When the George Washington Bridge opened in 1931, at 4,760 feet long, it was the longest bridge span globally. The GW bridge would keep this illustrious title until 1937 when San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge was completed and surpassed it by 700 feet. The GW Bridge is a double-decked suspension bridge, with eight lanes on […]
Quincy Quarries Reservation is a park that used to be the site of the Granite Railway Quarry. It’s famous for being the site selected in 1825 by Solomon Willard for the source of stone used to build the Bunker Hill Monument. Willard, known as “Father of the Granite Industry,” developed construction techniques that made granite […]
The State Theatre in Stoughton, Massachusetts, opened on December 8, 1927. It was built on the site of Atwood’s Market, a local shopping center that was destroyed by a fire earlier that year. The Interstate Theatre Corporation purchased the lot and hired the Boston architecture firm of Funk and Wilcox, who also designed the Strand […]
The Strand Theatre in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, originally opened on November 11, 1918, the same day that the news of the Armistice, ending World War I, reached Boston. It was designed by the Boston-based architectural firm of Funk & Wilcox, the same firm that designed the nearby Franklin Park Theatre and the […]
The American Shakespeare Theatre opened on July 12, 1955, in Stratford, CT. Construction began in 1954 and cost $1 million or $9.3 million when adjusted for inflation. It was commissioned by the American Shakespeare Festival Theatre and Academy (ASFTA), formed by Lawrence Langner, a co-founder of The Theatre Guild. Langner started the ASFTA to create American […]
George Burns and Gracie Allen are one of the most well-known comedy duos of the 20th century, and legend has it that they met at the Capitol Theatre in New London, CT. It’s not true, but they were introduced by Allen’s roommate at the time, Rena Arnold, who went on to marry Walter T. Murphy, […]
Directly off of Route 1, almost into Calais, ME, sits a small parking lot hidden by typical Maine brushy woods. Signs lead you by car, foot, or bike down a winding path that ends in a breathtaking view of the St. Croix River along the highest headland east of Acadia National Park. Numerous optional trails […]
There’s something about the collection of strip malls on Route 1 in Saugus, MA that has engendered the creation of unique signs. In addition to Kowloon Restaurant, the Hilltop Restaurant (just the sign remains) and the iconic Route 1 Miniature Golf (only an orange dinosaur remains), there’s Prince Pizza – a miniature version of the […]
The Everett Square Theatre opened in 1915 in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. Boston architect Harry M. Ramsay designed it for the Littlefield Trust, the theater’s original owner. The 798 seat theater cost $65,000 ($1.5 million in 2014 when adjusted for inflation) to build and was part of the M&P Theatre circuit. While […]
Located just 3/4 of a mile off of Route 1, the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge is a must-see destination for anyone traveling in southern Maine. The one-mile hiking path offers beautiful views of the salt marsh and woods, while the path itself is easy to access and even allows leashed pets! For more on […]
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