marching through the streets of Baltimore when they were attacked by a secessionist mob on April 19, 1861 (the 86th anniversary of the opening shots of the Revolution at Lexington and Concord), in what is commonly known as the Pratt Street Riot. This weekend, Baltimore will be holding a commemoration of the event. Along with approximately a dozen civilians, four soldiers were among the dead. While not killed on the battlefield, some historians consider these the opening casualties of the war.

The dead soldiers were all from my neck of the woods in the Merrimack Valley of Massachusetts, and here they rest today. For years, I drove by an obelisk in front of Lowell City Hall and never gave it a thought, situated as it is in the middle of a large intersection, seemingly a giant traffic island. Now I'm embarrassed at my oversight. The obelisk marks the graves of three of the victims of the Pratt Street Riot: Luther Ladd, Addison Whitney, and Charles Taylor. When the obelisk was dedicated in 1865, Ladd and Whitney were interred there, so their names are inscribed on the base of the obelisk, which is often referred to as the "Ladd and Whitney Monument." Taylor was originally buried in Baltimore, but I've read some accounts that he was subsequently interred at the site in the early 1900s. There is a plaque in his honor, which calls him "The First to Fall in Defence of the Union." Fact? I don't think we'll ever know definitively.

As I said, the monument and gravesite are a bit lost in the hustle and bustle of today's car traffic. Check out this antique stereograph view of the monument. It was fenced off and surrounded by cannons, which gave it some context. The New York Public Library's digital collection has other terrific stereographs of commemorations at the obelisk, which to me seem drenched in the Victorian maudlin of the time. A massive arch in one of the stereographs says, "We strew with flowers the graves of our honored dead." Boy do they. Today, there is interpretive signage about the Baltimore riots, but it is caddy corner across Dutton and Merrimack Streets at Lowell National Historical Park, a little out of the way.

The fourth soldier to die was Sumner Needham. He passed away more than a week later from his wounds, so we can definitively say he was not the first to die for the Union. His body rests in Bellevue Cemetery in Lawrence. I tried unsuccessfully to find his grave marker, so I'll have to make another go of it.

This weekend in Massachusetts we will be commemorating Patriots Day and the start of the American Revolution with various ceremonies and re-enactments. Unfortunately, I haven't come across any commemorations in honor of this other band of American patriots who sacrificed their lives on an April 19. If anyone know of any that are planned, please pass along the information.

More photos of the Ladd and Whitney Monument here.

What's New at Fenway Park in 2011?

2011-04-07T09:00:00.000-05:00

Good news: You can now get a good stiff drink at Fenway Park. Bad news: The way the season has been going, you’re going to need it.

On Friday afternoon, the Red Sox blissfully return to Fenway Park and hopefully benefit from some home cooking after a horrendous road trip to kick off the 2011 season. Friday’s home opener will mark the start of Fenway Park’s 100^thseason, and just as they did for their first-ever game in the ballpark, the Sox will take on the Yankees. Hopefully history can repeat itself as Boston beat New York in Fenway’s inaugural game.

So what’s new at Fenway Park in 2011? Well, the biggest changes were supposed to be on the field with the additions of Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford and an overhauled bullpen. So far, the biggest change has indeed been on the field: losing. I’m confident (well, hopeful?), though, that they are simply getting the losing out of their system really early in the season.

There are changes at Fenway Park off the field as well that fans will see when they return to the ballpark on Yawkey Way:

New scoreboards. Perhaps the most notable will be three new high def, LED scoreboards. The biggest one will be directly above the bleachers in center field. It is 38 feet high and 100 feet wide. By comparison, the old scoreboard was 23 feet high and 30 feet wide. So it’s going to be a really noticeable difference. In fact, the huge screen makes it looks like our computer overlords have come into Fenway to keep an eye on things.

The previously existing hitters and pitchers board in left center field, which recorded pitch counts and speed, has been transformed into a 17 feet high by 100 feet wide video display. A third video screen, 16 feet high by 30 feet wide, will be above the bleachers in right field. These video systems will prominently feature real-time information such as batter and pitcher stats, pitch speed and type, box scores, and other messaging. Another element added beyond the right field bleachers is a large analog clock sponsored by security company ADT.

New right field seats. This off-season marked the completion of the repair and waterproofing of the concrete lower seating bowl, a project that started in 2007, with work done in right field. What fans will notice most from the project are new seats in the dugout, field box, loge box, and right field box sections. The new seats sport cup holders, and padding was added to field box seats. Grandstand seats in right field were refurbished and now have self-rising mechanism that allow seats to retract automatically when they are empty. Your knee caps will particularly appreciate that change.

Gate D improvements. The Sox made improvements to Fenway around Gate D, which is located near the corner of Yawkey Way and Van Ness Street. There are new and expanded concession and merchandise stands. And a walk-in team store! Can’t imagine where they came up with the space to get that done since the area around Gate D can oftentimes resemble a cattle call. There’s now a ticket booth at Gate D where will-call tickets for any gate will be available for pick-up. There are also new, big televisions in what is now dubbed the “Home Plate Concourse.” The concourse has also been freshly paved, so say goodbye to those discarded pieces of gum that have been stuck to the ground there since Ted Williams roamed left field.

New concessions. Now about the new lineup additions that most fans care about: the food. Among the new concession items for 2011 are sushi from BASHO Japanese Brasserie and a Jamba Juice stand in the Big Concourse behind right field. In the new Home Plate Concourse concession stands there are brick oven pizza and a fishmongers dream: lobster rolls, fried clam rolls, Cajun shrimp rolls, fish sandwiches, and fish and chips. There will be season fresh fruit (didn’t see that one coming) along with saltwater taffy and assorted nuts (not of the Bill Lee variety). Out on Yawkey Way, a new “Wally’s Favorites” stand will sell fried dough, funnel cake, kettle corn, and cotton candy. The “Taste of Fenway” stand will have a menu comprised of different seasonal selection and offerings from Fenway’s restaurants such as the Absolut Clubhouse Burger. The popular Fenway Smokehouse will now have a picnic area by the NESN pre-game stage near Gate D.

Fans can get in on the action to finalize the menu by choosing one of two signature sandwiches: the Monster Roast Beef Sandwich (with sautéed onion and barbecue sausce) and the Turkey Gobble Sandwich (with cranberry sauce, hot stuffing and gravy). Both will be sold throughout the first half of 2011, and you can vote at www.redsox.com/sandwich. The winner at the All-Star Break will be called up to the big show for the rest of the season. The other, presumably, will be sent down to Pawtucket. If I were the Turkey Gobbler, I’d get ready for the chopping block.

Those looking for “lighter fare” will find vegetarian pizza, veggie dogs, and veggie burgers, and chef and garden salads among the new menu items.

Wally’s World. The family-friendly play area launched last July, and it will be back this year for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday home games from the 2nd inning through the 7th inning (weather permitting). Located on Yawkey Way, it includes games, activities and concession items targeted towards children, and an opportunity for kids to see Wally the Green Monster during the 3rd and 4th inning.

Mixed drinks. Finally, now it’s not just the hoi polloi who get to souse themselves on mixed drinks at Fenway. There’s a tentative agreement that could allow the Red Sox to sell mixed drinks at multiple locations throughout the ballpark starting next month. Sales would stop two hours after the game starts (beer sales currently shut down two-and-a-half hours after first pitch). The team said that the alcohol content of the mixed drinks would be no greater than the alcohol content of a beer, so don’t get too excited. While those in premium seats can get straight alcohol, either on the rocks or in shots. The rest of the park will still miss out. And mixed drink concessions will not be located in the bleachers. For some reason I guess they think bleacher creatures have a problem holding their alcohol. Hmm…wonder why.

For more on the changes at Fenway Park, visit the Red Sox web site. Plus, check out The Die-Hard Sports Fan’s Guide to Boston for more on Red Sox history and all you need to know to have a great day at Fenway, from where to eat and drink before and after the game to where to get tickets and autographs, and even how to snag a foul ball and get on TV.

King Philip's War Commemoration on Deer Island

2010-10-26T09:55:00.000-05:00

The history of Deer Island in Boston Harbor abounds with many dark chapters. Over the centuries the isle has been home to a run-down prison, a quarantine station where hundreds of Irish immigrants passed away from contagious diseases contracted on their journeys to America, and a wastewater treatment plant that polluted the harbor.

By far the saddest chapter in Deer Island's past, however, occurred during King Philip's War in 1675 when the Massachusetts Bay Colony forcibly interned hundreds of Native Americans, known as "Praying Indians." Though the Praying Indians had converted to Christianity and pledged their loyalty to the English, the settlers feared they would join in arms with the enemy.

So on the night of October 30, 1675, hundreds of Native Americans from Natick and other "praying towns" around Boston were hurried onto boats along the Charles River in Watertown and ferried to Deer Island. Those interned on Deer Island were given few provisions and suffered great hardships during a brutal winter. They lacked adequate shelter from the bitter cold but were not allowed to cut firewood. Colonial settlers were authorized to kill any Native American found off Deer Island not accompanied by an English guard. John Eliot and Daniel Gookin visited the island in December 1675 and reported, "the island was bleak and cold, their wigwams poor and mean, their clothes few and thin." By the time they were released in May 1676, it is estimated that as many has half of the prisoners died from starvation or exposure.

This Saturday (October 30), members of the Nipmuc tribe and other Native Americans will commemorate the events of 335 years ago by retracing the steps of their ancestors. The commemoration begins at 5 AM with a Sacred Run along Route 16 from the South Natick Dam to Watertown followed by a Sacred Paddle, beginning at 8 AM, in canoes down the Charles River and through Boston Harbor to Deer Island. There will be a Prayer Circle and commemoration on Deer Island beginning at 1 PM.

King Philip's War is an often forgotten piece of Boston--and New England--history, but one that shouldn't be ignored for the lessons that it can teach us. Click here for more information on this weekend's commemoration. There is more about the history of Deer Island and the use of other Boston Harbor Islands as internment sites during King Philip's War in Discovering the Boston Harbor Islands.

Old Racetracks Around Boston

2010-09-27T09:13:00.001-05:00

The Boston Globe had an interesting article last Thursday about the boarded-up buildings in Brighton that were once part of the Charles River Speedway. The speedway was an old race track that once lined the banks of the Charles River west of North Harvard Street and north of Western Avenue. Some of my favorite vintage photographs in the collection of the Boston Public Library are of the chariot races that were once held at the Speedway, which were perhaps fitting given that the Romanesque structure of Harvard Stadium was adjacent to the track and provided an appropriate background.

The Charles River Speedway is gone, but the former stables and headquarters still stand on Western Avenue near the interchange with Soldiers Field Road. Last week Preservation Massachusetts included the track's six standing structures to its annual list of the state's Most Endangered Historical Resources, and hopefully they can preserved and put to use in some capacity.

The remnants of the Charles River Speedway are relics of a bygone time in the late 1800s and early 1900s when horse and harness (and later bicycle, motorbike, and automobile) racing were popular pastimes in Boston, and numerous racetracks dotted the landscape around the city.

During the Victorian era, Boston Brahmins, whose bloodlines could be just as blue as those of champion steeds, enjoyed racing their equines. Racing enthusiasts formed driving clubs and trotting associations all throughout metropolitan Boston, and a host of tracks sprung up where competitors could race horse-drawn vehicles such as buggies, runabouts, and surreys. Crowds as large as 15,000 would fill the grandstands and line the rails of these tracks to watch field days, interclub races, and national championships.

One of the more popular tracks in the city was Beacon Park in Allston, which opened in 1864. The track was also used by Buffalo Bill to stage his Wild West Show when it came to town, and he quartered his buffalo and horses between performances in the nearby Brighton Stockyards. The owners of Beacon Park—Eben Jordan and Charles Marsh of Jordan Marsh fame—sold the land in the 1890s to the Boston & Albany Railroad for conversion to a rail yard that still exists on the site along the Mass Pike.

By the end of the 1800s, harness racing was among the most popular sports in the city and the country, and one of America’s premier tracks—the Readville Trotting Park—opened in the Hyde Park section of Boston in 1896. The oval at the foot of the Blue Hills and along the banks of the Neponset River was one of the most significant harness tracks in the history of the sport, drawing the country’s best owners, trainers, drivers, and horses, including the legendary Dan Patch. An historical marker unveiled in 2007 commemorating Readville Trotting Park is located at the intersection of Neponset Valley Parkway and Meadow Road. A chain-link fence at the end of Hyde Park Avenue marks the old entrance to the track, which was once graced by a magnificent gate replete with Corinthian columns.

The Dorchester Gentlemen’s Driving Club held field days at Readville until a racing oval was built in 1904 at Franklin Field, just off Blue Hill and Talbot Avenues. Two of Boston’s legendary politicians and mayors—James Michael Curley and John F. “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald, grandfather to John F. Kennedy—even participated in trotting races at Franklin Field Speedway.

Even The Country Club in Brookline, best known for hosting the U.S. Open golf tournament, has its roots in horse racing. The club was formed when a group of Boston’s most prominent gentlemen leased Clyde Park, a 100-acre horse farm with a half-mile racetrack and a farmhouse once owned by Daniel Webster.

Other tracks around Boston included the South End Park, Old Cambridge Park in Cambridge, and Mystic Park in South Medford. More about Boston's horse racing heritage can be found in The Die-Hard Sports Fan's Guide to Boston.

Photo courtesy of Boston Public Library

New Visitor Center and Summer Shack on Georges Island

2010-08-04T07:44:00.000-05:00

Last Friday was a beautiful summer day in Boston, a great day to explore the Boston Harbor Islands. In addition to the great weather, I was particularly enthused for this island adventure because it was my first opportunity to check out the brand new visitor center and Summer Shack eatery on Georges Island, home to historic Fort Warren.

After months of construction, the former mine storage building on Georges Island has been transformed into a new visitor center featuring a museum on the ground level. (A gift shop inside the center will open next year.) The museum’s exhibits focus not just on Fort Warren, but more broadly on the history of Boston’s coastal defenses from the birth of the Massachusetts Bay Colony through the Cold War. A number of the museum exhibits focus on a day in the life of the Union soldiers stationed at Fort Warren during the Civil War along with the Confederate prisoners who were held captive there. (Perhaps I missed it, but one subject I didn’t see covered was the fort’s infamous ghost—the Lady in Black.)

One of the most interesting items on display is a dinner table featuring six plates of food representing typical meals for the Confederate prisoners of war and the Union soldiers, varying by rank. Contrary to our modern-day concept of POWs, some of the Confederate prisoners dined much more sumptuously than their Union captors.

No doubt both Union and Confederate soldiers would have enjoyed the fare now being served on the island by the new outpost of Jasper White’s Summer Shack. The menu includes lobster rolls, fried shrimp, fried clams, and other summertime favorites. A new open-air pavilion offers great views of the Boston skyline along with a shady place to chill out.

There’s also a new children’s playground area that’s constructed to look like a section of the granite fort. Toddlers might enjoy the slide and peering out the narrow windows of the structure like one of the island’s former residents, but its features are limited compared to other city playgrounds.

After exploring the inside of Fort Warren, take a seat in one of the new teak Adirondack chairs that look out on Boston Harbor and some of the other islands. The captivating views are appropriate for this former island prison.

