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Tag: Linda Cox

  • The Esplanade: A View from the Charles River with Linda Cox, July 23rd

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    Spend an evening on the river aboard The Charles Riverboat Company's beautiful tour boat, the Henry Longfellow, and learn about the Esplanade from one of the most respected of the park's advocates, Linda Cox. 

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    This event is sponsored by the Boston Preservation Alliance. And, Linda's talks about the Esplanade always receive rave reviews.

    They say:

    "Join the Boston Preservation Alliance and Linda Cox, Esplanade advocate and historian, for a historical overview of the Charles River Esplanade and its changing landscape. Enjoy an up-close look at this designated Boston Landmark as we cruise aboard the Henry Longfellow, a custom designed riverboat from the Charles Riverboat Company fleet.

    This event is $30 for Alliance members; $40 for non-members and includes light refreshments and a cash bar.

    Boarding occurs at the Charles Riverboat Company dock located outside of the food court at the CambridgeSide Galleria. Parking is available in the CambridgeSide Galleria parking garage.

    Space is limited. Please reserve your spot by July 17th by registering securely via Eventbrite. For more information, please email admin@bostonpreservation.org or call 617.367.2458."

    By the way, here's a link to Penny's review of Linda's book, Lone Holdout, A Memoir.

    The book Lone Holdout: A Memoir
    is available on Amazon and in the Kindle shop.

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     Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: Courtesy of the Charles Riverboat Company and Charles Street Press.   

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  • Esplanade Concert Stages before the Hatch Shell

    Since 1940, Boston Pops Concerts on the Esplanade have been held at the Edward Hatch Memorial Concertorium, better known as the Hatch Shell. But, there have been concert stages along the river since July 4th, 1929.

    38firstshell copy - Version 42006-10-20-first-music-shell-esplanade-Courtesy of State Archives© 2011 Penny Cherubino2006-10-20-Boston-pops-Hatch Shell postcard-© 2011 Penny Cherubino
    (Photo courtesy of the Massachusetts DCR Archives)

    The Hatch Shell replaced temporary music stages that had been used for Arthur Fiedler’s Esplanade concerts since the inaugural event. The first concert stage was a small platform backed by a shell-shaped sounding board made of wood. This structure was erected and dismantled for each season’s concerts.

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    In 1934, this was replaced by a temporary steel structure. While it was designed with an open back, it was described as, “insufferably hot” by Linda Cox in, “The Charles River Esplanade, Its Fascinating History.”

      Hatch Shell postcard2011-06-22-Boston-pops-Hatch Shell postcard-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    In 1939, the trustees of Maria E. Hatch’s estate entered into an agreement to give the Commonwealth of Massachusetts $300,000 to build a concertorium or music shell on the Storrow Memorial Embankment in Boston. It would be a memorial to her bother, Boston real estate auctioneer, Edward Hatch.

    The agreement was very specific as to the use of the structure. It would be for “musical and artistic purposes… of general public interest and entertainment, except, however, that it shall not be used for sectarian, political or controversial purposes.”

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    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Postcards are from a private collection