On Boylston st. Just south where the Boston Public garden & Boston Common meet you can find the…read moreEdgar Allan Poe statue. Another cool statue that you can stumble upon just walking through Boston. During the Boston marathon weekend this one of the statues the city put a participant bib on. The only one statue I saw with a bib was the Democratic Donkey by old city hall. Makes me wonder how many statues in the city does Boston put bibs on during marathon weekend.

I've been a huge fan of Edgar Allan Poe's writings since middle school. Re-reading his stories is…read moresomething I never get bored doing. For that reason, this statue holds a special place in my heart (as I'm sure it is for thousands more like me who love his literature). It's a beautifully designed bronze sculpture created by Stefanie Rocknak in 2014. It is located at the Edgar Allan Poe Square. As he was originally from Boston, it seems a fitting tribute to his memory.

We decided to walk around MIT while we were in Boston. The campus itself is gorgeous and some of…read morethe building seem like a work of art themselves. There are art statues scattered all over campus and it is almost like a scavenger hunt trying to find them all. My favorite was right across from the one of their main building son Mass Ave. it is a sculpture of an outline of a man sitting and he is made of letters and numbers.

It exists within the MIT campus with little pretense; the Public Art Collection is full of…read moresurprises.

Located in front of the Sharon Public Library, this monument is tribute to Deborah Sampson…read more(1760-1827). Deborah Sampson became a hero of the American Revolution when she disguised herself as a man and joined the Patriot forces. She was the only woman to earn a full military pension for participation in the Revolutionary army. Born on December 17, 1760 in Plympton, Massachusetts near Plymouth, Sampson was one of seven children to Jonathan Sampson Jr. and Deborah (Bradford) Sampson. At age 18 she worked as a teacher during summer sessions in 1779 and 1780 and as a weaver in winter. In 1782, as the Revolutionary War raged on, the patriotic Sampson disguised herself as a man named Robert Shurtleff and joined the Fourth Massachusetts Regiment. At West Point, New York, she was assigned to Captain George Webb's Company of Light Infantry. She was given the dangerous task of scouting neutral territory to assess British buildup of men and materiel in Manhattan, which General George Washington contemplated attacking. In June of 1782, Sampson and two sergeants led about 30 infantrymen on an expedition that ended with a confrontation--often one-on-one--with Tories. She led a raid on a Tory home that resulted in the capture of 15 men. At the siege of Yorktown she dug trenches, helped storm a British redoubt, and endured canon fire. For over two years, Sampson's true sex had escaped detection despite close calls. When she received a gash in her forehead from a sword and was shot in her left thigh, she extracted the pistol ball herself. She was ultimately discovered--a year and a half into her service--in Philadelphia, when she became ill during an epidemic, was taken to a hospital, and lost consciousness. Receiving an honorable discharge on October 23, 1783, Sampson returned to Massachusetts. On April 7, 1785 she married Benjamin Gannet from Sharon, and they had three children, Earl, Mary, and Patience. She received a military pension from the state of Massachusetts. Although Sampson's life after the army was mostly typical of a farmer's wife, in 1802 she began a year-long lecture tour about her experiences--the first woman in America to do so--sometimes dressing in full military regalia. A true hero and a story I've never heard before. [Review 15255 overall, 757 of 2021, number 1114 in Massachusetts.]

One of many sculptures/statues in Boston, this one was inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King and his…read morewife is located in Boston Commons. I had this on my sightseeing list for my visit to Boston, it was nice getting to check off two spots at once since I was coming to Boston Commons to start my self guided tour of the freedom trail. Embrace is the first of many sculptures you'll ended up coming across while you're on the path of the freedom trail.

"Embrace me My sweet embraceable you…read moreEmbrace me You irreplaceable you" (Ella Fitzgerald) While walking around Boston Common, we saw a large and very odd-looking rounded structure so of course we had to check it out. That's how we discovered the statue known as "The Embrace" and learned that it was a monument reflecting Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King's love and time together in the city where they met. The statue is very creative, I mean how unusual is it to see a memorial dedicated to two very famous people that doesn't include their faces? Instead, the Embrace represents a hug and the greater meaning of love. The bronze monument is 20-feet tall and 25-feet wide. There are walls near the monument inscribed with quotes from the Kings, including this from Coretta Scott King: "Love is such a powerful force. It's there for everyone to embrace--that kind of unconditional love for all humankind. That is the kind of love that impels people to go into the community and try to change conditions for others, to take risks for what they believe in".