Go to the Boston Harbor Islands web site for ferry tickets to Georges Island, and be sure to tote along your copy of Discovering the Boston Harbor Islands for a full history of Fort Warren.

2010 Boston Light Swim

2010-08-03T17:14:00.001-05:00

The Boston Marathon may be the city's most revered sporting tradition, but it's not the only storied endurance race that draws elite athletes to Boston from all over the globe. On August 14, an elite group of swimmers will compete in the Boston Light Swim, an eight-mile race across Boston Harbor.

Despite its name, there’s nothing “light” about the effort to complete the swim. The moniker comes from the starting location for the race, historic Boston Light on Little Brewster Island. After battling powerful cross-currents, boat traffic, and strong gusts of wind (but no sharks), the swimmers will finish at the L Street Bathhouse in South Boston where they will need to warm up as the harbor waters, even in August, can be quite chilly and wet suits are not allowed. This is old school stuff.

The Boston Light Swim dates from the early 1900s and is the “Granddaddy of American Open-Water Swims.” When 15-year-old Rose Pitonof (pictured) completed the swim in 1910, it took her 6 hours and 50 minutes. (The story of Rose's historic swim is detailed in Discovering the Boston Harbor Islands.) Depending on weather conditions, most swimmers these days take between three and six hours to complete the course, although the race record is under two-and-a-half hours.

While the swimmers must battle the elements, thankfully, they no longer have to brave a heavily polluted harbor. Along their route, swimmers pass Georges and Rainsford Islands, go underneath the Long Island Bridge, and cross between Thompson and Spectacle Islands. Too bad they won’t have much chance to soak in the scenery of the Boston Harbor Islands.

Many swimmers in the past have used this swim to prepare for an English Channel crossing. But if you’re more at home in the comfort of the kiddie side of the pool—or prefer to stay dry altogether—you can still participate in the Boston Light Swim by serving on support boats that offer food, drink, and lots of encouragement to the swimmers. Race organizers always need escort boats for swimmers with captains who know Boston Harbor and have seaworthy motorboats. All escort boat volunteers will receive $300 directly from the swimmer and an event T-shirt. For more information, visit the Boston Light Swim web site.

While you’re there, check out the race’s colorful history. I love the photo of 1908 competitor Annette Kellerman being arrested on a Boston beach the year before for wearing a men’s one-piece swimsuit.

A Fan's Guide to Patriots Training Camp 2010

2010-07-26T10:40:00.000-05:00

Are you ready for some football? With the battered and bruised Red Sox (Black and Blue Sox would be a truer nickname) in a mid-summer swoon, I'm certainly ready.

The boys of autumn will be strapping on the pads as training camp for the New England Patriots begins on Thursday, July 29 and runs through mid-August. Here are some tips to make your trip to Patriots training camp more enjoyable:

Where: Patriots training camp is held on the practice fields next to Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.

Schedule: The tentative schedule calls for two-a-day practices for the opening days of training camp with practices from 9:30 to 11:15 AM and 3:45 to 5:30 PM from July 29 to August 4. (Note that only a 9:30 AM practice is scheduled on Monday, August 2 that is open to the public. The team is scheduled to hold a practice inside Gillette Stadium for season ticketholders on August 2 at 7 PM.)

Based on past years, you can lay good odds that the schedule is going to change (either that or Coach Belichick is really going to work these guys from the get go). The schedule is always tentative based on the desires of the coaching staff and oftentimes the weather. Therefore, if you're interested in going to see practice, by all means check the schedule on the Patriots web site and double-check it by calling the team's hot line at 508-549-0001.

Parking: The practice is free to attend, and the parking is free as well. (Yes, I said it, "Free.") Parking is along the west side of the stadium, and it's a short walk over to the fields. From US 1, enter the parking lots at P8 from the south and P6 from the north. Lots open an hour before each practice.

Seating: There are bleachers along the side of one practice field on which to sit. Another popular spot is on the hillside that lies behind the end zones of the practice fields and in front of the stadium. Wherever you sit, you're pretty close to the action. If you have a camera with a good zoom lens, you should get some good shots.

Food and Drink: There are concession stands that sell food, drinks, and beer. Be prepared to pay normal stadium prices for food and beverages, however, if you buy it there. Adjoining Patriot Place has plenty of restaurants and bars where you can get a meal, too. (For a good, cheap meal, I highly recommend Five Guys Burgers at Patriot Place.)

For the Kids: Along the west side of the stadium during Training Camp is the Patriots Experience, filled with interactive games that allow young fans to test their kicking, passing, and tackling skills on a variety of obstacle courses, football tosses, and other similar challenges. It's a popular draw for families. (All fans participating in Patriots Experience must sign a waiver form, available at training camp or online at the Patriots web site.) Note that the hours for the Patriots Experience are not the same as the practice schedule; so check the web site. (In general, the hours are usually 11-4.) Kids will also enjoy all the interactive exhibits at the Hall at Patriot Place. Even if you don't have kids, a visit to this museum dedicated to the Patriots franchise is an absolute must for Pats fans.

Scoring Autographs: The players enter and leave the field near the hillside, so it's a good spot to get autographs, and a designated group of players, which rotates from practice to practice, will often sign along the front row of the bleachers when practice is over.

With as many as 80 players on the field, plenty of new faces, and uniforms without names on the back, it may be tough knowing who you are watching, so print out a roster from the Patriots web site before you go or pick up a complimentary roster from the Patriots Football Weekly tent.

For more tips on enhancing your experience at Patriots Training Camp--and for all the information you'd ever want to know about spectator sports around Boston--check out The Die-Hard Sports Fan's Guide to Boston.

Boston Harbor Islands Photograph Exhibition

2010-07-19T11:03:00.000-05:00

I'm very excited that an exhibition featuring my photographs of the Boston Harbor Islands national park area has opened at the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse on Fan Pier in Boston. The photographs are on display in the second floor atrium through September 30.

The setting for the exhibition, with picturesque views of Boston Harbor through the courthouse's huge windows, is fantastic and ties in perfectly to the theme of the exhibition. The photographs in the exhibition highlight the islands' natural beauty, wildlife, and recreational offerings along with some of their historic structures, such as lighthouses, cottages, cemeteries, and ruins of military forts and lavish estates.

Many of the photographs in the exhibition are featured in the pages of my book Discovering the Boston Harbor Islands, which offers historical narratives and contemporary portraits of each of the 34 islands and coastal peninsulas in the Boston Harbor Islands national park area.

To see the photographs of the Boston Harbor Islands that are on display, click here. If you are interested in purchasing any prints of my Boston Harbor Islands photographs, e-mail me.

The Moakley Courthouse is open to the public on weekdays between 8 AM and 6 PM. A picture ID is required to enter the courthouse.

Book Review: A City So Grand

2010-07-14T13:38:00.000-05:00

I'm a big fan of Stephen Puleo's book Dark Tide, a riveting account of Boston's great molasses flood of 1919. I was very happy to see that Dark Tide has been selected by Boston.com readers as the first title for its online book club. Dark Tide was voted ahead of other great books of local interest, some of which were written by big-name authors, so it's a testament to the quality of Puleo's writing and the engaging nature of his story-telling.

So, I was naturally interested in reading Puleo's new book, A City So Grand. The book chronicles the history of Boston in the second half of the nineteenth century and the incredible technological, social, and political innovations that were first pioneered in the city and later altered America. Puleo begins his tale with an account of the return of the runaway slave Thomas Sims from Boston to the South in 1851 and uses that event to detail the leading role that Bostonians, in particular Charles Sumner, played in the abolitionist movement. The book discusses the city's role in events that transformed America, such as the Civil War and the massive influx of Irish immigrants, as well as Boston's Great Fire of 1872 and the creation of the Back Bay. There are also large segments devoted to the creation of the first subway in America and Alexander Graham Bell's invention of the telephone in his little workshop in Boston.

What I found really interesting were Puleo's passages describing the pageantry of great city-wide celebrations such as the Great Railroad Jubilee of 1851 and the Great Peace Jubilee in 1869, which drew attendees from all around the world. I had never heard of these events before so it was really eye-opening.

Puleo could have written another 320 pages about Boston's history between 1850 and 1900 and not run out of stories. Personally, I would have enjoyed reading more about the pioneering role of Bostonians such as John L. Sullivan and George and Harry Wright in sports in the late 1800s. The sports-crazy city that we live in today was born during the time period covered by Puleo. I grant you, though, this is just a personal bias.

While the book is a great read, I couldn't help but feel a little melancholy about the Boston of today compared to the Boston of the 1800s. The list of achievements by Bostonians back then seem to surpass our contributions to American life today. Back then, Bostonians literally moved mountains to resculpt the city, filling in waterways and creating the Back Bay. Puleo writes that the Great Coliseum, 500 feet long and 300 feet wide, that held 50,000 people for the Great Peace Jubilee was built in just 90 days. 90 days!

Boston still plays a leading role in science, technology, and education. In the last 20 years, Boston has had some notable achievements such as the cleanup of Boston Harbor and the Big Dig, but even while the Big Dig was an engineering marvel it was a long, protracted project and not necessarily a source of pride. These days, we can't even stage an event such as the Parade of Tall Ships without constant bickering and political infighting. There's a huge hole festering in Downtown Crossing where the old Filene's building, a Boston institution, once stood. I fear that it's becoming a symbol of a can't-do spirit in the city. Could Boston build the Great Coliseum in just 90 days today? I doubt it.

Puleo touches on the contrast between yesterday and today in A City So Grand: "Long before the frustrations of our modern era, in which the notion of accomplishing great things often appears overwhelming or even impossible, Boston distinguished itself in the last half of the nineteenth century by proving it could tackle and overcome the most arduous of the challenges and obstacels with repeated--and often resounding--success, becoming a city of vision and destiny."

Puleo includes this quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson in the book: "Boston commands attention as the town which was appointed in the destiny of nations to lead the civilization of North America." My question is: Can we say the same today?

Where to Watch the World Cup in Boston

2010-06-14T08:59:00.001-05:00

Well, the World Cup kicked off on Friday in South Africa, and the world's premier soccer tournament is now in full swing. Given the time difference, while many Bostonians are prying the sleep from their eyes, supporters clad in national colors and uniforms are chanting, singing, and rooting on their squads from thousands of miles away.

I understand that many Boston sports fans, myself included, rank soccer behind the four major American sports on the list of their favorite pastimes, so if you really want to get into the games and catch the real flavor of the event, forget about watching the games in your house. You've got to get to a local bar or establishment to watch the games with fans who have a real passion for the sport.

I've seen some lists of places to watch the World Cup in Boston that include local sports bars such as Game On! Forget about those places. This is one of those times to bypass the city's great sports bars. No doubt they've got great TVs, but you've got to go to places where soccer is shown all year long, not just once every four years. Head to the North End to see Italy play, head to Allston to see Brazil. Forget about Lansdowne Street and get out to the city's neighborhoods.

Here are some of the best places we list in The Die-Hard Sports Fan's Guide to Boston to watch soccer in the Hub:

Phoenix Landing, 512 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge. 617-576-6260

Cafe Brazil, 421 Cambridge Street, Allston. 617-789-5980

Midwest Grill, 1124 Cambridge Street, Cambridge. 617-354-7536

Cafe Belo. Multiple locations

Caffe dello Sport, 308 Hanover Street, North End. 617-523-5063

Caffe Paradiso, 255 Hanover Street, North End. 617-742-1768

Caffe Graffiti, 64 Cross Street, North End. 617-367-3016

The Green Briar, 304 Washington Street, Brighton. 617-789-4100

The Banshee, 934 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester. 617-436-9747

McGann's, 197 Portland Street, Boston. 617-227-4059

PJ Ryan's, 239 Holland Street, Somerville. 617-625-8200

Fenway Park Article

2010-05-21T11:04:00.001-05:00

For my latest article for ESPN.com, I profile Fenway Park. There's been some scuttlebutt that the consecutive sellout streak that dates back to 2003 could be in jeopardy this season. The slow start out of the gate didn't help, but it should be safe at least until September depending on how the season goes.

A Boston Sports History Refresher for Mayor Menino

2010-05-11T14:51:00.003-05:00

It's no secret that Boston Mayor Tom Menino has always had a somewhat uneasy relationship with the English language. After all, hizzoner's verbal gaffes are so common that they have spawned a web site.

Yesterday's verbal fumbles at the dedication of a new statue of Bobby Orr at the TD Garden, however, were particularly newsworthy. After setting his audience up for a walk down memory lane, the mayor started to name, in his words, some "ionic" Boston sports moments. (The electrocution of Patriots coach Clive Rush at his introductory press conference is the only truly "ionic" moment I can recall.) “Havlicek stole the ball, Fisk waiving the ball fair, Flutie launching the Hail Mary pass, Varitek splitting the uprights.”

Oops.

The official scorer rules that an "error."

Of course, it was Adam Vinatieri who kicked the winning field goal in Super Bowl XXXVI and Super Bowl XXXVIII.

Bostonians wouldn't care if the mayor messed up talking about, say, policy, but a mistake about the city's beloved sports teams, well, that's definitely unforgivable. Not the first time local politicians have gotten themselves some press for faulty recollections of Boston sports. Martha Coakley's slur against Curt Schilling, calling him a "Yankee fan," was major campaign news, and John Kerry's praise of Red Sox slugger "Manny Ortiz" won't soon be forgotten. They're all the oral equivalents of Dukakis in a tank.

But there's good news for Mayor Menino and all Massachusetts politicians who need a refresher on Boston sports history to enhance their credentials with the electorate. I'll be giving a lecture on The History of Sports in Boston tomorrow night (May 12) at 8 PM at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education. Click here for more information and to register. Hope to see you there, Mr. Mayor.

The Babe in Boston

2010-04-22T10:04:00.013-05:00

April 16 marked the 75th anniversary of Babe Ruth's final Opening Day in the major leagues. While many baseball fans know that Ruth began his major league career in Boston, as a member of the Red Sox, far fewer know that the Sultan of Swat wrapped up his epic career in Boston as well. But not as a member of the Red Sox, but as a member of the National League Boston Braves.

The Babe's skills had deteriorated markedly by 1935 and showed only faint glimmers of his legendary power. (Hopefully we're not seeing the same twilight of a career with struggling David Ortiz right now.) Ruth would not last the season in Boston, playing in 28 games before retiring.

If, like most baseball fans, you are intrigued by the Babe and want to explore some sights connected to the Big Bam, there are a few places to check out around Boston--and the entire Northeast. Click here for an article I wrote for ESPN.com on a Babe Ruth road trip. More about the Ruthian landmarks around Boston (including a Worcester watering hole with a Babe connection) is contained in The Die-Hard Sports Fan's Guide to Boston.

The "Real" Shutter Islands

2010-02-16T12:17:00.007-05:00

If you've been watching television the last few weeks, you may have seen commercials previewing the movie “Shutter Island,” which will be released on February 19. “Shutter Island” has a lot of star power behind it. Martin Scorsese directs. Leonardo DiCaprio is in the lead. And the story is based on the novel by Boston’s own Dennis Lehane, who also wrote Mystic River and Gone Baby Gone.

