A DAY’S AUTO TRIP ON THE NORTH SHORE ★

Starting in front of the Hotel Statler, Providence Street side, get into your car and follow the island around to the left turning right at Arlington Street and again right at Boylston Street. The Boston Public Gardens will be on your left and after crossing Charles Street the Boston Common will be on the left. At the second stop light turn left at Tremont Street. Continue along Tremont Street, still passing the Common on the left, until we come to the Old Park Street Church, spoken of in one of our earlier chapters, the Granary Cemetery, the Parker House (made famous by Parker House rolls), opposite which is King’s Chapel and King’s Chapel burying ground. You come out at Scollay Square; cross in a straight line to Cornhill Street. Follow through to Washington Street, crossing Washington Street in a straight line for Faneuil Hall, commonly known as “The Cradle of Liberty.” Here turn left, turning right almost immediately, following the Sumner Tunnel sign on to North Street. Continue on North Street to the AMOCO Service Station, turning left and into the Tunnel which you go through to East Boston.

Leaving the Tunnel, turn right on Porter Street and go to Chelsea Street where you turn left following along to Bennington Street turning right on Bennington Street, proceed to Swift Street. Turn left and then right on to the Boulevard for Revere. The buildings seen over the top of the Mexican Petroleum tanks are the U. S. Marine Hospital buildings. Going along the Boulevard a short distance, you come to the

Suffolk Downs Race Track

the latest and one of the largest race tracks to be built in America; a marvelous piece of engineering—the transformation of a city dump into a spot of beauty as well as a great place of amusement for a sport loving people.

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Continue to the 1-A arrow and follow it around to the first stop light, then follow the car tracks to Revere Beach Parkway. Turn left, follow the Revere Beach Parkway with the ocean on your right, and

Revere Beach

the famous Coney Island of New England on the left. It is here that thousands seek relief from the city’s heat during the summer and the sandy beach is crowded with people. Follow the shore line. The point of land seen extending out into the water as you approach the rotary traffic is Nahant. Follow the rotary traffic around to your left and you come to Route 1-A again, passing over the new General Edwards Memorial Bridge. Continue over Route 1-A to the town of Lynn, turning right at Washington Street and proceeding along same to the Lynn Shore Drive where you turn left, following the trail of Boston’s finest summer playground. Approaching

Swampscott

you will be pleased with the natural beauty of the surroundings, and it is here that artists come from all over the country to paint pictures of a “stern and rockbound coast.”

Follow Route 129, passing the Civil War Monument on your left, to Puritan Road and bear right, soon passing on your left the

New Ocean House

famous for its cuisine and genuine New England hospitality. Now you begin to pass many beautiful summer estates, coming out once more at Route 129 where you turn right and follow along, admiring these lovely homes.

Swing right at Commercial Street in Marblehead, following to Gregory Street where you turn left, passing on the right the Hotel Marblehead and the Fo’cas’le, plainly marked by a huge anchor by the side of the road. You are now in historic

Marblehead

a typical old New England town with its narrow streets winding around like the cow paths of old. Here are interesting old houses and doorways and the rustic cottages of the fishermen which attract 33 artists from all over the world. Turn right and then left through these narrow streets, pausing where you will at gift shops, antique shops and boat yards.

Ride to the end of the town so that nothing may be missed in this quaint New England fishing village. When you come to a sign saying

“Fort Sewall”

park your car and walk down the narrow lane to view this fort built in 1742 for defense against French Cruisers. The U. S. S. Constitution sought shelter under the fort’s guns when chased by His Majesty’s ships Tenadoes and Endymion on April 3, 1814. The fort was named after Samuel Sewall of Marblehead, who was Chief Justice of Massachusetts in 1814.

Retrace your ride, admiring the Marblehead Yacht Club on the opposite side of the bay, to a sign which says “One Way Street” on the corner of which is a drugstore owned by H. Gilbride. Follow this street to the end, and turn left around the old Town House built in 1727. Then turn right and follow what was formerly Academy Way, now called Pleasant Street, through the center of the more modern town of Marblehead.

Take Route 129 to the historic town of Salem. Follow the car tracks on Lafayette Street to Washington Street where we bear left, following Washington to Essex. At this point, turn left coming soon to the

Old Witch House

on the right. It is the oldest house in Salem, and is said to have been the home of Roger Williams as early as 1635.

