Shakespeare: Shakespeare & Company - Lenox, MA

Shakespeare & Company

Lenox, MA

Miller Building - Administration & Library

GPS: N42° 20.951; W073° 16.935

Short Description: 

The Shakespeare & Company Theater Group is located on a sprawling 30 acre campus on Route 7A in the historic Berkshire County town of Lenox.

Long Description:

Founder's Theater & Box Office

Shakespeare & Company was founded in 1978 with the objective of creating a theater of excellence in the Elizabethian tradition. They are now in their 35th season of providing year around performances. They are a valuable culturally addition to the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts. A core of over 150 artists peform the works of William Shakespeare and provide classical training and performance methods to aspiring artists. They also produce new plays of social and political importance. Their mission is to "educate and inspire a new generation of students and scholars, to discover Shakespeare's truths in the everyday world, and to demonstrating the influence that classical theater can have within a community". The 2012 season features performances of King Lear and The Tempest. In past seasons they performed such classics as Richard III, The Winter's Tale, Julius Caesar, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, All's Well That Ends Well, Othello, and many other Shakespearian plays.

The thirty acre campus will soon contain three peformance venues: the Founder's Theater and the Bernstein Center for the Performing Arts are currently in use. The Rose Playhouse, which is under construction will become most accurately researched, designed, and constructed Tudor era theatre in the world. Several other buildings are situated on the campus. St. Martin's Hall serves as the entrance building to the grounds, the Miller Building houses the administrative office, and Lawrence Hall serves as a 39-room dormitory, rehearsal hall, and dining area.

Shakespeare: Stained Glass Window - Springfield, MA

Tiffany Stained Glass Window

Honoring William Shakespeare

GPS: N42° 06.214; W072° 35.102

Short Description: 

A Tiffany stained glass window that honors William Shakespeare (April 23, 1564 - April 23, 1616)  is located in the George Walter Vincent Smith Museum in the Quadrangle of Springfield, MA.

Long Description:

The George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum is dedicated to the fine and decorative arts. It represents the personal collection and taste of George Walter Vincent Smith. The museum displays Chinese cloisonné, Japanese arms and armor, ivory carvings, ceramics, and other decorative arts.

The Museum was build in the Italianate style in 1895. Renwick, Aspinwall and Renwick were the architects and the stained glass windows were manufactured by the Tiffany Company of New York City. One of the Tiffany windows honors William Shakespeare. The window has the coat of arms of the Shakespeare as the major design element of the upper pane and the name SHAKESPEARE is incorporated into the lower pane.

Living Statues: Rick and Rick Hoyt (Team Hoyt) - Hopkinton, MA

Dick and Rick Hoyt (Team Hoyt)

Hopkinton, MA

GPS: N42° 13.753; W071° 31.028

Short Description: 

A statue of Dick and Rick Hoyt entitled "Yes You Can!" is installed on the front lawn of the Center School in Hopkinton, MA.

Long Description:

A life-sized bronze statue of Rick and Dick Hoyt (Team Hoyt) entitled "Yes You Can!" was created by sculptor Mike Tabor, commissioned by John Hancock Financial, and donated to the Town of Hopkinton. It was dedicated on April 8, 2013.

Dick Hoyt is shown wearing short, sleeveless shirt and running shoes. He is pushing a wheelchair designed for racing. Rick Hoyt is seated in the wheelchair. He is wearing a jacket and long trousers. He has a cushion collar around his neck. His feet are strapped into the chair. His right hand is resting in the arm of the wheelchair and is being held in front of him in the air slightly above his head. The sculpture rests on a 10' by 3' by 1" high granite base.

The plaque in front of the statue is inscribed:

YES YOU CAN!

From Hopkinton to Boston and beyond,

Dick and Rick Hoyt have touched and inspired millions.

To honor the perseverance and dedication they have shown the world,

John Hancock Financial, in celebration of its 150th Anniversary

donated this statue to the Town of Hopkinton. 

Dick, born June 1, 1940, and Rick Hoyt, born January 10, 1962, are the famous father and son pair that comprise Team Hoyt. They are honored by a bronze statue entitled "Yes You Can" installed near the start of the Boston Marathon in Hopkinton, MA.

Rick Hoyt was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain due to the umbilical cord twisting around his neck. At age 11 Rick was provided with a computer that enabled him to communicate. It became evident Rick was quite intelligent. Rick graduated from Boston University in 1993 and worked at the Boston College in a computer lab developing systems to aid in communication for people with disabilities. His father, Dick, is a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Air National Guard.

