Seeking out the unusual in Massachusetts
Wherever I travel, I like to seek out unusual, lesser-known tourist attractions one might find off the beaten path. Cultural oddities, forgotten treasures, and neglected locations fascinate me. So, when I moved from the suburbs to downtown Boston a few years ago, I went to my favorite travel website for ideas:
Some of the listed attractions weren’t very obscure, but on the fourth page, I came upon a place I could not resist. The Potato Shed Memorial. Alongside the entry was a photo of a stack of brown potato sacks. How could I not investigate? I mean…a monument dedicated to potatoes. I knew I just had to see it in person.
Photo of the memorial at time of installation. Shiny and new.
By Bostonnow – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57171808
I filed it in the back of my mind but didn’t set out to find it until my sister-in-law and her two teenage children came for a visit. We had walked the Freedom Trail to Bunker Hill when I realized we were not too far from where the Potato Shed Memorial was supposed to be. I suggested a side trip, and the relatives were game (as game as teenagers can be while exploring the city with their mother and aunt).
Following the GPS on my phone, we wound through the streets of Charlestown until we reached New Rutherford Avenue, a pretty busy thoroughfare. The walking path continued across the street and under the Zakim Bridge, near the Lynch Family Skatepark (the largest skatepark in the Northeast).
Once across the street, I was underwhelmed by the aesthetics of the surroundings. Construction materials, piles of rocks and gravel, and litter surrounded the path. Graffiti tagged almost every surface. As a strange juxtaposition, the Millers River walkway was decorated with lampposts straight out of a Dr. Seuss book. My teenage relatives were less than enthused by the “tourist attraction,” and I wondered if we were even in the right place.
Not too far down the path, we approached a little cut-out beside the walkway, surrounded by a crowd of overgrown weeds (or “volunteer plants”). There, in the little cove, was The Potato Shed Memorial. Not exactly what I had imagined based on the photo from the website, we all burst out laughing.
It was sad to see the monument in such disrepair. Although it is said to be near the site where the potato sheds used to be, I’m not sure why it is located in such a random, out-of-the-way spot. Someone probably thought it would add a bit of historical culture to the otherwise neglected area left over from the Big Dig.
I’m glad I took the time to find it. Journeys like this don’t always end up as you intend, but it puts things in perspective. It’s a story of a gloomy, neglected little monument that was once the beloved brainchild of a city planner.
I recommend the visit the next time you’re in Boston and are feeling adventurous. It’s not easy to find.
Read more about the memorial here:
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/potato-shed-memorial
The next time you plan a trip, check out Atlas Obscura for places to see if you like that sort of thing like I do.
Is there an obscure place or attraction in Massachusetts you would like to share? Use the contact form and let us know about it!
by Erin W.
Massachusetts First 
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