Massachusetts Enters the Union

It was on this date in 1788 that Massachusetts officially ratified the Constitution of the United States and became part of the Union.

Five Fun Facts About Massachusetts Entering the Union

• The Constitution was ratified in the Old State House. Every year on July 4th, at 10am the Constitution is read from the balcony.
• The Massachusetts Constitution was adopted in 1780.
• John Hancock was elected as the first governor on October 25th, 1780 and was the sitting governor when Massachusetts ratified the Constitution.
• Population in Massachusetts was 378,787 in 1790 (The first census)
• Boston was the third largest city in America - New York was number one and Philadelphia was number 2. Today Greater Boston is the 21st largest city in America.

Massachusetts Compromise

Today is also when the Bill of Rights became a requirement of the United States Constitution.

Many people may not know that Massachusetts didn't easily adopt the Constitution. Anti-Federalists felt that the Constitution didn't give many individual rights. It took a lot of convincing by notable Federalists John Hancock and Samuel Adams to get the members of the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention to accept the United States Constitution.

The Massachusetts Compromise was to amend the Constitution with the "Bill of Rights." A set of rights that ensured that the Constitution didn't give powers to the elite and remove the individual ideas that so many people fought for.

The compromise help ratify the Constitution on this day in 1788 by a vote of 187 to 168.

Five other States soon passed the Constitution with four of them using the Massachusetts model of recommending amendments along with the ratification.

The Constitution was officially ratified on June 21st, 1788. George Washington inauguration was on April 30, 1789.

A. Philip Randolph Statue

In the Back Bay Station, near the ticket counter, is a larger than life-size statue of A. Philip Randolph.

Brief Background About A. Philip Randolph

You can learn a lot more about A. Philip Randolph life on the A. Philip Randolph Institute Website. There is also a short video of A. Philip Randolph on YouTube.

Fun Facts about the Statue

Here are some fun facts that I found about this statue:

Statue was Commissioned in 1986.

Statue was unveiled on Saturday, October 8, 1988 - as part of the redesign of the Back Bay station. In attendance was Transportation Secretary Frederick P. Salvucci, James F O'Leary general manager of the MBTA, Norman Hill president of the A. Philip Randolph Institute, Richard Womack director of the civil rights program of the AFL-CIO. Also present was John Dukakis the governor's son. At least 400 people were at the ceremony.

23 retired members of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters were also in attendance.

Governor Michael Dukakis wasn't able to attend the ceremony as he was running for President of the United States.

In October 1987, Governor Michael Dukakis dedicated a station on the Orange Line to A. Philip Randolph.

Back Bay station was select for the statue because many of the early members of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters settled in the area.

The entire waiting area is named after A. Philip Randolph. The purpose is to turn the space from a waiting room into an education room.

The statue was done by Tina Allen. This was her first project. You can see her signature on the pants fold on the shoe that is touching the ground.

Text at the Base of the Statue

At the base of the statue is the following text, this is a bit hard to read since over the years, people have been sitting on the words.

Tina Allen Signature on the Statue

Henry Bradford Endicott tablet

At the Massachusetts State House, near the Executive Wing, is a commemorative plaque for Henry Bradford Endicott.

Henry B. Endicott was an entrepreneur that came from a poor family and built an empire to be one of the richest men in the world. He built his wealth through the Endicott Johnson Corporation - a shoe manufacturer.

Henry B. Endicott gave back to the community:

• He donated shoes from the Endicott Johnson Corporation to those in need
• He arranged a relief train to provide needed assistance to those impacted by the Halifax Explosion.
• He was appointed as a food administrator and the executive manager of the Massachusetts Committee on Public Safety during World War I.

You can learn a lot more about Henry Bradford Endicott in the book about him, Henry B. Endicott: A Brief Memoir of His Life and His Services to the State and Nation which is in the public domain.

