There are several sites throughout the city that honor the nation’s first president. We suggest starting with, our favorite, his sculpture in the Public Garden (but go out of order if you must!). Unveiled on July 3, 1869, Washington on horseback is certainly a distinguished monument, and we have been working hard to keep it preserved. Enjoy a walk through the gardens and a visit to this statue.

If you can pull yourself away from the beauty of the Public Garden, there are several other sites around Boston honoring our Founding Father.  Washington’s personal collection of books and pamphlets are on display in the Boston Athenaeum at 10 ½ Beacon Street. In an effort to keep this collection from being sold to the British Museum, the Athenaeum and Bostonians together raised nearly $4,000 to keep them where they belong.

You can also walk in Washington’s shoes and visit the King Chapel on the corner of Beacon and Tremont. This was where Washington frequently attended services.

Lastly, you can hop on the Red line towards Harvard Square to the Longfellow House, Washington’s headquarters on Brattle Street. He used this building as his home during the American Revolutionary War. On February 22, Washington’s official 280^th birthday, the headquarters will be having an open house.

Happy Presidents’ Day to everyone, and a special Happy Birthday to our founding father, George Washington!

The Lafayette Memorial was built by Paramino in honor of Marquis de Lafayette. In 1781, Major General Lafayette helped lead his troops to a victory siege at Yorktown during the American Revolutionary War, causing the surrender of British General George Cornwallis. He also assisted with laying the cornerstone of the Bunker Hill Monument in 1825. Lafayette died in Paris in 1834. His memorial includes his profile and a proclamation of Lafayette as a “distinguished French soldier.” Paramino’s Lafayette Memorial can be found in the Parkman Plaza within the Common. Another fun fact about this historical statue? Paramino unveiled this statue to the city of Boston in 1924, exactly 100 years after Lafayette’s first visit to Boston.

When walking parallel to Tremont Street, you can find another Paramino creation–the Declaration of Independence Plaque. This bronze plaque was installed on the Common in 1925 to celebrate and commemorate American independence. On the plaque is an almost word-for-word inscription of the Declaration of Independence itself (there are a few differences, though–history buffs, get your glasses ready!). Above the inscription of the Declaration of Independence is a beautiful recreation of the famous historical painting by John Trumbell, depicting the signing of the history-changing document. It is a beautiful representation of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness!

The third Paramino sculpture has a history outside of what’s written on it! The Commodore John Barry Monument was originally instilled in the Common in 1949. However, the monument was stolen in 1977. Once it was found, the original was placed in the U.S.S. Constitution Museum in Charlestown while another monument was built for the Boston Common. Commodore John Barry is known as the “Father of the American Navy,” a title you can see inscribed above his portrait on the sculpture. In 1794, Commodore Barry received orders from George Washington, asking him to create a formal United States Navy. When war broke out between the U.S. and France in 1798, Commodore Barry served as the U.S Senior Captain. This granite memorial, rich in history, is a tribute to a true American patriot.

The fourth and final Paramino creation in the Boston Common is the Founders Memorial. It is a large, two-sided sculpture that can be found close to the corner of Beacon and Spruce Street. The front is a tribute to two of the most historical figures in Boston. It depicts William Blackstone, the first settler of Boston, openly greeting John Winthrop, who would go on to be the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. On the back of the memorial (facing Beacon Street), you can find a quotation from John Winthrop’s famous sermon on “Christian Charity” as well as a short selection from William Bradford’s History of Plymouth Plantation. This beautiful memorial was erected in the Boston Common in 1930, celebrating the 300th anniversary of the founding of Boston.

The next time you’re visiting the Boston Common, go on a historical scavenger hunt and search for all four of John Paramino’s sculptures. Enjoy the sights of the beautiful Boston Common and soak up all the history our city has to offer!