Team Hoyt began in 1977 when Rick, at age 15, was inspired by a magazine article on racing. Dick Hoyt, at age 37, was not a yet a runner. They first competed together in a 5 km run with Dick pushing Rick's wheelchair.

Since then, they have competed as Team Hoyt in over one thousand endurance events, including 70 marathons and six Ironman triathlons. They have run the Boston Marathon 30 times. In 1992, they bicycled and ran across the U.S. completing 3,735 miles in 45 days.

Racing history on Wikipedia (as of April 2012):

247 - Triathlons
6 - Ironman distances (included in triathlons)
7- Half Ironman (included in triathlons)
22 - Duathlons
70 Marathons (including 30 Boston Marathons)
8 - 20 miles
8 - 18.6 miles
94 - Half Marathons
1 - 20 km
37 - 10 miles
8 - 15 km
33 - Falmouth 7 miles
2 - 11 km
216 - 10 km
157 - 5 miles
4 - 8 km
1 - 7.1 km
18 - 4 miles
155 - 5 km

Philatelic Photograph: Gregory Arch - Nassau, Bahamas

Gregory Arch

Nassau, Bahamas

N 25° 04.526 W 077° 20.621

Short Description: 

Gregory Arch is located on E. Hill Street as it crosses Market Street in Nassau.

Facing South

Long Description:

Gregory Arch is named in honor of John Gregory who was the Royal Governor from 1849 to 1854. This historic landmark was built in 1852 and separates downtown Nassau from the Over-the-Hill neighborhood of Grant's Town and Bain Town where most of Nassau's population lives.

The 20' high arch is carved out of the coral limestone that underlies much of the island. E. Hill Street is on top of the arch while Market Street passes underneath.

The stamp was issued by Bahamas in 1998 as part of a block of four stamps and a souvenir sheet, depicting various sights, issued to commemorate the 25th anniversary of independence.

Philatelic Photograph: Christ Church Cathedral - Nassau, Bahamas

Christ Church Cathedral

Nassau, Bahamas

GPS: N25° 04.642; W 077° 20.662

Short Description: 

Christ Church Cathedral is located at George Street between Bay and Duke Streets in downtown Nassau.

Long Description:

Christ Church Cathedral is the "Mother Church" of all of the Anglican churches in the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. The first church building for the Parish of Christ Church was built near the present site between 1670 and 1684. In 1754 the wooden church was replaced by a church built in the Gothic style of locally quarried limestone blocks. The characteristic square tower was built in 1830 to replace a steeple that had become too dangerous.

Entrance

In 1834, the legislature passed an Act to enlarge the church and connected it to the square tower. Construction was completed in 1841. In 1861, the church building was extended eastward to include the present sanctuary and part of the choir. This represents the fifth version of the church. In the same year Nassau became a city and the Christ Church Parish Church became a Cathedral.

The east window which depict the Crucifixion in the center panel, the Empty Tomb and the Ascension in the two side panels was made in France by M. Fassi-Cadet of Nice and was a gift from Charles A. Munroe, an American who spent many years in the Bahamas. They were given in memory of his son, Lieutenant Logan Munroe, who died in active duty in the Second World War in the South Pacific on June 16th, 1945. The windows were unveiled and dedicated in March, 1949.

East Window

During the 1990's the pews were replaced with mahogany replicas of the original pews. The cement floor was covered with granite tiles imported from Italy. Hand crafted stained-glass windows were installed on the on the northern and southern sides of the Cathedral.

The stamp was issued by the Bahamas in 1962 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the City of Nassau (1861 - 1961).

Philatelic Photograph: Government House - Nassau, Bahamas

Government House

Nassau, Bahamas

GPS: N25° 04.573; W077° 20.673

Short Description: 

Government House is the official residence of the Governor General of the Bahamas. It is located where Duke Street intersects George Street.

Long Description:

The Georgian Colonial style Government House was built in 1806, of pink painted stucco and coral rock, on the hill known as Mount Fitzwilliam. The cost of the building was about 20,000 pounds. It was built on the site of the former home of Governor Richard Fitzwilliam that was built in 1727 and a neoclassical structure that replaced the older home from 1803 to 1806.

