King Philip's War Commemoration on Deer Island

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?