Freedom Trail

A Crossroad of Freedom.

Boston No. 1 Water

Despite my recent travels, I've found that Boston remains my city of preference for living, learning, loving etc., and as a result, justifiably called "my city".

As you will see, Boston is old, and new, clean and dirty, warm and cold, smooth and fuzzy, smart and dumb... much like many other peoples' No. 1 cities.

BWW Water Valve

These Boston Water Works water valves reside on sidewalks in the historic Beacon Hill section of Boston. 

The bricks and pine needles represent the ever-present puritanical revolutionary fervor of the early settlers.

No. 1 Water Valve

This photo includes the  convergence of a variety of new and old, brick and bronze elements that have ultimately become  timelessly harmonious.

BWW Meter Cover

This rectangular cover captures the solid, aged and industrial endurance of the Beacon Hill sidewalks including the granite curbs, oak leaf and maintenance worker's arrow showing the pipe flow direction.

Fence Pole Square

This bronze square is reminiscent of days when there were poles and single chain fences protecting Boston pedestrians from the Beacon Hill equestrian traffic.

Air Cock

During my discussion of this photo with one of my old "Brahmin" art school teachers, he said that if I say "air cock" one more time, he would wash my mouth out with soap.  This shot was taken on Arlington Street at the entrance to the Boston Gardens, and in the path of the Emerald Necklace. 

Boston Drain

Many, many, many of these all over Boston.

Coleman Bros

I'm sure these guys don't sell horses, more likely pavement specialists.

Marlboro Street Coal Hole

This is a very happy coal hole cover, with bits of glass to let the light in below the street as a way to see if the coal shoot is clogged.

BWW Water Meter

Some days you need to wait for it to stop raining and ride around on a bike to capture these partially dry effects.

BWSC HS

Beautiful Blue BWSC

This cover is just down the street from my house.  I had been driving and walking past it for a few days, when all of a sudden I caught a glimpse of it after it had rained and the blue color had partially dried.  The paint took on a new dimension that I had never seen before, and have not seen since.  Like a light blue pastry frosting.  Ah, what a wondrous world we live in.

Backbay Valve with Bricks and Trunk

Here is a typical site on Marlboro Street where there are many trees lining the sidewalks.

Backbay Estabrook

This cover services the underground east brook.

Boston 222

A good example of asphalt, brick, granite, bronze and yellow paint.  Does that mean GAS?

Backbay Dirty, Rusty Drain

A good example of brick, slate, rust and mildew.

Backbay Black

I am partial, however, to this similar method using black tar.

Backbay Wood

Every city seems to have a wooden cover very similar to this, with slight variations of their applications.

Backbay Garbage

You don't see many of these anymore.  Now most of the garbage goes down the garbage disposal, and some into the trash.

Boston Steam

Maybe I should've put this one next to the air cock?

Boston Sewer

A good chiaroscuro sewer cover.

BCCC Gas Drip

Great shiny bronze cover, but how does natural gas drip anyway?

Brookline Gas

This gas access is actually in Louisburg Square on Beacon Hill.  I found more of these around Boston and some in Brookline as well.  The natural stone surface roads are very uncomfortable to walk on, but they are very durable as you can see they have withstood many years of wear.

BWW with Stones

On a small street on Beacon Hill.

BWSC Brown Cover

Of course green is for water and rust is created by water, so I guess it all makes sense?  

BWW with Minor Rust

Thank God for BWW.  Boston Where else Would I be?

BWW with White Paint

BWW with Nose Leaves

BSD with Nose Leaves

These nose leaves make great accents to all kinds of covers, even round ones. 

Rogers Park Sewer

Such an iconic statement from such a mundane function, especially in Rogers Park playground.

MDC

Oh sewer covers how I photograph thee.  Let me count the ways.

Yellow Hydrant

When the color of the hydrant is perfectly coordinated with its environment, you must photograph it.  There's another one in Somerville (Cambridge Page), and another in North Adams.  I've seen plenty in NYC too, but haven't shot one in the right light yet.

Chandler Pond Sewer #1

You know, I wish this one was not there.  I think it means that we are dumping sewage into Chandler Pond.  I would much rather swim there.  What's the deal?

Chandler Pond Sewer #2

These covers service the houses across the street from the pond.

Chandler Pond Sewer #3

It's actually a very nice area to walk.  We didn't find this pond until a few years after we moved in to Brighton.  What a pleasant surprise.  Needless to say, it's been a good source of subject matter for my project.

Rusty Inventory

There are many sites similar to this during the recent years.  I've finally decided that rust and leaves go very well together.  I guess they are both visually and physically related to decay. 

Drain Cover Hidden by Leaves

Here is another example of time's effect and the visual fragility of a location.  After shooting this with my Nikon 35mm, I went back to this location with my 4 x 5 Graflex camera and some maintenance idiot had decided to clean off the leaves and make the cover easy to see.  Drat!  Maybe next year?  Well it still prints out OK at around 13" x 17".  (This photo won "first prize, digital photo" in the local Allston Library Art Show 2003.)

Ma Bell Cover

This Ma Bell Cover is pronounced "Ma Bell Covah" by the pure and true Bostonian ah-dwoppah.  The arr-pronouncerr would say "Marr Bell Coverr".

Backbay Sewer

This certainly looks a lot like the Ma Bell cover.

BSD - Manimal 98" Cover

This Boston Sewer Department  cover near the Museum of Science, has been enhanced with the addition of manimal 98" footprints and an obviously significant number 319.

Boston Feet Drain

This Boston sewer drain photo includes the feet of my children with some leftover street line paint, which was obviously meant to go "down tha sewah".

Rogers Park Drain

Sunny days bring out the best in some photos.  This was the same day, in the same area that I shot the shiny Gas Drip photo.

Allston Drain

This sewer looked like it had clean white teeth after a cold winter day.

Typical Boston Pothole

How wondrous are the potholes that appear like magnolia blossoms in Boston during the springtime!  They grow out of tiny winter salt infections caused by the same crews that are supposed to repair them in the spring.  Some of us call this "job security". 

Chandler Pond Drip

This drip is one of the most curious ones yet.  Maybe the painter was using two cans of paint and this was the result of cleaning the cans.

Plywood Pieces on the Charles

This piece of plywood has a silver quality that I couldn't resist.

Boston Asphalt

I'm sorry but this asphalt shot had so many subtle things going for it.

Road Salt and Oil Stained Asphalt

This ominous stain is reminiscent of the work of Adolph Gottlieb.