Roadside Attraction: Boxing Champion Tony DeMarco - Boston, MA

Boxing Champion

 Tony DeMarco

Boston, MA

N 42° 21.751 W 071° 03.333

Short Description: 

A statue of welterweight boxing champion Tony DeMarco is located at the corner of Hanover and Cross Street in the north End of Boston.

Long Description:

A 6' high bronze statue of legendary boxer Tony DeMarco was unveiled on October 20, 2012 at the entrance to the North End neighborhood in Boston where DeMarco grew up. DeMarco is standing on a 2.5' high by 6' square and tapered polished black granite base. DeMarco depicted in boxing trunks and footwear. He is in a boxing stance with his right foot forward while leading with his left hand. The statue was created by Harry Weber.

There are two bronze plaques attached to the base of the statue. The west side plaque is inscribed:

"THE FLAME AND THE FURY OF FLEET STREET"

TONY DEMARCO

* UNDISPUTED HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD *

* KO'D JOHNNY SAXON APRIL 1, 1955 BOSTON GARDEN *

* BORN ON FLEET STREET IN BOSTON'S NORTH END *

* FOUGHT 8 WORLD CHAMPIONS *

* DEMARCO VS . BASILIO CHAMPIONSHIP BOUTS

VOTED TWO OF THE TEN GREATEST FIGHTS OF ALL TIME *

~

MASSACHUSETTS CHAPTER OF

THE NATIONAL ITALIAN AMERICAN SPORTS HALL OF FAME

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

* BILL SPADAFORA, PRESIDENT * DONATO FRATTAROLI * CHRIS ZIZZA

* VICTOR CORDA * RICH CAPPIELLO 

~

STATUE GIFT OF BY THE PRIVITERA FAMILY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION FAMILY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

The south side plaque is inscribed:

GIFT OF

PRIVITERA FAMILY

CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

PRESIDENT PHILIP J. PRIVITERA

CHAIRMAN FRANCIS D. PRIVITERA

TRUSTEE JEANINE PRIVITERA TRUSTEE FRANCIS D. PRIVITERA JR.

***

THIS STATUE OF

TONY DEMARCO

WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD 1955

IS A GIFT TO 

THE NATIONAL ITALIAN-AMERICAN

SPORTS HALL OF FAME

IN LOVING MEMORY OF

JENNIE "JEAN" PRIVITERA

APRIL 5, 1936 - AUGUST 11, 2009

DEDICATED

OCTOBER 20, 2012

A third plaque contains a list of sponsors.

Tony DeMarco (née Leonardo Liotta) was born on January 14, 1932 to Sicilian immigrants, Vincent and Giacomina Liotta, in the North End neighborhood of Boston.

Wikipedia provides the following details of his life and career. Wikipedia Link

Underage Leonardo Liotta used Tony DeMarco's birth certificate so he could complete in is first fight at age 16 on October 21, 1948. He knocked out is opponent, Mestor Jones, in one round. He went on to compile a record of:

71 fights

58 wins

38 wins by KO

12 losses

1 draw

Roadside Attraction: Boxing Champion Rocky Marciano Memorial - Springfield, MA

Boxing Champion
Rocky Marciano Memorial

Springfield, MA

N 42° 05.898 W 072° 34.991

Short Description: 

A memorial dedicated to undefeated heavyweight boxing legend, Rocky Marciano, is located in the South End neighborhood of Springfield.

Long Description:

Italian immigrants to Springfield settled in Springfield's South End neighborhood. Although later generations have move on, the area is still home to a variety of Italian specialty shops. At the southeast corner of Main and William Street, at the edge of a parking lot for a popular store at 889 Main Street, is a monument to Rocky Marciano. The inscription reads:

{Image of Rocky Marciano boxing}

In Memory Of

Rocky Marciano

Undefeated Heavyweight

Champion 1952-1956

49-0 43-KO's

Sept. 1, 1923 -- August 31, 1969

Dedicated Aug. 31, 1989

Roadside Attractions: Santa's Land - Putney, VT

Santa's Land

Putney, VT

N 43° 00.162 W 072° 28.331

Short Description: 

Santa's land is located at 635 Bellows Falls Road in Putney, VT

Long Description:

Santa's Land is now re-opened. This famous attraction of Route 5 in Putney VT that originally opened in 1957 had fallen on hard times and closed in 2011. It reopened under new management in 2013. Many of the exhibits have been repainted and the rides refurbished. The amusement park is now open on weekends only from 10 am to 5 pm.

