Kelly's Diner - an imported classic diner in Ball Square Somerville

I’m a big fan of diners – I like classic roadside architecture and the menu offerings.  Happily, Massachusetts still has a good selection of classic diners with several in Centers and Squares territory.

Tomorrow night, Monday, January 23, 2012, Larry Cultrera will give a presentation at the Medford Public Library on Classic Diners of Massachusetts.  Cultrera is a diner historian and his new book, Classic Diners of Massachusetts, has just been published by the History Press. 

The Classic Diners of Massachusetts lecture is scheduled for 7 pm on Jan. 23, 2012 at the Medford Public Library, 111 High Street, Medford MA.  Free and open to the public.

While too many of Medford’s streets have too few trees, Medford is a Tree City (see below) and has been home to some truly magnificent trees.  Several years ago the city published a calendar featuring some of Medford’s grandest trees.  It was fabulous – I bought a dozen copies.

Otis Street, Medford MA in 1911 -When Trees Grew Large, Unhindered by Overhead Wires

Morris’s lecture will touch on some of Medford’s early tree enthusiasts including Peter Chardon Brooks, Elizur Wright and Lauren Dame.

The tree lecture will be held at the Medford Public libray on Thursday, June 16, 2011 at 7 pm.  The library is located at 111 High Street, Medford MA.

Wondering what’s a Tree City?

The Tree City program is administered by the Arbor Day Foundation and the National Asssociation of State Foresters.  More than 3400 US towns and cities are currently designated as Tree Cities.  To qualify, a community must have:

• A Tree Board or Department
• A Tree Care Ordinance
• A Community Forest Program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita
• An Arbor Day Observance and Proclamation

Wondering when is Arbor Day?(I know I was as I typed the last line)  It’s the last Friday in April – that’s the national observance and the day it is celebrated in Massachusetts and many other states.  Arbor Day may be observed on a different day in your state particularly if there’s a better time of year to plant trees.

Antique Appraisals In Medford

An Antique Appraisal Night will be held at Medford City Hall to benefit the Medford Historical Society on Thursday, January 20, 2011.

Wondering what that special piece you inherited is worth?  Stop by City Hall where Kaminski Auctions will appraise items.

The cost is $10 for one item or $25 for a limit of three.

If your antique or collectible is large you can bring a photo instead.

No jewelry, coins, stamps or books will be appraised.

Admission is free and appraisals will be done on a first come, first served basis.

The Antique Appraisal Night will benefit projects of the Medford Historical Society.

7 – 9 pm.  Thursday, January 20, 2011. Medford City Hall

Celebrate Black History Month on Saturday with a gospel music concert

In honor of Black History Month, there will be a free gospel music concert at the Chevalier Theatre in Medford this Saturday.

Presented by the Somerville Community Baptist Church, the Community Gospel Choir will perform with a live band and other instrumentalists accompanying. Joe Fitzgerald, Boston Herald columnist, will be master of ceremonies.  

The Community Gospel Choir is a volunteer group with members from several area churches. Stacie Clayton, Choral Director at the Somerville Community Baptist Church, is the choir director.

Admission is free. Donations accepted.

“We’ve Come This Far By Faith”, a gospel music concert, will take place Saturday, Feb. 27. 2010 at 5 p.m. at the Chevalier Theatre, 30 Forest St., Medford MA. 

The theatre is between the Post Office and the Medford High School condos.

In a presentation titled Of the People: Faces of the Civil WarMedford Historical Society board member Jim Kiely and Barbara Kerr, Director of Collections, will talk about the history of the collection, how it was rediscovered, and what we can learn about the Civil War from the photographs.

The Medford Historical Society’s collection of Civil War photographs includes some 5400 prints and is thought to be the fifth largest collection of its kind in the world.

The lecture, Of the People: Faces of the Civil War is scheduled for:

Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 7 pm

At the Winchester Public Library, 80 Washington St, Winchester MA 01890

Admission is free

On a side note (no pun intended!) - the Civil War engraving above is just a random image I bought to illustrate this post. It’s of Ambrose Burnside, a Union Army general for whom sideburns are named.

