Learning Strategies

What does the Globe normally say about Dorchester?

Well, the three most frequently reported topics are crime, crime, and crime. So it was welcome news to see a large article right on the first page of Metro/Region in yesterday’s Globe entitled “Visitors won’t discover some city areas via map: Guides omit places south of downtown” — especially when the first sentence of the article was

Where in the heck did Dorchester go?

The article goes on to explain why Dorchester ought to be included in guidebooks and tourist maps:

Boston’s largest neighborhood in both geography and population, Dorchester has about 93,000 residents spread over 6 square miles. The oft-mapped Beacon Hill-Back Bay area, by contrast, has about 26,000 residents in 1 square mile, according to the Boston Redevelopment Authority.

Dorchester is home to Franklin Park Zoo, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, the nation’s first chocolate factory, and the Blake House, which is promoted as the city's oldest house, built around 1648. Except for the zoo and JFK Library, most people who find these attractions live in Dorchester or have friends who do, Taylor [that’s Earl Taylor, president of the Dorchester Historical Society] said.

“It is a major oversight,” said the library’s spokesman, Brent Carney. “This vital part of the City of Boston not only has the [JFK Library], which is one of Boston’s largest attractions, but it has wonderful restaurants, a rich history, and some of the most spectacular views of the city.”

Labels: Dorchester