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Ted Kennedy relished visits to N. Shore

Aug 26th, 2009 by Nelson Benton

I was 11 years old and living in the Philippines when news of President John F. Kennedy’s death arrived on our doorstep in Cebu via the morning edition of the Manila Times.
This morning, news of the last surviving Kennedy brother’s death came via the radio. Steve Lavelle’s show had been preempted by the start of what will no doubt be days of coverage of the life, times and funeral of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.
The state’s senior senator, who had been ailing for a long time, died late Tuesday night according to a statement released by his family early today.
While he drew controversy from the moment he was tabbed to fill brother Jack’s Senate seat in the early 1960s, his accomplishments as the “liberal lion” of Capitol Hill were immense.
Here on the North Shore, his most visible legacy will be the expanded National Park Service presence in Salem and the creation of the Essex National Heritage Area with its many cultural and educational offerings that seek to unite the communities north of Boston.
Kennedy had a great love of history and the sea, and thus always enjoyed his visits to this part of the state with its rich maritime traditions. Thus, projects like the building of the Friendship became very dear to him.
We recall a visit Kennedy made to a meeting of the Essex National Heritage Commission at the Topsfield Fair grounds several years ago at which he talked about the effort that went into building the replica tall ship now berthed at Salem’s Derby Wharf.
He recalled a plea for help with some legislative matter that he’d received from the commission’s executive director, Annie Harris, one Christmas Eve. Only his respect for Harris and love for the North Shore would prompt him to interrupt the holidays for such a call, he said.

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  • retreat
    Nelson, I had the privilege of meeting him in D.C. the summer of 1997. It was a couple of weeks before the U.S.S.Constitution sailed from Boston to Marblehead. All he talked about was how thrilled he was to be able to be on the Constitution "under sail" and said he was promised that he could have a turn at the wheel.
  • jimjogs
    Nelson, I had the great pleasure of meeting him when he visited the Salem Evening News offices. That was over forty years ago and I was a young high school copy boy working in the Ad department. As I stood open mouthed, shaking his hand and in complete awe I felt the "command presence" he was well noted for radiate throughout the room. I recall an old newsman commenting that he always wore a dark suit as that helped force others to focus on him when he entered a room. He had his personal faults and failings, but he made history with his legislation. I don't think we'll see another like him in my lifetime.
  • Bob
    Nelson, You are a clown!
  • yourimaginaryfriend
    Bob - Have you given any thought to becoming a professional writer? That's some stimulating discourse you've got going there. Here's an idea Bob - Go outside and sit on a sharp stick ... it may free up your writers block.
  • Bob
    imaginary friend- I am an award winning novelist whom has written many top sellers in my professional career. You my friend are also a clown!

    p.s. I sit on sharp sticks in my spare time!
  • dmoisan
    He was at my brother's high school graduation in Salem in 1981. I remember him, but more than that the two secret service guys in the balcony over the fieldhouse who looked boared.
  • williampower
    Nelson, I too grew up in the 60's embracing Camelot, and to an even greater degree the promise of Bobby Kennedy. While I passed Ted Kennedy long ago on my inexorable politcal move to the right of center I continued to vote for Teddy and would have continued to do so as long as I had the opportunity to do so. I owed him for Jack and Bobby. He was the link to my past, my unbridled idealism, my passionate belief that we could indeed change the world for the better, if only we could come together and embrace the our fellow man. I admired him for not taking the same trip to the right as I had. He stuck to his principles and continued to fight for his belief in the perfectability of man.
  • theartist
    He was at my niece's Salem High School graduation giving a speech in 1981 and was in two of the Heritage days parades we used to have, once with his first wife Joan, probably in 1969 and the other time probably in the eighties.
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