Medford Library Book Sale

Medford Library Book Sale  While you may very well be at one of the many holiday house tours tomorrow, if you’re in town and want to do some of your holiday shopping or just pick up some great books at great prices – check out the Medford Friends of the Library’s Book Sale.

While this sale isn’t as big as the sale later in the year, the Holiday Winter Book Sale will feature gift-quality books, holiday themed books and other gift items. 

Local historian and author Dee Morris will be at the sale signing copies of her newly published book Medford: A Brief History

What could be better?  Save some money, pick up some presents or good reads for yourself, and support your local library at the same time.

Where:  Medford Public Library, 111 High Street, Medford, MA

When: Saturday, December 5, 2009  10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

If you like to shop library book sales BookSaleFinder is a great site to keep tabs on upcoming sales.

The Charles River and Boston Skyline from the BU Bridge in Cambridgeport

Exploring the Hidden Charles – Michael Tougias

The Charles River is an integral part of the landscape in many towns and cities in Eastern Massachusetts.  Learn more about the Charles River with Michael Tougias, author of Exploring the Hidden Charles.

Michael Tougias will speak at the Medford Public Library on Wednesday, July 29, 2009 at 7:30 pm

The Boston Harbor Islands – Christopher Klein

I’m looking forward to learning more about the Boston Harbor Islands at Christopher Klein’s lecture.  Klein is the author of Discovering the Boston Harbor Islands: A Guide to the City’s Hidden Shores.

Christopher Klein’s presentation at the Medford Public Library is scheduled for Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at 7:00 pm

Baked Beans and Fried Clams: How Food Defines a Region – Lecture by Edie Clark

Edie Clark has long been one of my favorite Yankee Magazinecolumnists. The food listed in the lecture description “baked beans, Indian pudding, fried clams, and lobster rolls” sounds like it was pulled from the menu at the Willow Pond Kitchen, a local institution where I waitressed through college and graduate school.  I look forward to hearing Edie Clark’s take on what these classic New England dishes say about us.

Edie Clark will speak at the Medford Public Library on August 10, 2009 at 7:00 pm.

Tour the Peter Tufts House

Not a lecture but a house tour.  The Peter Tufts House, built in the late 1600s, is one of the oldest brick houses in the United States.  The Medford Public Library with the Medford Historical Society is sponsoring group tours of the house on:

• Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at 7:00 pm
• Thursday, July 30, 2009 at 7:00 pm
• Thursday, August 18, 2009 at 2:00 pm with an overflow tour at 3:00 pm if needed

Tours are limited to 10 attendees.  Tours will meet at the Peter Tufts House at 300 Riverside Avenue, Medford, MA

Register for a tour by calling the Libary at 781-395-7950.  Admission is free.

The Medford Public Library lectures are free of charge.  Pre-registration is not required.

The Medford Public Library is located at 111 High Street, Medford, MA 02155.

Tour the Medford wind turbine

The wind turbine at the McGlynn Elementary Schoolis a beautiful addition to the Medford skyline.  I did a double take the first time I spotted it from the Route 93 onramp by Medford Square.  And often when I’m on a real estate tour in Somerville I can see it in the distance.  When you’re on the hill above Porter Square – Spring Hill I think it is – you can catch a glimpse of it on certain streets.

On Monday, June 29, 2009 you’ll have the opportunity to learn more about the Medford wind turbine.  After a welcome from Mayor McGlynn, Patty Barry, Director of the City of Medford’s Energy and Environment Office, will give a presentation on the wind turbine project followed by a site tour.

Online registration is required – here’s the link to register.

The Medford wind turbine tour and presentationwill take place on Monday, June 29,2009 from 3:00 to 4:30 pm at the McGlynn Elementary School, 3002 Mystic Valley Parkway, Medford, MA 02155.