Brief Introduction to Swampscott, MA

Expat · #1 Posted: **Jun 18, 2011, 3:51 PM**

Light summer fare:

Swampscott, MA is 12 miles north of Boston on the Nahant Bay, which I believe is part of the larger Massachusetts Bay. Swampscott was originally settled in the 1600s as a fishing village. The lobster pot (lobster trap) was invented in Swampscott. In the 1800s, Swampscott became a wealthy summer resort. Nowadays, it is primarily a residential area with commuter rail connection to Boston. It lies between Lynn & Marblehead on Boston's North Shore.

Lynn thread I did a while back, if interested: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...highlight=Lynn

And Marblehead thread: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ght=marblehead

Welcome to Swampscott:

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Notice that Swampscott is an Olmsted community.

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Swampscott train station. Swampscott is served by commuter rail & local bus.

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Businesses near train station:

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The closest thing Swampscott has to a downtown:

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Beginning of boulevard that goes into the neighborhood designed by Frederick Law Olmsted:

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Looking back towards the shore & distant view of Boston:

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Looking towards the Olmsted district from the boulevard. The district has many shingle-style & Queen Anne style houses among others. On curvy, hilly, leafy streets that are joined by the boulevard, circles, little parks, etc.

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In the Olmsted district, the Elihu Thomson house now serving as Town Hall. Mr. Thomson was co-founder of General Electric with Thomas Edison.

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Holy Name Episcopal Church in the Olmsted district.

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Now on to the waterfront area:

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Facing shore:

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Facing shore:

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Facing shore:

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Facing shore:

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Facing shore:

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Facing shore - notice T bus stop:

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Facing shore:

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Looking back towards Lynn Shoreway apartment buildings:

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Facing shore:

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Boston in distance:

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Backs to shore:

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I have shown pictures of this place before:

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Swampscott Whole Foods:

...................................

On the way back to the city, let's stop in Revere Beach for a minute:

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Best place for roast beef sandwich. Get a sandwich & walk across the street to the pavilion on the beach.

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View of Revere Beach from pavilion near Kelly's Roast Beef:

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Colorful garden in sideyard of beachfront apartment building.

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Condos facing the beach:

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Back of house backing to Revere Beach

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For the skyline & grit crowd - view of Boston from East Boston industrial area

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Back home with my little snugglers:

Sekkle · #2 Posted: **Jun 18, 2011, 4:27 PM**

Nice looking town. Thanks for the tour!

seaskyfan · #3 Posted: **Jun 18, 2011, 7:52 PM**

Another fantastic tour! Thanks!

ifeeldope9779 · #4 Posted: **Jun 18, 2011, 8:01 PM**

Great tour! This is part of the reason why I love your fine state. Question, I should be taking a weekend up to Boston in a month or so, what beach/cool beach town would you recommend that is accessible by the T?

sterlippo1 · #5 Posted: **Jun 18, 2011, 10:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ifeeldope9779

Great tour! This is part of the reason why I love your fine state. Question, I should be taking a weekend up to Boston in a month or so, what beach/cool beach town would you recommend that is accessible by the T?

Singing Beach in Manchester-by-the-sea, without a doubt . I have been to the Jersey Shore many times and love it but we do not have the type of "beach towns" that you may be thinking of. Our beaches are cove like and not straight shore like you may be familiar with and there are really none of the types in Jersey here, even on Cape Cod it isnt like that. There are not boardwalks or things like that anywhere. you park in a lot and have a beautiful beach to enjoy and are fortunate if the beach has a snack bar. Really different than Jersey.......
http://www.manchester.ma.us/Pages/Ma...n/singingbeach

the commuter rail from North Station goes into Manchester-by-the-Sea on the Rockport commuter rail train. that link above is helpful and also explains why it is named "Singing Beach"

also, the Crane Castle on the bluff looking over the beach is amazing, my sister was lucky enough to have her wedding reception there.
P.S. Expat, you are liking the North Shore eh?

with good reason

P.S.S. I'd love to snuggle with your dogs but my two would be very jealous

sterlippo1 · #6 Posted: **Jun 18, 2011, 10:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Expat

Light summer fare:

Swampscott, MA is 12 miles north of Boston on the Nahant Bay, which I believe is part of the larger Massachusetts Bay. Swampscott was originally settled in the 1600s as a fishing village. The lobster pot (lobster trap) was invented in Swampscott. In the 1800s, Swampscott became a wealthy summer resort. Nowadays, it is primarily a residential area with commuter rail connection to Boston. It lies between Lynn & Marblehead on Boston's North Shore.

