Although Bob and I had been tooling around various part of Massachusetts, mostly just outside of Boston, and even occasionally inside of Boston, I really hadn’t gotten the feeling of experiencing the real heartbeat of Boston. That was rectified on Friday, July 6, 2012. Looking back, it is amazing how full this day actually was. It began when we woke up in Braintree and started as early as possible. The Adams National Historic Site didn’t open until 9am, so that was the best that we could do.
This was a big-time, major, colossal morning for checking off some important Presidential checklists. Within a span of two hours, I was able to visit two Presidential birthplaces and two Presidential graves. But the biggest portion of the tour was actually the Old House (or as it came to be known, Peacefield). For just $5, we got a ticket to leave the visitors center (where I watched a portion of a John Adams documentary), visit the John Adams birth home at 9:25, then walk to the John Quincy Adams birth home next door at 9:40, and finally take the trolley to Peacefield at 10:05.
Bob naps on the trolley ride to the Adams houses
I’ll never forget that tour, because it was during one of my sneaky picture escapades that I got yelled out by our tour guide Don, a gruff ranger whose personality rivaled that of Nurse Ratched. So I’ll admit that I was wrong and I often try to get away with pictures in no-picture zones – in this case the room and chair in which John Adams was sitting when he died – but this guy had everyone on the tour scared to move. One guy got yelled out for touching the wallpaper, others got yelled out for not touching the stairs handrail, a handicapped man got yelled out for pulling out a portable seat, and even Bob got yelled out for not moving to the end of the upstairs hallway. So even though Don was impressed that I had heard of Nathaniel Gorham, mostly he was just rude to everyone. I handed my camera over to him when he asked for it (knowing, or at least thinking, I’d get it back at the end of the tour), but he gave it back right away and just told me to erase the picture. It’s almost like we were in a casino or something…
So that’s my most embarrassing moment of the entire trip, but I’m trying not to let that memory overshadow the grandiosity of the very cool homes that we saw that day. These can be reviewed in further detail in my posts highlighting John Adams (here) and John Quincy Adams (here).
We’re thinking of starting a gang called ‘The Trolley Boys’
We got back to the visitors center at about 11:15am, and then Bob and I drove over to the United First Parish Church, which is now referred to as The Church of the Presidents. Both John Adams and John Quincy Adams – along with their wives – are interred in the basement vault. Across the street in the Hancock Cemetery is the original vault in which the family members were buried. Again, all of these locations can be seen in further detail in my postings highlighting John Adams (here) and John Quincy Adams (here). Following the Hancock Cemetery visit, it was around noon and we departed Braintree to head toward Boston.
Taking a breather in the United First Parish Church
It took a little less than an hour to reach our next destination, which involved feeding ourselves before we embarked on some hefty walking. This was the second restaurant of the trip that had been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. This one was called Sam LaGrassa’s and even after visiting nine more on this trip, this one ranked as the definitive best one to Bob and right at the top for me as well. Featured on the episode Blast from the Past because their recipes were forty years old, their specialties featured on the show were the Clam Chowder and the Chipotle Pastrami sandwich; I had both. I’m sure one may wonder how the sandwich could be that special, but when you consider the Rumanian pastrami with chipotle honey mustard, swiss cheese, and cole slaw grilled on an italian sesame roll, things might start to become clearer.
DD&D #36: Sam LaGrassa’s in Boston, Massachusetts
A most amazing pastrami sandwich and chowder, sir
Two guys who are thankful for the Food Network
I believe they truly are the world’s #1 sandwiches
We had utilized valet parking at a hotel across from Sam LaGrassa’s (which we thought would cost $29, but only ended up costing $15), and felt even dumber when we plugged Boston Common into the GPS as we drove away, and then figured out was just around the corner. So we had to pay to park again – this time in a convenient parking garage under Boston Common. This was actually a stroke of genius for the city to build this to make touring the downtown area actually convenient for drivers.
After working our way out of the parking garage, Bob and I walked to the opposite corner of Boston Common, checked out the bathers in the pond, and stopped for a carousel ride along the way. I insisted that Bob get on the wooden horse, and he obliged. And then we began our walk on the Freedom Trail…
Boston Common
Seeing a horse about a ride
Merry Go Bob
The Memorial to Robert Gould Shaw and the Massachusetts Fifty-Fourth Regiment, created as a tribute to the black soldiers who led the attack on Fort Wagner (as seen in the movie Glory), by Augustus Saint Gaudens, sits across the street from the State Capitol building
The Freedom Trail begins at…
…the Massachusettes State House
Our first stop was at the Massachusetts State House. This would be the first of seven State Capitol buildings that I would visit during our New England road trip, and it was my 22nd one in all. Even though this building was completed in 1798, it is still sometimes referred to as the ‘New State House’ – in relation to the Old State House that I would see later that afternoon. We had a very cute young tour guide showing us around on the tour – and naturally did the standard visits to the House of Representatives and Senate Chambers, a stop by the outside of the Governor’s office, plus the very cool Hall of Flags. Overall it was a good tour, but the security was a bit over the top, with only one entrance and exit open, and even a section of the outside locked down from visitors. Our guide Olivia actually had to take me downstairs to look out a window just to see the back of the John F. Kennedy statue on the exterior of the building.