Six Fun Facts About the Plaque

Here some interesting things that I learned about this plaque:

This tablet was made by the T. F. McGann & Sons Founders, Boston Massachusetts. They also did the Marvin Goody Memorial in the Boston Public Gardens and the "Winged Victory" statue at the Boston's World War 2 Memorial to name a few of the local work. (T.F. McGann signature is on the bottom right on the plaque.)

Henry Hudson Kitson was the tablet sculptor - you can see the signature on the left side.

The tablet was unveiled by Massachusetts Governor Channing H. Cox on December 15, 1921 - 672 days after Henry B. Endicott died.

The Governor said at the ceremony, "It is then high privilege to accept on behalf of the Commonwealth this beautiful memorial tablet, authorized by law and made possible by devoted friends and coworkers-his fellow-citizens. It records a great service nobly rendered. It deserves its place on the walls of this historic hall."

In 1920, the Massachusetts Legislature pass an act to appropriate $400 for a memorial in the State House. ($5,189.58 in 2019) An additional $2,500 was raised by 53 private citizens.

The bronze tablet is 69" by 41" by 3"

Text of the Plaque

Jean Louis Lefebvre De Cheverus

Jean Louis Lefebvre De Cheverus was the first Bishop of Boston. He was Bishop from 1810 until 1823.

On the building at 110 Frankin Street is a tablet where his home was in the early 1800s.

Tablet Text

On this site stood the residence of 
Jean Lefebvre DeCheverus
First Roman Catholic Bishop
of Boston
Beloved by Protestant and Catholic AlikeBorn in France 1768
Made Bishop 1808
Recelled to France in 1823
Later made Cardinal Archbishop
of Bordeaux where he died in 1836

"His thoughts were as a pyramid upheld
on whose far top anget stood and smiled 
yet in his heart he was a child"

This tablet places by the city of Boston 1925

This tablet restored by the George M. Henderson Foundation

Five Fun Facts

Interesting facts about Jean Louis Lefebvre De Cheverus

Born on January 28, 1768 in Meyaeene, France,

Exiled to England during the French Revolution and soon came to America in 1796 to do some missionary work.

He spent much of the time in Maine with Penobscot Indians (He managed to speak their language.)

In August 8, 1810, Pop Plus VII made Jean Louse Cheverus first bishop of Boston. (Official documents didn't arrive until November 1, 1810)

He was loved by everyone in New England, people would come from all over to listen to him speak.

He was a friend to President John Adams and a frequent advisor to the Massachusetts Legislature.

On September 26, 1823, he returned to France on a promise to his family. King Louis XVIII requested him to return because of Jean Louse Cheverus poor health.

Before leaving Boston, he donated all his possessions including several books that help start the Boston Athenaeum. (You can still see the collection today!)

While in France he became the Archbishop of Bordeau.

He died on July 19, 1836 in Bordeaux, France

Boston Landmark Map

Boston is a great historic city. It's known as the "birthplace of the American Revolution" because many historic events took place here.

There are hundreds of historical sites of the American Revolution for visitors to explore.

You can find all the "Official Historical Sites" on the Boston Landmark Commission Map.

This is a useful map to see all the important places to check out. Simply click on an object and get more information about that location.

Boston Landmark Commission

Since 1977, The Boston Landmark Commission job is to help preserve important buildings and locations around the city. Its role is not just limited to century-old architecture but all historic structures.

You can get the download the status of petitions from the City of Boston.

Elephant Memorial at Fenway Park

Long before crowdsourcing became a thing - In 1914, the children of Boston help raise enough money to place three Elephants at the Franklin Park Zoo.

There is a marker at Fenway Park to remember the occasion when the Elephants first met the children of Boston. It was the largest gathering at Fenway Park. (Due to current fire rules - this looks to stand forever.)

