The Boston 100

 

Book Review: With the Old Breed

'With the Old Breed' provides firsthand experiences of the battles during WWII in the Pacific.

With the Old Breed is a firsthand account of the fighting in the Pacific during WWII, written by E.B. Sledge, a U.S. Marine, during the battles on Peleliu and Okinawa. He has passed away but his recollection of events he and his fellow servicemen endured are harrowing. The detail he portrays puts you in his shoes as he takes you through the war, step by step.

Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg made a miniseries, titled The Pacific, based on E.B. Sledge’s and other Marine’s recollections, but the books’ details give you an intimate perspective through their journey.

— Josh Sarnowitz, The Boston 100

 

Freedom Trail Stop: Old North Church

Old North Church on the Freedom Trail
The Old North Church still welcomes guests to tour inside and experience history firsthand.

The next time you visit the North End for some great Italian food and perhaps Mike’s Pastry for dessert, stop by the Old North Church.

Boston’s oldest-standing church was built in 1723. Originally named Christ Church, its claim to fame began on the evening of April 18, 1775. That’s when church sexton Robert Newman and Capt. John Pulling, Jr., climbed to the steeple and held two lanterns to signal Paul Revere the British were heading to Lexington and Concord by sea across the Charles River and not by land, as documented in the famous poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

– Tara Frier, The Boston 100

 

Catie Copley’s Memory Still Alive in Boston

Fairmont Copley Plaza’s favorite canine will never be forgotten. (Photo courtesy of Boston Duck Tours)

Last month, we lost a Boston icon when Catie Copley, a black Labrador retriever who served as the greeter at the Fairmont Copley Plaza for more than 13 years, died.

Catie served as one of Fairmont’s Canine Ambassadors, a program including 12 dogs in hotels from Canada to Scotland. Engaged guests can walk and play with the dogs.

Although Catie has crossed the rainbow bridge, her memory lives on in Beantown. Last December, Boston Duck Tours named one of its vehicles in her honor; it will pass by her hotel every day. Deborah Kovacs also chronicled Catie’s story for children.

– Tara Goodwin, The Boston 100

 

Freedom Trail Stop: Granary Burying Ground

The historic Granary Burying Ground on the Freedom Trail in Boston

For history buffs, the Granary Burying Ground is a must see stop on the Freedom Trail Boston. The historic cemetery, located on Tremont Street, was founded in 1660 and is the third-oldest cemetery in Boston.

Granary is the final resting place for over 5,000 Bostonians. The picturesque appearance of the burying ground is filled with many trees, winding paths, graves and somber tombs.

Some of America’s most notable citizens of the American Revolution lay at the cemetery, including Paul Revere and Samuel Adams, as well as five victims of the Boston Massacre, John Hancock and Robert Treat Paine.

– Amy Peterson, The Boston 100

 

Freedom Trail Stop: Boston Common

Boston Common is an iconic part of our city. It boasts amazing history and still provides a common space for the people of Boston.

Established in 1634, Boston Common is America’s oldest public park. Now a popular place for public gatherings, relaxation and fun activities, the Common has been used for many purposes throughout its unique history.

In 1775, over 1,000 redcoats set up camp on the Common during a British occupation. It later served as the site of many Puritanical punishments and eventually became an area for livestock to graze.

Its continued history included civil rights rallies, one led by Martin Luther King, Jr., and Vietnam War protests. This U.S. National Historic Landmark played an important role in shaping Boston today.

– Devin Thompson, The Boston 100

 

Freedom Trail Stop: Faneuil Hall

Faneuil Hall offers history, food and fun for the entire family

Boston’s rich history touches every corner of the city, and Faneuil Hall is no exception. Built in 1741 by a wealthy merchant named Peter Faneuil, this building hosted America’s first town meeting and remains an open forum space almost 300 years later.

Many critical speeches and debates took place in and around this famed structure in the 1700s that encouraged our separation from England and defined policies that remain today. Faneuil Hall is widely known for is bustling marketplace, but roughly ten thousand new American citizens take an Oath of Allegiance here each year, in the shadows of our forefathers.

– Josh Sarnowitz, The Boston 100

 

Nonprofit Spotlight: The WWII Foundation

WWII veterans are a dying breed; we must keep their memories alive.

The award-winning nonprofit World War II Foundation produces documentary films that air all over the world.

The mission of the foundation is to preserve the individual stories of World War II veterans and survivors who fought for, and suffered through, one of the most important time periods in world history.

Those who have narrated WWII Foundation films include: Bill Belichick, Tom Selleck, Dan Aykroyd, Damian Lewis, Kyle Chandler and Tim McCarver. Future narrators include Matthew Broderick and Jason Beghe from Chicago P.D. on NBC.

The foundation has produced 19 films to date with several more in post-production.

– Tim Gray, Chairman, The World War II Foundation

 

Freedom Trail Facts: The State House

The gold dome of the State House was originally made of wood, but later it was overlaid with copper by Paul Revere.

The Massachusetts State House was built in 1798 by Charles Bulfinch on the site of John Hancock’s cow pasture. One hundred years later, a second grander wing was added by Charles Brigham. The House is the oldest building on Beacon Hill.

On the grounds below, there are several statues, the most popular being General Joseph Hooker, who incidentally lent his last name to a group of ladies who kept up the troops’ morale!

The Massachusetts Legislature consists of 40 senators and 160 representatives. All state citizens have the right of free petition and can have bills introduced by a legislator.

Free building tours available Monday-Friday 10 AM-3:45 PM

– Tara Frier, The Boston 100

 

Catania Oils – 100 Years and Growing

One of the bottling lines at the Catania Oils facility in Ayer, MA. (Photo Credit: Goodwin Group PR)

Catania Oils has been in business since the early 1900s when Giuseppe Basile came to America and began selling authentic olive and vegetable oil door to door in his Lynn, Massachusetts, neighborhood. Today, his descendants run the company that has grown to 140 employees.

Catania Oils has one of the largest indoor bulk oil processing facilities in the country. They specialize in delivering quality oils to the food service industry, selling and supplying to well-known companies and brands including Legal Sea Foods, Subway, Whole Foods and Sysco. All oils are rigorously tested to ensure authenticity in every drop.

– Josh Sarnowitz, Goodwin Group PR

 

Across the Aisle: Where Partisanship Began

America wasn’t always this vitriolic. It need not be now. To prove it, we convened two former US Senators – one Democrat and one Republican – to kick off our eight-part video series.

“The House is designed by its nature to be partisan,” Saxby Chambliss said. “If you are in the minority party you basically have no say so … I truly did expect something different when I got to the Senate.”

“Historians have already written that the touchstone where it really began was Newt Gingrich and his Contract for America,” Wyche Fowler said. The two will offer solutions in upcoming episodes.

– Chris Schroder, SPR Atlanta