Street cover

One of the many man hole covers on city streets.

Street Medallion

Street medallion on the Freedom Trail in front of the Omni Parker House. It reads:
Friend --
Look up and see the North Church tower
where were shown two lantern lights
on the night of April 17, 1775
to send Paul Revere on his
ride and begin
The American Revolution.
This view preserved for
all future generations by
Charles Hilgenhurst and colleagues
of the Boston Redevelopment Authority
in the year 1960

r e l a x

An appropriate message during the rush of the holiday season. This message is embedded in the sidewalk in front of the Nine Zero Hotel on Tremont Street.

Winthrop Lane #3

This is another in my series of bronze bricks from Winthrop Lane, which I previously posted about here and here. This one is probably my favorite as it clearly depicts the average Boston driver's mentality once he or she gets behind the wheel of a car. Why anyone would want to drive downtown is a mystery to me. I think I would rather visit the dentist than drive in Boston.

Boy on a dolphin

Logo in front of the Aquascutum of London store at 450 Boylston Street.

Winthrop Lane, Series #2

Second series of bronze bricks in Winthrop Lane. Click here to see series #1; and for more information on Winthrop Lane click here.

Winthrop Lane, Series #1

The top picture contains tombstones from the Old Granary Burial Ground on Tremont Street; on the left below is a copy of Paul Revere's copper etching of the Boston Massacre; next to that are various stamps used by the British to enforce the Stamp Act of 1765; on the bottom row is Boston Latin School, the first public school in America, 1635; and in the lower right corner is the Boston Tea Party of 1775.

Winthrop Lane

Winthrop Lane connects Otis and Arch Streets in downtown Boston near Winthrop Square. It's a narrow, brick-paved passageway between two old buildings, but look down as you walk and you'll see 102 brick-shaped bronze bas-reliefs set into the bricks. These bricks were designed by Gregg LeFevre and Kate Burke, and depicts a different aspect of the city's history, culture, and events. For example, there are bronze bricks depicting the Molasses Flood of 1919, Paul Revere's Ride, the Boston Massacre, Boston Pops, Boston Common, Boston Red Sox, the State House, Franklin Park Zoo, and many more.

The copper alloys were chosen for the bricks not only for their esthetic appeal but also for their durability. Passersby who walk on the bricks actually keep certain raised elements buffed and shiny, which was planned by the designers. However, the raised portions can’t be raised more than a quarter of an inch higher than the surrounding pavement, according to the Americans With Disabilities Act. The brick-shaped bronze sidewalk plaques were cast by a now defunct foundry in Bedford, Massachusetts.

Tomorrow I will show you some of the bronze bricks depicting historic events that have taken place in Boston.

176 Federal Street

Street medallion in front of a Federal Street office building. Another example of what can easily be overlooked in our busy lives as we hurry along on crowded sidewalks.

109 State Street

Freedom Trail Medallion

I was going to post this picture another day, but noticed that Fenix at Bostonscapes (DP) posted a picture of the Freedom Trail today so I thought it would be a nice complement to her posting. These medallions dot the Freedom Trail and are easily overlooked when following the red line. This medallion is on the corner of Beacon and Tremont in front of King's Chapel.

Hermes Medallion

Medallion outside the Hermes store entrance on Boylston Street.

Street Medallion

I noticed this on the sidewalk and walked past it. I stopped and did a double-take, literally. I realized if I didn't go back and take a picture I would regret it and never be able to find it again. Street medallions generally go unnoticed by most of us, but some can be quite artistic and even colorful.

I did a search on the name and all I could find were links to Fenway Park. It appears that this was a construction company and was involved in a 1934 renovation at Fenway Park. I'm sure if I went to the library and did some old fashioned research I might be able to find more information. Does anyone recognize the name?