Going Afield in Dorchester

From Dave Brigham:

For a long time I focused on suburban and rural adventures for this blog, along with explorations of small old mill towns in Boston's suburbs. In recent months, however, I've gotten into wandering around Boston with my son when we go out on our regular subway rides. As with any other Backside of America mission, for these treks into the Big City I check out Google Maps and see what looks interesting that's within walking distance of a subway station. Recently we ventured to Fields Corner, the area in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood named after Isaac and Enos Field, who operated a general store in the area, according to the Dorchester Atheneum web site.

(Former O'Hearn Storage warehouse, now a post office. This building is actually made up of three buildings: a Federalist-style house built for Isaac Field, and two commercial buildings, including one that once housed the Dorchester Music Hall on the second floor, per a Dorchester Reporter article.)

(Just up the street from the storage warehouse is this ghost sign for a grocery and liquor store. I've looked online but have been unable to find out what the name of the company was.)

(The Luc Hoa Buddhist Center features a main temple/meditation hall, a kitchen, bedrooms, dining and office space and more. Places like this -- filled with hard-working immigrants and dedicated to the culture and religion of their country of origin, but woven into the local fabric -- are what make America great.)

(Wow. Just wow. An early '70s Buick Riviera.)

(Mary on the Half Shell. Variation of the Bathtub Mary; both are prevalent in Greater Boston.)

(I love the name and the sign. Didn't try the food, though.)

(I wish this sign were telling the truth, but I fear that it's not.)

(I've seen a handful of these benches-as-artwork around the MBTA. This is one is outside Fields Corner T station. Below are a few others.)

(Outside Lechmere T station.)

(Also outside Lechmere station. Plaque says: “Created for the Museum of the National Center of Afro-American Artists by high school students." I'm guessing that's what all of these are for.)

(Inside the Malden Center T station.)

Aaaaaand....back to Fields Corner for one last shot.

(Prince's place in Boston.)