Boston Common: An Uncommonly Beautiful Place in Beantown!

In the heart of Boston, a short drive from the raucous cacophony of Fenway Park, a stone’s throw from the upscale shopping that is Newbury Street, and a quick walk from the historic watering hole of Cheers, is a place most tranquil.  A place where summer brings blossoms, trees so green, and ducklings so curious.  A place where winter yields frozen ponds, skaters romantically holding hands, and where Jack Frost etches frost covered tree bark.  That place is Boston Common.  Dating back to 1634, it is America’s oldest public parks.  The Boston Common consists of 50 acres of land bounded by Tremont Street, Park Street, Beacon Street, Charles Street, and Boylston Street.  The Common is part of the Emerald Necklace of parks and parkways that extend from the Common south to Franklin Park in Roxbury.

My favorite part of Boston Common is The Boston Public Garden.  The Garden was established in 1837 when philanthropist Horace Gray petitioned for the use of land as the first public botanical garden in the United States.  Grey fought off political resistance to a number of Boston City Council attempts to sell the land in question, finally settling the issue of devoting it to the Public Garden in 1856.

Everytime I’m in Boston, I always have time to take a quick walk through Boston Common.  It seems that no matter what the season, I always love the picturesque tableau of the park.  Maybe it’s the fact that the park is the perfect size; from any point, you can see both the trees and the buildings, and nothing seems to overlap each other.  The park features many structures like the famed Lagoon Bridge, which many might argue is the most recognizable piece in the park.  The tall, round lamposts and faux-suspension look give it the feel of walking across a major city bridge.  Underneath, why not rent a swan boat and wave “Hello!” to all those passing by.  Another famous structure is the equestrian statue of George Washington, which greets visitors and locals alike to the entrance to Boston Common.  Just the sheer size of this great statue alone will make you wanna salute General Washington, himself!

For literary lovers, this park you may recognize from Robert McCloskey’s Make Way For Ducklings, one of the most famous children’s books ever written.  First published in 1941, Make Way for Ducklings tells the story of a pair of mallard ducks who decide to raise their family on an island in the lagoon in Boston Public Garden.  The book won the 1942 Caldecott Medal for McCloskey’s illustrations, executed in charcoal then lithographed on zinc plates.  By the way, if you don’t know what the Caldecott Medal is, please go to your nearest library, head into the children’s section, and please reconnect with your childhood!  In layman’s terms, it is the award given to the best illustrated children’s book of the year.  A bronze statue of the ducklings by Nancy Schön is a popular attraction in Boston Public Garden.  It is said the Ducks never need professional polishing because children sit on them so often.  A replica installed in Moscow was a gift from United States former First Lady Barbara Bush to former Soviet First Lady Raisa Gorbachev.

 

With so many sights on all four corners, subways nearby, and an atmosphere found nowhere else in Beantown, why not relax here with a good book, and a hot cup of chowdah?!  Oh, and remember one thing:  always make way for ducklings!