Getting an idea from the 1,000 places to See Before You Die, Massachusetts decided to put together a list of 1,000 great places in Massachusetts.
It’s a mixed bag of places, with some obvious choice, some obscure places, and some head scratchers.
The worst part of the list is that it’s sloppy. There are at least two duplicates on the list
- The Longfellow Bridge and Longfellow Bridge in Boston
- Mount Auburn Cemetery and The Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge
That leaves us with 998 great places to visit.
I won’t mention the typos or mislocated items in the list. They didn’t even get the first item on the list correct. It’s Ames Nowell State park in Abington, not Ames Nole State Park.
They published the list as .pdf document: 1,000 Great Places. I find that completely useless. Boston Globe broke it down by municipality:1,000 places to visit in Massachusetts.
I’ve already been to many places on the list. Some are on my list of things to do. Some I should probably revisit with my kids. Some I’ve never heard of…… I sense a challenge.
Game ON!
The obvious game is to visit every Great Place on the list.
The first step requires making the list into a more usable piece of information. I created a Google Spreadsheet [Doug and the 1,000 Great Places in Massachusetts] of all of the Great Places, a map location, whether I have been there and my story about the “Great Place.” I also started a Google Map of the 1,000 Great Places in Massachusetts.
Sitting down and doing the math. If I visit one place per day, it would take about three years to visit each one. This is going to be a long project.
View 1,000 Great Places in Massachusetts in a larger map
Yellow markers are places I’ve been
Green markers are places I’ve been and have published some information.
Blue markers are place I have not been.
July 12, 2010, (Boston, MA) The committee charged with compiling the nominations for 1000 Great Places revealed the 1000 Great Places list at the State House today. With over 12,000 nominations, the range of Great Places shines on every part of the Commonwealth.
The Great Places initiative celebrates what is unique about the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, its communities, and its people. It aims to boost visitation to Massachusetts as well as give local residents the opportunity to visit known and unknown historic sites, cultural venues, and natural landscapes.
“This list of 1,000 Great Places in Massachusetts celebrates what a truly special place Massachusetts is,” says Eric Turkington of Falmouth, a former state representative who chairs the Great Places in Massachusetts Commission. “It reminds us how fortunate we are to have such a wealth of heritage, cultural diversity, and natural beauty right in our backyard.”
“There are so many wonderful and exciting places to explore in Massachusetts,” said Betsy Wall, executive director of the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, “the list of 1000 great places gives visitors the opportunity to see the variety and richness the Commonwealth has to offer”
“It was so exciting to see the enthusiasm this process generated from thousands of residents across the Commonwealth,” said Anita Walker, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Cultural Council. “The people of Massachusetts love their state and its special places with passion.”
All Great Places are open and available to the public.
The list of 1000 Great Places will be posted on the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) website at www.massvacation.com.
The 1,000 Great Places Commission was created by the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Deval Patrick in 2009. Its mission is to identify and recognize the 1000 most truly special places in the Commonwealth, in order to celebrate pride in our history and culture, increase knowledge of our natural surroundings, and encourage regional and international tourism.
The program is administered through a partnership of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development; the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism and its regional tourism councils; and the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC).
Its members are listed below, along with their affiliation:
•The Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development:
Eric Turkington, Falmouth, former House Chair •Massachusetts Senate:
Senator Sonia Chang-Díaz, Boston
Senator Benjamin Downing, Pittsfield
Senator Robert Hedlund, Weymouth
•Massachusetts House of Representatives:
Rep. Susan Gifford, Wareham
Rep. Smitty Pignatelli, Pittsfield
Rep. Rosemary Sandlin, Agawam
•Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism/Regional Tourism Councils:
Larry Meehan, Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau
Nancy Gardella, Southeastern Mass. Convention & Visitors Bureau
Peter Tomyl, Mohawk Trail Association
•Massachusetts Cultural Council:
Sheila Balboni, Lawrence
Ricardo Barreto, Boston
