#2 - RE: BARRY'S CORNER - ALLSTON SQUARE COMMENTS

[Joan Pasquale]

 
Hello,
The following is in response to Mr. Gibbon's Letter/Posting to Mr. McKinney.
Again, please respond to Mr. McKinney directly as he is not subscribed to the community Google sites.
 
Thank you,
Joan Pasquale
----Original Message-----
> From: Allston Square Association [mailto:a...@rcn.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, December 11, 2013 11:21 AM
> To: 'james gibbons'
> Subject: RE: [AB2006] Re: Barry's Corner
>
> Hi Jim,
Your brother Jay was my construction crew chief when I was renovating
> Prescott Place. He was one the most capable and professional people I have
> ever worked with and improved my property there incredibly. I asked him
> about Barry's Corner and he didn't know where it was, what happened there or
> any of the families that were evicted. No one else on the crews and 99% of
> the people of North Allston surveyed in the last 8 years did either. By the
> way, I've lived here in North Allston for 44 years.
>
> As I have said before, it's not the place, it's the people. So far, no one
> has mentioned anyone who lived there and lost everything. It's the people
> that are important, not the place name. It's curious that no one responding
> remembers the name of any of these good people.
>
> However, that's why a plaque will be installed at Barry's Corner Memorial
> Grove that tells the story of Barry's Corner on the very spot it stood.
>
> And, just so you will know, Harvard is upgrading, improving and expanding
> the grove of trees at the corner of North Harvard Street and Western Avenue
> and will maintain it in perpetuity. It is on the land on which Barry's
> Corner actually stood. The building across the street is nothing like the
> houses that were demolished, and the Grove will be a peaceful, welcoming
> place that will allow everyone to learn and reflect about Barry's Corner and
> the good people who lived there.
>
> Also, please remember, it's not the people that already live here that will
> be moving in. Its people who have, for the most part, have never been here
> before. If the residential and retail commons, especially the retail firms
> who move in, doesn't have a name that adds to the recognition of the
> location, they won't be able to find the destination. It's not the people
> who live here now that will make this place a success, its people that
> aren't here yet.
>
> Since very few who live here now have ever heard of Barry's Corner, and
> since there is a much more famous Barry's Corner in Cambridge, 3 miles away,
> two places near each other with the same name can only cause confusion the
> minds of those who want to find us here in North Allston.
>
> I have taken the liberty of sending you some information about both the
> Square and Barry's Corner Memorial Grove.
>
> I appreciate your comments and wish you and your family a very Merry
> Christmas.
>
> Best,
Renny McKinney
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: james gibbons [mailto:jf...@hotmail.com]
> Sent: Wednesday, December 11, 2013 1:04 AM
> To: allstonbr...@googlegroups.com
> Cc: allstonbr...@googlegroups.com; a...@rcn.com
> Subject: Re: [AB2006] Re: Barry's Corner
>
> hi, I was born and proudly raised in Allston and have lived in
> Allston/Brighton my entire life. Let me state that I do know who Washington
> Allston was and I find it fitting that an entire section of our city was
> named in his honor. I don't believe we need to create a new square to keep
> his name alive. Since I was child, I have heard stories of Barrys Corner and
> the people whose lives were impacted due to urban renewal and emminent
> domain. Allston should honor the sacrifices of those displaced families by
> keeping alive the name Barrys Corner. It is not a about who Barry was; but
> more to do about where Barrys Corner was, is and should be now and in the
> future. Just my two cents, I also never heard of a grove in Allston, isn't
> that where oranges grow in Florida? Jim Gibbons 48 year A/B resident
> and proud.
>
> Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE smartphone
>
>
>
> allst...@rcn.com wrote:
>
> >
> >
> >Hello Eva,
> >
> >Thanks for getting in touch. I’ll respond to your entire email presently,
> >but for now, let me say this. Those two plots of land owned by M. Barry
> >and J. Barry are from the 1875 survey. We have researched both names
> >extensively, with assistance from the history departments of both Tufts and
>
> >Boston University. There is no historical record of either Barry to be
> >found. Their names do not appear before this time and both names disappear
>
> >within 15 years. They are never heard from again. They could not be the
> >basis for the name since there is no record they accomplished anything.