Aside from more office space and a conference room, the Beacon Street location also has a storage area for the archives belonging to the Friends of the Public Garden. For years, President Emeritus Henry Lee has kept these special artifacts at his home—now we will be able to preserve and feature them in one place!

We would like to thank our friends at Sovereign/Santander Bank who have made the move possible by donating this space to us. We also appreciate the effort and creativity of our members, who have graciously volunteered their time to plan and design our new office as we prepare to move in during the early spring.

The Boston Common was the site of the first organized game of soccer in the United States of America. Called “football” at the time, several boys from schools across the city decided to enjoy the sport together as an official group. After forming the Oneida Football Club in 1862, members challenged players from various preparatory schools in the Boston area. Club members and opponents loved the game so much that they eventually referred to it as “The Boston Game.” They played their first game on the Common in 1862, where they continued to play until 1865. It is said that the Oneida Football Club went undefeated during that time, never even giving up a single goal to their opponents.

If you visit the Boston Public Garden, you can see the Oneida Football Monument, a tablet located by Beacon Street. Built in 1925, the monument stands at a little less than 5 feet tall. It’s just a quick walk across the street! There’s even a soccer ball on the top of the monument! Each of the founding members’ names are etched onto the back of the tablet, with the front side proclaiming the first-ever football game in the United States. The next time you visit the Boston Public Garden, keep an eye out for this interesting monument! And of course, play some soccer nearby when it gets a little warmer!

Dunkin Donuts (@DunkinBoston) has launched a 5-day long sweepstakes giving contestants the chance to win a $19 gift card (same amount as Tyler’s age) and a pair of tickets to a Boston Bruins game TBD.  All you have to do is guess where the nineteen-year-old Tyler Seguin is.  Easy, right?

For the past four days @DunkinBoston has posted a photo of Tyler Seguin in front of a recognizable locations in or around Boston. The coffee franchise is asking Bostonians to submit their guesses via twitter.  The contest began on Monday, January 9^th,, 2012 and ends tomorrow Friday, January 13^th, 2012.

So far Tyler Seguin has made two appearances at Friends of the Public Garden locations! Do you recognize these places?

The lucky winner was…

Here are a couple of examples of today’s sweepstakes entries submitted.

[View the story "Where is Bruins Player Tyler Seguin Today? " on Storify]

You can still enter the contest these two remaining days, Thursday and Friday. Just follow the instructions below for your chance to win!

First, log in to your twitter account or create one for free at twitter.com. Go to Dunkin Boston page and click to follow the coffee retailer. Then create a tweet and the message in the tweet MUST contain the following:

• #DDSeguin
• @DunkinBoston
• Your guess to where in Boston you believe Tyler Seguin is based on the photo posted.
• Photo URL, if there’s enough room.

For further sweepstakes rules and details, see Dunkins Donuts’ web site. Good luck to all the coffee lovers and Bruins devotees!

The best part is the very reasonable admission cost, especially for families and students.  Adult admission is only $5 (age 14 and up); youngsters 13 and under get in free and students with a valid college ID skate for just $2 on Tuesday evenings. You have the option to rent skates there, $9 for adults and $5 for kids, or to bring your own.  If you need a place to stash your belongings, locker rentals are just $2.00.  Skate sharpening services and skating lessons are also available.

Other deals offered at the Frog Pond include: season passes, family pricing and lunchtime passes.

In case you get hungry the Frog Pond Cafe offers a variety of options perfectly suited for a chilly evening. Warm the kids up with a cup of hot cocoa or grab a coffee and cozy up on a park bench with that special someone. Going with friends? Split the newest menu item- a Belgium waffle!

To get to the Frog Pond, you can take public transportation (MBTA green and red lines, Park Street or Boylston stations), or the Silver Line SL5 to the Boylston St. station.  If you drive in, it’s recommended that you park at the Boston Common Garage rather than trying to park at meters on the streets around the Common, where there is a risk of being ticketed.  For driving directions, go to the Frog Pond website for specific routes and exit information.  One final suggestion:  leave plenty of time for waiting on line once you get there.  Since the Frog Pond rink is such a great deal, the backup at the ticket booth can be sizable, especially during peak times like weekends and holidays.  So plan ahead for alternative activities to keep kids entertained while Mom or Dad wait on line.