The Santa's Land map lists 17 attractions:

1. Main Entrance and Santa's Country Store
2. Kiddie Rides
3. Bill the Camel
4. Train Station - Santa's Land Express
5. Santa's Deer Park
6. Giant Slide
7. Playscape
8. Petting Zoo
9. Santa's Home
10. Santa's Land Chapel
11. Sweets Shoppe
12. Snack Bar
13. Arcade and Fun House
14. Schoolhouse
15. ice Berg Slide
16. Elf House
17. Mistletoe Mill Shoppe

Address:

635 Bellows Falls Road

Putney, VT 05346

(802) 387-5550

Roadside Attractions: Clyde, Toy Town Horse - Winchendon, MA

Clyde, Toy Town Horse

Winchendon, MA

N 42° 40.910 W 072° 03.195

Short Description: 

A reproduction of the original Clyde, Toy Town Horse is located at the intersection of Front (Rt. 202) and West Street in Winchendon, MA.

Long Description:

A four-fold larger version of a child's wooden rocking horse is on display in Winchendon, MA. The horse is the symbol of the town's historical role as a center for the manufacture of wooden toys.

A tablet on the shelter enclosing the rocking horse provides the history of the rocking horse. It is inscribed:

THE TOY TOWN HORSE IS HOME AGAIN. THIS IS A REPRODUCTION OF THE 
ORIGINAL TOY TOWN HORSE THAT STOOD FOR SO LONG IN THE WINCHENDON AND HELPED IDENTIFY WINCHENDON AS "TOY TOWN".

THE ORIGINAL TOY TOWN HORSE WAS CONSTRUCTED IN 1914 AS A FLOAT
FOR THE TOWN'S 150TH ANNIVERSARY. WINCHENDON WAS THE HOME OF THE
CONVERSE COMPANY AND THE WORLD'S LARGEST WOODEN TOY FACTORY.
WORKERS FROM THE CONVERSE COMPANY - FRED DWELLEY, DESIGNER;
CHARLES TENNEY, CARPENTER; JESSE BEZIO, WOOD TURNER; JOHN DAMON,
PAINTER; SPENT FIVE MONTHS CONSTRUCTING THE HORSE WHICH WAS A FOUR
TIME ENLARGEMENT OF THE CONVERSE COMPANY'S NO. 12 ROCKING HORSE.
THE ORIGINAL HORSE TOOK 3,000 FEET OF TWO INCH PINE NAILED TOHETHER
TO COMPLETE.

THE HORSE RESTED IN THE TOWNS'S RAILROAD STATION FOR TWENTY 
YEARS AS A LANDMARK FOR TRAVELERS PASSING THROUGH WINCHENDON.
IN 1917 THE HORSE APPEARED IN THE SUNDAY EDITION OF THE "BOSTON
AMERICAN". IN 1934 THE HORSE WAS MOVED TO THE TOY TOWN TAVERN
PROPERTY (NOW THE WINCHENDON SCHOOL). FOR THIRTY YEARS AT THAT 
LOCATION IT WAS CLIMBED ON BY CHILDREN AND WELL PHOTOGRAPHED.

THE HORSE MADE TWO OTHER NOTABLE APPEARANCES FOR WHICH IT WAS
REFURBISHED. IN 1964 IT WAS PARADED IN THE TOWN'S BICENTENNIAL PARADE,
AND AGAIN IN 1976 FOR THE NATION'S BICENTENNIAL. AFTER THAT IT FELL
INTO DISREPAIR AND RUIN.

RECENTLY, THE WINCHENDON HISTORICAL SOCIETY SPEARHEADED A DRIVE TO
BRING BACK THE HORSE AS A SYMBOL OF CIVIC PRIDE AND A FOCAL POINT OF
OUR HISTORICAL IDENTITY. THROUGH THE EARNEST EFFORTS OF THE TWO
ORGANIZATIONS AND MANY TOWNSPEOPLE, FUNDS WERE RAISED AND THE 
PROJECT BECAME A REALITY.

