LAST WEEK’S ANSWER The decorative brickwork in last week’s clue is on 1 Fairfield Street, built in 1871. This is an example of the “Brick Panel” architectural style that became popular in this area in the 1870s. The distinctive architectural details of this residence are created by placement of bricks into window and door...
Each spring, the beauty of the Back Bay is enriched by the bloom of magnolia trees gracing the front yards of historic buildings. The first generation of these trees was planted in the 1960s, a gift to the future from a woman named Laura Dwight. The Garden Club of the Back Bay will celebrate...
As you enter the Commonwealth Avenue Mall at Arlington Street, you face a statue of Alexander Hamilton. This was the first piece of public art placed in that park. But, the story of the sculptor, William Rimmer is as interesting as the revolutionary hero the monument honors. Alexander Hamilton During the war and for...
The transformer fire that plunged nearly the entirety of the Back Bay into darkness last week reveals how fragile our existence is and also how our lives can be altered dramatically in a matter of a few minutes. It also revealed how unprepared all of us are for life without electricity and to what...
Glancing down the alleyways of the Back Bay usually gives you a long view of the neighborhood. Here at Public Alley 439, between Boylston and Newbury Streets, “The Newbry” building covers an entire block of Clarendon Street and the alley is not contiguous.
LAST WEEK’S ANSWER The door surround in last week’s clue is on 365 Beacon Street. Architect F. H. Jackson oversaw the creation of this home in 1872. The reader who requested that I feature this home said, “My favorite architectural detail is the brownstone arch and surround above and on each side of the...
As was the case throughout the Commonwealth and city, Beacon Back Bay voters put Mitt Romney atop the GOP ballot in Super Tuesday’s presidential primary. According to the city’s unofficial election results, approximately 78 percent of Republican voters in the Back Bay (Ward 5, Precincts 6, 7, 8 and 9) supported Romney. Ron Paul,...
The Colonnade Hotel was recently named winner of the Massachusetts Lodging Association’s (MLA) Good Earthkeeping Award. The MLA Stars of the Industry awards program was created to recognize outstanding accomplishments in the lodging industry, and the Good Earthkeeping Award recognizes development of a culture toward integrating environmental management practices that improve everyday operations and...
Brad Marston won the race for Republican State Committee Man in the 1st Suffolk and Middlesex senatorial district, receiving approximately 83 percent of votes and besting his challenger, Paul J. Ronukaitus. Eva Burnank Murphy garnered 38 percent of the votes to narrowly edge out her opponents – Joyce M. Kelly and Caroline Beauregard Shinkle...
The clocks have been changed and we’ve gained an hour. The sun is out longer during the day and it comes out earlier in the morning. By all first appearances the cold has been pushed back. It is in a literal retreat. The warmer air of the past few days gives us all the...
From Boston Police Area D-4 Feb. 27 240 Newbury St. -Larceny, Shoplifting, Under $50 495 Beacon St. – License Premise Violation Feb. 28 359 Newbury St. – Investigate Property 855 Boylston St. – Forgery or Uttering Feb. 29 271 Dartmouth St. – Sick/Injured/Medical – Person March 1 Commonwealth Avenue – Motor Vehicle Accident –...
In addition to a beautiful burst of winter color, witch hazel has a long history of practical uses. Medicinally, it’s used to stop bleeding and reduce swelling, and is found in many commercial preparations. Early settlers made dowsing rods from its pliant branches to search for water.
LAST WEEK’S ANSWER The carved decoration in last week’s clue is on 222 Commonwealth Avenue, built in 1879. This is one of 19 existing Back Bay buildings by architect William Whitney Lewis who was also an inventor. He patented the “Joy-0 Irrigator Flower Pot.” In describing his creation he said, “My patent covers the...
The Boston Public Library will host authors and speakers throughout March at the Central Library, 700 Boylston St., including: • Brian Miller and Mike Lapham, authors of “Self-Made Myth: the Truth about How Government Helps Individuals and Businesses Succeed,” will talk about the myth that business success is the result of heroic individual effort...
Robert A. Semonian is seeking another term as the Republican State Committeeman for the Second Suffolk and Middlesex district, which includes Beacon Hill and Back Bay. Semonian is one of the owners of the Improper Bostonian, the popular magazine which has a large distribution and readership throughout Greater Boston. Semonian, the State Chairman of...
Mayor Thomas M. Menino celebrated the significant progress the City of Boston has made in addressing the issue of groundwater levels in areas of the city where wood-piling building foundations can be damaged by low groundwater levels last week. Residents in several neighborhoods will also receive a brochure on the importance of groundwater levels....
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) unveiled its preferred alternative for the state’s planned $260 million reconfiguration of the Longfellow Bridge Thursday at a public meeting to vet the environmental consequences of the project. The plan includes “rehabilitation and restoration in place of the existing historic bridge, reduction in outbound lanes to one vehicular...
Mayor Thomas M. Menino released the annual Boston Bikes Annual Report last week, highlighting the success of Boston’s biking initiatives and previewing plans for its continued growth. Menino launched Boston Bikes in 2007 with the goal of making Boston a world-class cycling city. Four years later, Boston has officially gained recognition as one of...
There is a great deal of talk about the lease negotiated by the city with the Red Sox in 2002 that ceded the control of two public streets – Lansdowne and Yawkey Way – to the Red Sox. It has been and continues to be a lucrative deal for the Red Sox. What is...
It is becoming obvious that every effort is being made by the MBTA, and the governor, to avoid cancellation of T services in Greater Boston in return for a fare increase. At an estimated 25 percent raise, we are not exactly sure how fair it is for those Boston residents using the T everyday...
From Boston Police Area D-4 Feb. 20 261 Dartmouth St. – Violation – City Ordinance 182 Newbury St. – Larceny, Shoplifting, $50 to $199 80 Marlborough St. – Investigate Person Feb. 21 338 Newbury St. – Larceny, Other, $200 & Over 5 Commonwealth Ave. – Investigate Property Feb. 22 180 Newbury St. – Frauds...
Warmer winter temperatures and a lack of ice and snow have enabled contractors to continue working on projects like this one on Hereford Street. All over the city, construction projects that budgeted time and money for weather-related delays are enjoying the benefits of this mild season.
A special exhibition, “A Gilded & Heartbreaking Life: The Photographs of Clover Adams, 1883-1885” is currently on display at The Massachusetts Historical Society’s Boylston Street headquarters. Guest curator for this event is Natalie Dykstra whose book “Clover Adams” was released earlier this month. Reviewer Martha A. Sandweiss wrote, “At last, Clover Adams has the...
March signals the coming of restaurant week. This is the week that makes the winter season worth it if you dine outside of your own kitchen. From March 18 to 23 and March 25 to 30, Boston’s best restaurants including many of the major restaurants in the Back Bay, will be offering tasty and...