The movie unfolds on a fictitious island in Boston Harbor that’s home to the Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane. While Shutter Island may be fictitious, Lehane’s setting was inspired by the real-life history and uses of the Boston Harbor Islands. And in some cases, the truth is stranger than fiction.

While the Boston Harbor Islands have always been gateways to the city—the first pieces of land spied by visitors sailing or flying into the city—they have also been treated as Boston’s backyard—a place to dump and sequester undesirable people and material unwanted in the city proper. Many islands were home to reformatories, poorhouses, prisons, and, yes, psychiatric hospitals. This was particularly true in the 1800s as Victorian-era social institutions were created and moved to the last pieces of open land, the islands, as the city population exploded.

Dating as far back as 1717, islands (including Spectacle, Rainsford, Long, and Deer) were used as quarantine stations, which protected the city from outbreaks of smallpox and other deadly, contagious diseases. Many victims of those diseases died on the islands, and today these forgotten cemeteries are as common as the ruins of old military installations.

These isles are among the stories of the "real" Shutter Islands profiled inDiscovering the Boston Harbor Islands:

On Rainsford Island, the old quarantine station was converted to an almshouse in 1852 and a home for Civil War veterans following the end of the conflict. Between 1895 and 1920, Rainsford Island hosted the House of Reformation (renamed the Suffolk School for Boys in the early 1900s). Ruins of some of the institutional buildings can still be seen on Rainsford Island along with inscriptions carved into the seaside cliffs by former resident physicians of the island.

Thompson Island was home to the Boston Farm School in 1833. It soon merged with the Boston Asylum for Indigent Boys, which was founded in the wake of the War of 1812 to care for boys left orphaned and destitute by the fighting. The institution became a farm and trade school at the turn of the twentieth century. The islands is now owned by Outward Bound, but visitors are welcome on summer weekends.

Bumpkin Island was home to a children's hospital built in 1902 by Albert Cameron Burrage, one of Boston's wealthiest men. (He owned the chateau-style mansion at 314 Commonwealth Avenue, which still stands in the Back Bay.) The hospital provided care and treatment for poor children with physical disabilities. It held as many as 150 children during the summer months. The island can be accessed by public ferry, and you can still see the rubbled ruins of the hospital.

A hospital and quarantine station were built on Deer Island in the late 1840s to handle the massive influx of Irish immigrants during the Great Famine. Nearly 5,000 of those who arrived on the "coffin ships" between 1847 and 1850 were quarantined on the island, and 800 passed away. The island was also used as an almshouse, house of industry, school for paupers, and house of reformation. From the 1880s to 1981, Deer Island was a veritable Atlantic Alcatraz, home to prisons and the Suffolk House of Corrections. Deer Island, which is attached to the tip of Winthrop, can be visited year-round, and there is a small parking lot and walking trails.

Long Island is the one island still continuing the institutional tradition of the harbor islands. Off-limits to the public, Long Island is home to more than a dozen human-service programs, ranging from addiction treatment centers to homeless shelters. The large institutional complex in the middle of the island includes some dilapidated and shuttered buildings, including an old safe house, that would certainly spark the imagination of any thriller writer.

While Peddocks Island was not home to any social institutions, the ruins and brick buildings of defunct Fort Andrews were used as filming locations for "Shutter Island." Public ferries in the summertime serve Peddocks Island, so you can check it out for yourself.

For more information on the institutional uses of the harbor islands and visitor information, consult Discovering the Boston Harbor Islands.

Kick off your weekend with free museum admissions

2010-02-02T16:25:00.004-05:00

Super Bowl fever isn’t exactly contagious in New England right now, with the Patriots having bowed out of the playoffs weeks ago. But now that you don’t have to plan that big Super Bowl spread or sit in front of the television to catch the fourteen-hour pre-game show, you might have some free time on your hands this weekend.

And if you’re a Bank of America cardholder, you’ll be able to spend your free time at some free attractions across New England. This weekend (and for the first full weekend of each month of 2010 through September), any cardholder who shows their Bank of America ATM, credit, or debit card at select museums will get free general admission. It’s part of Bank of America’s Museums on Us campaign.

These are the 13 participating locations in New England:

Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art (Hartford, CT)
Mashantucket Pequot Museum (Mashantucket, CT) (note: closed on Sunday)
Stepping Stones Museum for Children (Norwalk, CT)
Farnsworth Art Museum (Rockland, ME)
Museum of Fine Arts (Boston, MA)
Harvard Museum of Natural History (Cambridge, MA)
Danforth Museum of Art (Framingham, MA)
DeCordova Sculpture Park + Museum (Lincoln, MA)
EcoTarium (Worcester, MA)
Currier Museum of Art (Manchester, NH)
Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art (Providence, RI)
Providence Children’s Museum (Providence, RI)
Museum of Work and Culture (Woonsocket, RI)

Even if you're still planning to watch the big game on Sunday, whether to root for or against a team or to check out the commercials, you can still make it out to one of these local museums and be home in time for kickoff. Click here for more details on the Museums on Us campaign.

Turn Your Backyard into Fenway Park

2010-01-25T15:22:00.002-05:00

Can't say I'm shocked by this story. Sports Illustrated reports that you can now purchase a bag of grass seed that has a similar Kentucky Bluegrass and perennial ryegrass mix as the seed used on the Fenway Park turf. Sort of a Carl Spackler special. You can also get mixes used at Wrigley Field, the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati, Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, and Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Apparently, the Pittsburgh Pirates grass seed mix was too costly and traded for two bags of peat moss to be named later.

Here's the real shock: The Red Sox haven't licensed the field green paint color made by California Paints that is used to paint the Green Monster. Seems like that would have been a no-brainer in the never-ending quest for "ancillary" income.

See the Boston Harbor Islands in Winter

2010-01-12T14:35:00.006-05:00

There may not be a better place in the city to escape the heat and humidity than the Boston Harbor Islands national park area. While Bostonians can only dream of T-shirts and flip-flops right now, the islands are still fascinating places to explore, even in the dead of winter.

If you're used to seeing the islands covered with lush greens, it's striking to now see them under a fresh blanket of snow. And you might catch a new cast of characters who aren't commonly found around the islands the summer months, such as white and brown seals.

The Island Alliance is sponsoring a rare wintertime chance to get out among the Boston Harbor Islands this Saturday, January 16. A winter wildlife watch cruise aboard the Voyager III will take visitors around the outer islands, Hingham Bay, and Weir River estuary. Park rangers and experienced birders will lead the tour. The boat has both heated, enclosed areas and a deck for viewing.

The boat departs from the Quincy Shipyard at 10:15 AM and Boston's Long Wharf at 11 AM. The cost is $14 per person. Reservations are strongly encouraged. For tickets, call Boston's Best Cruises at 617-770-0040 or click here. The Friends of the Boston Harbor Islands are also selling tickets. If you can't make this date, there will be a cruise to Spectacle Island on February 20.

Matthews Arena Turning 100

2010-01-06T15:43:00.003-05:00

Northeastern University's Matthews Arena is one of the hidden jewels of the Boston sports scene. If you long for the old Boston Garden, check out a hockey game at Matthews Arena. Walk inside and you'll feel as if you've been transported back to the old Garden. There's an overhanging balcony, exposed pipes, and intimate sight lines (for hockey, not necessarily basketball). In my opinion, the front row of the balcony, which nearly hovers over the ice, is the best seat you'll find from which to watch a college hockey game.

Despite its throwback atmosphere, Matthews Arena doesn't get as much love as you would expect in this tradition-laden town. But think about this if you're part of the Fenway Faithful: Matthews Arena opened its doors on April 16, 1910. That's two years before the ballyard on Yawkey Way opened for business. Hopefully, the impending centennial will spark a greater appreciation for the oldest artificial ice arena in the world. It's the lead for an article I just wrote for ESPN.com profiling the oldest college hockey arenas in Division I. Click here to read the ESPN article.

Get a Sneak Peek of the Fenway Park Hockey Rink

2009-12-11T08:36:00.004-05:00

Great article by Fluto Shinzawa in The Boston Globe yesterday describing how the rink for the 2010 Winter Classic is going to be built at Fenway Park. Want to peek in on the progress? The NHL has set up a webcam on their web site where you can get a view from the press box of the rink being built in the shadow of the Green Monster and the Citgo Sign. Pretty neat. In another item connected to the Winter Classic, more events related to the New Year's Day game have just been announced.

Winter Wonderland at Fenway

2009-12-02T12:00:00.005-05:00

The highlight of Boston’s 2010 sporting calendar may take place just mere hours after the dawn of the new year when the Boston Bruins and Philadelphia Flyers take to the ice at Fenway Park for the NHL Winter Classic. The January 1 tilt is a throwback to the days when the city’s hockey nuts fashioned sticks from hickory trees and flooded Franklin Field and Boston Common to create outdoor ice sheets.

Not surprisingly demand for tickets to the sold-out New Year’s Day tilt is off the charts, but die-hard sports fans shut out—or priced out —from the Winter Classic still have a chance to watch some hockey in the shadow of the Green Monster.

On Jan. 2, Bruins greats and celebrities will skate in the Boston Bruins AT&T Legends Classic with proceeds benefiting various charities. Cam Neely, Terry O’Reilly, Johnny “Pie” McKenzie, Ken Hodge, and Rick Middleton are among the Bruins alumni who will take to the ice alongside celebrities including Denis Leary and Tim Robbins. Tickets range from $10 to $25 and are available at BostonBruins.com, Ticketmaster locations, and the TD Garden Box Office.

There will be a Hockey East doubleheader at Fenway on Jan. 8 featuring a women’s game between UNH and Northeastern followed by a showdown between the men of BU and BC. Tickets are sold out, but alumni groups are holding some parties in nearby bars, such as the pre-game rally being held by BU at Tequila Rain.

If you’re envious of the players skating on the Fenway infield, you have a chance to join them. While there are intentions to hold a public skate before the ice melts, the Red Sox Foundation has just announced a raffle with a chance to be one of 75 fans to join a group skate on Jan. 9. Tickets are $10 and benefit the Red Sox Foundation’s Home Base Program for injured veterans.

If you're heading to Fenway for any of the games and looking for a good place to take the chill off, The Die-Hard Sports Fan's Guide to Boston has listings of dozens of places to eat and drink around Fenway.

UPDATE: The NHL has just announced plans for a free fan festival on December 31 and January 1 to be located at the parking lot at Brookline Avenue and Yawkey Way. There will be air hockey and bubble hockey tables, photo opportunities, and a beverage tent. Fans can also shoot pucks through tires (it's sponsored by Bridgestone) and live goalies. Sounds like some other corporate giveaways will be there along with interview of Bruins alumni and musical performances. It's open 11 am-4pm on December 31 and 9am-1pm on January 1.

Holiday Gift Ideas for Boston Sports Fans

2009-11-27T08:58:00.005-05:00

Happy Black Friday everyone! If you're looking for a gift for that hard-to-please Boston sports fan, here are some ideas. (Added bonus: You can do all your shopping from the comfort of your own house and leave those crowds behind.)

1. The Die-Hard Sports Fan's Guide to Boston. This 270-page book is a must-have for that Boston sports fan in your life. Part history, part guidebook, The Die-Hard Sports Fan's Guide to Boston is packed with "I didn't know that" facts about Boston sports (did you know Benjamin Franklin swam in the Charles as a young boy growing up in Boston and is now in the International Swimming Hall of Fame?) and practical information that fans need to have a great time at spectator sporting events in and around Boston. The book covers 25 different sports (from baseball and football to Aussie Rules football and polo) and includes information on the city's professional, college, high school, and amateur sports scene. Get all the information on getting tickets, best places to sit, stadium concessions, where to eat and drink before the game, best places to score autographs, even how to save some money or go crazy and splurge. Plus, there are profiles of Boston's best sports bars, a listing of Boston-friendly sports bars around the world (from Manhattan to Kyoto), a sports-themed walking tour of downtown Boston, and even ideas for Boston sports road trips. Available from Amazon.com, bn.com, and local bookstores like Back Pages Books in Waltham.

2. Boston sports T-shirts. There are some really creative T-shirts being made by some local companies. I just picked up this cool "Blizzard of 59" T-shirt from Sully's. Sully's has lots of other great T's supporting the local pro teams or taking a knock at arch enemies (really like the shirt that says "I Hate Peyton Manning" on the front and takes a shot at Eli on the back). If you want to celebrate obscure Boston sports franchises, head over to Ebbets Field Flannels. They have T-shirts with logos for the Boston Beaneaters (Player's League baseball team from 1890), the Boston Shamrocks (a football team from the 1930s that played at Fenway), and the Boston Wonder Workers (a soccer team from the 1920s that played at the old South End Grounds). Really unique stuff. Click here for the Boston shirts.

3. Tickets. If you'd rather not buy any more "stuff," get some tickets for your sports fan. If money is no object, pick up some tickets to the Winter Classic at Fenway Park from a local ticket agency. The Bruins will skate there against the Flyers on New Years Day. If the price is too steep, Bruins legends will take to the ice the following day to raise money for charity. Red Sox tickets will be even more expensive this year. The first tickets go on sale December 12. For cheap ticket options, check out season tickets for the Boston Blazers lacrosse (starting at $80), the Boston Breakers women's soccer team (starting at $165), and Boston University basketball ($78).

RIP, Northeastern Football

2009-11-23T11:36:00.005-05:00

Very sad to read the news on the front page of this morning's Boston Globe that Northeastern University has decided to fold up its football program after 74 seasons.

There's no arguing with the point made by Dan Shaughnessy in today's sports section that Boston is first and foremost a professional sports town with much of the fan and media interest focused on the Sox, Pats, Bruins, and Celtics. Still, what makes Boston such a bountiful place for the die-hard sports fan is the plethora of college, high school, and amateur sporting events that are infused with an organic crowd energy and lack the overwrought "game presentation" (see T-shirt tosses, noise meters, thunderstix, etc.) that can make the action on the field a secondary consideration at some professional games. Leaving aside the matter of whether the move was justified or not by the university, losing another one of these options means a less vibrant sports scene for Boston fans.

Northeastern football didn't have the history of Harvard, Boston College, or even Boston University (which canned football in 1997), and its off-campus location at Parsons Field made it difficult to draw the student body. But Northeastern football offered one of the few accessible, affordable, and family-friendly options for pigskin fans. Parsons Field is just a short walk from the Green Line, and parents could wheel their strollers right through the gates and right up to the bleachers--something that's not an option at the other Division 1 college venues.

As Shaughnessy writes about today, Parsons Field was "never a destination for big-time football buffs" and its most historic moment may have been when Babe Ruth played there with neighborhood kids. To me, though, Parsons Field had some quirks that made it a unique college football venue. You could stand right along the fence behind the east end zone and watch the goaline action from a unique vantage point. I enjoyed watching the field goals and extra points sailing through the uprights and landing on the roof of the long, squat field house (or perhaps clear it completely) behind the end zone. Kids would have fun waiting for the ball to roll down off the roof of the house, probably like many backyard Nerf football games across New England. There was also a statue of the university's mascot, King Husky, keeping perpetual guard to the field house.