Elephant Prints on the Ground in the Grandstand area

Things I Learned

• Boston Post's publisher Edwin A. Grozier came up with the idea of having children collect money for the city to buy the elephants.
• Only nickel and pennies were accepted in boxes that were put in stores all around the city.
• The city raised: $6,000. ($151,948.45 in 2018) If they were all pennies it would be weigh 38 lbs.
• 70,000 Children and Parents attended the event on June 6, 1914 - the gates were to open at 9am, but such a large crowd gathered that they opened it up early.
• The elephants spent the night at the park before they came out on the field.
• In 1914, the Average Baseball attendance at Fenway Park was 6,055!

History Fun Facts

• Babe Ruth would joined the Red Sox a month later - July 11, 1914
• Largest crowd for a Baseball game at Fenway Park was 49,000 on September 23, 1935.
• Largest Concert crowd for a Paul McCartney concert was 36,064 on July 10, 2013.

Remembering the Elephants

• Mollie died on April 22, 1921 of a heart attack- Harvard's Natural Museum has the skeleton. (Some media outlets called her Molly)
• Tony died on January 19, 1939 of cancer
• Waddy died November 5, 1940 - one of the longest elephants to live in captivity.

Sign at the Park

Best Boston Blog Post of 2019

There were a lot of great Boston blog posts in 2019. It was really hard to find the ones that stood out more than others.

After reviewing all the posts, I was able to identify the posts that made a big impact on readers this year. Nine Outstanding Posts in 2019

• Archbald Gravestone - Good Information on a Family gravestone in the Granary Burial Grounds
• Paul Revere House - Information on one of Boston’s most popular tourist attraction.
• George Washington Bust - Fun Facts on the best facial of George Washington.
• The Founders Memorial - Information on a little know memorial in the Boston Public Commons.
• Pope John Paul II visits Boston - Learn how the monument in the Boston Public Commons came about.
• Christopher Snider - Learn about a 12-year old boy that died days before the Boston Massacre.
• Mather Tomb - A tomb in the Copp’s Hill Burying Ground that some say haunts the grounds.
• OneIda Football Club Monument - Read how early Football was once played in the Boston Public Commons.
• Vendome Hotel Fire Monument - Learn more about the great Vendome Hotel File that occured on June 17th, 1972.

Goals for 2019

The tradition continues in 2020 - Every Thursday expect to see another exciting Boston post.

I will focus on better photos, unique stories and focus more post in 2020 to visitors to Boston.

If you have any post that you would like to see, let me know in the comments below.

Prudental Garage Parking

This is a wonderful time of the year to be in Boston at night. Granted that it is cold, but you should miss all the bright lights around the city.

There are plenty of places to park in Boston, one of the largest parking garages in Boston is at the Prudential Mall.

Parking Cost Weekdays

Parking Cost Weeknights

Enter after 5:00PM and exit by 3:00AM
$15.00 flat fee with validated parking ticket.

You can validate your parking ticket at any venue in the Prudential Mall. (You do need to spend at least $10) Dunkin Donuts is included - which is perfect for the ride home!

Tips with Parking at the Pru

Pay attention to where you enter the Mall - there are many elevators/escalators that will get you up in the Mall.

The garage can be confusing if you go back in using a different elevator. (You may end up like the classic Seinfeld episode where they get lost in the Garage.)

Some Mall Entrances are in stores that may close early. Make sure to read signs that let you know when that entrance is closed.

Most of the first floor of the garage is reserved for monthly parking holders. When you enter the garage just go to the second floor.

The best entrance into the garage is off of Huntington Ave.

To get back on the MassPike, use the Dalton Street Exit, take a left on Boylston Street and then a right on Massachusetts Ave. Then stay in the left lane for the Mass Pike Entrance - West Bound.

William Channing House

Last year I wrote about the William Ellery Channing statue at the corner of Arlington Street and Boylston Street.

William Ellery Channing lived not too far from the Arlington Street Church where he was a well-respected speaker. His house was located on Beacon Hill - 83 Mount Vernon Street - about a 15-min walk to the Church.

There is a small marker to let people know about the previous owner.