Continue down Essex Street, admire the old doorways which are numerous and have been the inspiration for many paintings, to Boston Street. Turn around the Joseph Hodges Choate Monument and go back up Essex Street. At

No. 393 Essex Street

pause for a minute and view a rare old Colonial house, the home of the Reverend Thomas Barnard, the first pastor of the North Church. At Summer Street, one is obliged to turn right and again left at Chestnut Street, passing the railroad depot on the right. 34 Turn right onto Washington Street and then left onto Derby Street which follows straight through to Turner Street. Turn right down Turner and

The House of Seven Gables

is located at the foot of the street. It has been restored to its ancient condition—a rare place to visit. A hidden stairway runs from the attic and it has many other thrilling features. The ancient garden adds much to its loveliness, and as a special treat for the visitors, they may also go through the Hooper Hathaway house, once known as the old bakery, and which formerly stood at Washington Street, north of the entrance to the tunnel.

OLD DOORWAY—SALEM

Retracing your way along Turner Street, cross Derby Street and follow Turner to Essex where you turn left passing the Stevens Daniel House. Turn right at Washington Square, follow the Square around to the corner of Briggs Street where stands the house of

Nathaniel Silsbee

shipmaster, merchant and senator from Massachusetts 1773-1850. 35 Follow the Common around to the left and turn right on Mall Street traveling down to

Number 14 Mall Street

It was here that Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote “The Scarlet Letter.” Turn right at the end of Mall following this street to Route 1-A, swinging left around the traffic dummy, follow Route 1-A toward Beverly. Bear right on Route 127 which you follow to Gloucester.

As you pass

Beverly Farms

you will see estates which rival the Arabian Nights for grace and beauty. Next in order is

GATEWAY TO A NORTH SHORE ESTATE

Manchester-by-the-Sea

One of the oldest towns on the North Shore. The old Town House built in 1809 is still used as a Congregational Church. The little one story houses scattered here and there carry you back to the days of the Puritan Fathers. The old cemetery in which the first interment was made in 1661 is also interesting.

Magnolia

Here is the scene of Norman’s Woe made famous by Longfellow’s poem “The Wreck of the Hesperus.”

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Gloucester

You are now entering one of the most famous fishing ports in the world. You will find “The Tavern” a most delightful place to eat if you care for sea foods. At the traffic dummy swing right and then left at Thurston’s Spar Yard and follow Rogers Street along the waterfront to the main office of the

Frank E. Davis Fish Company

No one should pass through Gloucester without stopping here. Frank Davis is an old-fashioned fisherman who knows how to prepare fish in an appetizing manner. His mackerel, lobster and codfish are shipped by mail and Railway Express all over the United States. Here you may secure a souvenir booklet containing many delicious sea food recipes.

GLOUCESTER

Proceed to Pearce Street where turn right on to Main Street. Follow to the

Gorton-Pew Fish Company

To see the name Gorton is to think of fish. Here one can secure permission to visit the canneries. The history of this great company goes back to 1623 when the Pilgrim Fathers founded Gloucester. There is every evidence to prove that the present officers are descendants of the original settlers even though the present company had its organization in 1849. It is interesting to note that the pilgrims shipped the first cargo of fish to Spain in 1623.

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Rockport or Cape Ann

ROCKPORT

If you are not too tired you may continue on your way over the shore road making the complete trip around Cape Ann, a promontory which extends out into the Atlantic Ocean with its beautiful entrancing rocks, beaches and rolling sea. This route is a most interesting panorama. You will pass the largest lobster fishery in America. It is impossible for you to get lost as the road winds around and back into Gloucester, where you may retrace your ride along Route 127 to Beverly where you follow Route 1-A to Salem. At Salem swing right on to Essex Street, leaving Salem by way of Route 107 to Lynn. Leaving Lynn, pass over the famous marsh highway where the government has been carrying on extensive research for mosquito control. Continue to follow Route 107 through Revere to Route 1-A where turn right for Boston until you come to Route 1 which follow to the Charles River. Here, instead of turning right on Route 1, keep on across the bridge to the Boston side, turning right on Charles Street, soon passing the Massachusetts General Hospital on the left to Embankment Road where we turn right passing under the Longfellow Bridge to Beacon Street. At Beacon Street, turn right and again left at the second block which is Clarendon Street crossing Commonwealth Avenue, Newbury Street and Boylston Street; turn left on St. James Avenue, and you will arrive back at the Statler Hotel.

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