Lynn thread I did a while back, if interested: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...highlight=Lynn

And Marblehead thread: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ght=marblehead

Welcome to Swampscott:

16.

do you believe this is a dentist's office? at least it used to be. one of the flags has a tooth on it

36.
I have shown pictures of this place before:

yes, the sister restaurant to Anthony's Pier Four on the Boston waterfront. it has been there forever. the food is ok but the views are much more than ok

On the way back to the city, let's stop in Revere Beach for a minute:

38.

yes, the oldest public beach in America and in its heyday had a pier that had a night club or something like that (i was not born yet) but when i was a kid in the 60's it was the only "beach town" other than Nantasket Beach that my friend the Jersey guy above would call a "beach town" . Revere Beach as well as Nantasket had a amusement park on the beach. sadly it fell into disrepair, became unpopular as the city was in decline and suffered it's final indignation when what was left of it was destroyed by a fire...........boy do i miss the Wild Mouse and getting fried clams at Kellys (which Expat has appropriately shown) or at the what i a call "the first Clam Box" on Rte C-1 near Northgate shopping area

39.
Best place for roast beef sandwich. Get a sandwich & walk across the street to the pavilion on the beach.

and fried clams too

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View of Revere Beach from pavilion near Kelly's Roast Beef:

this all was just recently refurbished

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For the skyline & grit crowd - view of Boston from East Boston industrial area

you always manage some incredible shots Expat!

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Back home with my little snugglers:

can i have them?

ColDayMan · #7 Posted: **Jun 19, 2011, 5:10 AM**

Fantastic tour!

Danny · #8 Posted: **Jun 19, 2011, 9:42 AM**

Thank you very much for this tour along Swampscott, Expat!

Brilliant pictures, I´ve liked them very much.

I used to watch a webcam of Boston, and I think this webcam is in Swampscott, with great views of Boston´s skyline. The link is: http://hazecam.net/boston.html

As I´ve seen, there pretty houses there, of course Queen Anne style houses.

Swampscott must be a wonderful town to live in, or simply to spend a fresh summer by the beach...

Nice to see your dogs, Expat.

Congratulations and greetings from Madrid, Spain!

And waiting for you next thread...

Expat · #9 Posted: **Jun 20, 2011, 3:04 AM**

@Sterlippo - Thanks for guiding Ifeeldope on the beaches. I am not qualified to answer and still learning myself. I miss the great beach towns of the Mid Atlantic. It seems that this area has quaint towns on harbors with beaches nearby - but doesn't really have "beach towns". Of course, Revere Beach is on the Blue Line T and has a beach. But, don't think I could call it a cool beach town.

@Ifeeldope - Thanks for your comment and hope you have a great visit to Boston next month. If you have other questions, try me. I might be able to give you some guidance. Have you been here before?

@Danny, Sekkle, Coldayman - I appreciate your thoughtful comments!

the Genral · #10 Posted: **Jun 20, 2011, 5:06 AM**

Another great tour Expat. Always look forward to your next set. Is the Hilltop Steakhouse still open?

sterlippo1 · #11 Posted: **Jun 20, 2011, 9:39 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Genral

Another great tour Expat. Always look forward to your next set. Is the Hilltop Steakhouse still open?

barely and wont be for very long i hear............even the butcher shop has cut its hours way down. Hilltop is more a function hall than a restaurant i am told by someone that tended bar there for years and thats how they managed to stay open.........there have been many things talked about going in that spot but nothing publicly yet as they are still running a busIness. you can actually see construction projects along Rte 1 which is in stark contrast to many other areas which is good but what's up for the Hilltop property is anyone's guess

p,s, Expat, forgive me for answering when the question is directed by you, i don't mean to hijack the thread

Expat · #12 Posted: **Jun 20, 2011, 10:25 AM**

Thanks Genral!

