Boston Foot Tour 1: Back Bay and Beacon Hill - Back Bay Portion

[earlgreytea68]

I have this to say: This foot tour is way too long. It's three miles, but Boston is hilly, and, by the end, the books had me going up and then down Beacon Hill in an endless zig-zag. These two areas of the city should have been separated out. So I will separate them out here, because it's just too much.  

However, that aside, it was very fun to play tourist in my own city. I've walked through Copley Square hundreds of times and never bothered to go into Trinity Church. Today, that changed.


 

Copley Square

The  book tells me it's the most photographed square in Boston, but that it is now marred by shops, banks, and offices. I bet he'd hate it now.

1. Trinity Church

Apparently, this style of architecture is Richardsonian Romanesque. The book spends a lot of time talking about it, and about how American architecture had "languished in an unprecedented state of decadence" prior to the building of this church in 1877. He goes on for a while. I will just give you photos.






This is a very famous Boston photo, Trinity Church reflected in the John Hancock Building. This is my attempt at it. Of course, this was a photo opportunity that didn't exist in 1937.


The book tells me that there is supposed to be a statue of Phillips Brooks and Christ somewhere around this church. I walked around the church and couldn't find it. I think it might have been on the site the Hancock Building now occupies. The book describes the statue as "adversely critcized in Boston" and "regarded as unhappy by many critics. Ninety-five thousand dollars had poured in in voluntary public contributions for this statue, and the disappointmet of the donors was keen." So I can only assume it was just gotten rid of. I don't know who Phillips Brooks is, but poor him.

2. Boston Public Library


The man in the middle of the photo WOULD NOT MOVE. He was there when I got to Copley Square. I went into Trinity Church. He was still there when I got out. I walked around the church. HE WAS STILL THERE. So I had to give up and take the picture with him in it.

The book tells me the BPL is notable for: "the Sebatier collection, an unusual assortment of books dealing with Saint Francis of Assisi;" a large newspaper collection; the libraries of John Adams, Nathaniel Bowditch, George Ticknor, and the Reverand Thomas Prince; th first book printed in America, called the "Bay Psalm Book"; Webster's manuscript of "Reply to Hayne"; pre-1900 accounting books; a collection of "Washingtoniana"; Franklin's books and engravings; "the unique Trent Defor collection;" and "incunabula," whatever that is (to me, it sounds dirty, but I possibly just have a dirty mind).

The BPL is closed on Sunday, so I couldn't go in, but I've been there many times--I studied for the bar many days--and it's gorgeous. If you ever go to Boston, wander through the BPL.


The doors, a bit closer. The book tells me they should be "double bronze" doors. They're not. I guess those were replaced at some point.

3. Old South Church


According to the book, "the least distressing example of the Ruskinian or Victorian Gothic trend that correupted taste in the late nineteenth century." I also learned that the tower used to lean and was removed entirely in 1932. (Back Bay is filled in marsh land; the tower was too heavy and sank.) It was rebuilt in 1937. Fascinating.

4. Boston University

The book tells me that "[t]he proposed site for a new building...is on the banks of the Charles River." Yup. Where the school sprawls today. Taking up way more than one building.

The address where BU was in 1937 no longer exists. My best guess is it turned into the very ugly modern addition of the BPL.



5. The Boston Art Club Gallery was apparently at the corner of Dartmouth and Newbury Streets. This is now shops and a parking lot. Alas.

6. Statue of William Lloyd Garrison


The book tells me this statue is on the "central gravel mall" of Commonwealth Avenue. That central mall is paved now.

7. First Baptist Church


Apparently, the tower is privately owned? Or something? The book was confusing on this point.

8. First Church in Boston

Okay, this one is fascinating. Here's what the front of the building looks like:


Then you walk around to the back and:

See? Something must have happened to the original building, so they re-built a modern building and attached it to the old facade? Isn't that interesting? I think it is ugly, but neat.

Governor Winthrop founded this parish in 1630. I don't know what his statue now thinks of the modern building it sits next to.

My favorite part of this is that the First Lutheran Church is across the street, but the book doesn't mention it at all:


9. Statue of Alexander Hamilton

"[C]ontemporary criticism was violently adverse, but "[i]ts ultra-modern qualities receive present-day recognition."

10. Public Garden

Boston Public Garden is very pretty.

The book is very brisk about it, just saying that it "has been a treasured feature of Boston ever since it was laid out in the middle of the nineteenth century." (Or 1837, according to the sign.)

The book tells me to find the ether monument by walking to the left. I saw this fountain, which I doubted was the ether monument.

But then I found it!


The book says of this monument, delicately, that it "is not an artistic masterpiece."

The book then sends me to the George R. White Memorial Fountain. I have never seen this fountain before, nor have I ever heard of it. George R. White apparently gave Boston money for health education.

 
All of the photos from today, including the Beacon Hill ones I haven't posted about yet, are here.
 

 

Comments

[xebgoc.livejournal.com]

i think i need a trip to Boston. It's been almost 12 years... thanks for taking us along on your walk. all of your posts today are making me feel very guilty for not doing my blue angel and great america picspams this weekend and then i remember that i yesterday's lack of access kind of kept me from doing it. while i'm in eugene next weekend.

[earlgreytea68.livejournal.com]

Everyone should visit Boston!