It's a shame, too, that the news wasn't announced until the season was over so that the football program could have received a proper send-off at Parsons Field from the fans. If you want to take a (now nostalgic) look at Northeastern football, there's a section in the football chapter of The Die-Hard Sports Fan's Guide to Boston.

George Washington Really Did Sleep Here, Day 17

2009-11-07T10:31:00.002-05:00

A cranky George Washington hit the road from his Watertown accommodations, which he was not too fond of, early on the morning of Friday, November 6, 1789. This day would be his last full day traveling through Massachusetts on his way back to the capital of New York City. The weather was threatening. The president wrote in his diary that he left Watertown "under great appearances of Rain or Snow."

The president's disposition wasn't much better this day. He was a little steamed at having to stay in Watertown, rather than in Waltham, in the first place, let alone in his subpar accommodations. In his diary for November 6, the president dispels any notions that the difficulty of navigating roads around Boston is a modern phenomenon and then he goes off on the inability of Bay Staters to give proper directions: "The Roads in every part of this State are amazingly crooked, to suit the convenience of every Mans fields; & the directions you receive from the People equally blind & ignorant; for instead of going to Watertown from Lexington, if we had proceeded to Waltham we should in 13 Miles have saved at least Six; the distance from Lexington to Waltham being only 5 Miles and the Road from Watertown to Sherburn going within less than two miles of the latter (i.e. Waltham)."

Back on the crooked roads, the presidential party passed through Needham before stopping in Sherborn for breakfast after covering 14 miles. Luckily, the skies brightened (although we can't be sure the same could be said of the president). Washington then crossed through Holliston, Milford, and Mendon before settling in for the night in Uxbridge.

In a case of Washington (Almost) Slept Here, the presidential party was turned away at the first place it tried to stop for the night. Washington wrote in his diary: "The House in Uxbridge had a good external appearance (for a Tavern) but the owner of it being from home, and the wife sick, we could not gain admittance." A National Park Service brochure identifies that tavern as the Ammidon Tavern, which still stands on Main Street in Mendon.

Being turned away at the Ammidon, Washington stayed instead at the Samuel Taft House in North Uxbridge. (President William Howard Taft would later visit his ancestral home as well in 1909.) The president's review of the Taft house wasn't overwhelming in his diary: "though the people were obliging, the entertainment was not very inviting." However, Washington must have been very smitten by the Tafts, since two days after his stay he penned the following to the family and included some gifts: "Being informed that you have given my name to one of your Sons, and called another after Mrs. Washington's family. And being moreover very much pleased with the modest and innocent looks of your two daughters Patty and Polly I do, for these reasons, send each of these Girls a piece of chintz. And to Patty, who bears the name of Mrs. Washington, and who waited more upon us than Polly did, I send five guineas, with which she may buy herself any little ornaments she may want, or she may dispose of them in any other manner more agreeable to herself. As I do not give these things with a view to have it talked of, or even to its being known, the less there is said about the matter the better you will please me; but that I may be sure the chintz and money have got safe to hand, let Patty, who I dare say is equal to it, write me a line informing me thereof directed to 'The President of the United States at New York."

Washington left the Tafts early on the morning of November 7, before sunrise. After passing through the Douglas woods, the president had left Massachusetts, nearly three weeks after he first passed through Agawam. I hope you've enjoyed reading about the first presidential visit to the Bay State. Many more presidents would follow George Washington's lead in the centuries to come finding Massachusetts a welcoming place to visit. Alas, the roads may not have gotten that much better since George's time.

George Washington Really Did Sleep Here, Day 16

2009-11-06T14:51:00.004-05:00

George Washington woke up the morning of November 5, 1789, in Haverhill, Massachusetts. In his diary, the president called the town and the area along the Merrimack River "a beautiful part of the Country."

Around sunrise, Washington took a ferry across the Merrimack and traveled through Bradford before arriving in Andover (my hometown, hooray!). He had breakfast at the Abbot Tavern, which still stands at 70 Elm Street. Supposedly, the innkeeper's daughter Priscilla received a kiss on the cheek from the president for repairing his riding glove. (The tavern was later Andover's first post office.) While in Andover, Washington visited the house of Samuel Phillips, who was then Massachusetts Senate President. He was also the father of Samuel Phillips, Jr., the founder of Phillips Andover Academy, which was established in 1778. (One of the large buildings on campus is named in Washington's honor.) According to some accounts, Washington addressed Phillips students on horseback before leaving town.

Phillips accompanied Washington through Billerica and the president was very impressed with the scenery on his entire route through the Merrimack Valley, writing: "The Country from Haverhill to Andover is good, and well cultivated. In and about the latter (which stands high) it is beautiful. A Mile or two from it you descend into a pine level pretty Sandy, and mixed with Swamps; through which you ride several Miles till you begin to ascend the heights on which the Town of Bellarika stands, which is also pleasantly situated 10 Miles from Andover."

In 1896, the Billerica Historical Society affixed a plaque to the trunk of a massive oak tree along Boston Road in Billerica that stood from the day Washington passed through in 1789. Unfortunately the tree was felled in 1985 by Hurricane Gloria. An historical marker commemorating the "Washington Oak" now stands diagonally across from the Billerica Museum on Route 3A in Billerica. (The museum has another plaque that commemorates the visit.)

Washington stopped in Lexington to dine at the Munroe Tavern and to pay his respects at the Battle Green, or what he referred to in his diary as "the Spot on which the first blood was spilt in the dispute with great Britain on the 19th. of April 1775." (Again, as on October 26, Washington uses the word "dispute.") The Munroe Tavern, operated by the Lexington Historical Society, is open to the public, and the room where Washington dined has been preserved. The society is in possession of the chair that Washington sat in along with a 20th century painting depicting his visit.

The president continued on from Lexington to Watertown, where he spent the night at the tavern kept by the widow of Nathaniel Coolidge near the bridge from Watertown Square. The site of the tavern along Galen Street is now home to the MBTA's Watertown Yard, where numerous bus lines terminate. A plaque near the bus stop commemorates the tavern.

Washington noted in his diary that the Coolidge Tavern was a "very indifferent one." Ouch. That couldn't have been good for business. Good thing for the widow Coolidge that GWashington couldn't post that review on TripAdvisor.

TOMORROW: The last full day in Massachusetts.

George Washington Really Did Sleep Here, Day 15

2009-11-04T23:49:00.005-05:00

George Washington hit the road again on November 4, 1789, to continue his presidential tour of New England. According to some accounts, Washington intended to proceed from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to Vermont only to be dissuaded by reports of poor weather (gee, in November?) So instead, Washington headed to Exeter, New Hampshire, before starting his southern journey back to the capital city of New York. Whatever the reason for Washington's change of plans, it was a blessing to the citizens of Haverhill, Massachusetts, who would end up having the president of the United State spending a night in their town.

Washington left Portsmouth at 7:30 a.m., and it was a much different scene from his grand entrance into town. The president wrote in his diary that he left "quietly & without any attendance, having earnestly entreated that all parade & ceremony might be avoided on my return."

At 10 a.m., George Washington entered the town of Exeter. The president noted in his diary that "a jealousy subsists between this Town (where the Legislature alternately sits) and Portsmouth, which, had I known it in time, would have made it necessary to have accepted an Invitation to a Public dinner, but my arrangements having been otherwise made I could not." Washington stopped at the Folsom Tavern in Exeter, which was built around 1775 by Colonel Samuel Folsom. When Washington visited it, the tavern stood on the corner of what is now Front and Water streets. The tavern building has actually moved around a few times over the centuries and today stands on Water Street, where it is open to the public as part of the American Independence Museum. (On November 7, Washington will return to the tavern, and you can have breakfast with him. Not sure if morning lager will be on the menu as in George's days.)

Following Exeter, Washington passed through Kingston and arrived in Haverhill by 2:30. With much of the afternoon ahead of him, the president took a stroll through the streets of Haverhill before turning in at Harrod's Tavern. A Pentucket Bank now stands on the site of the tavern, and there is a sign at the bank describing its historical connection. The Buttonwoods Museum, run by the Haverhill Historical Society, has a mirror in its front parlor that Washington supposedly used to adjust his wig and petticoat. Check out this web site for details on Washington's stay in Haverhill.

TOMORROW: A swing through the Merrimack Valley

George Washington Really Did Sleep Here, Day 14

2009-11-03T22:49:00.003-05:00

While George Washington remained in Portsmouth, New Hampshire on Tuesday, November 3, 1789, his first engagement of the day had a tie back to his stay the prior week in Boston. Washington spent the morning sitting for a portrait that was requested by Boston merchant Samuel Breck. The president wrote in his diary that the portrait "was an earnest desire of many of the Inhabitants of that Town that he might be indulged."

After sitting for two hours, the president probably enjoyed a stretch of his lanky frame, and he paid a visit to the president (another term for governor) of New Hampshire, John Sullivan, supposedly at the Pitt Tavern, which today is part of the Strawbery Banke Museum. Then he popped over to the Tobias Lear House to pay his respects to the mother of his private secretary, Tobias Lear. That house also stands and is open to the public. According to the house's web site, Washington visited Madame Lear in the front parlor as a crowd watched on from the street.

Washington returned to his quarters and received several visits before dining with state officials. That evening Washington was the guest of honor at a party. Washington writes in his diary: "At half after Seven I went to the Assembly where there were about 75 well dressed, and many of them very handsome Ladies--among whom (as was also the case at the Salem & Boston Assemblies) were a greater proportion with much blacker hair than are usually seen in the Southern States."

TOMORROW: Onto Exeter and Haverhill

George Washington Really Did Sleep Here, Day 13

2009-11-02T22:35:00.002-05:00

I'll give it a rest today and let George Washington speak for himself as to his activities around Portsmouth, New Hampshire on November 2, 1789, during his presidential tour of New England. This is his from his diary: "Monday 2d. Having made previous preparations for it--About 8 Oclock attended by the President, Mr. Langden & some other Gentlemen, I went in a boat to view the harbour of Portsmouth; which is well secured against all Winds; and from its narrow entrance from the Sea, and passage up to the Town, may be perfectly guarded against any approach by water. The anchorage is also good & the Shipping may lay close to the Docks &ca. when at the Town. In my way to the Mouth of the Harbour, I stopped at a place called Kittery in the Provence of Main, the River Piscataqua being the boundary between New Hampshire and it. From hence I went by the Old Fort (formerly built while under the English government) on an Island which is at the Entrance of the Harbour and where the Light House stands. As we passed this Fort we were saluted by 13 Guns. Having Lines we proceeded to the Fishing banks a little with out the Harbour and fished for Cod--but it not being a proper time of tide we only caught two--with wch. about 1 Oclock we returned to Town. Dined at Col. Langdons, and drank Tea there with a large Circle of Ladies and retired a little after Seven O'clock. Before dinner I recd. an address from the Town--presented by the Vice-President and returned an answer in the Evening to one I had recd. from Marblehead and an other from the Presbiterian Clergy of the State of Massachusetts & New Hampshire delivered at Newbury Port; both of which I had been unable to answer before."

George Washington Really Did Sleep Here, Day 12

2009-11-01T23:44:00.004-05:00

The Sabbath was always a quiet day on the presidential itinerary, and November 1, 1789, was no different for George Washington. In the morning, Washington attended services at St. John's Episcopal Church, and the afternoon he attended services at the North Congregational Church, which still towers over Market Square. The original St. John's church building was destroyed in an 1806 fire, but the chair where Washington sat for the service was rescued and is still in the church's possession. After the church services, Washington spent the afternoon writing letters and dining in his lodgings.

TOMORROW: A tour of Portsmouth harbor

George Washington Really Did Sleep Here, Day 11

2009-11-01T23:08:00.003-05:00

George Washington continued his presidential tour of New England, setting out from Newburyport on the morning of October 31, 1789, with Portsmouth, New Hampshire, his final destination. (It's a safe bet that Washington didn't don any costume for this final day in October since Halloween wasn't much of a holiday in colonial America.)

The president left his Newburyport lodgings around 8 a.m. and had breakfast with Tristram Dalton, one of the two men who first served Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate, at the Dalton House at 95 State Street. (The Georgian house is now home to the private Dalton Club.)

After breakfast, Washington crossed the Merrimack River by ferry at Salisbury and soon came to the border with New Hampshire. Here, the president exchanged traveling parties. Dalton, General Jonathan Titcomb's corps, and other militia brought Washington to the border and a delegation that included New Hamsphire's two U.S. Senators, militia, and the vice president of the state took him from there.

The presidential party made their way up through the seacoast towns of New Hampshire. There was no Hampton Beach Casino or New Hampshire Liquor Store on the main highway back then in the Live Free or Die State, but Washington did stop at some of the towns on his way to Portsmouth. One historical marker in Hampton Falls commemorates Washington's visit.

Washington arrived in the (then) state capital of Portsmouth a little before 3 p.m. He wrote in his diary about the warm welcome: "we were received with every token of respect and appearance of Cordiallity under a discharge of Artillery. The Streets--doors and windows were Crouded here, as at all the other Places--and, alighting at the Town House, odes were Sung & played in honor of the President." (For more on Washington's entrance into Portsmouth and his stay in New Hampshire, click here.)

Washington's lodgings in Portsmouth was the tavern kept by Colonel William Brewster at the corner of Court and Pleasant Streets. The tavern was lost in an 1813 fire, but a white Bolton type coverlet from Brewster's tavern under which Washington is said to have slept is kept at the John Paul Jones House, which is open to the public seasonally. The Portsmouth Historical Society, which operates the house, also has in its possession a shoe worn by Sally Brewster when she attended the ball given in Washington's honor. Sally rode in the carriage with the president on the way to the ball. Lest you think the single shoe is a Cinderella-type saga, supposedly Sally gave one shoe to one daughter and the other to a second daughter. If anyone knows where the other shoe lurks, let the Portsmouth Historical Society know.

Washington dined that evening with the state's president, vice president, senators, and other dignitaries before having tea at the home of Senator John Langdon on Pleasant Street. The John Langdon House still stands and is open seasonally to the public by Historic New England.

TOMORROW: A quiet Sunday.

George Washington Really Did Sleep Here, Day 10

2009-10-30T20:24:00.003-05:00

George Washington awoke on October 30, 1789, in the bustling port city of Salem, and he was on the road by 8 a.m. to continue his month-long tour of New England. Washington headed north, escorted by the red-uniformed corps of Andover's Captain Peter Osgood, who had joined the presidential party the previous day in Lynn.

The president crossed the bridge from Salem to Beverly and was quite taken by the span's appearance--and price. He wrote in his diary that the bridge had a "handsome appearance" and noted that it "was built for about 4500 (pounds) lawful money--a price inconceivably low in my estimation, as there is 18 feet water in the deepest parts of the River over which it is erected."

Washington had breakfast in Beverly at the mansion of Mr. George Cabot. The house of George Cabot no longer stands, but his brother John's brick house, located diagonally across the street, still stands at 117 Cabot Street and is the headquarters of the Beverly Historical Society & Museum, which has some rich historical collections. Following breakfast, Washington took a tour of Cabot's cotton mill in north Beverly. Washington had quite a bit to say about the cotton factory in his diary before summing it up: "In short the whole seemed perfect, and the Cotton stuffs wch. they turn out excellent of their kind." You can find a stone marker at 2 Dodge Street, beside the North Beverly fire station that commemorates the site of the cotton mill and Washington's visit 220 years ago.