Along the Freedom Trail right after Kings Chapel once to make it to the Latin School/Old City hall…read moresite you'll come across the Benjamin Franklin statue. There's also a Josiah Quincy statue, but I didn't see a yelp page for him so moving on, The 100 dollar bill man's statue is here because he attended the the Boston Latin School.

Benjamin Franklin's Statue is another important landmark on the Freedom Trail. It is very close to…read morethe King's Chapel and Burying Ground (also on the Freedom Trail, the previous historic spot). So, if you see crowds to the right, follow that and in a few seconds you will reach the statue. The founding father was born in Boston and attended the Boston Latin School, the oldest school in USA. The building is gone, but a plaque placed on the street, in front of the statue is a nice reminder of such a significant place at its original location. The artist Richard Greenough made each side of the Benjamin Franklin's face different on purpose, the left more reflective, the left funny and smiling, so check it out closely. Behind the statue there's the building of the Old City Hall (now a steakhouse). Lots of other interesting statues around. Great spot on the Freedom Trail!

Long before traffic circles existed, this park was laid out in 1851 by the city to entice…read moredevelopment. The stately Victorian bowfronts lining the Square were completed by 1870 as single family homes. After a significant period of urban decline, a renaissance began over 40 years ago saving the area from the wrecking ball. Today, these homes have been divided into multi-family dwellings representing a diverse cross-section of age, race, and socio-economic status. The Square still functions as a PUBLIC, ornamental space which is open to ALL for concerts, movies, and seasonal celebrations. The residents in conjunction with the Boston Parks Department continue to maintain the beauty of the Square. Unlike Gramercy Park in NYC or the much closer Louisburg Square, residents do not have exclusive rights to the Square. When the Square is open, it is open to all. https://www.facebook.com/WorcesterSquare

I'm sure that the homes along this street date back to the 18th century and they're quite lovely…read more You'd never see this if you didn't step off the busy Washington Street and here, where the street splits into one-way and goes around this small park in the middle. The park has a beautiful fountain and the most amazing sculpture at the center. The figures look quite Rodin to me. The caption says "The central fountain/artwork was designed and fabricated by artist Gene Cauthen. Worcester Square is part of the South End Landmark District. This Square is maintained by the Worcester Square Neighborhood Association in partnership with the Boston Parks and Recreation Department. 1990."

Located in front of the Quincy Historical Society building, the bust of the great John Hancock…read morestands proudly. On the back of the shiny granite is a brass plaque which reads, "On this site was born John Hancock. January 23, 1737. Son of Reverend John Hancock, pastor of what is now the First Parish Church, Quincy. On his father's death, he was adopted by his uncle - Boston's wealthiest merchant - 1744. Graduated Harvard College - 1754. Married Dorothy Quincy - 1775. President, Second Continental Congress, 1775. First signer of the Declaration of Independence, 1776, saying 'I write so that George the Third may read without his spectacles.' First Governor of Massachusetts, 1780-785, 1787-1793. Signed act incorporating Town of Quincy, 1792. Died at Boston in the Hancock House, Built of Quincy Granite, October 8, 1793. Buried with great ceremony in the Granary Burying Ground, Boston. 'He wrote his name where all Nations should behold it, and where all Time should not efface it.'" Of course, the front of the marker has the famous signature in brass. If you've not been to the Granary Burying Ground https://www.yelp.com/biz/granary-burying-ground-boston-2?hrid=mvC-mXYb2rpyCmTrg2udkg, please stop by to pay your respects. [Review 15217 overall, 719 of 2021, number 1080 in Massachusetts.]

This little-known micropark is an undiscovered gem in miniature: a 20 foot oval featuring a single…read moretree surrounded by a riot of colorful plantings, especially vivid in Spring. It's located where Little Mass Ave (as it's known by the locals) forks off from Mass Ave between Chauncy and Waterhouse Street. A memorial plaque on the Mass Ave side marks the Jardin De Sparquette, named in honor of the gardener's beloved pet dachshund "Sparky" who passed away in 2008. Now it's a favorite spot for local dog owners to stop and let their pets do their business. Be sure to wander by and admire the carefully tended tulips and exotic ground cover. Don't blink or you may miss it entirely.