> >Perhaps Linda has some information she would like to share with us.
> >
> >Heck, my property behind the GAP has more history than the Barrys have.
> >Moses Tucker who owned the land on Raymond Street (And named it for
> >Raymond, NH where he was from) and Appian Way was a successful dry goods
> >merchant who was discussed in Dr. William P. Marchione’s excellent books
> >about the history of the area. There is nothing about any Barry in any of
> >his books. We spoke with Addison Powers not so long ago, and he said he
> >didn’t know who Barry’s corner was named after. He is perhaps the oldest
> >resident of North Allston and if anyone would know, it would be him.
> > During the time when there were houses in this area, the Chevron triangle
> >was the home of Jay’s Car Repair. The lack of any historical record of
> >achievement of significance by these two temporary, obscure landowners
> >named Barry cannot compare with the achievement and stature of the great
> >Washington Allston for whom our Community was named. So far, no one has
> >mentioned anything about Washington Allston and very, very few folks we’ve
> >asked know who he was. Surely, he is more in need of honoring than someone
>
> >named Barry with no apparent history to speak of.
> >
> > With all due respect, there is really no historical record of any Barry of
>
> >any distinction associated with this area. What is of world wide renown is
>
> >the Father of American Romanticism and the reason Allston has its name,
> >Washington Allston. When it comes to historical importance, Washington
> >Allston is, of course, truly significant historically and almost completely
>
> >forgotten in our beloved little community. This was a man of prodigious
> >talent with paintings displayed at the Fogg Museum at Harvard, the Boston
> >Athenaeum, the first painting the Museum of Fine Arts Boston acquired, the
> >London Portrait Gallery, and countless museums across the country and
> >around the world. I’m including a piece about Washington Allston most
> >people don’t know about or have forgotten.
> >
> >With all due respect, Washington Allston is the true reason for our
> >community is named Allston. The true heritage of this entire community
> >really needs to remembered, not a couple of temporary land owners who were
> >here briefly, for only a few years, and disappeared completely from the
> >annals of history, leaving no accomplishments or historical record at all.
>
> >We don’t even know definitively if these two had anything to do with the
> >naming of the area. Shouldn’t there be come record if they were?
> >
> > I respect your desire to think back to memories of long ago. However, it
> >is the bright future of our community, not it’s questionable past that most
>
> >Allstonians want. We are not interested in the deplorable property and the
>
> >indignant fight of a few, good and sincere families – 72 of them - though
> >they might have been, standing in the way of progress decades ago. Let’s
> >not make that mistake again. Let’s look to the glorious future before us
> >and improve and elevate the citywide, nationwide and worldwide reputation
> >and respect of a new Allston.
> >
> > We all are so tired of being lumped together with Brighton as in
> >Allston-Brighton, from which we were distinguished over 145 years ago.
> >Let’s not cling to the bad old days of the protest of a very, very few
> >people who, with all due respect, cared not about the future of our
> >community, only about their own houses that they let run down and become
> >dilapidated. I was here then. It was an awful area, a great eyesore, and
> >a dangerously unkempt area. This was why it was demolished to make better
> >use of the land. That is almost exactly what is happening today. Let’s
> >focus on the future, not the past. The past is gone, as Marjorie Redgate,
> >who owned the Ready Luncheonette said, “We are finished here.” Let’s
> >memorialize the families who had to move honorably, not their unsuccessful
> >insurrection that gave the rest of Boston a very unfavorable impression of
> >Allston that in some circles exists until this very day. We have a chance
> >to do something really great. Let’s not let the distasteful past take
> >precedence over the magnificent future that awaits us.
> >
> > If the new buildings are to be a location destination, what sense does it
> >make to name it after a place only the people already here, and not so many
>
> >of them, have ever heard of? Where is Uphams’s Corner, Crosby’s Corner,
> >Packard’s Corner, Lancer’s Corner, even Newton Corner and Coolidge Corner?
>
> >You cannot describe their location without explaining where they are by
> >other landmarks and streets. A corner, by definition, is a place you go
> >around, not stop at. And what we want is Barry’s Corner to remain Barry’s
> >Corner, which is what it was, a corner. Why not let it remain as a
> >corner? What harm is that? It wasn’t a square, if was a corner and should
>
> >be remembered as that. Naming the Grove for Barry’s Corner is a real
> >tribute to those families. How can a retail and residential be thought of
> >as any kind of memorial to the families? How does a big building reflect
> >the feelings of those who lived across the street?
> >
> > This is a long answer to a small part of what you wrote and in a way I
> >apologize for its length. I will address the rest of your comments as time
>
> >allots.
> >
> > Thank you for taking the time and trouble to write. I appreciate and
> >respect your point of view and the views of others who have responded. The
>
> >main point of all of this is if we want this place to be a successful
> >location destination, it has to be a location people who don’t live here
> >from outside the community can easily find. No amount of advertising a
> >corner or a corridor will accomplish this. Besides, how many Allston
> >residents have ever heard of Washington Allston, one of America’s great
> >painters for whom Allston was named? This is historical significance. The
>
> >desires of those who were alive when Barry’s Corner existed are no doubt
> >sincere. But at some point, Allstonians must acknowledge the fact that the
>
> >majority of Allstonians and everyone who will be moving here have never
> >heard of Barry’s Corner and have no idea where it was. It’s tempting to
> >try to hold onto the past in a changing world. But we need to go forward.
>
> >We have to go forward. We really have no choice.
> >
> > Those good people can be more than adequately remembered by naming the
> >Grove, Barry’s Corner Memorial Grove with a plaque memorializing those
> >folks who had to leave. I realize there are many who are still upset about
>
> >something that happened over 45 years ago. But that is no reason to forget
>
> >Washington Allston and refuse to brand this new, elevating, and exciting
> >place after a place maybe 100 local people have ever heard of. It’s time
> >for Allston to proceed into it’s destiny and leave the bad memories behind
> >except for a proper memorial, not some big building that isn’t even on the
> >site of the area that was Barry’s Corner.
> >
> > I have been a North Allston resident and businessman for 44 years and
> >never heard of Barry’s Corner until Harvard provided me with the 2005 North
>
> >Allston Framework for Planning. I have employed scores of North
> >Allstonians in that time, sometimes more than one generation in a family.
> >None of the hundreds of North Allston residents we have surveyed had ever
> >heard of it. Those surveyed preferred Allston Square over Barry’s Corner
> >and many found the name Barry’s Corner offensive and demeaning.
> >
> >Again, I respect your opinion and those of others. But Allston is
> >changing, as well it should. Barry’s Corner was not a pleasant place. I
> >was there. Even the President of the Allston Civic Association at the
> >time, Joseph M. Smith, who worked so hard to create the medical center that
>
> >bears his name, was in favor of the destruction of what was a blighted area
>
> >to upgrade our community. He made no attempt to prevent the tear down and
> >the elevation of our community. Now, again, we have the opportunity to
> >greatly raise the profile and dignity of Allston, which has not had the
> >best reputation in Boston as a nice place to live. We may think that it
> >is, but an awful lot of folks don’t. Also, this is Allston and North
> >Allston. It is not Brighton or North Brighton. It is high time
> >Allstonians got to determine their own destiny without the opinions of
> >those that don’t live here and no investment in our community or our
> future.
> >
> >I would ask everybody to keep an open mind. This is a teachable moment.
> >You cannot create the future by clinging to the past, especially when
> >Washington Allston goes unknown and the past of that quadrant of the
> >intersection was not up to the standards of the community then, much as the
>
> >Charlesview Apartments are now.
> >
> > Thank you for your thoughts, and I look forward to further conversations
> >about the shining future of our beloved community.
> >
> > Respectfully and very sincerely,
> >
> > Renny McKinney
> >
> >Coordinator
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >On Monday, December 9, 2013 1:39:12 AM UTC-5, Eva Webster wrote:
> >>
> >> Hello, Renny — thanks for your message. Nice to make your acquaintance,
>
> >> albeit just on email. I am certain you mean well, and I respect and
> >> appreciate your apparent commitment to the Barry’s Corner area.
> >>
> >> I now live on the opposite end of Allston-Brighton, but in the early
> 1990s
> >> when my husband was a post-doc at Harvard, we often used to walk through
> >> Barry’s Corner on the way to Harvard’s athletic facilities (gym and
> indoor
> >> track for running). When passing by the public housing project, we always
>
> >> marveled how ugly it was. I’m glad it will be gone. I look forward to the
>
> >> positive changes (I assume) that will be happening there. My only worry
> is
> >> that if the area will end up having no visitor parking. Anyone who is not
> a
> >> bicyclist and lives farther away, will have a hard time visiting the area
>
> >> and patronizing businesses there (I wish someone was willing to fight for
>
> >> some public parking).
> >>
> >> These days, I still have various reasons to pass through Barry’s Corner a
>
> >> few times a week, and I always use that name when talking about that area
>
> >> with my family or my fellow Allston-Brighton activists. So your idea that
>
> >> the name should be changed not just caught me by surprise — I was looking
>
> >> for my chin on the floor ;-)
> >>
> >> Changing an official geographic name that has been in use for nearly one
> >> and a half century — a name that is mentioned in old records and
> historical
> >> materials, and tens of thousands of people are used to it -- is a weighty
>
> >> and naturally controversial matter. Many long-time residents, older
> people
> >> and local history buffs are attached to the name “Barry’s Corner” -- and
> I
> >> think they cannot and should not be disregarded even if you manage to
> >> collect many signatures on your petition.
> >>
> >> Recent transplants to Allston in particular may have no concept what’s
> >> behind the name “Barry’s Corner” (or even where the place is), so you may
>
> >> be able to get lots of signatures from young people who have lived here
> >> only for a few years, and may be gone as soon as their current apartment
> >> lease is over. But should such folks be determining how long-established
> >> places in Allston-Brighton should be called? I don’t think so.
> >>
> >> Changing established geographic names always has some negative
> >> consequences (such as confusion among locals and visitors alike; loss of
> >> the historic identity and collective memory pertaining to that place; and
>
> >> making future research on local history and genealogy more difficult). So
>
> >> there better be a good reason for changing a geographic name -- and in
> this
> >> case I really don’t see such a reason.
> >>
> >> I sense that your only rationale is that “Barry’s Corner” has no meaning
> >> or positive association in your mind — but that’s a matter of perception
> >> (and with additional knowledge I hope your perception can change).
> >>
> >> I happen to think that Barry’s Corner is a very nice and unique name. The
>
> >> use of the word “Corner” is much rarer than “Square”. The only other one
> I
> >> can think of is Coolidge Corner – and no one would ever want to rename it
>
> >> to “Brookline Square”. Or if someone told me that they want to change
> the
> >> name “Cleveland Circle” to “Aberdeen Square” (because Aberdeen is the
> name
> >> of the adjacent neighborhood), I would just laugh.
> >>
> >> Like Coolidge Corner, or Cleveland Circle, or Oak Square, or Brighton
> >> Center, Barry’s Corner has its own history and identity — and it should
> be
> >> embraced and enhanced, not annihilated, thrown out as if it was something
>
> >> shameful and undesirable. I think you’re projecting your dissatisfaction
> >> with the location, as it currently is, on its name. But the character of
> >> that place is destined to improve because of the millions of dollars that
>
> >> Harvard and its subsidiaries will be pouring into the area. You don’t
> need
> >> to lose the historic name to make the place better — it will get better
> >> with its own name.
> >>
> >> Please see below my responses to various other points you made in your
> >> message to me:
> >>
> >> On 12/8/13 5:55 PM, "Allston Square Association"
> <a...@rcn.com<javascript:>>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >> > With all due respect, do we really want to be known for “the people who
>
> >> used
> >> > to live in that neighborhood, and went through hell when they were
> >> forcibly
> >> > removed from their homes”? We aren’t known for much these days, and we
>
> >> can do
> >> > better than this, can’t we?
> >>
> >> Changing the name for the sake of changing the name is not going to make
> >> you known for anything. Respecting local history imparts respect for the
>
> >> location — and that’s what you want. So you should hold on to the
> historic
> >> name — because there are some aspects to that location that make it
> unlike
> >> any other. For example, the unusual triangular “corner” in the centre of
> >> the intersection (it can be seen on all historic maps) — it’s certainly
> not
> >> a square.
> >>
> >> Also, your acknowledge that obliteration of the Barry’s Corner
> >> neighborhood in the 1960s as part of the Urban Renewal was an important
> >> event in Allston’s and Boston’s history. You even suggest creating some
> >> kind of “Memorial Grove” commemorating that event -- which in itself is a
>
> >> great idea. But why should commemorating that event come hand in hand
> with
> >> obliterating the much earlier historic geographic name “Barry’s Corner”?
> >>
> >> You guys cannot have it both ways — on the one hand, you acknowledge that
>
> >> it was an important event, and on the other hand argue that you don’t
> want
> >> to be known by that event. That makes no sense. It’s as if the residents
> of
> >> Charlestown wanted to change the name “Bunker Hill” to “Charlestown Hill”
>
> >> because the British won that battle, so why be reminded about it.
> >>
> >> The name “Barry’s Corner” precedes the events of Urban Renewal by nearly
> a
> >> hundred years, several decades for sure — please see an *1875* map that I
>
> >> pasted below, and note the property owned by “M. Barry” in the center of
> >> the intersection (this whole map *http://www.bahistory.org/1875_E.pdf
> >> <http://www.bahistory.org/1875_E.pdf>* and other Allston-Brighton
> >> historic maps can be seen on the Brighton-Allston Historical Society’s
> >> website *http://www.bahistory.org/ <http://www.bahistory.org/>* ).
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> In your earlier message, you wrote that Barry’s Corner was “named after
> no
> >> one”. As you can see, that’s not true. It was named after a real person
>
> >> who lived at one time in that area, one of the earliest, perhaps the very
>
> >> first registered owner of the parcel in the very center of that location.
> >>
> >> That person’s family also owned a residential home on a piece of land in
> >> that neighborhood — look for the name “J. Barry” inside a pink-colored
> >> square-shaped parcel).
> >>
> >> While there is no reason to believe that M. Barry was a wealthy or
> >> otherwise prominent person, by virtue of owning that highly visible
> parcel,
> >> he may have been a respectable merchant/grocer who catered to the
> >> neighborhood, as well as the substantial passing traffic to and from
> >> Cambridge. Therefore he had to be well known in that area.
> >>
> >>
> >> > Besides the great fight to prevent the teardown 45 years ago, is there
> >> any
> >> > other historical significance attached to the northwest corner of the
> >> > intersection? We would be very interested to know of any, if you would
> >> let us
> >> > know.
> >>
> >> You assume that the neighborhood on the northwest corner that was lost to
>
> >> Urban Renewal gave its name to that intersection — but it’s the other way
>
> >> around. That particular neighborhood derived its name from the name of
> the
> >> intersection, which was named after the individual who owned that
> >> triangular corner-like commercial parcel that can still be seen today.