Sterlippo - I like it when you chime in. Thanks for your insight.

sterlippo1 · #13 Posted: **Jun 20, 2011, 10:50 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Expat

Thanks Genral!

Sterlippo - I like it when you chime in. Thanks for your insight.

gotcha! i love your threads!

the Genral · #14 Posted: **Jun 21, 2011, 5:27 AM**

The steak I had at the Hilltop was not the best, but it was the biggest. I believe that place seats over 1000. I had a friend who would travel from Boston to Austin and bring me jars of the house horse radish, really potent. When I was in Boston years back on business, we were told to go to the Hilltop and, eh hem, the Golden Banana. TBO, I was too stuffed from the Hilltop to enjoy the Golden Banana! Love Boston and surrounding area.Went to Salem, that place has a really strange vibe. Had an amazing lobster dinner near Plymouth Rock. Can't wait to go back to Boston.

sterlippo1 · #15 Posted: **Jun 21, 2011, 1:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by the Genral

The steak I had at the Hilltop was not the best, but it was the biggest. I believe that place seats over 1000. I had a friend who would travel from Boston to Austin and bring me jars of the house horse radish, really potent. When I was in Boston years back on business, we were told to go to the Hilltop and, eh hem, the Golden Banana. TBO, I was too stuffed from the Hilltop to enjoy the Golden Banana! Love Boston and surrounding area.Went to Salem, that place has a really strange vibe. Had an amazing lobster dinner near Plymouth Rock. Can't wait to go back to Boston.

yeah but you're from Texas so that's the equivilent of a Roman going to Olive Garden

..........and, yes, it seats over 1000 and i well remember waits of an hour and a half on Friday and Saturday nights for years.....that's when the quality was there too

JBoston · #16 Posted: **Jun 22, 2011, 6:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sterlippo1

yeah but you're from Texas so that's the equivilent of a Roman going to Olive Garden

..........and, yes, it seats over 1000 and i well remember waits of an hour and a half on Friday and Saturday nights for years.....that's when the quality was there too

There was nothing more killer and awesome as a kid than getting Hilltop marinated steak tips for summer BBQs at my family's in Saugus. Now when I visit home and my parents and I go to Kowloons all there is of Hilltop is a rundown giant cactus. Sad. Even Kowloons isn't what it used to be.

sterlippo1 · #17 Posted: **Jun 22, 2011, 7:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBoston

There was nothing more killer and awesome as a kid than getting Hilltop marinated steak tips for summer BBQs at my family's in Saugus. Now when I visit home and my parents and I go to Kowloons all there is of Hilltop is a rundown giant cactus. Sad. Even Kowloons isn't what it used to be.

I am sure you remember that friday nights was also seafood night and being a fried clam freak, let me tell you, their fried clams were awesome, yeah, that's right, Hilltop's fried clams! and you got a huge plate of them too. I lived right over the border in Melrose right after Essex St turns into Upham St. and remember going to get a number and taking it home and going back an hour later because they told you an hour and a half and living so close, why wait in line? remember "231 , 237, 326 ,47, 112 for Kansas City"?? i can hear that voice as i write this. Good memories for sure. I have not been to Kowloon for quite some time but friends have and they agree with you.

jdcamb · #18 Posted: **Jun 23, 2011, 3:41 AM**

Kellys! Clam Plate with Onion Rings. The best evah!

the Genral · #19 Posted: **Jun 23, 2011, 4:06 AM**

Just for the record, I really enjoyed the Hilltop and I'm disappointed about its demise. Waited over an hour to get in, sat next to a huge rock fireplace, and left bursting at the seems. The steak was their 18oz I believe, but everything they put on the table was HUGE except the bill. I also remember crossing a green bridge that left green paint on my rental car when I scraped the guard rail because I couldn't take my eyes off the Boston Skyline while crossing it. I guess that's what LDW's are for!

sterlippo1 · #20 Posted: **Jun 23, 2011, 10:33 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdcamb

Kellys! Clam Plate with Onion Rings. The best evah!

next time you visit go up to Cape Ann (it's gorgeous) and drive Rte 133 in Essex and Ipswich, known as Fried Clam Alley and there are probably a dozen that are better, JT Farnum's being the best, IMO