George Washington's next stop on the North Shore was Ipswich, 10 miles north. He was met at the entrance to town by selectmen and a militia regiment. Washington partook of a cold collation at the Swasey Tavern at 2 Poplar Street, which still stands but has been renovated since colonial times, before continuing on to Newburyport. (The Ipswich Historical Society and Museums has in its possession a scrap of the bed drapes from the bed he slept in at Newburyport along with a photo of a reenactment of the president's visit dating from the 1930s.) Washington also gave Ipswich's lace industry a much-publicized boost by purchasing some black silk lace for Martha, and it was used to trim a cape, which is still in the possession of Mount Vernon, but too delicate to display.

The president arrived in Newburyport around 3:30 p.m to much pomp and circumstance. According to accounts, Washington again quit his carriage and rode on horseback into town, accompanied by a number of horse troops. A parade of citizens followed, and Newburyport resident John Quincy Adams (son of the Vice President and future president himself) read a letter of welcome he had penned on behalf of the town. According to this article in the Newburyport Daily News, a group of young men sang this ode to the president: 'He comes! He comes! The Hero Comes! Sound, sound your Trumpets. Beat, beat your drums. From Port to Port, let Cannons Roar. He's welcome to New England's Shore.'"

The president was the guest of honor at a reception at Jonathan Jackson's High Street residence, and the skies of the autumn night above Newburyport were lit up with celebratory fireworks. Washington turned in for the night at the brick Tracy mansion on State Street, which now houses the Newburyport Public Library. The house at 94 State Street was built by Patrick Tracy in 1771 for his son Nathaniel, who equipped and sent out the first privateer which sailed from the colonies against England. Among the furnishings and decor that surrounded Washington at the house would have been some loot seized from British ships by Tracy's privateers.

TOMORROW: Washington ventures into New Hampshire.

George Washington Really Did Sleep Here, Day 9

2009-10-29T22:10:00.005-05:00

After four full days in Boston, George Washington hit the road again on October 29, 1789, to continue his tour of New England. Unlike his grand entrance into town on Saturday, Washington's departure from Boston was a low-key affair. The presidential traveling party left Boston at 8 a.m. by way of the bridge to Charlestown, due north. Washington was impressed with that bridge, and another nearby one, writing in his diary: "The Bridges of Charles town and Malden are useful & noble--doing great credit to the enterprizing spirit of the People of this State." (Along the way, Washington would have been in eyeshot of Breed's Hill, site of the bloody Battle of Bunker Hill in June 1775, a couple weeks before he took command of the Continental army.)

First stop for the president and his entourage, which included Vice President John Adams, was Harvard College. Washington was invited to visit the college by its leader, Joseph Willard, who had met with the president on Tuesday prior. Washington's tour of America's oldest college included visits to the philosophy room, a museum, and the library, which contained 13,000 volumes.

From Cambridge, Washington traveled through Medford and Malden to the Essex County line, where he was met by an escorting party led by General Jonathan Titcomb. The president's final destination for the day was Salem, but he requested to pay a stop in Marblehead, a town that had paid much in blood and treasure in the fight for independence. Nearly 600 Marbleheaders served in General John Glover’s regiment of mariners, who are best known for rowing George Washington and the Continental Army across the icy Delaware River to attack Trenton. By the end of the war, this town of 5,000 seventeen miles north of Boston had paid a terrible price for freedom, leaving more than 400 widows and nearly 1,000 orphans.

George Washington's description of Marblehead in his diary wasn't exactly Chamber of Commerce material, but it was reflective of the difficult days for the town following the Revolution: "About 5000 Souls are said to be in this place which has the appearance of antiquity. The Houses are old--the streets dirty--and the common people not very clean."

Washington was taken to the stately Jeremiah Lee Mansion, which can still be visited in Marblehead. The 1768 Georgian manse, more luxurious than Mount Vernon, must have awed even the president. Today, the estate still elicits “oohs’’ and “aahs’’ from visitors who enter the grand entry hall with its rich mahogany wainscoting and eight-foot-wide staircase. (Click here for an article I wrote about the mansion and other Marblehead sites.) After leaving the mansion, the president made a short trip down to Marblehead Harbor before turning north to Salem.

As soon as the presidential party crossed into Salem, guns were fired and church bells rung. As with his entrance into Boston, Washington chose to quit his carriage and ride his white horse. He arrived at the Court House where an address was presented and an ode was sung in his honor. Then, he was taken to his lodgings at the Joshua Ward House on (of course) Washington Street. The house at 148 Washington is today home to the Higginson Book Company.

Between 7 and 8 p.m. Washington went to a party in his honor at the Assembly House at "where there was at least an hundred handsome and well dressed Ladies," according to his diary. The building at 138 Federal Street is now the Cotting-Smith Assembly House, which is owned by the Peabody Essex Museum (and available for rentals if you'd like your own presidential gala.) Washington returned to his lodgings to turn in by 9 p.m.

TOMORROW: On to Newburyport.

George Washington Really Did Sleep Here, Day 8

2009-10-28T19:47:00.005-05:00

George Washington got an early start on his final full day in Boston--October 28, 1789. The president normally ate breakfast around 10 or 11 a.m. on his journey, but with a full day planned, it was an earlier first meal of the day for Washington.

Just like modern presidents, part of George Washington's itinerary included tours of thriving local businesses. (Unlike modern presidents, Washington probably wasn't wearing goggles or a hardhat as he surveyed the factories.) His first stop was to the Boston Sailcloth Manufactory, which was located near today's intersection of Tremont and Boylston Streets near Boston Common. Washington wrote in his diary that the business appeared to be "carrying on with spirit, and is in a prosperous way." Washington then visited a cotton and wool card manufacturing facility.

Having concluded his commerce inspection duties, the president hit the water. He was taken around 11 a.m. to visit a couple of French 74-gun ships anchored in Boston Harbor. Along his harbor cruise, Washington was saluted by two frigates near the waterfront and by the fort at Castle Island.

Back on the mainland after his harbor visit, Washington dined at the home of former Massachusetts Governor James Bowdoin. The house was located where the former Bellevue Hotel now stands, at the corner of Beacon and Bowdoin Streets. Washington then went, according to his diary, "to the Assembly in the evening where (it is said) there were upwards of 100 Ladies. There appearance was elegant and many of them very handsome; the Room is small but neat, & well ornamented." The reception was held at Assembly Hall, which was located near his lodgings at the intersection of Hanover and Court Streets, where City Hall Plaza stands today.

TOMORROW: Washington hits the road again and is off to the North Shore.

George Washington Really Did Sleep Here, Day 7

2009-10-27T19:13:00.005-05:00

After spending a quiet Monday under the weather in his Boston lodgings, President George Washington resumed a more active schedule on October 27, 1789, in his tour around New England. At 10 a.m., he received visits from some of Boston's clergy, and then he headed down the street from his Court Street lodgings to King's Chapel, which still stands on the corner of Tremont and School Streets. (Just a short distance up Beacon Street from King's Chapel is the Boston Athenaeum, which now houses a portion of George Washington's library of books.) The president attended an oratorio at the chapel, which was known more commonly as the Stone Chapel in the post-Revolution glow. Unfortunately for the president and other attendees, several of the performers were ill, perhaps with the Washington Influenza, so the program was scaled back. (King's Chapel still hold Tuesday concerts at 12:15 p.m.)

After returning from the chapel, Washington received addresses from the governor, the town of Boston, and Joseph Willard, the president of Harvard College. Willard's address reminded the president of the state of disrepair that had befallen the institution during the Revolution, the last time Washington had seen it: "When you took command of the troops of your country, you saw the University into state of depression--its members dispersed--its literary treasures removed--and the Muses fled from the din of arms, then heard within its walls. Happily restored, in the course of a few months, by your glorious successes, to its former privileges, and to a state of tranquility, it received its returning members, and our youth have since pursued, without interruption, their literary courses, and fitted themselves for usefulness in Church and State. The publick rooms, which you formerly saw empty, are now replenished with the necessary means of improving the human mind in literature and science, and every thing within the walls wears the aspect of peace, so necessary to the cultivation of the liberal arts." In Washington's reply, he said, "It gives me sincere satisfaction to learn the flourishing state of your literary Republick."

The address from the inhabitants of the town of Boston was equally lofty in its language: "As men, we have long since considered you, under God, as the great and glorious Avenger of the violated rights of humanity--As citizens we have observed with peculiar satisfaction, that you have unvariably respected those liberties, which you have so successfully defended. And as inhabitants of a great commercial town, we attribute the security we enjoy, to the singular merit and success of those measures, in the progress of the war, which you had the honour to conduct."

At 3 p.m., the president traveled a short distance to Faneuil Hall, where he was the guest of honor at what Washington referred to in his diary as a "large & elegant dinner given by the Govr. and Council." Among the 150 privileged guests were Vice President John Adams, but Governor John Hancock was not present, due to illness. After dinner, 11 toasts were raised, including ones to Washington; the Fourth of July 1776; the patriots and heroes who suffered and bled in the cause of America; the completion and cement of the Union; the happiness of all mankind; and agriculture, the fishery, and manufactures. Visitors to Faneuil Hall today will see a copy of the portrait of George Washington at Dorchester Heights done by Gilbert Stuart.

TOMORROW: Washington does the rounds in Boston

George Washington Really Did Sleep Here, Day 6

2009-10-26T08:22:00.003-05:00

The weather was lousy in Boston on October 26, 1789, and President George Washington didn't feel much better. Now six days into his trip to Massachusetts on his journey across New England, Washington had taken ill. He wrote in his diary that he was "disordered by a Cold and inflamation in the left eye."

The president wasn't the only person in Boston who wasn't feeling well. Numerous citizens were suffering from colds and influenza. When Washington had arrived in Boston two days prior, the weather was raw, and Washington and the thousands who thronged to the festivities spent hours exposed to the less-than-ideal conditions. So many spectators took ill that the sickness that struck Boston was referred to as the "Washington influenza." It's thought the illnesses were part of an epidemic that was sweeping the Eastern states and would have affected Boston whether Washington had come or not.

Due to his condition, Washington was forced to cancel his scheduled plan to visit Lexington, which the president referred to in his diary as the place "where the first blood in the dispute with G. Britn. was drawn." (Interesting in this day in age to read Washington referring to the Revolution as a "dispute." Surely, the war rose to at least the level of a "hubbub" or "brouhaha.")

While Washington stayed nearby his lodgings at the Widow Ingersoll's, he was visited by numerous well-wishers, and he did have tea with Governor Hancock.

TOMORROW: Dinner at Faneuil Hall

George Washington Really Did Sleep Here, Day 5

2009-10-25T20:41:00.007-05:00

As was today, October 25 in 1789 fell on a Sunday. Even though we tend to think of our Founding Fathers in secular terms, they still were religious men. And much like today, even if they weren't personally devout, it was politically expedient to embrace the religious nature of the populace.

The Massachusetts Centinel on October 24, 1789, reflected the sentiment that public officials should respect the Sabbath: "How pleasing the idea that the most venerable and respectable characters of our Federal Legislature pay such strict attention to the Sabbath--that time which is by many gentlemen too often appropriated to serve their temporal interests in journeying, is spent by our national rulers, in such a manner, as, while it reflects the highest honour on our holy religion, must be considered as a gentle rebuke to those whose conduct on such days, as occasion offers, is truly reprehensible." (Of course, much like in today's society there was another side to those celebrating piety. The Centinel's lead story in that issue: "An Oration in Praise of Rum.")

So, on George Washington's trip through New England it was his practice not to travel on Sundays and spend much of the day in church services. On this glistening fall morning, the president attended services at the Trinity Episcopal Church, then located on Summer Street. In the afternoon, he attended services at the Brattle Street Congregational Church. Washington also dined at his lodgings with Vice President John Adams.

On Sunday, the president finally met with Governor John Hancock, who had not been present at the city-wide celebration the day before. Washington wrote in his diary: "I received a visit from the Govr., who assured me that Indisposition alone had prevented his doing it yesterday, and that he was still indisposed; but as it had been suggested that he expected to receive the visit from the President, which he knew was improper, he was resolved at all hazds. to pay his Compliments to day. The Lt. Govr. & two of the Council to wit Heath & Russel were sent here last Night to express the Govrs. Concern that he had not been in a condition to call upon me so soon as I came to Town. I informed them in explicit terms that I should not see the Govt. unless it was at my own lodgings."

There is some speculation as to whether Hancock's illness was real or just an excuse to cover his faux pas of waiting for the president to come to him to pay his respects. Winfield M. Thompson wrote in "When Washington Toured New England" (in the Magazine of History) that the governor pleaded that he was ill with gout. "He presented himself at Washington's lodgings, his legs sheathed in red flannel, and carried from his carriage by two stalwart servants." Perhaps it was some elaborate charade to cover his bases, but Hancock would miss a banquet in Washington's honor a few nights later, and again it was chalked up to illness.

TOMORROW: Washington takes ill

George Washington Really Did Sleep Here, Day 4

2009-10-24T14:52:00.007-05:00

When George Washington awoke on the morning of Saturday, October 24, 1789, he knew the tenth day of his trip through New England would be unlike the first nine. His itinerary called for him to return to Cambridge, where he first took command of the Continental Army on July 3, 1775, and, despite his protestations, the town of Boston was planning a warm welcome for Washington’s return to the town he helped to liberate in 1776.

With a full day of festivities in front of him, the president was dressed to the nines in his blue uniform crested with epaulets and his sword at his side. Before leaving Flagg’s tavern in Weston, he was formally welcomed by the inhabitants of the town and officers who had served under him in the Continental army. By 8 a.m., Washington was on his way, and the Watertown Calvary Company escorted the president to Cambridge.

The presidential party passed through Waltham (an historical marker commemorating the George Washington Memorial Highway stands at the intersection of US 20 and Route 117) and Watertown, arriving at Cambridge by 10 a.m. It was a town very familiar to Washington. On Cambridge Common, he first took command of his troops, and he made in his headquarters in what is now the Longfellow National Historic Site, which is open to the public.

While Washington arrived in Cambridge at his duly appointed time, unfortunately the militia he was due to review didn’t materialize until after 11 a.m.—undoubtedly stuck in Boston’s notorious traffic. (The true reason was the long distance they needed to traverse.)

After reviewing the troops and meeting up with Lieutenant Governor Samuel Adams, Washington set off for Boston about an hour behind schedule. His approach into Boston would take him through Roxbury to the lone thoroughfare connecting the town’s peninsula to the mainland. The section of that road from Roxbury to the fortification guarding the city was rechristened Washington Street in 1788. However, the portions of the road in town that Washington rode down atop his prized steed, having quit his coach in Cambridge, still retained their original monikers and would not be renamed in his honor until the 1800s. (This map from 1796 shows how the peninsula was configured in Washington's time with the one road on the isthmus. It also shows that only the stretch on the outskirts of the city was named Washington Street.)

The weather was cold and raw when Washington made his grand entrance into Boston around 1 p.m. The crowds lined the windows and rooftops, and the skies reverberated with the sounds of church bells and artillery fire from Roxbury, Castle William (on Castle Island), and the heights of Dorchester, from which Washington’s troops ensured the British evacuation in March 1776.