Six Things I learned about this house

• This is private residence no tours are offered at this location. There are 6 apartments at this address.
• The building was last sold on June 15, 2018 for $8,550,000 or $913 per square foot. It has 6-bedrroms and 6-baths.
• It was converted to a multi-unit family house in 1984.
• The house was built in 1834 and, as the sign indicates, he lived here from 1835 to 1842. (This means he was the first owner of the property.)
• He wrote the book Slavery while living at this location.
• Mr. Channing would often take walks with his neighbors around the Boston Commons and talked about various Unitarian views. Sometimes the conversation would end up in his sermons at the Arlington Street Church.

Skinniest House in Boston

The skinniest house in Boston is located down the street from the Old North Church. After you leave the Old North Church, head up the hill on Hull Street. You'll want to stay on the right side of the road. Keep an eye on the left side for 44 Hull Street - it won't be hard to miss. This is the smallest house in the City of Boston.

Seven Things I Learned about this Location

Joseph Eustis, a shipbuilder, built the house in 1804 - Listed as one of the 100 oldest building in Boston. (Some records have the house being built in 1884.)

He was forced to build the house of that size because his brother built a larger house on a property by their deceased Dad. He challenged Joseph to try to build a house on such a small piece of property.

This four-story house features 1 bed, 1 bath. The total living space is 1166 sq. ft. The bedroom is 800 sq ft. There are only 4 doors in the entire house.

The House spans 10.4 feet at the widest point.

You can only enter the house in the back alley. Did you notice that there's no front door on Hull Street?

The house was Last sold on May 18, 2017 for $900,000 or $771 a sq ft. Today the house is valued at $1,044,111. At one time you could rent this property for $2,500 a month.

Today as you walk by the house you'll see a sign that reads, "The Skinny House (Spite House) Est. 1862." The term Spite House refers to how Joseph Eustis built the house to irritate his brothers for not leaving him enough land. Instead of keeping the space empty he built a house to block the sun from his brother's house.

JFK Thanksgiving Proclamation

The 35th President of the United States gave the following Thanksgiving Proclamation 57 years ago:

Fake Monks

As you walk around Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market you may see some strange signs. One of these signs are warnings about the Fake Monk Mafia.

These signs seem a bit out of place, and certainly make people think - why are these signs here? What are these people doing that so bad?

Things I Learned About the Signs

• The notices started going up around the summer of 2016.
• This is part of the North End Waterfront council community to inform people of the panhandlers.
• The signs were put up in various places around the North End informing tourist about the fake panhandlers.
• Local merchants were annoyed about these people asking for money for a fake cause.
• The scam is that they slide a bracelet on your wrist and insist that you make a donation to their cause.
• Recent sightings have been near the Holocaust Memorial and around Park Street Station.

Not a Boston Problem

The Fake Monks are a problem in major cities around the world. Just about every popular tourist spot has men posing as Buddist monks harassing passers-by for money and react angrily when told no or when ignored.

Stories from around the Internet:

• New York Post - Fake Buddhist monks are the new squeegee men of New York (June 15, 2015)
• KRON (San Francisco) - People Behaving Badly: More San Francisco fake monks
• Inside Chicago - Avoid Fake Monks in Chicago
• South China Morning Post - Six ways to spot a fake Buddhist monk after Hong Kong ex-actress Mary Jean Reimer on crusade to expose them strikes again

Sign Text

The text on the sign reads:

Commodore John Barry

In the Boston Commons is a commemorated plaque of Commodore John Barry. It lists all the accomplishments that he did to help win the American Revolution.

John Barry was an officer in the Continental Navy during the American Revolutionary War and later in the United States Navy. He has been credited as being "The Father of the American Navy" and was appointed a captain in the Continental Navy on December 7, 1775.

Interesting Facts about John Barry and the Memorial.

