Saturday, 04 April 2009

• Boston's Duck Craze

   

  

  When I first decided to spend the summer in Boston a few years ago, I had no idea I would like it so much. 

  As I would learn, Boston is famous for many things—its deep Revolutionary history, its Irish Pubs, the Red Sox, and the Public Garden. Something Boston is also famous for that fewer people know of, however, is the city’s unique duck history.

  If you’ve ever been to Beantown you many have noticed the city’s ducks—everywhere. 

  Ducks are widespread throughout the Public Garden and cartoon ducks can be found all over the city if you look closely enough. Boston’s duck craze started when Robert McCloskey wrote the popular children’s book, Make Way for Ducklings. Published in 1941, the book tells the story of Mr. and Mrs. Mallard, a pair of ducks who decide to raise their family in the Public Garden. More than forty years after the book was published and gained considerable fame, a sculpture honoring the story was erected in the Public Garden. 

  Today if you are to visit, you will see the bronze statue of Mrs. Mallard and her eight ducklings set in cobblestone. There is also the “Duckling Day Parade,” an annual celebration of the book for children to take part in.

  Popular in Boston are also the Duck Tours, a tour of the city by land and water in World War II style amphibious landing vehicles (code-named DUKW).  Though Duck Tours are available all over major U.S. cities and have little to do with McCloskey’s book, they are especially prevalent in Boston and further add to the city’s duckling fixation.

  If you keep your eyes open, throughout Boston you will also find cartoon drawings and paintings of Mrs. Mallard and her ducklings.

  Have you ever been to Boston?  What’s your favorite thing about the city?

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