In 1909 the east wing was added. The building require repair after the hurricane of 1929 and the façade's pedimented entrance and four Ionic columns was added during the 1930s. A statue of Christopher Columbus which stands at the north steps leading to the entrance.

From 1940 through 1941, Government House renovated at a cost of $21,000 by the Duchess of Windsor, whose husband, King Edward VIII was the Governor of the Bahamas from 1940 to 1945. The architect for the renovation was the American, Sidney Neil.

The stamp was issued, in 1978, as part of a miniature sheet of four stamps commemorating Bahamian architectural heritage.

Philatelic Photograph: Nassau Public Library - Nassau, Bahamas

Nassau Public Library

Nassau, Bahamas

GPS: N25° 04.579; W077° 20.431

Short Description: 

The Nassau Public Library is located on the south side of Parliament Square near Shirley Street.

Front Entrance of Library

Long Description:

Nassau Public Library is housed in the only octagonal historic building in The Bahamas. The structure was built by Joseph Eve between 1798 and 1800. It originally served as a jail and correctional work house. The building is four stories high and constructed of locally quarried stone.

In 1873, a new prison was built and the present building was converted to the Nassau Public Library. The original jail cells are now alcoves lined with bookshelves. The lower floor holds the children's library, adult fiction, paperback novels, and public computers. The upper floor houses the non-fiction and reference book collections as well as a display of Bahamian artifacts. The third level is used to store old artifacts.

The Nassau Library is governed by a seven member Board of Trustees. The Nassau Public Library is headed by Mrs. Winifred Murphy and has a staff of four. It is the Bahamian and international resource center for primary, high school, and tertiary level students. It has more than 5,000 subscribers.

The stamp was issued, in 1978, as part of a miniature sheet of four stamps commemorating Bahamian architectural heritage.

Philatelic Photograph: Supreme Court Building - Nassau, Bahamas

Supreme Court Building

Nassau, Bahamas

GPS: N25° 04.623; W077° 20.433

Short Description: 

The Bahamas Supreme Court Building is located behind the Senate Building in the center of Parliament Square.

South Side of Supreme Court Building

Long Description:

The Supreme Court of The Bahamas was established by the Supreme Court Act of 1896. The Supreme Court Building was completed in 1921 in the park-like area south of the older (1815) public building complex. The Neo-Georgian structure is similar in design to the Central Public Buildings. The building is painted pink with white trim and green shutters matching the older buildings. The most distinguishing feature is the portico entrance that has four doric columns and a circular window in the pediment.

The Supreme Court and the Magistrate's Court occupy the ground floor. The Registry, Jury Room, Chief Justice, Attorney General's Chambers, and the Law Library are on the second floor.

The stamp was issued by Bahamas in 1998 as part of a block of four stamps and a souvenir sheet, depicting various sights, issued to commemorate the 25th anniversary of independence.

Philatelic Photograph: 200th Anniversary of the General Assembly Plaque - Nassau, Bahamas

200th Anniversary of the General Assembly Plaque

Nassau, Bahamas

GPS: N25° 04.663; W077° 20.434

Short Description:

The plaque commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the General Assembly is located at the entrance to the House of Assembly in Nassau's Parliament Square.

Long Description:

Plaque is on the Left of the Entrance

House of Assembly

A shield shaped plaque on the left side of the entrance to the House of Assembly building commemorates the 200th anniversary of the creation of the General Assembly. The plaque has a bas relief image of a three masted sailing ship at the top. Above the ship is the fascinating Latin inscription:

EXPULSIS PIRATIS – RESTITUTA COMMERCIA

(Pirates Expelled – Commerce Restored)

Below is the commemoration:

1729-1929 

TO COMMEMORATE THE 

CREATION OF THE GENERAL

ASSEMBLY BY HIS MAJESTY

KING GEORGE THE SECOND AS THE RESULT OF THE EFFORTS OF

GOVERNOR WOODES ROGERS 

AND ALSO

THE FIRST MEETINGS OF

THAT ASSEMBLY ON THE

29TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER

1729

The stamp was issued on September 27, 1979 as part of a set of four stamps commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Parliament of the Bahamas.

Philatelic Photograph: House of Assembly - Nassau, Bahamas

House of Assembly

Nassau, Bahamas

GPS: N25° 04.663; W077° 20.434

Short Description: 

The House of Assembly is located on Bay and Parliament Streets at the northwest corner of Parliament Square in downtown Nassau.