• John Barry was born on March 25, 1745 and Died on September 13, 1803.
• The tablet was commissioned in 1949 by Boston’s Mayor James Michael Curley. The Mayor felt bad that there wasn't a memorial to John Barry - he wanted Bostonians to remember John Barry. The tablet was placed on the Boston Commons on October 16, 1949.
• On April 5, 1975, the tablet was stolen allegedly by some college students. It was mysteriously returned a few years later. The original tablet is now hanging in the USS Constitution Museum at the Charlestown Navy Yard.
• The original tablet was done by John Francis Paramino - who also did the Founders Memorial and the Declaration of Independence memorial and the John Endicott Resident Plaque among many others around the City of Boston.
• The Henderson Foundation funded the granite reproduction in 1977.
• President Kennedy displayed John Berry sword in the Oval Office - he admired John Barry. The sword is now in the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.
• Four United States Navy ships have been named in honor of him.
• John Barry is buried in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Text of the Memorial

Father of the American Navy
Commodore John Barry

Borm in Wexford Ireland 1745
Died in Philadelphia 1803
Received First Commission
From the Continental Congress
To Command the Lexington 1775
Sailed from Boston on the Raleigh 1778
Acclaimed in Boston in 1780
For Victories on the Alliance
Appointed in 1794 By President Washington
To Plan the Construction of And
Later to be in Command
Of First U.S. Navy
Launched 1798

Erected by the City of Boston
James M Curley Mayor
1949

Tablet restored by the George B. Henderson Foundation, 1976

Located

The Tablet is located on the Boston Commons on Tremont Street near Template Place.

Palazzo Ducale Model in the North End

The Boston Public Library central branch in Copley Square is famous for its architecture and collection. There are 25 other libraries scattered around the city with each one offering something special and unique to visitors.

In the North End, the Boston Public Library branch is located on 25 Parmenter Street.

Entrance to the North End Branch.

Why Visit?

There are Three Reasons to visit the North End Library branch:

• The building architecture is based on a Roman Villa. (There is a tiny courtyard in the center of the library that has plants.)
• There's a scale model of the Palazzo Ducale in Venice constructed by Henrietta Macy and Louise Stimson.
• There's a white marble bas-relief of Dante Alighieri in the center court.

The scale model of the Palazzo Ducale in Venice is a hidden treasure of Boston's North End and worth checking out!

Five Things I Learned About the Palazzo Ducale

The model isn't not visible to see when you walk in the Library. As you walk in, keep going straight. the model is located on the center wall facing away from the main entrance.

The model was put in the library in the 1930s. In 2013, the model underwent a complete restoration.

The model shows the scene of Venice from the 1500s, with political dignitaries and patricians.

There's a pamphlet that you can get that describes the model and people to look for in the model. Makes for a great treasure hunt for kids! (Can you find the begger wearing a black hood to hide his identity.)

There is a book all about the life and times of Miss Henrietta Gardner Macy. .Amazon.com: The Nun of the CA'Frollo: Life and Letters of Henrietta Gardner Macy (9781258057381): Clementine Bacheler, Jessie Orr White, Henrietta Gardner Macy: Books. Yes, you can get the book from the library!

The Story of the Model

An abbreviated version of the story behind the Palazzo Ducale model:

The model was requested to be built by a former kindergarten teacher (Miss Henrietta Gardner Macy) that taught in the North End. She wanted to live in Europe, and when the opportunity came she left and headed to Italy

Miss Macy kept contact with her Boston friends by writing. A couple of Boys visited her and helped her build a model of the Palace. The Boys had fun and promised to finish the project when they returned to Venice. The boys caught some bacterial infection and died.

Miss Macy was very sad to hear of the news. She decided to honor the boys by building a larger scale model. She worked hard on the model and the New York Metropolitan Museum showed interest in buying it. However, it was destroyed in a fire in England.

Miss Macy went back to the drawing board and made another model - this one to be bigger and better. Miss Macy died in 1927 without finishing the model.

Miss Nina C. Mitchell, one of her friends, decided to hire some craftmen to finish the job. Once completed, it was donated to the library for the enjoyment of the neighborhood.