This week marks yet another anniversary in which the number of years being marked is increasingly baffling. 30 years ago on Easter weekend my father took my sister and I for my first visit to the city of Boston (Easter was on April 6th that year so let’s just say we arrived on April 5th).
Here’s what I can remember:
- Our first day there it rained. A lot. I have a specific memory of walking past the Boston Massacre marker while being pelted by sheets of rain and wind.
- Easter Sunday, however, was beautiful and sunny. We walked around Boston Common and the Public Garden in our Sunday best.
- It really annoyed our Dad that we insisted on walking toe-to-toe along the red paint of the Freedom Trail. As a dad myself now I can understand how frustrating it is when the little ones dawdle.
- I really enjoyed visiting historic sites like the USS Constitution and Bunker Hill. From that point on I loved to read about history and visit historical sites whenever possible.
- I’m pretty sure we went to the Childrens Museum too. It was a busy weekend. This was back when the Childrens Museum had the giant’s desktop and grandma’s attic. I miss those exhibits.
- It’s really eerie to think that this weekend really set the course for my future careers in museums and libraries as well as moving to Boston.

Previously: