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Discover the Top 7 Unbelievable Fun Facts About Boston: Secrets of The City Unveiled!

illustration of boston
Dive into the treasure trove of fascinating tidbits and historical gems awaiting you as we uncover some of the most intriguing fun facts about Boston!

1. Cannoli Showdown

In the historic city of Boston, where Red Sox and Patriots fans roam free, a sugary duel of epic proportions unfolds, with the unsuspecting cannoli caught in the crossfire: In the North End, two legendary pastry shops, Mike's Pastry and Modern Pastry, are locked in a heated rivalry, each determined to prove their signature dessert – the delectable cannoli for Mike's and the irresistible Boston Creme Pie for Modern – reigns supreme, while taste buds everywhere end up the true winners.
Source => diapersonaplane.com

2. Boston Common: From Livestock to Live Concerts

Ladies and gentlemen, please hold your horses, or, in this case, your cows and sheep: Boston Common is proudly standing as the oldest operating public park in the U.S. since 1634! With its now vibrant 50-acre landscape, this wonder of a pasture land has evolved from serving lowly grazing livestock to hosting high-energy events, concerts, and festivals, making it the ultimate upgrade from a farm-fresh meetup to a metropolitan gala!
Source => history.com

3. Bootmobile: Footwear on Wheels

Behold the titan of tread, the leviathan of laces, the great galosh of the roadways: L.L. Bean's colossal Bootmobile is a 13-foot-high, 20.5-foot-long, and 7.5-foot-wide shoe-on-wheels that toured America to celebrate their 100th anniversary, boasting real rope laces with a test strength of over 100,000 pounds and a diesel engine under its sole.
Source => cars.com

4. Pedestrian-Friendly Traffic Lights

Next time you're dilly-dallying in the Cradle of Liberty, give a round of applause for the Massachusetts pedestrian: stage left! In Boston, traffic signals are meticulously timed with pedestrian safety in mind, boasting concurrent walk phases, leading pedestrian intervals, and an average wait time of no more than 40 seconds - not to mention audible signals in collaboration with the Disabilities Commission. No push-button required here, folks!
Source => cambridgema.gov

Benjamin Franklin: Boston's Renaissance Man

5. Benjamin Franklin: Boston's Renaissance Man

Benny Franklin, the OG Bostonian wit who traded candle-making small talk for international electricity puns: His birthplace is marked at 17 Milk Street with a bust, and he attended Boston Latin School before apprenticing in his father's soap and candle shop and later conquering the world as an inventor, writer, and founding father.
Source => benjamin-franklin-history.org

6. NECCO: America's Oldest Candy Company

Boston's sweet history of innovation and "candydelight": NECCO, founded in Boston over 150 years ago, is the oldest continuously operating candy company in the U.S., credited with creating the first lozenge cutter and producing billions of sugary confections—most notably the beloved Valentine conversation hearts.
Source => memory.loc.gov

7. City Hall Transformation

Whoever said "you can't teach an old city hall new tricks" clearly hasn't been to Boston lately: the recently renovated Boston City Hall now boasts improved public accessibility, fresh play areas, intriguing interactive art, and sprawling gathering spaces for thousands of event-goers, forever changing the city's landscape for the jolliest of soirees.
Source => nbcboston.com

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