> >>
> >> In early years of Allston-Brighton (actually it was just Brighton
> >> originally), and even when it was still called Little Cambridge, it was
> >> very common for streets and other places to be named after families who
> >> owned nearby land. Calling that intersection “Barry’s corner” is
> consistent
> >> with that custom.
> >>
> >> By 1890, that triangular/corner parcel was no longer owned by M. Berry,
> >> but the Barry family still lived in the house they owned in that
> >> neighborhood across the street. The maps show they owned that house in
> >> 1899, in 1909, but they were gone by 1916 (the house was sold to someone
> >> named Amos B. Harris). Of course, there is no trace of the house or the
> >> neighborhood now. (I would be interested to know which is the oldest
> >> standing house in that general area around Barry’s Corner. If anyone
> knows,
> >> please share.)
> >>
> >> So the triangular parcel in the middle of the intersection is what gave
> >> the location the name “Barry’s Corner” -- people must have called it that
>
> >> way perhaps as early as 1875. Looking at the maps on BAHS website, you
> >> can’t tell for sure if it was M. Barry who built the first buildings
> there
> >> (because the 1885 map is missing, and in 1890 the parcel is shown as
> being
> >> owned by one Augustus Russ).
> >>
> >> But the maps from 1899 and subsequent years (1909, 1916, and the last map
>
> >> that is available, 1925) show the corner parcel having three structures,
> >> one of them forming a sharp corner overlooking the intersection. In the
> >> 1909 map, see below, that building had a paved public sidewalk,
> indicating
> >> that it was a pedestrian destination, probably a store. (It would be so
> >> exciting to have a photo of that building, or anywhere else from that
> time
> >> around that intersection. Charlie, does BAHS have any old photos of that
> >> area?)
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> > Don’t you think having the Grove, where Barry’s Corner actually stood,
> >> which
> >> > will be there forever, would be a proper and fitting memorial? The
> name
> >> is
> >> > not going away; it will still be the corner on which these people lived
>
> >> so
> >> > long ago forever.
> >>
> >> As I explained above, the actual Barry’s Corner was the intersection —
> the
> >> residential neighborhood that was lost to Urban Renewal was called
> “Barry’s
> >> Corner” for the same reason some people say they live in Cleveland Circle
>
> >> or Coolidge Corner when they mean nearby streets. That intersection that
>
> >> you want to call “Allston Square” already has a name — it’s Barry’s
> Corner.
> >>
> >> Also, I differ with your assumption that the “Grove” will be there
> >> forever. Nothing is forever, especially on land owned by a powerful
> >> institution such as Harvard. The only thing coming close to “forever” is
> a
> >> NAME that people use from generation to generation (and alas, you guys,
> >> however well-intentioned you are, show wanton disregard for local history
>
> >> by asking that the name “Barry’s Corner” be eliminated).
> >>
> >> Now imagine that you are a Barry family descendant, and you learn that
> >> your ancestors owned property and lived in Allston, Mass. in the 19th
> >> century and early 20th century. You also learn, perhaps from some old
> maps
> >> and newspapers (or reading about the excesses of Urban Renewal in Boston)
>
> >> that the area where they lived was named after your family for nearly a
> >> century and a half — but then, suddenly, in 2014 some people (newcomers
> >> most likely) arbitrarily decided to eliminate that name. How would you
> >> feel?
> >>
> >> Historic names are very important. I even think that local businesses
> >> ought to be named by the places they are in (like Cleveland Circle
> Travel,
> >> for example, which moved to Brookline some time ago, but it is still
> called
> >> Cleveland Circle Travel). Likewise, there should be a Barry’s Corner
> Café,
> >> or a Barry’s Corner Cleaners, a Barry’s Corner Pub, a Barry’s Corner
> >> Bookstore — you name it. That’s how you create a sense of place. An old
> >> name is what gives a place its uniqueness and roots it in its past.
