Day 975-Keys to Canada-Salem, MA

Lobster Shanty

-Lobster Roll-The Lobster Shanty was featured on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives. It aired on the Food Network at the end of September 2010.

Seven Gable House

The House of the Seven Gables in Salem, Massachusetts, is famous as the real-life inspiration for Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1851 gothic novel, The House of the Seven Gables. Built in 1668, the seaside mansion is also celebrated for its 17th-century architecture, ties to early colonial settlement, and rich maritime history.

Nathan Hawthorn Birth Place-Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–1864) was a renowned American author born in Salem, Massachusetts, deeply influenced by his family's dark Puritan history, including ancestors who were prominent Salem witch trial judges. He lived in Salem off and on, working at the Custom House—a role that inspired The Scarlet Letter—and in areas near the historic "House of Seven Gables"

Custom House-For centuries Custom House in London played a central part in the working of the commercial Thames and was a major source of income for the Exchequer. England's major export during the early Middle Ages was wool and in 1203 King John introduced a tax on its export.

Derby Wharf Lighthouse

Ye Olde Pepper Companie- America’s Oldest Candy Company 1806

First Church in Salem

The First Church in Salem was one of two churches directly involved with the Witch Trials. The church where the hysteria began was the Church of Salem Village, which had split off from the First Church in Salem in 1678.

The statue was sculpted by StudioEIS in Brooklyn, New York, and commissioned by the cable television network TV Land for $75,000 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 1960s sitcom. It features actress Elizabeth Montgomery as the character Samantha Stephens, sitting sidesaddle on a broom and flying in front of a crescent moon. TV Land installed similar pop-culture monuments in several other American cities, though the Salem installation remains one of the most famous

I wonder if we are related?

Bova’s Bakery- Italy’s North End 

Day 974-Keys to Canada-Boston Day 3

Boston Tea Party

It was a protest about the tax on tea, levied without representation in the British Parliament and against the monopoly of the East India Company. The earlier Townshend Acts placed duties on a range of imports to the colonies. These had been repealed; however, the tax on tea remained.

Bunker Hill

A towering granite obelisk commemorating the first major battle of the Revolution. The Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775, was the first major battle of the Revolutionary War and predicted the character and outcome of the rest of the war.

Warren Tavern

1780- Located in Charlestown, it is Massachusetts's oldest surviving tavern building in its original location. It was built after the British burned the neighborhood, and was frequently visited by Paul Revere and George Washington.

Fenway Park

Day 973-Keys to Canada-Boston Day 2

Freedom Trail-Boston's Freedom Trail is a 2.5-mile walking route marked by a distinctive red-brick line that connects 16 significant historical sites from the American Revolution. The trail begins at the Boston Common Visitor Center and concludes at the USS Constitution in the Charlestown Navy Yard

Boston City Hall-Boston City Hall is frequently ranked among the world's ugliest buildings due to its stark, monolithic Brutalist architecture, designed by Kallmann, McKinnell, and Knowles and completed in 1968. It was named the 4th ugliest building in the world by Buildworld in 2023 and 2024, and often tops local "most hated" lists

Kings Chapel Bury Ground-Boston's first Anglican church and oldest burying ground.

King’s Chapel was founded in 1686 after King James II reorganized the government into the Dominion of New England and for the first time sent a Royal Governor, Edmund Andros, to the colony. This act also brought an Anglican church to Puritan Boston, despite local resistance.  The story goes the Puritans said “over our dead bodies” and the King said my church will go here. 

A headstone like this was what lead Nathaniel Hawthorne to write the Scarlett Letter. "A" for Adultery. While others wore similar letters to admit their shame B -Blasphemy, D -Drunkenness, T -Theft

Granary Burial Ground-Resting place of Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock.

The small stone was the Original Paul Revere headstone 

Victims of the Boston Massacre

Samuel Adams

Ben Franklin buried his parents here. 

Old City Hall

Statue of Ben Franklin-The site of America's oldest public school.

The bronze donkey statue in Boston, Massachusetts, is a popular public art piece located in the courtyard of the historic Old City Hall on School Street. Installed in 1998, it represents the mascot of the Democratic Party.