My first State Capitol visit of 2012, my 22nd overall
1826 marble statue of George Washington in Doric Hall of the State House. The public didn’t care for Washington in a toga, so they told the people that it was Washington rallying the troops in Valley Forge during the cold winter and that the toga was really a blanket
A bronze bust of John Hancock in Doric Hall
Stained glass dome in the Capitol rotunda
The Hall of Flags – featuring replicas of the flags returned from battles in every war from the Civil War to Vietnam
Inside the chambers of the House of Representatives
Governor portrait of Elbridge Gerry, who would serve as Vice President of the United States under James Madison from 1813-1814
Governor’s portrait of Mitt Romney in Governor’s reception area. Who knows? He might be someone someday.
As close as we got to the Governor’s office
President Calvin Coolidge had served as Governor of Massachusetts from 1919-1921
The Senate Chamber
Interesting flag on display, made up of the names of the victims of terrorist attack on 9/11
It was around 3pm when we finished our Capitol tour (which is the starting point of the Freedom Trail), and so we pressed on with some walking. Because Bob has an aversion to that activity, we only walked for about a third of the trail. We didn’t really spend much time in any of the historical sites and mostly opted for photos of the exteriors. Still, it was a good taste of the city and now I most certainly know where everything is if/when I go back for further investigation. Here are the things we saw on the walking portion:
The Park Street Church: A historic church built in 1810, where William Lloyd Garrison made his first anti-slavery speech on July 4, 1829.
Inside the Park Street Church
Granary Burying Ground: Adjacent to the Park Street Church is this small cemetery that was founded in 1660 houses an impressive array of well-known patriots. Among them are John Hancock, 4th and 13th President of the Continental Congress, and during his first term signer of the Declaration of Independence as President of Congress, the parents of Benjamin Franklin, Paul Revere, Mary Goose – who traditionally is claimed to be Mother Goose, even if this is not entirely true, Robert Treat Paine, signer of the Declaration of Independence, Samuel Adams, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and the five victims of the Boston Massacre.
The entrance to the Granary Burial Ground
Declaration of Independence signer and President of the Continental Congress John Hancock
Grave of Josiah and Abiah Franklin, parents of Benjamin Franklin
American Revolution patriot Paul Revere
Mary Goose, whom Boston legend claims is the original Mother Goose
Declaration of Independence signer Robert Treate Paine
Declaration of Independence signer Samuel Adams
Grave of the five victims of the Boston Massacre
Benjamin Franklin Statue: This is located on the former site of the first public school in America, known as Boston Latin School, which was build circa 1635. It is now located in the outside eating area of a restaurant.
The Benjamin Franklin statue. He’s the brown one.
The Old South Meeting House: Here was the spot where the Boston Tea Party was organized amongst about 5000 townspeople. This church, built in 1729, was the largest building in Boston on December 16, 1773, so it was the natural place for the gathering to occur.
Outside the Old South Meeting House, with a slightly more modern building in the background
Old State House: The State House was built in 1713 and is the oldest surviving public building in Boston. It was the home of the state’s legislature until 1798. I went inside and visited the gift shop while Bob waited, but I didn’t do the tour of the museum now inside.
Outside the Old State House, now a museum
The Old State House, standing just a few yards from the Boston Massacre marker, unbeknownst to me
There were three things on my list that I missed during this walking tour. The first was the birthplace of Benjamin Franklin, located at One Milk Street. Bob and I knew the address, but somehow ended up in front of the wrong building, frustrated that we could find no marker. We even checked in at the local post office, assuming that one of the government officials would know where it was. We should have known better than to assume. It turns out that the building has a bust of Franklin implanted about midway up, so I’ll know what to look for next time.
Somehow we walked right past the Old Corner Bookstore, perhaps twice, without stopping at it. This might be because it now houses a Chipotle, and I didn’t know that at the time. And finally, although I was right in the general area of the site of the Boston Massacre (standing just a few yards from it in my picture with Old State House), I didn’t realize until after the fact that the site had been marked by a cobblestone circle imbedded in the square in front of the state house that commemorated the incident.
