For today’s publication of T Time, I decided to cover Maverick Station and the surrounding neighborhood. You may ask, why cover Maverick? My answer — it has a cool name. As it turns out, Maverick Station, located in Maverick Square, is named after Samuel Maverick, a young man who was murdered in the Boston Massacre at only seventeen years old. For anyone interested in traveling to Maverick, take the Green Line from Medford/Tufts to Government Center, then transfer to an outbound Blue Line train and take it for three stops. It took me a little over 30 minutes to get there.
Exiting the train at Maverick, I was let out onto the largest platform I have ever seen at an MBTA station. Upon some research, the platform’s width owes itself to its history as a streetcar terminal. Until 1952, Maverick was an intermodal station where passengers could easily transfer between the Blue Line and Boston’s network of streetcars. It is a shame that those streetcars no longer operate, but at least they left a legacy of an interesting-looking station. I walked out of the station and immediately found myself in the heart of Maverick Square which is lined with businesses and restaurants.
Maverick Station is located in the heart of East Boston (which should really be called Northeast Boston if we are being geographically accurate). Like many of Boston’s neighborhoods, East Boston owes its existence to landfills and was formed in the 1830s after a number of islands were linked together. Also like many Boston neighborhoods, East Boston has been a mecca for immigrants coming to the United States. It was first settled by Canadians and Italians; today, however, the neighborhood mainly consists of Latino people, with Colombia, El Salvador and Guatemala being the primary countries of origin.
East Boston’s Hispanic community is prominent and the majority of businesses either had Spanish names or featured Spanish writing in their storefronts. As I walked through the neighborhood, I was constantly greeted with the pleasant aromas of grilled meat and other delicious foods. After attempting to restrain myself, I gave into my hunger and got a couple of tasty steak tacos from Taco Mex, a restaurant located right in Maverick Square near the station.
After finishing my tacos, I continued my walk through East Boston. I passed by at least five gorgeous churches on my walk. They were primarily made of stone or brick and all featured ornate stained-glass windows. Eventually, I made my way to the waterfront and was greeted by possibly the best view of Boston I have ever seen. From left to right, you have Boston Harbor, downtown, Kendall Square, the Zakim Bridge and the Bunker Hill Monument. I doubt you can see this many iconic Boston landmarks from anywhere else other than East Boston.
Overall, I had quite an enjoyable time on my excursion to Maverick Station. From authentic Mexican food to historic neighborhoods with unbeatable views, I am glad I got the chance to visit East Boston.
