BOSTON – journey back to the days of Camelot

Saturday – In short, there’s simply not a more congenial spot for happy-ever-aftering than here in Camelot! Unfortunately the words of Lerner and Loewe were not to last.

Today we are going to visit the JFK Memorial Library.  There are a few Presidents who seem to have their own Memorial Library somewhere in the USA and I can hardly wait to visit this one.  Is it the history or the charismatic character of the man and his family or the never ending tragedy that exists in the Kennedy Clan that has a mesmerising effect on us all?  Who knows – but I will endeavour to come to terms with at least some of it.  We will be catching the train today after having taken our hire car back last night.  Above is the entrance to Back Bay Station – visions of Bette Davis saying goodbye to Paul Henreid in Now Voyager flash before my eyes – but I digress.

It will be a busy day and of course the weather forecast is HOT!  Better than rain and wind and cold – so it’s off we go.  Train to Downtown Crossing and then the red line towards JFK.  We then get on a shuttle bus to take us the remainder of our journey and not long after we are here!

The John F. Kennedy Memorial Library is situated right on the shores of Columbia Point.  It is a permanent reminder of JFK, his works, his deeds, his achievements in life and his family.  There are seven permanent exhibits and I will underline each as we visit.

Through the doors and time to explore – but first a bit of breakfast is in order.  There is a small cafe – so I get some toast and coffee and this is enjoyed whilst looking out over the water.  Such a tranquil place – – back to the Library.

Our first stop is the Campaign Trail – this displays all types of memorabilia and also a replica of the campaign office.  So much hype goes into this type of event – this area also encompasses the exhibit on Kennedy’s Speeches and Press Conferences.  There are recordings of the Inaugural speech that included the famous ‘ask not what your country can do for you etc’.  It also includes speeches prior to being elected and of course speeches and conferences after he was elected.

An exhibit on The Space Race and and the US space programme includes ‘Freedom 7’. This is the spacecraft in which Navy Commander Alan B. Shepard Jr soared into history.  On 5th May 1961 he crammed himself into the Mercury space capsule and took off.  I cannot get good photos of this as there is reflective glass and loads of people so you will just have to do a bit of investigation on this link.

Our next exhibition is the First Lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy – what a jewel in the crown of Camelot.  There are photos of her and her young family – photos with John – her wedding dress – it certainly was the time of Camelot.

We enjoy rather a lengthy visit with the First Lady – she looks so happy and elegant. There has never been a First Lady since who has fired the imagination and encompassed what Jackie achieved.  Ahhh – time to move on.

Along the walls are famous photos and this has to be one of the best.  It is of course Bobby and John as they stroll outside on the White House verandah and they certainly seem to be deep in discussion with the weight of the world on their shoulders.

What do you think they are discussing?  Civil rights? Organised crime?  No matter what it is, they are certainly deep in conversation.

We have arrived at Office of the Attorney General – Robert F. Kennedy.  I know that I have copied all the links about John and Bobby in the Washington visit – but they can do with listing them again.

His desk and many personal items are on display.  It’s hard to stand here and think this was a great part of his life – another life cut short by an assassin’s bullet.  To look at the photos – to listen to the speeches – it just tugs at the heart strings and I wonder if we will ever know the truth about the death of JFK.  I doubt it!

Time for a visit to The Oval Office – a place that includes items kept by JFK in the original office.  By the amount of camera equipment I think it also encompasses a time when JFK made televised speeches from here.

On the right is his original rocking chair and that is a replica of the desk where John Jr used to hide.  The desk has a very interesting history – for full information you can click here.  Believe me, it is really worth the read.

The last display in this main part of the Library is of the Kennedy Family – artefacts and all types of memories of the Kennedy Clan.

A rather strong family I think – yet so much tragedy.  This the Family in 1939 – Joseph Kennedy Sr. (fifth from left) and his wife Rose (fifth from right) pose for a family portrait on the grounds of the U.S. Embassy in London, where Joe was serving as U.S. Ambassador to the U.K. The children are from left: Eunice, John, Rosemary, Jean, Edward, Joseph Jr., Patricia, Robert and Kathleen.  Certainly was a large family.

Following this is a sombre section dedicated to the death of JFK.  It is not maudlin or tacky.  It is a small section with small screens and there are also many sayings on the wall which reflect on JFK’s life.

Walking out of here we are in the Pavilion.  A huge glassed area that overlooks the water of Columbia Point and also on the grassed area in the front there is the sailboat ‘Victura’.

It was among the President’s most prized possessions and was a gift on his 15th birthday from his parents.  It was on this boat that he began winning races and on which he taught his wife Jackie how to sail.  

If the President wasn’t sailing, he was thinking about it as there are many doodles of the sailboat – even when he had to cope with his toughest crises like the Cuban Missile Crisis.  He was never happier than when he visited Hyannis Port and was at the helm sailing with family and friends.

Our final stop is a special exhibit ‘On the Brink – The Cuban Missile Crisis‘ concerning the placement of Russian missiles on Cuban soil.  I will not go into the nitty gritty here – you can read about it on the link.  I will however, go so far as to say that the world watched on the edge of their collective seats as to what was going to happen with JFK, Kruschev and Castro.

After that rather bleak period in the history of mankind it is time to step outside into the sunshine and recharge our batteries.  The surrounding park / picnic area is wonderful and even though not in full Spring finery- the Autumn colours are just coming out.  We head back to the shuttle bus stop before heading back to the train and into Boston.

We were going to visit the USS Constitution and the Bunker Hill Monument but they are right around the other side of the harbour and it just seems a bit too far for today.  So a visit with Paul Revere & Co which is close to the hotel seems like the better option.  Maybe even a nice lunch somewhere.

Here we will take a break – that is so you don’t get all read out!

Highlight of the morning – hard to pick one out – but the photos of JFK and Jackie with their family stand out.