Long Description:

The General Assembly of the Bahamas was created by King George II at the behest of Governor Woodes Rogers. The first meetings of the general Assembly took place on September 29, 1729.

In the late eighteenth century thousands of American Loyalists and their slaves to the Bahamas emigrated to Nassau following the American Revolutionary War. These Loyalists soon became the majority population. They constructed the House of Assembly building at its present location in Parliament Square in 1815.

The two storey building exhibits colonial Neo-Georgian architecture. It is painted pink, has white trim and green shutters. It houses the 32 member members of parliament that are elected by the people of the country. On the left side of the stamp is a marble statue of Queen Victoria which was erected on her birthday May 24, 1905.

The stamp was issued in 2009 as the single stamp of a souvenir sheet commemorating the 60th anniversary of the commonwealth.

Philatelic Photograph: Parliament Square - Nassau, Bahamas

Parliament Square

Nassau, Bahamas

GPS: N25° 04.665; W077° 20.428

Parliament Square on Selvage of Sheet

Short Description: 

Parliament Square is located north of Bay Street between Parliament Street and Bank Lane in downtown Nassau.

Long Description:

The buildings in Parliament Square were constructed in 1815 by the Loyalists who fled to the Bahamas from the United States during the American Revolution. These three colonial style government buildings are painted a bright pink with white trim and green shutters.

The Bahamian Parliament includes a 16 member Senate and a 38 member House of Assembly. The westernmost building is the House of Assembly. This is where the Bahamian parliament meets. The building in the center is occupied by the Bahamian senate and the eastmost building houses the offices of the Leader of the Opposition. In the middle of the public square is a marble statue of Queen Victoria which was erected on her birthday May 24, 1905.

Queen Victoria

The stamp was issued by Bahamas on January 1, 1954 as the high value of a definitive series of 16 stamps depicting Bahamas sights.

Forts: Fort Fincastle - Nassau, Bahamas

Fort Fincastle

Nassau, Bahamas

Fort Fincastle

GPS: N 25° 04.416 W 077° 20.314

Short Description:

Fort Fincastle is located at the top of the Queen's Staircase on Bennett's Hill in Nassau, Bahamas.

Long Description:

A wooden framed sign near the entrance to the fort recounts the history of the fort. it is inscribed:

{Silhouette of a Cannon}
Fort Fincastle 
     c. 1793

Welcome

Fort Fincastle 

One of a series of fortifications built during the late 
1600s and 1700s, this sturdy fort helped to 
protect the island of New Providence and Nassau
harbour. Fort Montagu to the east and Fort
Charlotte to the west also remain standing, as do a
series of small batteries across the island.

Completed in 1793, Fort Fincastle stood
watch over the town of Nassau and its harbour to the 
east, serving primarily as a lookout post. Though 
originally armed with seven cannons, this small fort 
was never tested in battle. 

A second plaque attached to a limestone block near the ground is inscribed:

BAHAMAS HISTORICAL SITE

FORT FINCASTLE

{Seal of the Bahamas}Fort Fincastle was built in 1793 by Lord Dunmore, a
Royal Governor (1787 - 1796), whose second title was Viscount Fincastle.
The fort, shaped like an old paddle wheel steamer, was built to protect 
the city from invasion but saw little action. it served as a lighthouse until 
1818 and was subsequently used as a signal tower.  

The Harbor from Fort Fincastle

Water Tower: Fort Fincastle Water Tower - Nassau, Bahamas

Fort Fincastle Water Tower
Nassau, Bahamas

GPS: N 25° 04.392 W 077° 20.285

Short Description:

The historic Fort Fincastle Water Tower is locate at the top of the Queen's Staircase on Bennett's Hill.

Long Description:

The Fort Fincastle Water Tower was declared a water landmark on May 3, 1993. A sign next to the tower is inscribed:

Bahamas Historical Site

The Water Tower

This tower was constructed in 1928 of reinforced concrete 

to supply water to the City of Nassau. The tower is 126 feet high and it

rises 216 feet above sea level. Atop the tower is a revolving white and 

green light visible to ships 20 miles out to sea. The tower is open to

the public from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. seven days a week. 

Philatelic Photograph: Queen's Staircase - Nassau, Bahamas

Queen's Staircase

Nassau, Bahamas

GPS: N25° 04.415; W077° 20.264

Short Description: 

The Queen's Staircase connects lower Nassau by Princess Margaret Hospital to Bennet's Hill, the highest point in Nassau, which features the Historic Water Tower and Fort Fincastle.

