Kat Malone, CAM

The historic Navy Yard is literally a five minute walk from me. I explored the area a few nights ago on my Charlestown prowl.

Aside from housing the dry docks, the Navy Yard is home to the Constitution Museum, USS Cassin Young and the USS Constitution. The museum's summer hours are 9-6 and winter hours are 10-5 (Novemember-March). If you want to tour Ole Ironsides, you can take a guided tour every half hour between 10:30-4:30 (closed on Mondays in the summer. Winter hours: closed Monday-Wednesday, tours every half hour 10:30-3:30), or you can tour the ship on your own. You cannot go below deck if you tour the boat without a group. I believe the Cassin Young follows the same hours.

The history here is amazing. Granted, it's not like the castles we saw in England, but for America, it's pretty darn sweet. In my previous blog I showed pictures of the dry docks here. Old Ironsides first went into them in 1833. How cool is that?? And they still use the docks to repair the ship too. The fact that the ship was commissioned in 1797 and is still commissioned is just... wicked. [For those who don't remember, Old Ironsides is best known for its role in the War of 1812] Also in this area is the point where British reinforcements landed during the Battle of Bunker Hill.

The red brick line is the Freedom Trail, which goes to all the historic Revolutionary sites in Boston (and it really looks like that the whole way through). This is how I first found my way around Boston last year. This particular direction is leading into Boston, toward the Commonwealth and Fanuiel Hall. If I went the opposite direction, it'd lead me right up to Bunker Hill... probably a 5-7 minute walk from this point. All along the trail are these signposts so you know which sites are in the area. It's so cool.

Check out the Constituion Museum for more info on the Navy Yard and the Freedom Trail Foundation for more historic sites!

This landmark is a 5 minute walk from Harborview at the Navy Yard, Charlestown's premier waterfront living!

I had every intention of going to the gym right after work. And I did... after I made dinner and cleaned my closet and took a walk around Charlestown. I'd seen signs for "Harborwalk" but I never actually walked along it, so I figured last evening was as good a time as any.

It's been raining here a lot lately, so I was glad it decided to take a break while I wandered around

If you're following these signs and you can see the water, you're on the right trail. Most of the property right on the water is either condos, apartments or hotels. The walk wraps right around our property and on down toward the Navy Yard. If I hadn't stopped to take so many pictures, I could've been down at the Yard in five minutes from where I live.

As you can see there are still parts of the harbor that need to be repaired, but thankfully you can't walk in that area. There are boat slips all around the area that I'm sure cost an arm and a leg to rent. I like our personal dock with lift at our lakehouse instead, thankyouverymuch! I've always wondered if they rent them through the year or the season cause most everyone takes their boats out when it gets cold.

I walked down past Tavern on the Water and headed toward the Navy Yard (Yahd?). You can see the Garden (Gahden?) and Government Center/Financial District pretty much the entire walk. The Yard is where the USS Cassin Young and Constitution (or Ole' Ironsides as it's called around here) are docked. The marine barracks are just across the street and there always a couple guarding the docks in the area.

They have a number of dry docks down here, one was filled and one was actually dry. You can see the Cassin Young behind in the dry dock picture.

From here you can go see Cassin Young and Ole Ironsides, or you can follow the Harborwalk across the Charlestown bridge and into North End. Harborwalk goes all over Boston and Charlestown is just a small part of it. If you don't want to drive here you can either take the T to North Station (at the Garden) and walk about 2 minutes to the Charlestown Bridge, or take the F4 Ferry from Long Wharf (Inner Harbor Ferry). Check out more info on Boston's Harborwalk!

Harborwalk goes right around Harborview at the Navy Yard, Charlestown's premier waterfront living!

Last year while doing my internship in Revere, I stumbled upon this great little seafood place in Charlestown, Tavern on the Water. Mom and Dad were coming to visit so I figured walk around the area, show them Harborview (which at the time I made the comment that if I could work anywhere when I graduated, it would be here. who knew?) and check out this restaraunt.

Tavern on the Water. Yum!!! The seafood tastes like it was just swimming around before I ordered it. When you live in Virginia most of your life, you really miss quality seafood. The prices are very reasonable and it is defintely worth a trip to the area to check it out. I highly recommend the Blackened Center Cut Swordfish. Delish!

This restaraunt is a 5 minute walk down Harborwalk from Harborview at the Navy Yard, Charlestown's premier waterfront living!

That's right, it's time for the annual Bunker Hill parade! With Bunker Hill Day just around the corner, the parade route streets are filled with "Tow Zone, no parking Sunday" signs. I have no clue where people are supposed to park then as there is pretty much no parking here as it is. But I don't have to worry about that. :)

The parade starts on Sunday, June 14th at 12:30pm but it's recommended that you get to Charlestown by 11am to find parking and get a good spot along the route. The parade route will start at the corner of Bunker Hill St and Cook St, and turn onto Main St, from there Union St, Washington St, Harvard St, Warren St, Momument Ave, High St, Green St, Bartlett St, Momument Sq, Winthrop St and finish at Common St at the Training Field.

As many may remember from high school history, the battle of Bunker Hill was the first major battle fought in the War for Independence. It's known for Colonel Prescott's famous saying "Don't shoot until you see the whites of their eyes!"

For those that want to go to the actual momument, the Exhibit Hall is open 7 days a week from 9-5 and the momument is open from 9-4:30 if you want to climb all 294 steps. Admission is free! I plan on climbing the momument next week. I think I can safely say I can skip my gym workout that day.

Click for more information on the Bunker Hill Momument and the history of Bunker Hill.

stone reads: June 17, 1775 This hand opposed to tyrants searches with a sword for peaceful conditions under liberty

It looks so much taller when you're standing right beside it!

This parade is .7mi or 3 minutes away from Harborview at the Navy Yard, Charlestown's premier waterfront living!

Oh Lane... I would spend every Saturday of every weekend here if I could. So many great memories in this stadium... being painted up, sharing turkeylegs with my best friend, being hit in the head with airplane bottles, rushing the field... ::happy sigh::

IF you've ever heard anything about VT football, you've seen Lane Stadium. It was built in the 40s and has been drowning out audibles ever since :) We've been in the top 10 loudest stadiums in the country for I don't how long and we only seat about 65,000 people. They did a total revamp of the stadium back in 2006 adding on more offices, the tutoring center where I worked last year, shopping and most importatnly boxed seating (and let me tell you it is pretty darn spiffy up there!). Our field ain't too shabby either- we've got one of the top field drying systems in the country. I know that's not it's technical name, but you get the gist. :) I'll never forget when Dave Matthews Band and a bunch of other artists played at our school after April 16 and they babied that field like none-other. You couldn't see a speck of green it was covered so well.

Commencements have been held in there since the 50's and the tradition continues today. I'm rather excited about my May 15th one!

I run the stairs in the stadium sometimes and I love just getting to the top and looking around. It's a 360o view of the mountains and it's absolutely gorgeous. The way our stadium is situated you can hear the game all over town. When you're actually sitting inside it seems like it's covered by a dome it's so loud! Oh good ole Hokie football....