Down In Charlestown

Before this project I had never even known that the neighborhood of Charlestown even existed.  Charlestown is a small neighborhood on the outer ring of Boston but it always wasn’t always that way. It was settled in 1628 and then it reached almost to the New Hampshire border, today the town is only the size of a square mile. The infamous Battle of Bunker Hill took place there in 1775 and a monument commemorating that battle was built and finished in 1842.  A few years later it was officially considered a part of the city of Boston in 1847. In the 1870’s a large migration of Irish immigrants settled in Charlestown, MA. It was a great place for them because the Naval Yard had so many employment opportunities. Today that shipyard holds the oldest afloat warship in the world, the USS Constitution, also known as “Old Ironsides.” Today the area has become more diverse but Caucasians are still over 82% of the population. I asked my roommate about it and she said that she hadn’t been there since she was a little kid, but she did remember that it was an awesome place with tons of historical places to see. We actually went to Charlestown a couple of weekends later.  

 The U.S.S. Constitution

We decided to walk there because it was such a nice day. We walked down Tremont through Faneuil Hall down the John F. Fitzgerald Expressway and over the Charlestown Bridge it was pretty long walk it took us about 30 minutes. After the bridge we started to follow the Freedom Trail to our first stop the Boston Navy Yard to see the USS Constitution. It still amazing even though it had been renovated quite a few times and it was going through another half a million dollar renovation at the moment to get the ship ready for her bicentennial in 2010. I felt like I was living as a sailor in the 19^th century, though they were probably better at navigating through it then I was because I hit my head quite I few times in the levels below the deck. After the ship tour I went to the USS Constitution museum where I took a quiz that told me I wouldn’t have made a good sailor back in the 1800’s.  I was so impressed whith the museum because first of all it was free and it was very kid friendly with plenty of interactive activities to keep them interested. It was the perfect way to blend in education while being fun.  

The Training Field

After we had finished we walked into the residential area of Charlestown. It is a beautiful area, filled with pretty brick homes and green trees, reminiscent of the more urban Beacon Hill with its steep hills and roads. There was a major difference in the atmosphere. People were more relaxed and calm here, rather than looking like they were rushing to get places and it is much quieter. The first place we ran into was the Training Field. The Training Field is a public park dedicated to the lives of sailors and soldiers lost during the Civil War. Here is where I found my first interview with an older woman walking her dog. She absolutely loves it and said the part she loved most was how it feels like a small community but is really in the city, which is exactly the vibe I got being there only a few minutes. She also said it was great that parking is always available, and I believe it. Accessible, free parking is a super plus living in a city. She said the Bunker Hill Monument was a great place to visit while here. So we followed her advice ad walked towards the huge pillar in the distance.  

The Bunker Hill Monument

The Bunker Hill Monument is a pretty impressive figure considering it was built over 150 years ago. We walked around it and I noticed that this historical monument perfectly blended with today’s modern people. Mother’s talked to each other while their kid played in the grass around it, couples relaxed on towels at the foot of it, and cyclists rode around it. Besides my roomie and me, there was only one other couple actually gawking at the statues and taking pictures. I wondered if the people here actually knew about the history behind the monument or had the monument become part of daily routine and not thought about. I later interviewed a 30-year-old man and he suggested visiting the monument. I asked him why and he replied that it’s just one of the things that are labeled as places of interest. He didn’t know any of the history behind it, but I gave him some slack because he had only been living in the area for a month. 

The Streets of Charlestown

Later while walking the streets of Charlestown I found my next interviewee. She was about 25 years old and had been born ad raised in the area. She noticed that many different ethnicities had moved into the area and that was really refreshing. When I asked her what she loved most about the area she said that she couldn’t put it into words, it had that “special something”.  A cynic would say that she really didn’t know any reasons for why it was so great, but I believe that her response showed her hometown pride, she didn’t need to define why it was a great place to grow up in, it just was. She also remarked that the town was very historical and suggested to Navy Yard as a good place to visit.

            One interviewee had me believe that she was truly living an appreciating Charlestown. She had moved to the area for about 2 ½ years to be closer to her friends and boyfriend. She suggested her favorite restaurant The Navy Yard, which she said was a great local restaurant that had a homey feel, and she was also able to name the historical parts of the neighborhood. She was the only person to comment on how beautiful the views were. The skyline of Boston could be seen across the river and if you stand on top of the hills you can see amazing vistas. She made me have hope for the rest of Charlestown to truly appreciate the area and the great history they stand on. 

Interviews: 

1.) Female about 55 - 60 years old. She has lived in the area for about 4 years. She moved there because its a beautiful area and its technically in the city and so close to main attractions of the city but it feels like a small community. She hadn't noticed any changes in the area since moving there. The 3 places she recommends visitors to see were City Square, The Training Field, and the Bunker Hill Monument. Her favorite places were Main Street, the Naval Yard and the Training Field

2.) Female about 20 - 25. She has lived there for about 2 1/2 years. She moved here because her boyfriend and other friends lived in this area. She also didn't notice this area change at all. The 3 places she suggested were to see Ironside, go to the Navy Yard Bistro and see the Bunker Hill monument. Her favorite parts of the area were the Bunker Hill monument ad the Gaslight district (where most of the shops and store are in the area) she also loves the amazing views she sees in the area of the city and other parts of Massachusetts.

3.) Male about 25 - 30 He had only lived there one month and moved there for his job. He loves the USS Constitution and the Monument as well. Those were also 2 of the things he would suggest visitors to see, he also suggested they go to Cold Stone Creamery because their ice cream is just amazing.

4.)Female 25 Born and raised in Charlestown. She says that it has that special something that other parts of Boston don't have. It's a very homey community. She has noticed that new minorities have moved to the area and it has become a lot more diverse. Her favorite parts of the area are the Navy yard and the Monument, she loves the historical part of the neighborhood. and suggested those places to visitors.

5.) Female age 70 -75 she has lived in the area for over 50 years. She loves it here and says it's the most amazing part of Boston. She also loves how family oriented the area is and it has become more so in recent years. She loves how many parks are in the neighborhood they make it look so pretty and makes you think that you don't live in a city. She also suggested the Navy Yard, the Monument and even her house as places to see.