Quincy Point

city line, on the north by Town River and on the south by Quincy Avenue. The area altitude averages about convert|30|ft|m|sigfig=2 above sea level. The population of this neighborhood in 2000 was 11,414. [cite web |url=http://factfinder.census.gov |publisher=U. S. Census Bureau |title=American FactFinder Unofficial population of 11,414 is the sum of the populations of the census blocks within the area bordered by the landmarks stated in the article.]

History

Early in its history Quincy Point was known as the "Great Fenced Fields". This area included the part of old Braintree prior to the 1792 formation of Quincy that was south of Town River and west of Weymouth Fore River where it makes its turn north toward Hingham Bay.cite book |author=Pattee, William S. |title=A History of Old Braintree and Quincy: With a Sketch of Randolph and Holbrook |page=p. 55 |publisher=Green & Prescott |year=1859 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=N3gdM3L6dIMC&pg=PA55]

Quincy Point is the site of the former Fore River Shipyard, located in the neighborhood since 1901. [cite web |url=http://thomascranelibrary.org/shipbuildingheritage/history/historyindex.html |publisher=Thomas Crane Public Library |title=A History of Shipbuilding at Fore River |accessdate=2008-09-03 |author=Rines, Lawrence S. |coauthors=Sarcone, Anthony F.] The shipyard is famous for launching ships commissioned by the United States Navy, including the World War II aircraft carriers USS Wasp (CV-7) and USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) and battleship USS Massachusetts (BB-59). The shipyard is located on what was known since the eighteenth century as Quincy Neck, a geographical feature now obscured by landfill and piers. The Fore River Shipyard is also widely believed to be the origin of the graffiti character known throughout the world as Kilroy, peeking over a bulkhead proclaiming "Kilroy Was Here". The United States Naval Shipbuilding Museum located in Quincy Point features the USS Salem (CA-139), a preserved heavy cruiser which is open to the public.

Quincy Point was formerly a hub for immigrants from Italy. While many of these people still remain, today it is a very diverse neighborhood with many people of Irish, African, and Asian decent. [cite web |publisher=The Patriot Ledger |url=http://www.southofboston.net/specialreports/faith/pages/day3.shtml |title=Faith series |author=Lambert, Lane]

A famous former resident of Quincy Point is Dick Dale, known as the "King of Surf Guitar" and a major influence in the development of heavy metal rock music. Of Lebanese and Polish heritage, Dale introduced complex Middle Eastern melodies and rhythms into the rock and roll repertoire during the early 1960s. Dick Dale was raised on Shea Street near Southern Artery in Quincy Point and now resides in Twentynine Palms, California. [cite web |url=http://www.roctober.com/roctober/greatness/dickdale.html |author=Porter, James and Austen, Jake |publisher=Roctober Magazine |title=The really bitching tale of Dick Dale as told by the man himself |date=1994]

On January 5, 2008, the Patriot Ledger newspaper reported that the convert|328|ft|m|adj=on|sigfig=2 tall "Goliath" shipbuilding crane located in Quincy Point would be dismantled and sold to Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering of South Korea and relocated to Mangalia, Romania. [cite news |author=Jette, Julie |date=January 5, 2008 |title=Farewell, GOLIATH: The skyline is about to change |publisher=The Patriot Ledger |page=1] ["The Patriot Ledger" produced a video about "Goliath" which is available on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NqyOY1jkVs] The dismantlement of the giant structure began in July 2008 but was halted on August 14 following a partial collapse that resulted in the death of ironworker Robert Harvey. [cite web |url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/08/15/crane_collapse_kills_ironworker/ |title=Crane collapse kills ironworker |publisher=The Boston Globe |date=August 15, 2008 |author=Abel, David and Sweeney, Emily]

Transportation

Quincy Point is traversed by two Massachusetts state highways and is served by several bus routes and a commuter ferry service of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA).

State highway Route 53 enters Quincy Point from Braintree as Quincy Avenue, turns north at Southern Artery and ends at Washington Street, intersecting Route 3A.

State highway Route 3A enters Quincy Point from Bridge Street, Weymouth crossing Weymouth Fore River on a temporary lift bridge, entering Washington Street at Quincy Point rotary. Following Washington Street, Route 3A intersects Route 53 and turns north following Southern Artery toward Hancock Street, North Quincy and Dorchester.

MBTA bus Routes 220 (Hingham Center), 221 (Fort Point, Weymouth Neck) and 222 (East Weymouth) all serve Washington Street out of the Quincy Center Red Line subway station. MBTA bus Route 225 serves Quincy Avenue from Quincy Center station to Weymouth Landing.

MBTA contractor Harbor Express offers frequent daily passenger ferry service from Quincy Point to Logan Airport and Long Wharf, Boston.

References

Further reading

Area history: "A History of Old Braintree and Quincy: With a Sketch of Randolph and Holbrook" / by William S. Pattee, available online at [http://books.google.com/books?id=N3gdM3L6dIMC&pg=PA1&dq=A+History+of+Old+Braintree+and+Quincy Google Books]

External links

* Quincy, Massachusetts official site: http://ci.quincy.ma.us/AboutNeighborhoodsPage112.html
* Quincy Point: [http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:613409 USGS Geographic Names Information System]
* Religious diversity in Quincy Point: http://www.southofboston.net/specialreports/faith/pages/day3.shtml
* [http://www.harborexpress.com/commuters/ Harbor Express] commuter boat service to Boston
* USS "Salem" website: http://www.uss-salem.org/
* Fore River Shipyard facts: http://www.hazegray.org/shipbuilding/quincy/
* YouTube amateur video of the Goliath crane and surroundings, including views inside the structure and panoramic views of the former shipyard, Quincy Bay, Weymouth Fore River and Quincy from atop the crane: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNKN9J-FMhM&feature=related (posted February 24, 2008)