Hull, MA revisited 8 '08

Hull Water Tower

We flew into Boston airport on Friday night before the reunion, which gave us the entire next day to visit and explore the town of Hull.  Bruce was born in Hull and lived in there until he joined the navy at age eighteen.  Needless to say he has many fond memories of the place and was anxious to show me his roots.  I had been to Hull, before, but only on a drive through basis, so I too was happy to have time to get to really know the place better.

 Early on Saturday morning we jumped out of bed and promptly set out for a long walk along the beach.  It was low tide so we were able to walk for miles along the wide clean Atlantic shoreline.  

Eventually we wound up on the street where Bruce grew up and of course had to visit his family’s home.  All Bruce could think to say when he looked at it was”It looked so much bigger when I was living here.”

Continuing on we crossed over the peninsula to bay side where Bruce had gone clamming as a youngster.  The bay shoreline with its views of Boston and of Strawberry Hill was very bit as magnificent as Bruce had told me.

By that time we were hungry, so we headed back into town for a muffin from Weinberg’s bakery. Listening to the local chatter and strolling down the main street revealed that not much had changed in the forty years Bruce has been away.  It was like stepping back in time into a place which has retained all of its small town pride and prejudices. 

Weinberg's Bakery

Refreshed, we decided to get in the car and visit some of the more distant points in Hull.

 The high school was first stop on the list.  Again not much has changed except for the addition of a giant windmill.   A visit to the local cemetery provided me with so great views of the local lighthouses and shoreline,

while Bruce had a quiet moment to visit friends who were buried there.

For Bruce, the visit was nostalgic.  It was reassuring both to know that most of the good in Hull is still there, and to find some reminders that so are its limitations.  For me visiting Hull was less complicated.  I looked at it with an artist’s eye and found it charming.

Hull Fire Department

 The views were classic New England as were its citizens.