> >>
> >> When Boston replaced Scollay Square with Government Center (
> *http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scollay_Square
> >> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scollay_Square>* ), it was not just the
> >> buildings that perished. The final, decisive blow that made the place
> >> disappear forever was the loss of the name. Because names of places ARE
> the
> >> very history of those locations. Imagine if someone wanted to rename
> >> Allston under the pretext of wanting to improve its image — would you
> stand
> >> for that?
> >>
> >>
> >> > Meanwhile, the Coconut Grove fire was horrendous. It is not the kind
> of
> >> thing
> >> > anyone would want to know about. This is not the kind of thing anyone
> >> who
> >> > knows about it intimately wants to remember. It was a terrible, awful
> >> thing
> >> > and hundreds of people were burned to death in unbelievable pain and
> >> agony.
> >>
> >> Most people who perished in the Coconut Grove fire died of smoke
> >> inhalation. And in fact, many people want to remember what happened
> >> (families of the deceased, certainly), and they do want to know about it.
>
> >> That’s why there was a lot of support for naming that street Coconut
> Grove
> >> Lane — as a way of remembering and honoring the victims, so interested
> >> individuals could find the place, and by visiting the location, pay their
>
> >> respects.
> >>
> >> In general, all human societies commemorate great tragedies — and
> frankly,
> >> I don’t understand why you have a problem with that. Do you assume that
> one
> >> should only remember or commemorate happy events? Then, for example, why
>
> >> do we commemorate Pearl Harbor on December 7? (That also happens to be a
> >> death anniversary of my beloved cat who died 10 years ago — and we still
> >> have a leather armchair in our house that we call by his name. That was
> his
> >> favorite place. It will always be his chair.)
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> > Do we have to just remember the bad things from the past? How about
> >> the
> >> > great new things that the future will bring to North Allston? Thank
> you
> >> for
> >> > your thoughts, but let’s look toward the bright future of North
> Allston,
> >> not
> >> > the very bad stuff that happened to only a very, very few, many, many
> >> years
> >> > ago.
> >>
> >> Intentionally or not, you kind of disparage what happened at Barry’s
> >> Corner with Urban Renewal by saying that it was “very, very few people,
> >> many, many years ago”. At the same time, you claim you want a Memorial
> >> Grove to commemorate the event. I don’t get it.
> >>
> >> I think you’re very young. I don’t mean it disrespectfully; just stating
> >> the fact. You may think differently 20 years or more from now (which very
>
> >> well may be the age difference between us).
> >>
> >> Not everyone realizes that we cannot, and should not, run from the past.
> >> The people who do understand that realize that ALL HUMAN WISDOM derives
> >> from the past -- and that’s why we have to respect the past.
> >>
> >> You clearly have an activist gene — which is wonderful. So how about if
> >> you just rename your group “Barry’s Corner Association” (or something to
> >> that effect), and push for all the great things you want to see happen
> >> there without trying to rename the location? I for one would be
> grateful.
> >>
> >>
> >> Best,
> >>
> >> Eva
> >>
> >> ------------------------------
> >>
> >> *From:* Eva Webster [mailto:e...@comcast.net] <javascript:>
> >> *Sent:* Sunday, December 08, 2013 5:21 PM
> >> *To:* AllstonBrighton2006
> >> *Cc:* a...@rcn.com <javascript:>
> >> *Subject:* Re: [AB2006] FW: Community Petition and Flyer
> >>
> >> Thanks, Joan. I’m copying this message to that group (curiously named for
>
> >> a place that does not exist).
> >>
> >> Another argument: If the “Barry’s Corner” name were to be eradicated, I
>
> >> think it would dishonor the people who used to live in that neighborhood,
>
> >> and went through hell when they were forcibly removed from their homes.
> It
> >> would be like renaming the West End neighborhood — the most famous victim
>
> >> of Urban Renewal, some other name.
> >>
> >> Also, if the name is changed, in the future, when people interested in
> the
> >> history of Boston and urban development in America read somewhere about
> >> Barry’s Corner eminent domain scandal, they would be unable to find the
> >> place in person, or locate it on maps.