THE CRAFTSMAN FOUND TO CREATE THE NEW HORSE WAS SHERMAN 
LABARGE OF FRYEBERG, MAINE. IT TOOK HIM 18 MONTHS TO COMPLETE THE
HORSE HERE IN FRONT OF YOU. THE NEW HORSE MADE ITS PUBLIC DEBUT
AT WINCHENDON'S 1988 TOY TOWN FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION. IT NOW
STANDS IN THE GAZEBO CONSTRUCTED THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND THE DONATION OF LABOR AND MATERIALS FROM
CHAMBER MEMBERS.

THE HORSE THAT STANDS BEFORE YOU IS A SYMBOL OF PRIDE TO THE
CITIZENS OF WINCHENDON THAT WE WISH TO DISPLAY TO ALL. AS IT ONCE
STOOD AT THE RAILROAD STATION, IT NOW STANDS AT THE JUNCTION OF TWO
WELL TRAVELED ROADS PASSING THROUGH WINCHENDON FOR ALL TO SEE.
WITH THE HELP OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY AND THE SHELTER WE HOPE THAT
PEOPLE CAN ENJOY THIS TOT TOWN HORSE WITH US FOR ANOTHER SEVENTY
FIVE YEARS TO COME.

Roadside Attractions: Giant Legos - Enfield, CT

Roadside Attractions

Giant Legos

Enfield, CT

N 42° 00.476 W 072° 30.965

Short Description: 

Three Giant Legos are located at the cul-de-sac on Cybulski Road by the Lego office complex in Enfield, CT.

Long Description:

Actually, three sets of 8' foot long giant Legos are located at three separate locations surrounding the Lego office complex in Enfield, CT. All three sets of Legos consist of a grouping of one yellow, one red, and one blue Lego all in the same orientation.

At the Cybulski Road entrance (location of the coordinates) the yellow Lego is standing alone upright on it's edge, the red Lego is resting on its bottom, and the blue Lego is slanted from the ground to the top of the red Lego.

At a playground on Moody Road (N 42° 00.305; W 72° 30.865) a blue Lego is standing alone upright on it's edge, the yellow Lego is resting on its bottom, and the red Lego is slanted from the ground to the top of the red Lego.

At the Taylor Road entrance (N 42° 00.572; W 72° 30.783), once again, the yellow Lego is standing alone upright on it's edge, the red Lego is resting on its bottom, and the blue Lego is slanted from the ground to the top of the red Lego.

Bermuda: St. David Lighthouse - St. George's Parish

St. David Lighthouse

St. George's Parish, Bermuda

N 32° 21.841 W 064° 39.102

Short Description:

St. David Lighthouse is located on St. David Island on the lighthouse road on Mount Hill at northeast end of Bermuda.

Long Description:

St. David Lighthouse is the northernmost of two lighthouses in Bermuda. It is constructed of Bermuda stone and became operational on November 3, 1879. It is still in use today. The tower is 55 feet high and is 208 feet above sea level. The light has a range of 20 nautical miles.

The stamp was issued by Bermuda in 1938 as part of a set of five designs showing scenes of Bermuda.

Bermuda: Aerial View of the Clock Tower Mall - Royal Naval Dockyard, Sandys Parish

Aerial View of the Clock Tower Mall

Royal Naval Dockyard

Sandys Parish, Bermuda

N 32° 19.507 W 064° 50.098

Short Description: 

The Royal Naval Dockyard's Clock Tower Mall is located at Clock Tower Parade in the west end of Bermuda.

Long Description:

The administration and storage of the Royal Naval Dockyard are now the  Clock Tower Mall. The Royal Naval Dockyard was built in 1809 on the west end of Bermuda. Due to the fact that Bermuda is surrounded by reefs, it is the only location in Bermuda that is accessible to large ships. At one time it was the largest British naval base outside the United Kingdom. It provided a vital strategic defense for British interests in the western Atlantic Ocean from the War of 1812 until after the Second World War. The area is defended by a fortress once known as the "Gibraltar of the West.”

Today the dockyard buildings have been restored and converted for commercial use. The buildings, that once housed the administration offices for the British Royal Navy, are now home to the Clock Tower Shopping Mall which contains boutique shops, arts and crafts studios and restaurants. The fortress is home to the National Museum of Bermuda.

The 100' high twin clock towers had different functions. The south tower has a traditional time-of-day clock. The north tower had a single hand that shows the time of high tide.