The president recounted in his diary the splendor of his procession into Boston: “We passed through the Citizens classed in their different professions, and under their own banners, till we came to the State House; from which, across the Street, an Arch was thrown; in the front of

which was this Inscription--"To the Man who unites all hearts" and on the other--"To Columbia's favourite Son" and on one side thereof next the State House, in a pannel decorated with a trophy, composed of the arms of the United States--of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts--and our French Allies, crowned with a wreath of Laurel was this Inscription--"Boston relieved March 17th. 1776." This arch was handsomely ornamented, and over the Center of it a Canopy was erected 20 feet high with the American Eagle perched on the top.”

A rendering of the arch, designed by Charles Bulfinch, is at the left.

Washington was then taken into the State House, now open to the public as the Old State House Museum. He was led out to the balcony where he was given three cheers by the vast crowd and serenaded with an ode composed in his honor. That was followed by a parade of the citizens of Boston organized by their different professions. Following the festivities, the president was taken to his lodgings owned by the Widow Ingersoll—a house at the corner of Tremont and Court Streets.

It seemed as if the whole town had turned out to greet Washington—with one notable exception. Governor John Hancock was not to be found among the dignitaries welcoming the president to the state capital, and he did not call upon him at his lodging. Apparently Hancock hadn’t brushed up on his Emily Post because, according to some accounts, he believed protocol dictated the president should pay the first call.

Hancock’s snub effectively sunk the dinner plans that the president and governor had for the evening. Washington chose to dine at his lodgings instead and wrote in his diary: “Having engaged yesterday to take an informal dinner with the Govr. To-day, but under a full persuasion that he would have waited upon me so soon as I should have arrived—I excused myself upon his not doing it, and informing me thro’ his Secretary that he was too much indisposed to do it, being resolved to receive the visit.”

TOMORROW: Hancock's mea culpa and sabbath in Boston.

George Washington Really Did Sleep Here, Day 3

2009-10-23T08:52:00.008-05:00

Not long after waking up in Spencer on October 23, 1789, President George Washington was again on the road, pressing ahead to Boston on his month-long tour of New England. The ride from Spencer to Worcester was hardly a smooth one. The springs in Washington's dentures (not wooden by the way) probably got a teeth-chattering workout as the president's coach traveled up and down the Worcester hills along a stretch of the Post Road that he described in his diary as "very stoney."

After traveling through Leicester, Washington was greeted at the Worcester town line by an escort party of about 40 men on horseback. The party marched down Main Street into the village around 10 a.m. where the president was greeted by a 13-gun salute delivered by a uniformed militia artillery. Washington then had breakfast at the United States Arms, which was located near where the Crowne Plaza hotel stands today.

While in Worcester, Washington met with a committee from Boston that wanted to make arrangements and set the time for his parade into the town. Washington had tried to dissuade the town leaders from having any big to-do, but the power of persuasion was limited, even for the founder of the country. Washington wrote in his diary: "Finding this ceremony was not to be avoided though I had made every effort to do it, I named the hour of ten to pass the Militia of the above County at Cambridge and the hour of 12 for my entrance into Boston desiring Major Hall, however, to inform Genl. Brookes that as I conceived there was an impropriety in my reviewing the Militia, or seeing them perform Manoeuvres otherwise than as a private Man I could do no more than pass along the line; which, if he thought proper might be under arms to receive me at that time."

After breakfast, the party set off again over the north side of Lake Quinsigamond. Washington wrote that the road was "uneven but not bad." At the Middlesex county line, he was met by another escort party that took him on to Marlborough, where they dined at the tavern owned by Captain George Williams. Even in 1789, the tavern was quite historic. It dated back to 1662 and was burned in King Philip's War. Washington was familiar with the Williams Tavern, having visiting it on his 1775 trip to Boston.

The tavern remained in business, in one form or another, for centuries until it was torn down in 1947. The only dining going on at the site now is at a D'Angelo sub shop (a steak and cheese sub would probably have wrecked havoc with George Washington's dentures), but there is a marker on US 20 near Williams Street. The Marlborough Historical Society web site has more on the rich history of the Williams Tavern. The Marlborough Enterprise has some photos of the historical marker and the strip mall now occupying the site.

After dinner, the party hit the road again for its final 14 miles of the day. Washington was quite happy with the quality of this part of the Post Road, proclaiming it "leveller with more Sand." The president was also impressed with the quality of the land, writing in his diary: "The Country about Worcester, and onwards towards Boston is better improved & the lands of better quality than we travelled through yesterday. The Crops it is said have been good--Indian Corn, Rye Buck Wheat & grass--with Beef Cattle & Porke are the produce of their Farms."

Washington traveled through Sudbury and Wayland, and a marker near the Wayside Inn in Sudbury proclaims that both Washington and Lafayette had passed by that site when it was Howe's Tavern. After a 42-mile journey, the longest leg on Washington's New England swing, the presidential party finally arrived at John Flagg's Tavern in Weston, which no longer stands but was located near the intersection of today's Boston Post Road and Bypass Road.

Meanwhile, the back and forth communication between George Washington and John Hancock continued on October 23. Hancock wrote to Washington that "I had the honor to receive, at three o' clock, this morning" the president's declination of his invitation to stay at his estate while in Boston. One doubts, though, that Hancock was particularly enthused to be roused from sleep to be given that news. Governor Hancock sent another letter to Washington requesting his company for dinner the following night. Washington received that letter in Weston and sent back his reply, which could be found at this web site, accepting the dinner invitation and informing the governor of his plans for the following day.

TOMORROW: Washington's grand entry into Boston

George Washington Really Did Sleep Here, Day 2

2009-10-22T08:21:00.015-05:00

Just after the sun broke the horizon on October 22, 1789, George Washington hit the road to continue his New England tour. The president preferred to get an early start and make some progress on the road before having a hearty breakfast. Washington may have had a customary few bites of bread and cheese or some beer--hardly a Denny's Grand Slam breakfast--but probably not much more before leaving Parson's tavern in Springfield at 7 a.m.

Washington's journey out of Springfield took him by the arsenal before heading onto the Boston Post Road, in many towns roughly the route of the present-day US 20. The road was not unfamiliar to Washington. He had passed by many of the same towns and taverns in 1775 on his way to take command of the Continental Army. Surely as he passed over the hills and vales along the Boston Post Road, Washington must have thought back to his trip 14 years ago, a time when the fire of freedom was merely a flicker, a time when the future course of the colonies and his own personal fate was a great unknown. Now, here he was as the first leader of a new nation.

Washington planned to visit all of the New England states on his trip. In October 1789, that meant a grand total of three, not six, states. Vermont did not achieve statehood until 1791, and Maine did not become a state until 1820. Washington chose to snub Rhode Island, which had yet to ratify the federal Constitution and was the only state to refuse to send delegates to the Constitutional Convention.

The traveling party stopped at Scott's tavern in Palmer for breakfast. The tavern was located near the present-day intersection of US 20, Route 181, and Shearer Street. An historical marker along US 20 commemorates Washington's trip through Palmer in 1789 and on June 30, 1775.

The presidential convoy then traveled through Warren and the Brookfields along a route near today's Routes 67 and 9. In West Brookfield, the traveling party was met by a messenger from Governor John Hancock with an offer to lodge at Hancock's private Beacon Hill mansion (located on the land occupied by the State House today) when the president arrived in Boston. "I could wish that the accommodations were better suited to a gentleman of your respectability; but you may be assured that nothing on my part shall be wanting to render them as agreeable as possible," Hancock wrote to Washington. The letter also sought to begin the formal arrangements for Washington's arrival in the city. Click here to read Hancock's letter.

The president declined Hancock's offer to stay at his private estate as he decided before the trip to stay at public taverns and inns and not in private homes, so as not to offend. Washington wrote to Hancock, "From a wish to avoid giving trouble to private families, I determined, on leaving New York, to decline the honor of any invitation to quarters which I might receive while on my journey and with a view to observe this rule, I had requested a Gentleman to engage lodgings for me during my stay at Boston." (Click here to find Washington's response.) The back and forth between Washington and Hancock as to the arrangements for his stay and protocol will bear watching in the next few days.

While in West Brookfield, Washington reportedly visited the Ye Olde Tavern, which dates back to 1760 and still stands today on East Main Street. According to the tavern's web site, John Adams, Lafayette, and Daniel Shays were also notable visitors.

Washington then traveled through Brookfield, and today there is a small marker across the street from the Brookfield Inn on West Main Street designating the road as the George Washington Memorial Highway. According to the Brookfield Inn's web site, George Washington, well, almost slept there: "As the story goes, Washington and his entourage stopped at Brookfield Inn, then owned by a Mrs. Bannister, and wanted to stay the night. Unfortunately, Mrs Bannister was suffering from a migraine headache and turned them away not knowing it was George Washington who wanted to stay the night. Washington moved on to Spencer, MA, where the innkeeper there was only too happy to oblige! Poor Mrs. Bannister was devastated when she learned of her faux pas, exclaiming that had she known it was Washington, her headache would have gone by the way."

If the story is true, the beneficiary of Mrs. Bannister's hard luck was Issac Jenks of Spencer. The tavern keeper ended up hosting the president and his party for the night, and he likely would have been pleased at Washington's Good Housekeeping seal of approval as the president wrote in his diary that Jenks "keeps a pretty good Tavern." Alas, Jenks's tavern no longer stands, but there is a marker at the tavern's former site at the corner of Main and Pleasant streets noting Washington had passed through Spencer to take command of the Continental Army and spent the night in the town on October 22, 1789.

For more, read Washington's diary entry for October 22, 1789.

TOMORROW: Washington travels from Spencer to Weston

George Washington Really Did Sleep Here, Day 1

2009-10-21T08:53:00.014-05:00

Two hundred and twenty years ago today, a coach drawn by four bay horses crossed over the Connecticut border into Massachusetts. The event would hardly be noteworthy, except this carriage was hauling some very precious cargo--George Washington.

Less than six months after being inaugurated as the first president of the United States, Washington undertook a 600-mile, month-long journey through New England, in his own words, "to acquire knowledge of the face of the country, the growth and agriculture thereof--and the disposition of the inhabitants toward the new Government."

Washington's trip through what he referred to as the "Eastern States" would also provide an opportunity for the chief executive to thank New England towns that sacrificed much blood and treasure for independence and were still emerging from the scorched aftermath of the Revolution. (While traveling through Connecticut, Washington noted in his diary: "The Destructive evidences of British cruelty are yet visible both in Norwalk and Fairfield; as there are the chimneys of many burnt houses standing in them yet.")

The presidential traveling party set out from the nation's capital--New York City--on October 15, 1789, and hugged the coast of Long Island Sound (spending nights in Rye, New York; Fairfield, Connecticut; New Haven, Connecticut) before heading north through the Connecticut River valley (spending nights in Hartford, Connecticut).

George Washington's "Air Force One" was a horse-drawn carriage driven by an African-American servant. There was no massive entourage, no Secret Service. His simple retinue included his personal secretaries Major William Jackson and Colonel Tobias Lear atop their horses along with six African-American servants trailing behind with the baggage wagon, driven by two horses, and Washington's great white steed.

Many of the details of the presidential visit are recorded in Washington's personal diary. The presidential notes also serve as a colonial TripAdvisor, including Washington's reviews of the colonial inns where he lodged; the quality (or lack thereof) of the rocky, rutted New England roads; even the inability of some New Englanders to give proper directions (perhaps excusable given the lack of Dunkin' Donuts to use as local landmarks).

On the rainy morning of October 21, 1789, Washington set out from Hartford and traveled up the west side of the Connecticut River before taking a ferry across the river to Springfield, arriving around 4 o'clock. The president reported that "The whole Road from Hartford to Springfield is level & good, except being too Sandy in places & the Fields enclosed with Posts & Rails generally their not being much Stone."

Washington stayed in the center of Springfield at the tavern of Zenas Parsons in Court Square. While dinner was being prepared, the president took a walk up the hill overlooking the town to inspect the Continental stores at the site of the present Springfield Armory. Washington's diary reported "examined the Continental Stores at this place, which I found in very good order at the buildings (on the hill above the Town) which belong to the United States. The Barracks (also public property) are going fast to destruction and in a little time will be no more without repairs. The Elaboratory, wch. seems to be a good building is in tolerable good repair and the Powder Magazine which is of Brick seems to be in excellent order and the Powder in it very dry."

Unstated, but no doubt on the mind of the president was the thought of the bloody scene that had unfolded on that plot of land two years prior when rebels in Shays Rebellion attempted to seize the barracks, cannon, muskets, and ammunition stored at arsenal, which played a critical supply role during the Revolution. Washington would later select the site to be the location of one of two federal armories (the other being in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia). Washington returned to Parson's tavern, which he proclaimed to be a "good house," for dinner with some locals before turning into bed. Parson's tavern no longer stands.

I will be writing daily blog posts covering the progress of George Washington's 1789 tour of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. In addition to writing about his historic 17-day visit, including passages from Washington's diary, I plan to highlight any still-standing buildings where he visited (and, yes, slept), any historical markers commemorating the trip, and any artifacts from the tour in the possession of local historical societies. Hope to have you along for the journey!

TOMORROW: Washington journeys from Springfield to Spencer as he heads towards Boston.

When an Out-of-Control Balloon Drifted over Boston

2009-10-15T15:28:00.005-05:00

It was hard not to be captivated by today's pictures of a runaway balloon over the Colorado plains that was thought to be carrying a 6-year-old boy. The boy wasn't found inside when the balloon finally touched down. Let's hope this story has a happier ending than the balloon accident that happened over the skies of Boston on July 4, 1892.

A festive crowd had gathered on Boston Common to celebrate the Fourth of July. As part of the festivities, a gas balloon named the Governor Russell was launched from Boston Common. The balloon was piloted by Augustus Rogers and his assistant Thomas Fenton. Delos Goldsmith, a reporter with the Boston City Press Association, was also on board. As the balloon lifted off from the Common, the thousands gathered raised a cheer and the balloon passengers waved their hats above their heads in a hearty huzzah.

Everyone was in good spirits, but that didn't last long. The pilot intended the balloon to sail westward, but the winds unexpectedly brought the balloon east out over Boston Harbor, with the vast, empty Atlantic--and certain death--staring them in the face. Professor Rogers tried the escape valve to land the balloon on Thompson Island, one of his last landing spots before the desolation of the Atlantic, but it didn't work properly and the balloon plummeted into the harbor. Goldsmith was rescued, but Rogers and Fenton drowned in the harbor before they could be rescued from the netting and the balloon.

Terrible story. One that hopefully isn't repeated. Click here to read The Boston Globe from July 5, 1892, which has illustrations of the balloon accident and a full account.

A Fan’s Guide to the 2009 Head of the Charles Regatta

2009-10-13T09:59:00.004-05:00

This weekend brings with it one of the highlights of the Boston sporting calendar: the Head of the Charles Regatta. The 45th edition of the race is this Saturday and Sunday (October 17-18), and a trip to this autumnal tradition is definitely one of the top 10 things that all Boston fans must do before the fat lady sings. If you’re interesting in watching the armada of 8,000 rowers navigate the snaking course, headwinds, and bridges, here are a few spectator tips to the 2009 Head of the Charles:

If you can take the T, do so. You can walk to the river from the Central and Harvard stops on the Red Line and the BU Central stop on the Green Line's B Branch.