> >>
> >> It’s very frustrating when historic places are hard to find because
> >> someone along the way irresponsibly changed the name, and obliterated the
>
> >> old one.
> >>
> >> For that very reason (to commemorate a historic event, and to make the
> >> place easy to find for those who are interested), just a week or so ago,
> >> there was a big event in Boston to rename a small street where the
> infamous
> >> Coconut Grove fire took place. Subsequently it had acquired the
> >> meaningless name Shawmut Ave. Extension -- but for historical reasons its
>
> >> name now is Coconut Grove Lane.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On 12/8/13 4:50 PM, "Joan Pasquale" <jpasqu...@hotmail.com <javascript:>>
>
> >> wrote:
> >> Eva,
> >> You should also include the Allston Square Association in your response -
>
> >> a...@rcn.com <javascript:>
> >> As re: the request for me to forward the info, Mr. McKinney is not
> >> subscribed to the Google group.
> >>
> >> Best,
> >> Joan Pasquale
> >>
> >> ------------------------------
> >>
> >>
> >> Date: Sun, 8 Dec 2013 16:43:45 -0500
> >> Subject: Re: [AB2006] FW: Community Petition and Flyer
> >> From: evawe...@comcast.net <javascript:>
> >> To: allstonbr...@googlegroups.com <javascript:>
> >>
> >> Re: [AB2006] FW: Community Petition and Flyer Barry’s Corner is a
> historic
> >> name that has almost gotten forgotten (newcomers to Allston-Brighton
> >> usually don’t know where it is). Personally, as an Allston-Brighton
> >> resident, I’m opposed to getting rid of historic names. There is no
> reason
> >> for it whatsoever. I think that historic names should be treasured and
> >> cultivated.
> >>
> >> Barry’s Corner is one of several town centers within Allston, but it has
> >> its own very unique history which even holds a lesson for future
> >> generations (it’s a story of heartless, arrogant politicians and city
> >> planners who unceremoniously destroyed what was good — a stable
> >> neighborhood of families who owned their homes — and created an ugly,
> >> soulless, impersonal, concrete structure to “warehouse” people).
> >>
> >> Barry’s Corner and the immediate area is now about to gain new and
> lasting
> >> prominence with new vibrant development. Great! Keep the historic name.
>
> >> Revive it. Make sure it’s well publicized with signage, on maps, etc., so
>
> >> it becomes a well-known respectable destination, a landmark in North
> >> Allston. And commemorate the place’s history anyway with a “Grove”
> >> installation.
> >>
> >> If that petition for changing the name takes off, I hope that folks who
> >> respect history (perhaps ACA?) will circulate a counter-petition.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On 12/8/13 3:52 PM, "Joan Pasquale" <jpasqu...@hotmail.com <javascript:>>
>
> >> wrote:
> >> Hello All,
> >> I was asked to forward the information below and attached out to
> community
> >> residents.
> >> For more information please contact the project coordinator at the email
> >> address listed below.
> >>
> >> Thank you,
> >> Joan Pasquale
> >>
> >>
> >> Dear Fellow Allston Resident,
> >>
> >> The petition for Allston Square and Barry’s Corner Memorial Grove is now
> >> available to be signed. We would very much like to have you sign it to
> >> name this new retail and residential commons *Allston Square* after the
> >> great painter Washington Allston, who gave our community its name,
> instead
> >> of “Barry’s Corner” named after no one. However, to honor the good folks
>
> >> who lost their homes 45 years ago when the BRA and the City bulldozed
> their
> >> little community and built the Charlesview Apartments, we would like to
> >> name the Grove, which stands on the very spot where their homes once
> stood, *Barry’s
> >> Corner Memorial Grove*, in their memory.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Please sign the petition so we can have an Allston Square – which North
> >> Allston rightly deserves, and a proper memorial for the good families
> that
> >> lost their homes and land those many years ago. Thank you very much.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> Allston Square Association
> >