Related Pages:

http://www.examiner.com/parenting-in-boston/boston-frog-pond-is-best-deal-for-family-skating-outings

http://www.giltcity.com/boston/frogpondjanboston

http://www.bostonfrogpond.com/

A quick scan of the twittersphere turned up the following photos from folks having a wonderful First Night experience:

"Horse drawn carriage heading the parade" by @thejjmg near the Boston Public Garden

Unicyclists shown up at the First Night Parade, photo taken by @thejjmg

Here is a quick snapshot of the 2012 First Night Boston:

• Started at 10 AM, some venues like Boston Children Museum welcomed the crowds early
• Four traditional ice sculptures seen around the Boston Common
• Performance appearances at Symphony Hall by gospel singer Mavis Staples.
• At 5:30 PM. Mayor Menino led a procession traveling from Hynes Convention Center through Boylston Street, passing the Boston Common, down to Charles and Beacon streets.
• After 8 PM, the MBTA was free to ensure safe and fun experience.
• The night ended with a spectacular midnight firework show over by Boston Harbor.

If you intend on participating in First Night Boston next year, make the plan to come early, especially if you have little ones. Latecomers had to endure standing on long lines for some of the most popular events.

For more information and news about the celebration, visit the website and sign up for the mailing to receive news on the 2013 First Night.

The Ringers’ next performance will take place during First Night at the Mary Baker Eddy Library in Boston. For more details visit Firstnight.org.

Have a safe and warm holiday with best wishes from the Friends of the Public Garden!

The holiday season is in full swing with New Year’s Eve quickly approaching! Boston’s First Night Festivities provide a bounty of New Year’s Eve entertainment and activities, many of which take place right on the Boston Common! With so much to do it can be tough to decide where to go first, and you can’t see it all!

Here’s 10 reasons to spend your evening on the Common.

1. The Boston Common is the nation’s oldest public park! It’s a wonderful, historic place to welcome the New Year.

2. “The Looking Glass”: Don Chapelle will be carving an ice sculpture so large that you will actually be able to walk through it (weather permitting)! This fantastic piece will be on display on the Common from 6 p.m. until 6:45

3. Master ice carver Steve Ross pays tribute to the island of Puerto Rico with his piece that will be on display near the Frog Pond from 6 p.m. until 6:45

4. The TADpole play ground will be home to several First Night Frogs, also in ice! Take a chance to walk around and see each of these incredible sculptures.

5. Beginning at 7:30 p.m. Viva Viva will thrill audiences with a sound that is equal parts infectious-pop and dark-stomping-blues combined with their own blend of hope, disappointment, grit and wit.

6. Next up, Vanzetti will perform with their unique style of jazz, grunge and psychedelia- culminating in a post apocalyptic folk sound.

7. Count down to midnight with Amos Blood! Playing from 10:45 right up until midnight for your enjoyment.

8. Connect with neighbors and friends as you countdown to midnight in this great public space! Boston has a really wonderful community! See it first hand!

9. Enjoy an incredible view of the fireworks that will signify the beginning of a new year!

10. It’s a fun place to be and an amazing night to be there!

Have a safe and happy holiday!

Join us near the Charles/Beacon Street entrance to the Common to enjoy this rare holiday treat!

Thursday, December 22nd

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

The Back Bay Ringers is an innovative handbell organization dedicated to promoting excellence in handbell artistry through performance, education and community! The Ringers have performed at many prestigious locations including Symphony Hall and have held concerts around the Boston area and throughout the Northeast. Don’t miss this great opportunity to see one of the nation’s most exhilarating small arts organizations!