Parking is much easier on Sunday. If you're driving to the regatta, free parking is much easier to find on Sunday since you'll be allowed to park for free on the side streets in Cambridge without a permit. Be aware that the parking lots along Soldiers Field Road are closed to the public and that Harvard football is playing on Saturday so parking on the first day of the regatta will be at even more of a premium.

Take a shuttle. If you want to watch the action along the winding three-mile course from the starting line to the finish line, and don't want to walk, there is a free shuttle bus with stops at the Singles and Doubles Launch Site, Lars Andersen Bridge (Boston-side), Cambridge Boat Club, and the Finish Area Launch Site.

Bring a draw and schedule with you. There are more than 50 different race events, some with as many as 60 or more competitors, so it's tough to keep track of who's who. Each boat has a number on its bow, so if you have the draw with you, you'll be able to identify competitors and teams. You can purchase a program at one of the vendor areas along the river, but a cheaper option is to get a copy of the Friday Boston Globe. It has the complete schedule and list of competitors, which you can easily tear out, fold up, and take with you.

Watch the clock. Rowers start at 15-second intervals near the BU Boathouse, so they compete against the clock and not each other. You won't be able to follow a race from start to finish or even get a good sense of who is winning at any given point in time. One clue of how the boats are doing is, if you're watching down the course, if you see a bow with a higher number in front of one with a lower number. That means they are racing at least 15 seconds faster through that point on the course. You'll need to catch a glimpse of one of the race results board to see who has won a particular race.

Stake out a bridge. There are seven bridges that span the Charles River along the race course. They are great places from which to catch the action. If you get there early enough, you should be able to stake out a spot from on top of the bridge and see the competitors as they row underneath. I actually like seeing the action from the banks right next to the bridge. Much like Boston rush hour, traffic on the river can be treacherous, and fender benders and close-quarter collisions worthy of NASCAR are common as boats try to pass each other and squeeze through the narrow arches of the bridges. If you're on the banks, you can have a good view of the commotion. The Eliot Bridge is my favorite spot from which to watch. You'll see the competitors having to negotiate the hairpin turn and straighten out to get through the bridge. Plus, you can listen to the commentary being broadcast from the deck of the Cambridge Boat Club, which is the race headquarters.

Need some food? There are concession stands located at the Cambridge Boat Club, the Rowing and Fitness Expo (which also sells workout and rowing gear) near the finish line, the north bank of the Charles right outside of Harvard Square near the Weld Boathouse, and at Magazine Beach near the launch. Think fair food: lots of kettle corn, hot chocolate, chowder, hot cider, burgers, hot dogs, fried dough. There's also food and drink at the Reunion Village (see below). Sometimes the exhibitors near the Weld Boathouse will be giving out free samples of food and drink products; you might be able to get all the Kashi and Monster Energy drinks you'll ever want to have.

Reunited and it feels so good. Many colleges and prep schools, mostly ones with teams racing in the regatta, have alumni reunion events at the Regatta. Most of these schools have tents set up inside the Reunion Village, which is on the south bank of the Charles near Harvard Square, between the Weeks and Anderson bridges. Even if you're not an alumni member, the Reunion Village is open to everyone for a $3 admission. Breakfast and lunch are served in the dining tent, and the Reunion Village is the only place along the route where you can legally get a beer or other alcohol.

Bring a blanket or chair. There are plenty of spots along the banks of the Charles to watch the action, but bring a blanket or lawn chair and you'll be a lot more comfortable.

You’ll find many more tips—along with a map of the course—in The Die-Hard Sports Fan’s Guide to Boston. The 270-page spectator handbook is packed with history and the only comprehensive guide to the incredible range of spectator sporting events in metropolitan Boston. Click here for more information or to purchase a copy.

Explore galaxies far, far away

2009-10-08T14:49:00.002-05:00

While Columbus Day weekend is usually a time for apple picking, leaf peeping, and country fairs, the three-day weekend also commemorates one of the world’s most famous explorers. More than five hundred years after Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue, the world of exploration has shifted to the great unknowns of outer space.

It’s appropriate that Columbus Day weekend kicks off the “New Views of the Universe” exhibition at the Ocean Explorium in New Bedford. The traveling exhibition put together by NASA highlights the deep-space discoveries of the Hubble Telescope, which orbits 350 miles above the earth and has located fledgling galaxies as far as 12 billion light years away. Visitors will be able to see some of the Hubble’s dazzling images of planets, galaxies, black holes, and other cosmic bodies along with a scale model of the telescope. Interactive activities, including computer games and videos, showcase how the telescope works. The exhibit will also preview the next generation of exploration with the James Webb telescope, due to launch in 2014.

The exhibit opens on October 10 and will be at the Ocean Explorium through January. The science education center—a blend of aquarium and museum—will also feature talks by some of NASA’s premier scientists and engineers on Tuesday nights in October. The Ocean Explorium is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursdays through Sundays and on holidays. Visit www.oceanexplorium.org for more information.

Patriots Training Camp 2009

2009-07-28T20:27:00.008-05:00

So who's ready for some football? Even though summer has seemingly only just arrived this week, the boys of autumn are ready to strap on the pads for training camp. The Patriots have announced that training camp will open on Thursday, July 30 and run through August 18. As of now, the schedule is for two-a-days each day from July 30 to August 5 with morning practice from 9:30 to 11:15 AM and afternoon practice from 3:45 to 5:30 PM.

Based on past years, you can lay good odds that the schedule is going to change (either that or Coach Belichick is really going to work these guys from the get go). The schedule is always tentative based on the desires of the coaching staff and oftentimes the weather. Therefore, if you're interested in going to see practice, by all means check the schedule on the Patriots web site and double-check it by calling the team's hot line at 508-549-0001.

The practice is free to attend, and the parking is free as well. There are concession stands that sell food, drinks, and beer. Be prepared to pay normal stadium prices for food and beverages, however, if you buy it there. In past years parking has been in lot 22 along the west side of the stadium and it's a short walk over to the fields.

Along the west side of the stadium has also been the Patriots Experience, filled with interactive games that allow fans to test their kicking, passing, and tackling skills on a variety of obstacle courses, football tosses, and other similar challenges. It's a popular draw for kids. And while you're in the area, you may also want to check out the stores and restaurants at the ever-expanding Patriot Place or combine a trip to Training Camp with a visit to the Hall at Patriot Place, which is an absolute must for Pats fans. (For a good, cheap meal, I highly recommend Five Guys Burgers at Patriot Place.)

There are bleachers along the side of one practice fields on which to sit. Another popular spot is on the hillside that lies behind the end zones of the practice field and in front of the stadium. The players enter and leave the field near that hillside, so it's a good spot to get autographs, and players will often sign along the front row of the bleachers when practice is over. Wherever you sit, you're pretty close to the action. If you have a camera with a good zoom lens, you should get some good shots.

Fenway--It's Not Just for Baseball Anymore

2009-07-15T21:20:00.002-05:00

Well, it's finally official. Hockey is coming to Fenway Park this winter. The Boston Bruins will take to the ice against the Philadelphia Flyers on January 1, 2010, in the Winter Classic. The makeshift rink, which will be laid on the edge of the infield between first and third bases, will be open for public skating for two days and may also host a BC-BU game. Hopefully, some snowflakes will be fluttering down under the watchful eye of the Citgo sign to set the proper mood for the festivities. It would have been cooler if the Bruins were facing off against the Canadiens, but NBC, who is broadcasting the game, undoubtedly preferred an American market for the opponent.

It will be interesting to see what views are like of the rink inside Fenway Park. My guess is it will be pretty similar to baseball games where the left-field grandstand seats provide some of the best perspectives and far right-field grandstand will be fairly lousy. Bleacher seats won't be close to the action but might be a decent value. One difference is that the field box seats probably won't be the best seats in the house since they will be too low to get a great view of the action.

While Fenway Park is known as a baseball cathedral, the Winter Classic will by no means be the first time a non-hardball sporting event has taken place in the shadows of the Green Monster. The Patriots played in Fenway between 1963 and 1968, and Boston College and Boston University took to the gridiron there as well. Other pro football teams that called Fenway home were the Boston Bears, the Boston Shamrocks, the NFL's Boston Redskins (before they moved to Washington) in the 1930s, and the Boston Yanks in the 1940s. (Can't imagine Fenway hosting a team called the "Yanks" these days, can you?) The Boston Beacons of the North American Soccer League played home games at Fenway in 1968. The ballpark even hosted a basketball game in July 1954 between the Harlem Globetrotters and George Mikan's All-Stars and a professional wrestling card on June 29, 1969, that featured George "the Animal" Steele.

For more information on the Boston Bruins, the history of Fenway Park, and the long-lost history of outdoor hockey in Boston (there's another stadium in Boston that once hosted outdoor hockey), check out The Die-Hard Sports Fan's Guide to Boston.

Free Ferries to the Boston Harbor Islands

2009-07-15T07:41:00.002-05:00

If you've never been out to the Boston Harbor Islands (or even if you have and want to go again), there's a great opportunity to do so this Friday, July 17 because ferry rides to Spectacle Island and Georges Island are FREE. There is an expanded ferry schedule with boats going from 9 AM until sunset. It's unusual for the ferries to still be operating that late so it provides a rare opportunity to catch the island views as the sun sets. Advanced reservations for the free tickets are filled, but walk-up tickets are still available. Click here for all the details. (There's an article about the free ferry rides on Boston.com featuring one of my photographs. And if you need a perfect traveling companion to the islands, pick up Discovering the Boston Harbor Islands, which is filled with the fascinating histories of the islands and the practical info you need for exploring each island.)

The Highland Street Foundation is sponsoring these free Friday summertime admissions to all sorts of Boston-area attractions, such as the Franklin Park Zoo, Plimoth Plantation, and the Museum of Fine Arts. Click here for a complete list of upcoming free Friday events.

Seeing the Tall Ships in Boston

2009-07-07T11:24:00.003-05:00

The first of 40 Tall Ships have begun their arrival in Boston for the Sail Boston festival that will run July 9-July 12. While there won't be a grand parade as there has been in past years, many of the ships are expected to sail into port on Wednesday, July 8. One of the great places to view the arrival of the ships will be the Boston Harbor Islands, in particular Spectacle Island. The 157-foot north drumlin of Spectacle Island has, in my opinion, the best view of the city skyline and the harbor. It should provide an unbelievable vantage point to see the forest of masts against the backdrop of the city.

In addition to its normal ferry service from Long Wharf Boston and Quincy, the national park area will be running expanded ferry service from Squantum Point Park to Spectacle Island on July 8. Click here for the schedule for the special ferry service on July 8. For the full event schedule for the Tall Ships weekend, click here.

When Waltham Was the Hub of Cycling

2009-06-17T12:49:00.004-05:00

In just a few weeks, the Tour de France will capture the attention of cycling fans. But did you know that at one time the eyes of the cycling world were once focused on Waltham?

After the bicycle was introduced in Boston in the 1870s, the sport of cycling took off like Lance Armstrong on an Alpine mountaintop. The popularity of bicycle racing in Boston reached its zenith in the 1890s when fans poured into velodromes around the region to watch two-wheelers circle the track. One of the area’s premier cycling venues was Waltham Bicycle Park, which opened in 1893. The oval was considered the fastest dirt track in the country, and numerous world records fell at the track.

Waltham Bicycle Park was a unique venue when it opened because it was the first track in Massachusetts built solely for bicycles, unlike other cycling tracks that were also used for horse racing. The park had a covered grandstand flanked by bleachers on both sides, which seated a total of 9,000. When the track opened on Memorial Day in 1893, an overflow crowd of 15,000 showed up. Crowds as much as six people deep lined the circumference of the track, and spectators watched from surrounding hillsides and even the roof of Waltham Hospital across South Street. The track had electric lights that allowed for nighttime racing.

The Boston Globe had this to say about the track when it opened: “There may be more beautiful spots within 10 miles of the State House than the one in which the new Waltham bicycle park lies. But it would take a week’s hunt to find them. The track sits among the hills in a sheltered valley like a jewel in a brooch, and the view from the grandstand is charming, and looks away to a low range of wooded hills.”

Crowds between 10,000 and 15,000 often filled the track to watch professional solo and tandem racers. Some of the fastest cyclists rode Orient bicycles, which were built right in Waltham by the Waltham Manufacturing Company of Charles Metz. Metz held 22 patents on early bicycles.

Metz was also a pioneer in the development of motorcycles, which the company began to manufacture in 1898. Tandem motorcycles were tested, often by Albert Champion (who would later invent his famous A.C. spark plug in the Cyclorama in Boston’s South End), and raced at Waltham Bicycle Park. The person in the front drove the machine while the person in the rear operated the motor. Waltham Bicycle Park was the scene of a horrific accident in 1900 when, during a race meet, Albert Champion swerved into the grass on a turn and motorcycle tandem behind him were forced over the bank of the track, striking an electric light pole and picket fence. Both men were killed, and half a dozen spectators were injured.

In a way, Metz led to the demise of the Waltham Cycling Park as the sport of bicycling began to fall out of vogue around the turn of the twentieth century with the rise of motorcycles and the automobile. (Metz was also a pioneer in the development of automobiles and airplanes.) According to the Waltham Museum, the park was sold to the city in 1902 and became the home Waltham High School football.

Today, the site of the Waltham Bicycle Park is Nipper Maher Park, just off South Street near Brandeis University. The property continues its sporting connection as the home to numerous baseball diamonds, tennis courts, and basketball hoops.

If you want to learn more about the Waltham Bicycle Park, I’ll be speaking at Back Pages Books on Moody Street at 7 PM on Tuesday, June 23. I’ll be talking about this and other stories from the history of Boston sports taken from The Die-Hard Sports Fan’s Guide to Boston. Hope you can make it.

This Summer's Best Deals for Boston Sports Fans

2009-06-10T13:52:00.008-05:00

Boston sports fans, like most Americans, are keeping a closer eye on their pocketbooks during the recession. Here are seven low-cost options for Boston sports junkies looking to get their fix without breaking the bank:

1. Futures at Fenway. Tickets to Red Sox games are among the most expensive in baseball, but the Futures at Fenway doubleheader on Saturday, August 8 is a cheapskate’s dream. Fans can watch two games at Fenway Park involving Boston’s minor league affiliates for as little as $5. Fans can also indulge in Fenway’s luxury seats for just $30. Concessions are also discounted.

2. Try a minor league alternative to Fenway. Three of Boston’s minor league affiliates—the Lowell Spinners, Portland Sea Dogs, and Pawtucket Red Sox—play within an easy drive of the Hub. Minor league ballparks offer a family-friendly atmosphere, and tickets and concessions are a fraction of Fenway prices. Brockton and Worcester are also home to minor league franchises. Another hardball option is to catch a Cape Cod League amateur game this summer and capture the feel of the season and the sport. Admission is free, and picnicking is expected.

3. Sneak a peek at Brady’s recovery. Training camp is the easiest and cheapest way to see the New England Patriots up close. Admission and parking is free, and the players are accessible.

