This site is dedicated to the place I grew up in…. Dorchester Massachusetts
I believe the neighborhood has shaped my views of the world in a twisted but brutally honest way.
If your from here….you know what it means to drink beer in a pahk, hit the Ave, square off, hook a left, bang a U-eee suck down a frappe, smoke a thumb, woof down a spuckie, hit a packy, sport the shell toes, check out furs …..ect…ect.
You may have been the only white kid in a public school or the only black kid in a catholic school
You may have a bunch of debt, an abundance of common sense or even know someone with a drug or alcohol problem. You most definitely have the ability to spot bullshit a mile away. You love to have a good time but never take shit from anyone…. and probably would snap a persons neck if they where to harm a loved one. You never leave your friends side if he or she gets in a jam…your as loyal as they come.
You may be old enough remember bus battles of the 70’s, the Lonsdale Cessna Crash, or when gangs decided what sports teams you where a fan of.
You might have hung at Adams Corner, Walsh Park, Dot Park or Ventura. Maybe you hit the Jazz tourney at Toohig, snuck down to the Tot Lot for a beer, walked the tracks, bought fingers at dunks or even partied at Rainbow. Maybe you fought the good fight at Wainwright, had a stolen bike hidden on Beale Street, or played stickball with the boys from Mill Street. Some of you couldn’t beat long nights on Hecla, hanging at the Cliffs, shitfaced sled races at Ronan, or watching fights down at the Hub after a keg.
Maybe your from across the Ave….and had spots like the Norfolk Tap, Dublin House, The Strand, Bowdion Street, Ceylon Park, Intervale, Magnolia, Elm Hill, Vamp Hill, or Geneva Ave. Do you remember the Brown Jug? The five-corner squad? Maybe you chilled in the Hall. Nothing ever beats Reggae Joints during the fests on Talbot Ave and Franklin Field. Maybe you prefer Morton St or the Norfolk PJ’s. Either which way…you must remember the Kings, Raiders, IVP, A’s, NSP, RSO (Bruins), or the Giants. Back in the day…..before we carried heat. My father was a Cherokee and my buddy’s father was a Red Raider. The OLD school remembers that stuff.
Thirty percent of us work for a municipality (fire, police, dpw, politicians)…. Fifty-Five in the Trades and Unions. That leaves about 15 percent. I will be fair…….. 6% percent white collar and growing (outside yuppie bastards driving up real estate prices…. WHATS UP SOUTHIE!!!) 4% unemployed (usually lazy pricks or drug dealers) 3% permanent welfare (high paid sperm dumpsters) 2% temporary welfare (The folks who strive for a better life—god bless ya !!).
Maybe if you’re from Dorchester…you tend to be opinionated.
OR
You might be a redneck !!!!
Either way…we all have a deep love for this little slice of heaven we affectionately call DOT…. c’mon now … it’s situated within the greatest country in the world!!
The United States of America
Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden,
meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.
President John F. Kennedy, Inaugural address January 20, 1961
Fucken nuts I remember all that shit long nightson hecla lol I love it born and razed and will be a dot rat 4/life no madaware I be
I wanted to email you this youtube video checking out the fields corner part of dorchester in the 90’s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0-s1gi89VA
a good movie!
Where’s the map at the top of all your pages from?
Where’s the map on the top of all your pages from? Thanks!
I think I found it on the Dorchester Antheneum.
I think the map at the top of the page is cool, grew up on norton st. went to st.peter’s school, 10 brothers and sisters, just found this site, loved where i lived, great memories……..how do i order a shirt…
Thanks so much Linda! Go to http://dotrat.spreadshirt.com
Stolen bike on Beale St!! Ha ha so fresh!
Mill street, to Jimmys ,to Dublin House, To catalonis……..Best time of my life. Everything I am started in Dot. I remember it all, my friends, my park. OFD
Have a cross on your middle finger. A night out drinking involved the Irish Rover Then the BlarneyStone and Cunninghams….or started at the Townfield Tavern and The Peabody. Watching the Dot Day Parade. Funny to read walking the tracks but don’t forget walking the third rail. Loved the read, you nailed growing up there…mostly all the hoods. Thanks.
Glad i found your website but don’t understand why there is no mention of Savin Hill or uphams Corner a couple of quick name drops of Cataloni and the Dublin House but thats it.
What about the famous bars in Savin Hill Eddie Connors Bulldogs Katies or the beach the park the woods the tennis courts Come on be fair without Savin Hill Dorchester would not be complete .
Lets get that bio of Savin Hill up there
I am living in Mexico now and when I tell people how great my growing up was in the 50,s 60,s in Dot hanging on the corner or drinking in the woods or playing ball in “the wirey” field They still don’t understand what I’m saying and I just say that’s cause you’re not from Dorchester And remember all the great saying the only good thing put of southie is “The Dorchester Bus” How about “Take A Dudley”
THANKS for the memories Birdman from Savin Hill
Yeah….. Hancock Street headed to “Uppies” (Upham Corner); stop at Haley and Maguire’s for a beer. What about The City Yard on Hancock Street, near the 104 stairs leading up to St. Margaret’s Hospital. The Parksman and Jr. Parksman hanging out at that little park across from St. Peter’s Church. Lived in Quincy for 32 years and now in Weymouth, but I’ll always be a Dot Rat
What about Cresent ave, Columbia Road groups. The view playground can’t forget all us Dot
Rats
Why do you call your site ”Dot Rat” when you are from DoRchester… wouldn’t “Dor Rat” be more accurate?
If spoken with a thick Boston Accent, locals would pronounce it “Dotchesta” which was shorted to “Dot”
Check out my novel, King & Train….about a bunch of guys growing up 1959-1961
Ten cent drafts at Haley & McGuire’s @ Uphams Corner. Jack Haley(owner/ bartender) never gave a free beer. He had a baseball bat behind bar to keep order. He called everybody “Bud.” Dining area had a phone booth. Kay was long time watress . Best pizza in the city!!
Hey…. Hi Yo. What’s good?
Love ya
I tried to buy a Dot Rat hat but there was no option for me to put my credit card info in.
I apologize for that Declan – I have been pretty busy off the website lately. The payment button should be fixed now.