Boston’s James Michael Curley Statues

Situated within a small park space near the New England Holocaust Memorial is a series of two bronze statues (one sitting and one standing). The subject of each these statues is a former Boston mayor James Michael Curley. Curley, who went by the nicknames the “Rascal King” and “Purple Shamrock” (the latter of which is also a popular Irish pub located just across Union Street from the statues) were an immensely popular politician from 1920 to 1950 during which time he served as four time mayor, congressman and the 53rd governor of Massachusetts.

Michael Curley Statues

Curley is best known for having won a seat on the Boston Board of Aldermen (equivalent of a city council) in 1904 while in prison. Curley was arrested for taking a civil service exam for another individual attempting to get a job with the postal service. This incident, instead of hurting his reputation, actually aided it in that his poor constituent perceived the act as a demonstration of how far Curley would go to support his people. In another noted incident, in 1943 while facing a federal indictment over providing illegal influence over some defense contracts, Curley won a third term within the House of Representatives under the campaign slogan, “Curley Gets Things Done.”

• Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Michael_Curley
• Address: Intersection of Congress Street and Hanover Street within Carmen Park, Boston, MA
• Cost: Free.