In fact, the pear and the man have separate histories. The Dorchester Clapp pear was first grown here in the 1840s. Across the street from the sculpture, a bronze plaque details the history of Everett, born in 1745 in a house on the site (since demolished). There’s plenty of new signage that identifies the tangle of street names; however, the sign marking the spot Edward Everett Square seems to have disappeared in the upgrade.
Charles and Mary Karagozian SquareBroadway and West Place, Cambridge
Alice Karagozian is a lively 82-year-old who lives beside the square dedicated to her parents. “My dad was a schoolteacher in Armenia,’’ said Karagozian. “He married my mother in Greece, and they came here to escape the genocide. I was born here.’’
The Karagozians purchased two buildings across the street from one another. One was a small grocery store, opened in 1927. They leased the other, which operated as a drugstore for four decades (and now is home to 20th Century Provenance).
“In World War II, the grocery store was a center of activity,’’ said Karagozian. “Soldiers of families we knew wrote letters to my parents. We sent them packages filled with cookies.’’ A neighbor told Mayor Ken Reeves about the family, and he facilitated the square’s dedication. “I was so pleased it happened.’’
Professor Will Stackman SquareMemorial Drive andDeWolfe Street, Cambridge
Theater director, puppeteer, writer, and educator, Stackman is memorialized along Memorial Drive across from the banks of the Charles River. The location is apt, as Stackman was the technical director for the Cambridge River Festival while working for the Cambridge Arts Council. A 2007 online obituary refers to Stackman as, “a tireless advocate for good work under Spartan conditions in obscure venues.’’
Necee Regis can be reached at nregis@gis.net.