To appease local Republicans after the Democratic donkey was installed, Webb later commissioned a set of bronze footprints placed directly in front of the donkey. These footprints feature an elephant (the symbol of the Republican Party) and read "Stand in Opposition"

School Street Park in downtown Boston is a small, historic urban plaza located along the Freedom Trail at the end of School Street. It features key city landmarks, including two notable sculptures (The American Dream and Lest We Forget) and the nearby historic site of the first public school in the U.S.

Irish Famine Memorial: A deeply moving bronze memorial honoring those lost during the Irish Potato Famine, located at the corner of Washington and School Streets, just at the edge of Downtown Crossing

Old North Church

The lanterns were hung in the steeple of the Old North Church  in Boston's North End on the night of April 18, 1775. 

The two lanterns served as a secret signal from Paul Revere to Patriots in Charlestown, indicating that British troops were crossing the Charles River by sea to march on Lexington and Concord

Old State House-The oldest surviving public building in Boston and site of the Boston Massacre.

Boston Massacre Site-Marked by a cobblestone ring outside the Old State House. The Boston Massacre was a deadly riot on March 5, 1770, where British soldiers shot into an angry crowd in Boston, killing five colonists and wounding six. It was caused by intense political tension, heavy taxation (Townshend Acts), and the unpopular 1768 occupation of Boston by British troops

Looking out the old State House down to cobblestone 

Faneuil Hall Market Place-Known as the "Cradle of Liberty," featuring a bustling marketplace and historic meeting hall.

Quincy Market is famous for its massive food hall, historic 1826 Greek Revival architecture, and for pioneering the "festival marketplace" concept. Located in downtown Boston, it serves as a central hub of culinary delights and is a National Historic Landmark

Paul Revere House-The oldest remaining structure in downtown Boston.

Old North Church- One if by land 2 if by sea April 18, 1775. Boston's oldest surviving church building, famous for the "one if by land, two if by sea" lantern signal.

Copp’s Hill Burying ground-A historic 1659 cemetery used by British troops during the occupation of Boston.

Lewis Warf-Little Italy-Lewis Wharf was within an area known as Clark's Wharf while owned by provincial councilor William Clark. It was later owned by Thomas Hancock and inherited by his nephew John Hancock in 1764. Thomas Lewis of Lynn, Massachusetts, was a successful merchant during the years following the American Revolution.

USS Constitution The world's oldest commissioned warship afloat. The USS Constitution is famous for being the world's oldest commissioned warship afloat and for her undefeated combat record. Nicknamed "Old Ironsides" during the War of 1812, she earned legendary status for her thick oak hull, which cannonballs famously bounced off of

Ye olde Union Oyster House 1826-The Kennedy Clan has patronized the Union Oyster House for years. J.F.K. loved to feast in privacy in the upstairs dining room. His favorite booth "The Kennedy Booth" has since been dedicated in his memory http://unionoysterhouse.com/pages/history.html-

The Invention and the Ploy of the toothpick

Before the toothpick became a dining staple, Americans used fragile goose quills to clean their teeth. In the mid-1800s, an enterprising businessman named Charles Forster cleverly used this restaurant as a proving ground to popularize the invention nationwide.

The Inspiration: Forster traveled to Brazil, where he noticed locals had exceptionally white teeth, which he attributed to their makeshift wooden toothpicks.

The Scheme: Upon returning, Forster started manufacturing wooden toothpicks. To create a demand, he hired Harvard University students to dine at the Union Oyster House and purposefully demand toothpicks at the end of their meal.

The Sale: When the restaurant owner confessed he did not have the items, the students made a fuss and threatened to dine elsewhere. Shortly after, Forster conveniently walked into the establishment with a box of toothpicks to sell

The Kennedy Booth

The Green Dragon Tavern 1657 has a long and rich history, playing an important part in the freedom of Boston during the War of Independence. Established in 1654, The Green Dragon was a favourite haunt of Paul Revere (whom we considered a close neighbour) and John Hancock (whose brother lived next door!).

The Last Hurrah- The Omni Parker House in Boston, opened on October 8, 1855, by Harvey D. Parker, is the longest continuously operating hotel in the United States. Renowned for introducing the "European plan" (charging for rooms separate from meals), the building is a cornerstone of Boston history, having hosted literary giants, presidents, and hosted the creation of Parker House rolls and Boston Cream Pie.