And yeah, I basically had an entire weekend of catching up on LJ tasks I'd fallen behind on...

[elrina753.livejournal.com]

That book sounds hysterical. Especially the snarky commments on architecture and art. Someone clearly had an opinion when writing that.

[earlgreytea68.livejournal.com]

He's a total snarker. I love him.

[frakup.livejournal.com]

This is very very cool. Thanks for sharing!

[earlgreytea68.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you enjoyed!

[abbyromana.livejournal.com]

Looks like you had a fun sight-seeing time in Boston. I'm jealous! I've always wanted to visit there. I've been to D.C. when I was in middle school, but I never had the chance to visit Boston

I must admit I'm particularly interested in the historical sites. In fact, I have a question you might be able to answer. Do you know if there are any tombs or floor grave plagues inside the First Baptist Church in Boston or any of the churches in Boston?

I know in Europe it is common to have famous individuals buried inside of a church. Is that true in Boston too?

Even if you can't, I want to thank you for giving us a peek at your fun trip there.

[earlgreytea68.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I had never really seen that practice until I visited Europe, and I went into Trinity Church today and didn't notice any tombs or floor graves. I don't think that's really something that ever developed over here, for some reason. Boston has a lot of really old cemeteries, where the luminaries are buried. These are the types of people who *would* have been buried in a church if it had been done, which makes me think it wasn't done here.

[earlgreytea68.livejournal.com]

ME, TOO.

[earlgreytea68.livejournal.com]

I know, the only advantage of my job is that I can afford to live here.

[auntiesuze.livejournal.com]

Heh. That book does sound really awesome. The author is a bit...snarky, isn't he? LMAO!

I haven't been to Boston for ages. When I lived in MA, I loved to go there and wander around. There's something both gorgeous and horrifying in the juxtaposition of Trinity Church and the Hancock Building. I do love that reflection shot, though (I'm sure I have one of those somewhere in my cache of photos! lol). *thinks* I think I actually sang in Trinity Church once. Hm.

I'd love to live in Boston if I could afford it, but that's not happening any time soon!

[earlgreytea68.livejournal.com]

He's totally snarky. I love him. We are kindred spirits.

Boston's so expensive but so very beautiful. I don't just wander around it nearly as much as I should.

[chicklet73.livejournal.com]

the least distressing example of the Ruskinian or Victorian Gothic trend that correupted taste in the late nineteenth century

The book says of this monument, delicately, that it "is not an artistic masterpiece."

*snicker* Oh, this is fantastic.

[earlgreytea68.livejournal.com]

Isn't it, though?

[themusecalliope]

Shiny! Thanks for posting this.

Obviously I need to take a trip to Boston. I found this very interesting: "the least distressing example of the Ruskinian or Victorian Gothic trend that correupted taste in the late nineteenth century." <--I am left wondering what the "most distressing example" might be.

And now...I'd better go get some blogging done. I'm feeling like I've been dreadfully lazy.

[earlgreytea68.livejournal.com]

Ha! I want to know what the most distressing is now, too!

And oh, yes, I always support people visiting Boston.

[fishface44.livejournal.com]

You are a very bad influence on me. I can see me becoming completely vicariously enmeshed in this book! (And loving it!)

I looked up Richardsonian Romanesque and was Amazed. Turns out this guy Henry Hobson Richardson even influenced Frank Lloyd Wright, and his influence is all over lots of US architecture. And Finnish. (who knew?) Great Wikipedia article!

Now on to Phillips Brooks: "In the northwest corner of Harvard Yard stands a building as massive as the man whose name it bears. At 6 feet, 4 inches and nearly 300 pounds, Phillips Brooks, A.B. 1855, S.T.D. 1877, was an outstanding figure of Harvard's Victorian age."...became rector of a Philadelphia church during the Civil War, gaining recognition as a steadfast champion of emancipation and, later, of the right of former slaves to vote. After the war, he set out on the first of several trips abroad, visiting the Holy Land, where he wrote his most famous words, the lyrics to "O Little Town of Bethlehem...Brooks has been canonized; his feast day in the calendar of the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church is January 23.

How aggravating to have an Auton visit Copley Square at the same time you did! Probably couldn't move because he wasn't currently activated, but still: very bad timing!

Um, incunabulum is not quite as dicey as it sounds. For example: a Gutenberg Bible is an incunabulum. (In printing, an incunabulum is a book, or even a single sheet of text,that was printed — not handwritten — before the year 1501 in Europe, at a time when some fastidious book-collectors eschewed printed books in their personal libraries.)

And that First Baptist Church (aka Brattle Street Church) was built by our old friend Henry Hobson Richardson!

[earlgreytea68.livejournal.com]

That book is completely addictive.

And look at all the stuff you found out! You're so much less lazy than I am!! Phillips Brooks wrote "O Little Town of Bethlehem!" Who knew!

Hahaha! He was an Auton!

And ooh, thank you for the incunabulum definition!

[lorelaisquared.livejournal.com]

oh, beautiful. Now I want to come to Boston. What a neat book! :)

I need one of these -->

[earlgreytea68.livejournal.com]

I know! Don't we all? Sigh.

[lorelaisquared.livejournal.com]

*sigh* indeed. It would be even better if it came with one of these -->

[earlgreytea68.livejournal.com]

Oh, sigh.