My dad loved the Fourth of July holiday. As early as I can remember, my brother and I would join him on a walk downtown to watch the parade on Court Street. That evening we would pile into our station wagon (there were various ones over the years) to make our way to the Mount […]
Author Archives: Bill Fornaciari - Independent Correspondent
Posted inHistory & Architecture
Even by design, a career path takes many turns
Becoming an architect is an arduous process, so with a crop of soon-to-be high school graduates headed off to pursue college degrees, I thought it would be a great time to look at the challenges, and the stiff licensing requirements to practice. (And, not so incidentally, to offer a little peek into my practice, my […]
Posted inCulture
An appreciation of the beauty and history of our cemeteries
Memorial Day is almost here. Now celebrated on the last Monday in May, the holiday was established in 1868 as Decoration Day and celebrated on May 30th until 1971. I happened to be born on May 30, and as a child, my birthday was spent doing the DRT (the dead relative tour), as my friend […]
Posted inCulture
These are my favorite places in Plymouth
I recently received a thought-provoking question from a couple new to Plymouth: What were my favorite places in town? Spaces or locations that inspire, heal, or excite? The email came on the heels of a meeting with new resident and Plymouth Independent correspondent Peter Zheutlin, who was also curious about the places I love the […]
Posted inHistory & Architecture
Some Plymouth residents bought their homes through the mail
We live in an age of instant gratification. Perhaps the best example of that is Amazon, which now, with a warehouse in Kingston near the Plymouth border, usually makes deliveries here overnight, and sometimes the same day. There is not much that cannot be sourced from Amazon. But did you know that the company has […]
Posted inHistory & Architecture
These dishes were everyday meals growing up in North Plymouth. Now they’re fancy fare.
My three years on the West Coast were partially spent working as an architect for Gap. One takeaway from the experience was a glimpse into the inner workings of the clothing industry. Despite that – it wasn’t always pretty – I am still devoted to one of Gap’s brands, Banana Republic. It’s not cheap, but […]
Posted inHistory & Architecture
Streams of consciousness: Exploring the routes of Plymouth waterways
The last phase of the restoration of Plymouth’s Town Brook is underway. Work began in 2002 with the removal of dams from the brook’s 19th century industrial past. The last phase of the project will include the dredging of Jenny Pond (which is happening now), reconstruction of the pond bridge, a new fish ladder and […]
Posted inHistory & Architecture
Remembering four Plymouth police officers who died in the line of duty
Some of the sadder stories in the town’s history are those of the four Plymouth officers who have died in the line of duty. The history of policing in Plymouth dates to 1633 when the General Court appointed Joshua Cooper as the town’s constable. But it wasn’t until 1861 that the modern police department emerged. […]
Posted inHistory & Architecture
Four myths about local architecture that drive me crazy
I always read local real estate listings online. Mainly, it’s to get a glimpse inside beautiful antique homes that I wouldn’t otherwise get a chance to see. For the most part, real estate agents are-spot on with their descriptions, but inevitably I catch a listing that will prompt me to roll my eyes. Four architectural […]
Posted inHistory & Architecture
Are the Pilgrims to blame for the state of Plymouth today?
With a new year upon us, I can confidently predict that in 2025 a new building project will outrage the people of Plymouth. You are guaranteed to hear comments about graft, under-the-table payouts, and the greed of developers. And count on frequent complaints about traffic, the loss of small-town life, and the overall ruination of […]