JFK & Macdonald Parks: Linked Through the Legacies of Political Leaders

Last summer I visited two parks in the Boston, Massachusetts area that are especially noteworthy because of the historical significance of the people who the parks are named after. The state of Massachusetts, in particular the Boston area, is well-known for its institutions of higher education and cultural & historic landmarks. Massachusetts also has numerous parks that offer open space for public recreation.

One place is Macdonald Park in Medford. This park is named after Torbert Hart Macdonald (1917 - 1976) who was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Macdonald Park is part of the Mystic River Reservation. The Reservation is home to the Mystic Lakes – one of the best protected streams in Massachusetts. In addition to Macdonald Park, the Mystic River Reservation includes Mary O’Malley Park in Chelsea, Draw Seven Park in Somerville, and Shannon Beach in Winchester.

Macdonald attended Harvard College where he was roommates with John Fitzgerald Kennedy. After graduating from Harvard in 1940, Macdonald served in the U.S. Navy as a PT boat commander in the southwest Pacific Ocean from 1942-1944. During his service in the Navy, Macdonald was awarded the Presidential Citation and the Purple Heart. After returning home from his combat tour, Macdonald attended Harvard University Law School where he earned his LL.B. degree in 1946.

In 1954 Macdonald was elected to the 84th U.S. Congress as a U.S. Representative from Massachusetts. Over the course of his congressional career, Macdonald served as the Democratic Majority Whip and also as the ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce.

Macdonald Park was constructed on dredged land that was created after the construction of Route 93. The setting of the park is an attractive quality. At Macdonald Park visitors can enjoy scenic views of the Mystic River. There is open space for recreational activities such as biking, walking, and casual games.

Similarly to Torbert Macdonald, John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) attended Harvard College and also served in the U. S. Navy. Kennedy graduated from Harvard College in 1940, where he studied international affairs. Kennedy served as a Lieutenant in the Navy during World War II from 1941-1945. Kennedy had a distinguished career as a Naval Officer and he received several accolades including the Purple Heart. Although Kennedy died when he was only 46 years-old, he had a prolific political career. Kennedy served in the U.S. Congress, U.S. Senate, and as the 35th President of the United States from 1961-1963.

Kennedy’s legacy of character, courage, and service to his country endures through the several memorials and institutes named in his honor. The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation owns a property named in Kennedy’s honor. Located on Memorial Drive in Cambridge, John F. Kennedy Park is a unique 5-acre park. I think that J.F.K. Park is unique because it is located next to a major academic institution - The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

The park was dedicated on May 29, 1987 to the citizens of Massachusetts on behalf of the Metropolitan District Commission. The park’s features include four entrances and a water fountain. Each entrance has two granite pillars which have quotes from JFK inscribed on them. The plants in the park bloom in May, the month in which President Kennedy was born. Quotations from President Kennedy also appear on the water fountain. One quote on the fountain reads: “The enduring qualities of Massachusetts – the common threads woven by Pilgrim and the Puritan, the fisherman and the farmer, the Yankee and the immigrant are an indelible part of my life, my convictions, my view of the past, and my hopes for the future.”