Bob was done walking at this point, so we hailed a taxi to take us back to Cheers at about 4:45. I probably don’t need to explain that this, the former Bull & Finch Pub, was the location used in exterior shots on one of my all-time favorite sitcoms Cheers. Unlike many exterior locations in TV shows, the stars crew did come to Boston to film several scenes outside the bar. Also it is rather well-known that the inside of the bar really doesn’t much resemble the bar seen on the TV show.
I feel like I’m in a sitcom lead-in
I entered by going down the iconic stairs and walked through the original lower-level bar, only to find every seat taken. The good news was that Cheers now owns the street-level floor as well, and they added a bar there that more closely resembles the TV set. Bob and I found a table and ordered some lobster dip and calamari appetizers and naturally, I had a beer. Since we were in Boston, I went with the Samuel Adams.
Down the famous stairs
In the bar that is designed to look a little bit more like Cheers than the original bar
Cheers to a trip gone well so far (despite the Don yelling)
An hour later, we had retrieved our car and Bob drove to a couple of additional sites along the Freedom Trail. I jumped out and just took some pictures.
The Paul Revere House: It wasn’t a lot to see from the street (especially with a car parked right in front of it), but it was here that American patriot lived during the time of the Civil War (from 1770-1800).
In front of Paul Revere’s home. In his day, this Durango was rarely parked in front of it.
The Old North Church: You’ve heard of the famous “One if by land, two if by sea” signal? This is where it all happened. Paul Revere had instructed that two lanterns be placed in the steeple in order to give signal to the British army movement to Charlestown. Believe it or not, I almost had a bystander take a picture of me in front of the wrong church, before he pointed me in the right direction. Yes, we were rushed since Bob was parked illegally. A visit inside the church is a must-do in the future.
Finally locating the correct Old North Church
Paul Revere statue, with the Old North Church in the background
Bunker Hill Monument: This obelisk is actually located on Breed’s Hill, where most of the fighting actually took place in largely mis-named Battle of Bunker Hill of June 17, 1775. The monument is one of the first of its kind in the United States and was created in 1842. The Freedom Trail has two ‘ending points’ so to speak, and the Bunker Hill monument is one of them. It is possible to backtrack the trail and let it lead you to the U.S.S. Constitution, or it is possible to bypass Bunker Hill and go directly to there. But for the purposes of my photo for the website, it ended here, and that’s that.
The obelisk commemorating the Battle of Bunker Hill
Our expedition reaches the end of the Freedom Trail, a journey briefly interrupted by a taxi ride, car ride, and beers and snacks at Cheers
About 15 minutes away from the end of the Freedom Trail, in the neighboring town of Charlestown is the Phipps Street Burying Ground. This was an odd cemetery as Bob had found out beforehand that we should call to make an appointment to get in. I’ll leave aside any jokes about us ‘dying’ to get in, but we really did want to see the grave of Nathaniel Gorham, the 14th President of the Continental Congress and a signer of the United States Constitution. However, entrance to the cemetery would have been meaningless, as we found out from a sign on the entrance fence that Gorham is in the cemetery in an unmarked grave.
As close to a grave marker as we can get to United States Constitution signer and President of the Continental Congress Nathaniel Gorham
I know we’d come upon a ‘locked out’ situation soon enough in our travels
On the outskirts of Boston is Cambridge, home of Harvard University. We had a cemetery to visit there, but by 8pm we knew it would be closed. We drove around town for a bit looking for something iconic that would have indicated Harvard University, but really never saw anything. I’m pretty convinced that we weren’t even in the right area. At the end of a long day like this when you’re tired, sometimes you just wanna get to the motel. But first we did also swing by the Mount Auburn cemetery to scope out the hours and location, so that we could hit it first thing in the morning.
As you might guess, motels are expensive in the Boston area, we traveled back out of town to Natick (where we had seen the grave of VP Henry Wilson the day before), stopped at a convenience store to pick up a case of water, and got a room at the luxurious Hampton Inn at around 9pm. The soft covers felt especially soft after the long day we had had… and getting yelled at by Don.
The New England road trip will continue…
My favorite photo in this posting is “Mary Go Bob” – thank you both for that one.
Too bad that the light reflected off the chowder so we can’t really see it…. Oh well…
Peter
August 29th, 2012
You’ll have to try to go back to Gorham’s burial site now! I just found out that since I last checked on Find A Grave (evidently several years ago), a marker has been placed.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=4713&PIpi=73413978
Kurt
March 26th, 2016