Rise Up

This song always gives me hope.  

God Bless America.

View from the Pru

Every summer I make a list of places I'd like to visit and every summer without fail I never actually get to those places. I become busy with other things whether it's work, family stuff or just plain laziness. I'll admit there were a few afternoons this summer when I got sucked into a Real Housewives marathon on TV. Another day lost.  Anyway, one place on my list this summer was the Skywalk Observatory at the Prudential Center located in the Back Bay. I had found some old photos of Boston taken from the Prudential in the 1960's and I figured I would see how much the city has changed since then.  Plus the view from the Pru is pretty spectacular.  Gazing out from 50 stories on a clear day it's easy to forget about hurricanes, earthquakes and other natural disasters like all the college kids moving back to town.                      

This photo is a bit fuzzy. The old Hancock Tower is shown in the center. The Custom House tower is in the background on the left.  The building in the foreground on the left is still located on Boylston Street.

 Today, the newer Hancock Tower aka the Giant Mirror blocks the old Hancock Building and there's a lot more buildings in the background.

1960's Boylston Street. The middle building says Bentley College.

2011- Boylston Street.   The two buildings on the left are the same as in the photo above.

Looking out over the Charles River, Back Bay and Mass. Ave. bridge.

Not too much has changed...maybe the Charles is cleaner?

1960's Prudential Tower. Kind of ugly.

2011- Prudential Tower...still kind of ugly.

 Boston's Gem- Fenway Park

The Citgo sign watches over Kenmore Square.

The Longfellow Bridge also known as the Salt and Pepper bridge connects Boston to Cambridge.

 Oh, Boston, you're my home.

For more information about the Skywalk Observatory visit this site:

 http://www.prudentialcenter.com/shop/shop_detail.php?id=64