In honor of me having achieved my goal of visiting all 50 US States, I will post a picture of somewhere I have visited in each state and write a paragraph or two about my experience. There is so much to see in every one of them, so I am just selecting one of my best memories.
It is the “Bay State,” and the state that has “the place where everybody knows your name.” It is also the home of the Kennedys, the Pilgrims, Emily Dickenson, Sylvia Plath, Thoreau, and Dr. Seuss. But what may be what is most important to me is it was the home of my 7th great paternal Grandparents who Immigrated to Dedham, Massachusetts from Yorkshire, England in 1633.
I’ve been to Massachusetts five times and still don’t feel like I am even close to seeing everything I want to visit. The state is the intellectual center of the colonies and one might argue still is even today. Massachusetts has the highest per capita colleges graduates in the United States with over 40% of the adult population having at least a bachelors degree (and 18% with a Master’s or higher), But given the top-notch schools, it can be understandable. Harvard and M.I.T are considered among the nation’s most elite universities. The state is easily traveled through in a day, but the small size belies the sheer density of sights.
My paternal grandmother Hazel Fairbanks (Corcoran) Wyss traced her family tree all the way back to among one of the first families in Massachusetts. His family homestead in Dedham, MA still stands today. In fact, it is the oldest surviving wood frame home in all of North America.
Grandpa and Grandma’s bedroom circa 1640
Boston is also the location of several favorite television shows including “Boston Legal” and of course cheers. There is actually a “Cheers” bar in Boston. Well, sort of. There is the Bull and Finch pub which severed as the exterior location for the show. The sets on the program don’t look like the interior of the actual bar though, So don’t be shocked when you enter. There are two locations one is in Thaniel Hall near the harbor and the most famous one in Beacon Hill.
Some of my favorite memories of Massachusetts include: spending some solitude on Thoreau’s Walden Pond, driving along Cape Cod, walking the “Freedom Trail” in Boston and visiting the Dr. Seuss Scupture Garden in Springfield.
I could go on about Massachusetts for hours, but you get the idea. It’s a definite cannot miss for anyone visiting from outside ( or inside) the US. You can get around fairly easily it’s a small state (but sometimes the traffic is very crazy) but with some patience, you will be richly rewarded with a bounty of memories.
