I despise this time of the year but not for the reasons you think. As August heads towards September, it heralds the exodus of college students and some of my favorite people are leaving to return to school. That means the “kids” that make my morning latte, the waitstaff at the wedding venue where I […]
Author Archives: Bill Fornaciari - Independent Correspondent
Posted inHistory & Architecture
Holy Ghost Festival recalls North Plymouth’s glory years
My grandmother, Lena Ruffini Fornaciari, was born in Italy. She was fluent in Italian, of course, but also spoke English without an accent, and like so many of her generation growing up in North Plymouth, she was proficient in Portuguese as well. When Lena and my grandfather married, they built a house in 1942 on […]
Posted inHistory & Architecture
Moving experiences: Some historic local homes have changed addresses
I recently received an inquiry about a project in Plymouth. I recognized the address immediately because the house has piqued my curiosity for years. The home is clearly the poster child from the Sesame Street song that goes: “One of these things is not like the others. One of these things just doesn’t belong.” It’s […]
Posted inCulture
A bittersweet Fourth of July for longtime event organizers
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 […]
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 […]