4. Rediscover the “beautiful game.” Drive down to Foxborough and watch the New England Revolution play the world’s most popular sport. Tickets are as cheap as $20, and parking is free.

5. Have some fun with Boston’s sports history. The Sports Museum at the TD Banknorth Garden is full of interactive exhibits and memorabilia dedicated to the region’s sporting history. Adult admission is $6.

6. Engage in some horseplay. Suffolk Downs may be the best sports bargain in Boston. General parking is free, and admission for three hours of racing is free on weekdays and just $2 on Saturdays and holidays. Fans who place a winning wager may actually make money!

7. Try something new! While Boston’s major sports are a grand draw, die-hards can be adventurous and check out additional spectator sports in the area such as Australian Rules football, cricket, Gaelic sports, polo, rugby, and squash. Bonus: these events are often free.

For dozens of other money-saving tips, even for Patriots and Red Sox games, check out The Die-Hard Sports Fan's Guide to Boston, a brand new guidebook to Boston's spectator sports. The 270-page book combines Boston's proud sports history with insider tips that will help both rookies and veterans get their money's worth at the game and have as enjoyable an experience as possible rooting on the home teams.

Rare Chance to Visit Rainsford Island

2009-06-01T07:22:00.003-05:00

Rainsford Island is one of the more unique isles in the Boston Harbor Islands national park area. For nearly two centuries, the island was home to a quarantine hospital, cemetery, almshouse, veterans' home, and boys' reformatory. This painting by Robert Salmon in the Museum of Fine Arts depicts Rainsford Island in its heyday in the 1840s.

The island is uninhabited today, but visitors can see the rubble of the old Greek Revival hospital and keepers' home and read the inscriptions carved into the seaside rocks by previous residents of the island. It's a great island to explore, but since there is no ferry service to Rainsford Island, the only way those without a boat can get ashore is to join the Friends of the Boston Harbor Islands on their annual trip. Their next Rainsford Island trip is scheduled for this Saturday, June 6, from 10 AM to 2 PM. (They are also running a trip to Great Brewster Island, another isle unserved by public ferry but a great place to explore, on June 21.) I've done the Friends' trips to both Rainsford and Great Brewster and highly recommend them. Click here for more information on the tours, and, for a great traveling companion, pick up a copy of Discovering the Boston Harbor Islands.

Boston Harbor Islands 2009 Ferry Service Underway

2009-05-11T11:41:00.003-05:00

After a long, long, long winter, warmer weather is finally (well, sort of) here. Even if the temperatures are still on the chilly side, a sign of summer is here as ferry service to the Boston Harbor Islands for 2009 has begun.

The good news is that there is no change to the ferry fares this year. They remain at $14 for adults; $10 for seniors; $8 for children (ages 3-18). Visitors to Georges Island will seem some construction work going on as work is being done to improve the island's landscaping, maintenance facility, and visitors center. The new visitors center, expected to be completed in 2010, will include an interactive exhibit area, a gift shop, and conference space. Click here for more on the Georges Island project.

There is a Climbing Tour out to Boston Light and Little Brewster Island, which will begin June 18. Tickets are $48 and include the opportunity to scale the 76 steps of historic Boston Light. The Three Lighthouse Tour, which also begins June 18, costs $38 and lands on Little Brewster Island, but it does not include the ability to climb to the top of Boston Light. Click here for tickets or more information on the Boston Light tours.

Daily service from Boston's Long Wharf is now available to Georges Island, home to historic Fort Warren, and Spectacle Island, a great recreational playground with miles of hiking trails, a sandy beach, and a fishing pier. In coming weeks, ferry service will begin from the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy and the Hingham Shipyard Marina, and routes will run to Lovells, Peddocks, Grape, and Bumpkin Islands. Click here for a current ferry schedule.

The Island Alliance has put together a fantastic schedule of events on the islands all summer: click here to check it out. This Saturday (May 16), there will be a boat tour of the islands exploring the islands' rich Irish heritage. It will leave from Fan Pier and the Volvo Ocean Race, where Galway, Ireland, is the next port of call. Click here for tickets.

While you're at the Volvo Ocean Race, check out the Union Park Press table in the tent near the main entrance and pick up a copy of Discovering the Boston Harbor Islands, the definitive guidebook to all 34 of the Boston Harbor Islands. If you can't make it to the race, you can buy a copy at local bookstores or at Amazon.com. Also be sure to check out my article on the islands in the latest issue of New England Travel or click here.

Boston Post Cane Article

2009-04-27T08:48:00.002-05:00

This year marks the 100th anniversary of The Boston Post Canes, the ebony walking sticks that were given by the defunct Boston Post newspaper to the oldest residents in hundreds of towns across New England. It's one of the great Yankee traditions that makes this area of the world so unique. Over the years, the canes have been shunned and cherished, lost and found, burned and (perhaps) even buried. Click here to read an article I wrote for The Boston Globe Magazine on the Boston Post Canes. In the article, I mention that the cane for Watertown, Mass., has been recovered after being missing for decades. There will be a ceremony on April 29 at 3 PM at the Edmund Fowle House when the cane will be formally presented to the Watertown Historical Society.

Patriots' Day 2009 Events and Battle Re-enactments

2009-04-10T07:07:00.003-05:00

Now that the first pitch has been thrown to kick off the baseball season in Boston, it's time for the opening musket shot to be fired as Revolutionary War battle re-enactment season is once again upon us. Patriots Day, which commemorates the battles at Lexington and Concord, is Monday, April 20, but events remembering the battles start this weekend.

Here are some of the highlights:

Saturday April 11, 2009

1 PM Meriam's Corner Exercise. This re-enactment in a field at Meriam's Corner commemorates a skirmish between the British and the colonists as the British retreated to Boston on the Battle Road. The battle is near the corner of Lexington Road and Old Bedford Road in Concord. Park along the roads.

3 PM Paul Revere Capture Ceremony. Paul Revere Capture Site, Route 2A, Lincoln. More on the capture site here. There's a small parking lot at the site or it's walkable from the Minute Man Park visitor center.

Saturday April 18, 2009

8:30 AM Commemoration of the North Bridge Fight. North Bridge, Concord. Commemoration of the battle on the morning of April 19, 1775. Parking is on Monument Street.

11 AM - 2PM Battle Road Re-enactment. Near Hartwell Tavern, Route 2A Lincoln. There are re-enactors encamped at the Hartwell Tavern and Captain William Smith house and British in full retreat. There are drill and musket demonstrations, crafts, and artillery demonstrations.

Sunday April 19, 2009

6:30 and 7:30 AM Dawn Salute and North Bridge Remembrance Ceremony. North Bridge, Concord. A 21-gun musket and cannon salute at dawn. A 7:30 there are historical speeches and a wreath laying at the bridge.

7:00 PM Paul Revere's Row Re-enactment. Boston National Historical Park Visitor Center, Building 5, Charlestown Navy Yard. A re-creation of Paul Revere's historic row across Boston Harbor to Charleston.

8:00 PM Annual Lantern Ceremony. Old North Church, 193 Salem Street, Boston. The Old North Church hosts its annual lantern ceremony, commemorating the lantern lighting that began Revere's ride. Smart money is on two lanterns being lit this year.

Monday April 20, 2009

5:oo AM Battle Re-enactment at Lexington Green. Set your alarm for the re-enactment of the first shots fired in the American Revolution.

9:00 AM Concord Patriots' Day Parade. Starts at Concord Center and passes over the North Bridge, beginning around 9:30, before returning to town.

Saturday April 25, 2009

7:00 PM Battle Road Heroes. Hartwell Tavern, Lincoln. Walk down a candle-lit path and listen to the personal stories of people who lived along the Battle Road on April 19, 1775. $5 per person and $10 per family.

For more information on events, visit the Minute Man National Historical Park web site. For more information on events related to the Old North Church lantern and Revere's ride, visit the Freedom Trail web site.

What's New at Fenway Park for 2009?

2009-04-03T07:28:00.006-05:00

When Fenway Park opens its doors on Monday for its 98th Opening Day, fans are in for a big thrill. New concrete!

While the Yankees were engaging in its own economic stimulus plan by dumping nearly half a billion dollars on CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Mark Teixeria (and, oh yeah, opening a brand new stadium), the Red Sox invested in repairing and waterproofing the concrete seating bowl between sections 14 and 28. OK, so it's not as exciting, but the measure will help to preserve Fenway for use for the next 40 to 50 years, so that's worth something. Right?

Fans who aren't concrete aficionados, however, will still find some noticeable differences in Fenway in 2009:

New seats in lower bowl. Along with the lower seating bowl repairs between sections 14 and 28, new seats have been installed. All Field Box Seats were replaced by seats with cushioned bottoms and cup holders. Loge Box Seats that were replaced now have cup-holders. Wooden seats in the grandstand have been refurbished. Good news for your kneecaps: the seats have been fitted with springs that will allow them to retract automatically when empty.

Right field roof box expansion. The 383 Right Field Roof Box seats have been ripped out and replaced by 574 new seats. In addition, there are 100 dedicated standing room spaces with drink rails. There are expanded concession stands and restrooms as well. Providing a bookend to the Coca-Cola sign in left field is a neon sign featuring the logo of Cumberland Farms.

New concession items. Fans buying concessions at the Jordan's Third Base Deck will find a new Surf and Turf Grill with shrimp rolls and steak tips. There are also chicken and beef tacos and burritos, boneless chicken wings, a bag of three sliders, and "gobbler sandwiches" made with turkey, stuffing, gravy, and cranberry (that will sound wonderful on a steamy, 95-degree day game in July).

Fenway Frank recipe. Kayem Foods has taken over the contract to make Fenway Franks. According to an article The Boston Globe, Kayem will unveil a new, bolder recipe. Here's hoping they didn't tinker with the secret, salty ingredient: 86 years of tears from men, women, and children across New England. I guess since the Curse is gone, it's time to change the recipe.

Fenway Family Hour reduced concession prices. In April, nine food items will be up to 50% off for the first hour after gates open (gates open two hours before the first pitch). The items are Fenway Franks, pizza slices, pretzels, popcorn, cotton candy, fruit cupes, veggie cups, slider bags, and ice cream cups.

Meet an active player or coach. In past years the Sox have had a former player available at Autograph Alley to sign autographs, but beginning with the second homestand the Sox will host 30-minute sessions once a homestand where fans can meet and take photos with an active player or coach. Now we know why Manny wanted out of town.

Early entrance for some fans. Citizens of Red Sox Nation, the team's fan club, with a valid game ticket will have the opportunity to enter the ballpark early through Gate C and watch the Sox take batting practice from the Green Monster Seats.

Fenway "First Timers." Fans on their inaugural visit to Fenway can go to any Fan Information Booth and get a special First-Timer sticker, a FanFoto voucher for a free personal or family photograph, and sign up for a free welcome message on the scoreboard.

For pregame and postgame options, the biggest addition in the neighborhood is the opening of the House of Blues on Lansdowne Street behind the Green Monster. In addition to live entertainment, the House of Blues serves food. The biggest loss to the neighborhood in the offseason was a January fire that tore through six restaurants on Peterborough Street, including Sorento's, El Pelon Taqueria, and Thornton's Fenway Grille. The McDonald's on Boylston Street has apparently just closed as well.

The one big thing that hasn't changed this year: ticket prices (finally) and concession prices. Just about the only benefit of the economic downturn. Hopefully, the quality of the play on the field stays the same as well. Go Sox!

For more information on getting tickets, food and drink options inside and outside Fenway, getting autographs, increasing your odds of catching a foul ball and getting on TV, saving some cash at the game, and much more on having a great day at a Sox game, pre-order a copy of The Die-Hard Sports Fan's Guide to Boston.

Independent Bookstores in Boston

2009-04-02T06:03:00.004-05:00

Encouraging article in The Boston Globe today about some local, independent bookstores that are holding their own in the economic downturn. It's nice to see some good news about the publishing industry for a change. The main focus of the article is the Brookline Booksmith in Coolidge Corner. It's a great bookstore, and as an added bonus, there is a used bookstore in the basement. Also mentions Newtonville Books, another one of my favorites. Back Pages Books in Waltham is another one to check out. I definitely encourage anyone to support these local, independent bookstores.

Frozen Four Tickets and Travel Information

2009-03-31T14:39:00.001-05:00

President Obama may be a big college basketball fan—although the president’s tournament bracket is just as busted as most hoops fans—but it’s college hockey that will take center stage in the nation’s capital on April 9-11. The Frozen Four—college hockey’s answer to basketball’s Final Four—will be played in the Verizon Center in Washington, DC, and it will have a distinctly New England feel.

Boston University and the University of Vermont will square off in one semifinal on Thursday, April 9, and one of those Hockey East powers will play the winner of the other semifinal between Miami (Ohio) University and Bemidji State University on Saturday, April 11. Boston University has partnered with Anthony Travel to provide packages with hotel accommodations, transportation, and airline reservations. Call 877-284-2254 or visit the Anthony Travel web site for more information. Game tickets are not included in packages.

If you want to put together your own travel plans, non-stop airfares between Boston and either Dulles, Reagan Washington National, or Baltimore-Washington airports can be found for less than $200. Tickets to games are available on StubHub and other online ticket sites, and they are being distributed to students and season-ticket holders at the four participating schools. The only tickets being sold on Ticketmaster at the present time are for the Frozen Four Skills Challenge on Friday, April 10. Practices will be open to the public on Wednesday, April 8 and Friday, April 10. For more information on Frozen Four events, click here.

The Harlem Globetrotters Not at Fenway This Time Around

2009-03-30T08:31:00.006-05:00

Start whistling Sweet Georgia Brown. The Harlem Globetrotters, fresh off their appearances with Scooby Doo and Gilligan, take to the parquet tonight at 7 PM at the TD Banknorth Garden. Their opponent tonight will be the lowly Washington Generals, who have lost their last 12,861 against the Trotters. Law of averages says the Generals are due tonight, right? If you're brackets are busted, might as well throw some good money after the bad and take the Generals and the points.

The Generals aren't the only team that has barnstormed with the Globetrotters. In fact, Boston once played the patsies. In the 1950s, a team called the Boston Whirlwinds played the role of the foils, and college great Bevo Francis (who holds the record of most points in a college game: 113) was among those on the Whirlwinds. (Another team called the Boston Whirlwinds was the first professional basketball team in the Hub back in 1925.)

Of course, the Harlem Globetrotters have played the old and new Garden many times. In 1958, they even played members of the New York Football Giants. But what may be hard to believe is that the Globetrotters once played in the shadows of the Green Monster. On July 29, 1954, the Globetrotters defeated George Mikan's U.S. All-Stars 61-41 in front of 13,344 fans at Fenway Park. Now that outdoor hockey is making a comeback, maybe outdoor hoops can as well. The WNBA had an outdoor basketball game in New York last year, so it's been done. Maybe we can get the Globetrotters to play their next game in Boston back in the great outdoors. Or better yet--a pre-season Celtics game at Fenway. Hey, no paint job would be needed for the Green; Fenway's walls already match those of the home team.

More stories on Boston's basketball history are contained in The Die-Hard Sports Fan's Guide to Boston.