Category: History

Swan Song Weekend for Swan Boats

This is your final weekend to take a Swan Boat ride on the Public Garden Lagoon. After Sunday, September 16, 2012, the Paget family will be packing up these treasures and taking them away for a winter's rest.

The Swan Boats must be one of the most photographed features in Boston, even though they are only here from April to September. They add a sense of tranquility to the city and have a long and interesting history with one family acting as the stewards of this treasure since 1877.

Related Posts:

Swan Boats at Rest

First You Spiff Up the Dock: Swan Boats Step One

Welcome Back the Swan Boats

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What's on your fall shopping list? Click here for fall season savings over at Amazon.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

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September 15, 2012
Swan Song Weekend for Swan Boats

This is your final weekend to take a Swan Boat ride on the Public Garden Lagoon. After Sunday, September 16, 2012, the Paget family will be packing up these treasures and taking them away for a winter's rest.

The Swan Boats must be one of the most photographed features in Boston, even though they are only here from April to September. They add a sense of tranquility to the city and have a long and interesting history with one family acting as the stewards of this treasure since 1877.

Related Posts:

Swan Boats at Rest

First You Spiff Up the Dock: Swan Boats Step One

Welcome Back the Swan Boats

Thanks to everyone who hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support. It doesn't cost you any more but they put a few coins in our tip jar.

What's on your fall shopping list? Click here for fall season savings over at Amazon.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

Related articles

Charlie on the Swan Boat

Where to Find Old Friends Farm Local Ginger

The city I love – Boston

September 15, 2012
Swan Song Weekend for Swan Boats

This is your final weekend to take a Swan Boat ride on the Public Garden Lagoon. After Sunday, September 16, 2012, the Paget family will be packing up these treasures and taking them away for a winter's rest.

The Swan Boats must be one of the most photographed features in Boston, even though they are only here from April to September. They add a sense of tranquility to the city and have a long and interesting history with one family acting as the stewards of this treasure since 1877.

Related Posts:

Swan Boats at Rest

First You Spiff Up the Dock: Swan Boats Step One

Welcome Back the Swan Boats

Thanks to everyone who hops over to Amazon from here to do their shopping. We appreciate your support. It doesn't cost you any more but they put a few coins in our tip jar.

What's on your fall shopping list? Click here for fall season savings over at Amazon.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

Related articles

Charlie on the Swan Boat

Where to Find Old Friends Farm Local Ginger

The city I love – Boston

September 15, 2012
Look Down, History Below Your Feet

The sidewalks of Boston are not only a pathway to history but also contain historic coal vault covers with prism lights that were part of another time.

Click on any small image to pop up a larger view.

A few are in great condition and may still let light into spaces below the sidewalk. Others are dangerous, with holes that could catch heels or puppy paws and ugly concrete, covering what was once a thing of craftsmanlike beauty.

In the days before the electric light, these were important features. The sidewalk access meant that dirty coal deliveries did not have to come through the house. And, the beams admitted and intensified by prism lights allowed you to see in dark basement spaces.

We are just beginning our research on these and photographing as many as we can. If you'd like to share your photos of coal vault covers you can upload them to the BostonZest Photo Pool on Flickr.

What's on your Summer Fun shopping list? Shop Amazon Everything You Need for Summer Fun and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

July 31, 2012
Look Down, History Below Your Feet

The sidewalks of Boston are not only a pathway to history but also contain historic coal vault covers with prism lights that were part of another time.

Click on any small image to pop up a larger view.

A few are in great condition and may still let light into spaces below the sidewalk. Others are dangerous, with holes that could catch heels or puppy paws and ugly concrete, covering what was once a thing of craftsmanlike beauty.

In the days before the electric light, these were important features. The sidewalk access meant that dirty coal deliveries did not have to come through the house. And, the beams admitted and intensified by prism lights allowed you to see in dark basement spaces.

We are just beginning our research on these and photographing as many as we can. If you'd like to share your photos of coal vault covers you can upload them to the BostonZest Photo Pool on Flickr.

What's on your Summer Fun shopping list? Shop Amazon Everything You Need for Summer Fun and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

July 31, 2012
Love Those South End Fences

As a fan of traditional architecture, different parts of Boston attract me with their delightful details. The South End is rich in wonderful buildings filled with outstanding design elements. But as I walk there, my eye is constantly seeking out the rows of cast iron fences marching along the streets.

Fences, like the one in Ed's photo above, have an unmistakable strength and dignity and seem to unite buildings into strings of neighbors. With the brick sidewalks, they give you a sense of time and place.

A big thank you to The South End Historical Society for helping to restore and preserve this trademark in their neighborhood.

What's on your Summer Fun shopping list? Shop Amazon – Get Ready for Summer – Everything You Need and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

July 21, 2012
Archaeology Dig on Your Bucket List? Here’s Your Chance…

The City of Boston Archaeology Program is asking for volunteers to help them sort through items found on the Boston Common. We think this will fascinate some of our readers so we're making this our Friday link.

They say, "This week's goals are to finish cataloging the 2012 Boston Common Men's Comfort Station and sorting of the 95 boxes of artifacts from previous excavations on the Common. With some luck and lots of volunteer help, we could have one of the most important archaeological collections in the City in organized and stable conditions. Interested in volunteering at the lab?"

If you are, click here to send an email to Joseph Bagley, the city archaeologist.

What's on your Summer Fun shopping list? Shop Amazon – Get Ready for Summer – Everything You Need and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Screengrab from the City of Boston Archaeology Facebook page

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

July 20, 2012
Framing the Square

Copley Square seen through the frame of the doors at the McKim Building of the Boston Public Library.

Here are a few of the books on Boston architecture that Penny relies on to research her newspaper columns on architecture. Remember, when you Shop Amazon Gold Box with New Deals Every Day from here, you support this site and keep the Zest coming your way.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

July 14, 2012
Bosun’s Chair Connects Window Washers to Boston’s Maritime History

All over the city, you look up and see window washers suspended from buildings in bosun's chairs.

It reminded me of what we owe to the maritime legacy of this city. I'm sure these are used around the world, but here they seem fitting and proper.

What's on your Summer Fun shopping list? Shop Amazon – Get Ready for Summer – Everything You Need and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

July 7, 2012
Take a July 4th Revolutionary Stroll in the Heart of Boston

While you're waiting for the concert and fireworks, consider taking a stroll to visit some of the people who led the battle for independence.

In addition to George Washington, you'll also find statues honoring Revolutionary heroes Colonel Thomas Cass, and Tadeusz Kościuszko in the Boston Public Garden.

The Commonwealth Avenue Mall has three important figures from the Revolutionary War: Alexander Hamilton, General John Glover, and Abigail Adams.

And, of course, the Freedom Trail is the perfect hop-on-hop-off path that honors the people and places that played a leading role in what we celebrate today!

What's on your Summer Fun shopping list? Shop Amazon – Get Ready for Summer – Everything You Need and support this site!

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

July 4, 2012