Replies

As a person born and raised in Massachusetts (and a historical/government “buff” on the State), I’d like to congratulate you on a most complete and accurate presentation. You might add THAYER ACADEMY in Braintree was founded by Gen. Sylvanus Thayer (first Superintendent of West Point). The first FACTORY in our colonies (now a historical site)was over the Neponset River (so it could get power) between Milton and Dorchester; for years, before new owners more recently closed it, it was the place Bakers Chocolate came from. DR, GODDARD(the rocket man) was a professor at CLARK UNIV. at the time he developed the rocket. HARVARD COLLEGE was written into the (still existing) CONSTITUTION of the State. The FIRST RAILROAD in the colonies ran between a granite quarry in W. Quincy and the Neponset River so blocks could be transported to Charlestown to build the BUNKER HILL MONUMENT; parts of the railroad (iron slabs) still exist as a historical site. Great job on your part Bill

"it was the place Bakers Chocolate came from."

This reminds me of a story that I had almost forgotten .... My girlfriend and I arrived at Logan about 10:00pm. After getting directions from the car rental company, we left the airport area and immediately got lost. :)

We saw a security guard so stopped to ask him how to get to our motel. His directions were go past the "old chocolate factory", turn left at the ??? road and the hiway was within 1/2 mile.

We drove for awhile but had no idea if we had seen the old chocolate factory or not. We finally found a phone and called the motel for directions. We arrived between 11:30 and 12:00.

After that, we laughed whenever we couldn't find a certain place and would say, it is just past the old chocolate factory.

Massachusetts and New England was a wonderful experience.

Hopefully I will get back there some day.

As a person born and raised in Massachusetts (and a historical/government “buff” on the State), I’d like to congratulate you on a most complete and accurate presentation.

Well, thank you, wheelbarrow. How nice of you to say.

So, you are a native of Massachusetts too? My family is from the Framingham/Ashland area and my ancestors go back to the 1600's in Massachusetts.

Thank you so much for adding the information on the Thayer Academy, the first railroad, Bunker Hill, etc. There was so much more to say about Massachusetts that I could not include because it would have been WAY too long, so I really appreciate posts like this that add to the factual information about the state. It was truly a fascinating state to present. SO much history, it was difficult to know what to include and what to leave "on the cutting room floor". :-)