A Boat For Samuel Whittemore 

He earned it.

In the past few years, a new ferry service started in Boston. It runs between Boston’s North Station, a major commuter hub for folks who live outside the city, and the Seaport district, an area of rapid growth with many offices. This ferry runs in the harbor near me, so I frequently see the boats going back and forth.

Initially, this service used two boats which had previously provided passage around New York City and New Jersey. Those two ships were the Moira Smith and the Douglas B. Gurian, named in honor of two victims of the 9/11 attacks. While that’s a lovely tribute, it’s a bit incongruous for Boston.

Earlier this year, I spotted a ship named for Crispus Attucks, the first casualty of the American Revolution. Attucks was shot during the Boston Massacre, which took place a stone’s throw (or two) from the waters where this ship travels. It’s a very fitting name, and I was glad to see it.

Yesterday, however, I spotted a new ship that delighted me even more. Have a look:


[Photo courtesy of P. Kafasis]

This is the “Samuel Whittemore”, and it’s named in honor of one of my very favorite Revolutionary War figures. I wrote about Samuel back in 2014, and I encourage you to read that post to learn the details of his excellent revenge. I suppose now we might add “, before eventually having a ship named in your honor” to the list.