Top of the Steps

Long Description:

The Queen's Staircase is one of the most popular sights in Nassau. The steps and passageway was excavated out of limestone completely by hand by slaves from 1793 to 1794. The staircase is 102 feet tall and contains 65 steps. It was later named in honor of the 64 year reign (1837 - 1901) of Queen Victoria.

Resort: Atlantis - Paradise Island, Bahamas

Atlantis Resort
Paradise Island, Bahamas

Atlantis From The Cruise Ship Port

GPS: N25° 5.012; W77° 19.223

Short Description:

The Atlantis Paradise Island is a resort and waterpark located on Paradise Island off the north cost of Nassau in the Bahamas. It can be reached by a pair of bridges or by shuttle boat from near the cruise ship dock.

Long Description:


Atlantis was created by South African Sol Kerzner and Kerzner International Limited on Paradise Island. The Coral and Beach Towers in opened in 1998.  The resort was renamed Atlantis after the Royal Towers were built on March 28,  2007. The 600 suite luxury hotel, The Cove Atlantis, was  opened. Then  the 497 room Reef Atlantis was opened on  December 19, 2007.

The complex contains a number of attractions which are free to guests and available to cruise ship passengers who purchase day passes.

Mayan Pyramid Temple

Aquaventure water park was opened in 2007. The 141 acre park uses  200 million gallon of water to supply a waterscape that includes water slides, rivers, and rapids. The Current is a mile long water ride that uses 3 million gallon of water to create waves and artificial tidal surges. Mayan Leap of Faith & Shark Tank is modelled after a  Mayan Pyramid Temple. It contains several water water slides including one that passes through a shark tank. The Dig and Marine Habitat is a series of aquariums located beneath the lobby of the Royal Towers and in outdoor pools.  it exhibits over 50,000 marine animals from over 200 species. At Dolphin Cay visitors can interact with Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins.

Lionfish in The Dig

Stingrays in the Marine Habitat Pools

Aquapark Waterfalls and Rapids

Philatelic Photograph: Hog Island Lighthouse, Paradise Island, Bahamas

Hog Island Lighthouse

GPS: N 25° 05.224 W 077° 21.107

Short Description:

Hog Island Lighthouse is familiar sight to anyone entering or leaving Nassau by ship It is located on the west end of Paradise (Hog) Island.

Long Description:

Lighthouse and Atlantis

Thousands of people each day photograph this lighthouse as their cruise ship approaches or leaves Nassau. It's located in Nassau Harbor north of New Providence Island on the western end of Paradise Island. At one time Paradise Island was called Hog Island. The name was changed to make it more appealing to tourist. The Atlantis Hotel and Casino now occupies the eastern end of the island. The lighthouse can also be photographed from land.

Technical Data for Hog Island Lighthouse

Nearest Town or City: Nassau Bahamas
Location: Entrance to Nassau Harbor.
Description Tower: White conical tower.
Operational: Yes
Date Established: 1817
Current Use: Active aid to navigation.
Open To Public: No.
Characteristic Range: Flashing red visible for 13 nautical miles.
Date Automated: 1958
Alternate Name1: Paradise Island Lighthouse
Alternate Name2: Nassau Harbor Lighthouse
Country: Bahamas

The stamp was issued in 2004 as part of a set of five stamps depicting lighthouses of the Bahamas

Philatelic Photograph: Great Stirrup Cay Lighthouse - Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas

Great Stirrup Cay Lighthouse

GPS: N 25° 49.407 W 077° 54.052

Short Description: 

The lighthouse on Great Stirrup Cay is located on the northeast end of the island.

Long Description:

Great Stirrup Cay is one of the Berry Islands in the central northern part of the Bahamas. This 250 acre island was once owned by the Belcher Oil Company. The western part was purchased and developed by the Norwegian Cruse Lines and is used as a private port-of-call.

The lighthouse is located on the eastern end can easily be reached by a wide gravel road that extends from the western developed area to the eastern end of the island. The lighthouse is now unmanned and powered by solar panels. The area around the lighthouse is overgrown by dense vegetation. A narrow path through the vegetation leads from the road to the lighthouse.

The white painted brick lighthouse was constructed in 1863. It is 56' above the Atlantic Ocean and signals with two white flashes every 20 seconds.

The stamp was issued in 2004 as part of a set of five stamps depicting lighthouses of the Bahamas.