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By Carol Meyer Plans are in the works to move the harborfront POW/MIA memorial and flagpole to a more prominent, accessible location on Whitney Wharf. Another reason for the move is expected future sea-level rise at its current location. Plans are underway to raise the height of Whitney Wharf and other town wharves to help address this issue. "The flagpole will be privately funded," Director of Veterans' Services Keith Jermyn said. The Town of Hingham Veterans Benefit Fund is now accepting contributions of any size to help support the project. We sometimes don't remember our fallen heroes and their contribution to our country. Stopping by the memorial site and making even a small donation toward the flagpole would be a good show of support. The idea for the waterfront memorial came from Hingham Vietnam Veteran Robert F. Beal, Jr. The flagpole was erected and dedicated on Flag Day -- June 14 -- 1986. The Massachusetts state flag was a gift from the State Veterans Commission, and the POW/MIA flag was donated by the father of MIA Joseph Dunn of Hull. The inscription on the engraved plaque, donated by Hingham residents Jane and Jerry Goldberg, reads in part: "With the continued support of the citizens of Hingham, these flags will continue to fly 24 hours a day until the complete disposition of all POW/MIAs is resolved. Brothers, you are not forgotten." Have you ever seen the memorial and the flags or visited Whitney Wharf? There's still plenty of time to do so this summer. The last day of summer isn't until Sept. 22!
 By Carol Meyer
Derby Street corridor improvements to address ongoing safety and capacity issues have been in the works since 2018, with a targeted completion date of Spring 2020. The reconstruction project includes intersection improvements, new sidewalks, and new traffic signals at both the Route 3 north- and southbound expressway ramps. Of top priority is making the 0.8-mile corridor more pedestrian- and bicyclist-friendly. The state is expected to pick up most of the roughly $5 million tab. Derby Street is classified as an urban minor arterial providing access to Routes 3 and 53 in Hingham and Weymouth. The primary land use along the Derby Street corridor is stand-alone businesses and commercial enterprises. The Town of Hingham has set a priority on further commercial development in South Hingham to increase the tax base, with the least impacts to residential properties as possible. Through a separate project, improvements to the tricky Gardner/Derby/Whiting Street intersection are also in the works, with a projected completion date of Fall 2020. Do you think this project will help attract more commercial uses to the area? Do you think that doing so is a good idea?  By Carol Meyer
I admit to ordering quite a few things online for convenience sake and for savings. That said, I also frequent the downtown CVS, Artisans in the Square for many birthday and holiday gifts, and other Hingham Square and surrounding shops and restaurants, along with several stores at the Derby Street Shops. While there is still plenty of summer left to enjoy — after all, it stretches until Sept. 23! — it is nearing the time for back-to-school shopping. Quite a few people on facebook are aware of my protests about back-to-school signs that were posted in mid-June in some chain stores, but it’s now mid-August and it’s time to start stocking up on school supplies, cool back-to-school outfits, and healthy snacks. Shopping local not only supports local businesses but it also saves gas. So let’s shop local whenever we can! What are your favorite places to shop in Hingham? Do you usually shop local? By Carol Meyer Attention, boaters and other harbor-users! The Town of Hingham dredges the Hingham Inner Harbor mooring basin every 10 years to maintain safe-water depth, which means it's up for dredging again starting this year. Ten years go by fast! "We anticipate this project will require the entire dredging window, from October 1 to January 31, 2020," Harbormaster Ken Corson said recently. Lt. Governor Karyn Polito recently visited Hingham to announce the awarding of a $2 million Massachusetts Dredging Program grant to the town, which allows the project to move forward. Corson attended the ceremony. In anticipation of the start of this project, all boats and moorings must be removed from the mooring basin before Oct. 1, or earlier depending on individual marinas. Town pier floats will be removed from the water by September 27. Due to dredging operations, navigation in the mooring basin will be restricted beginning October 1. An estimated 62,000 cubic yards of sediment will be removed, which will restore all-tide access to the town's more than 230 public moorings, among other benefits. Be sure to stop by one of the Bathing Beach parking lots or other areas around the harbor to catch a glimpse of the dredging equipment once the project is underway -- quite a sight to see! Do you boat in Hingham Harbor? What makes it so special?   By: Carol Meyer
Be sure to stop by to see for yourself the recently-completed historically-themed mural on the side and back of the Hennessy News Building on North Street -- a true work of art and labor of love! Well-known Hingham artist Susan Kilmartin designed the mural, and she and and talented art students from Hingham High School and the South Shore Charter School in Norwell -- with guidance from their art teachers -- brought the project to reality. Special thanks goes to Hennessy News owner Joe Ierardi for his willingness to allow the artists to paint the historic scenes on the building. The mural depicts colonial life circa 1840 on Hersey Farm in Hingham. The toy and box factory -- which had been locked up and hidden by vines and vegetation -- was recently uncovered and found to be completely intact by members of the Hersey family (still in residence on the farm). The toys and tools inside were also intact after 100 years. The cost of the paint and other supplies the students used throughout the project was covered by Greenbush Historic Preservation Trust grants. The purpose of this fund is to preserve and maintain historic assets and streetscapes along the Greenbush commuter rail right-of way and the surrounding area to enhance downtown Hingham. (The back of Hennessy's News abuts the tunnel cap.) "I'm very grateful for this grant," said Kilmartin, who donated her time to the project. Have you seen the mural yet? What do you think it adds to downtown Hingham? |
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January 2023
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