As one of the most historic cities in the entire country, Boston, Massachusetts, has an important connection to the past of the region and the United States as a whole. Much of that history is reflected in the significant monuments that reside in Boston Common and along landmarks like the Freedom Trail, but the city also features numerous attractions that enable connection with residents and visitors.
The Partisans is a symbolic representation of the Polish freedom fighters who resisted the German occupation of Poland during the Nazi era. Created by Andrzej Pitynski, the abstract sculpture depicts five riders and their horses, all of whom are emaciated from battle to the point that they look more like ghosts than people. Honoring the sacrifices made by these patriots, the piece celebrates global struggles for freedom which also embodies the enduring spirit of Boston.
A statue of Edgar Allan Poe defines a square dedicated to him just outside of Boston Common, which is also where he was born. The house and street no longer exist, but on the 200th anniversary of Poe’s birth, the city renamed the small plaza as the “Common Edgar Allan Poe Square.” The statue of Poe that was unveiled in 2014 shows him with a briefcase in hand and a fluttering overcoat as if he were headed home, with symbols from his most known poems such as a heart, representing The Tell-Tale Heart. Various other markers near the statue highlight further connections to the literary and cultural significance of Poe.
Residing in the Public Garden, Make Way for Ducklings is a sculpture by Nancy Schön that depicts the duck family from the children’s classic of the same name. It is dedicated to the author whose work made the Boston Public Garden “familiar to children throughout the world.”
In 1927, Statler Park was given to the City of Boston as a gift by Ellsworth M. Statler, who built both the Statler Hotel and the adjoining Statler Office Building. She donated the bronze sculpture that adorns the ornamental water fountain in the park. The Fountain Figure depicts woman and was created by artist Ulysses Ricci around 1912. The site is also close to where the British landed and embarked for the Battle of Lexington in 1775.
Liberty Tree Plaza commemorates the Liberty Tree in Boston, which is connected to the Revolutionary Era of the city and country. While the tree itself is long gone, the history that it represents is celebrated with a large landmark, providing the space with an identity that would otherwise be lost amidst the happenings and commotion of the modern city.
These are just a few of the obscure and outstanding monuments located across Boston, each of which provides an identity to spaces that would otherwise have difficulty celebrating the history they inherently contain. In doing so, they showcase what it can mean to simply yet powerfully commemorate such important parts of the past for the future.
