The Boston Main Street Foundation and Greater Grove Hall Main Streets are working to develop an app that highlights the over 100 historic points of interest between Grove Hall in Dorchester and Dudley Square in Roxbury. This app will help connect residents to the rich history of Grove Hall dating back to the 1700s Colonial period to the present that includes the history of Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X and that has been influenced by many ethnic groups including: Native American, English, Irish, European Jewish, and African-American among many others. The Grove Hall section of Boston is one of the most diverse in the city.

 

“This project will help steward Roxbury’s rich history, provide information on local points of interests, build infrastructure and create a new asset that will benefit local businesses, residents, tourists and school children. In addition to self-guided tours the mobile app will be a tool enabling school field trips, family and social group outings, attract tourists and unlock history which is a source of pride for residents, said Ed Gaskin, Executive Director, Greater Grove Hall Main Streets.

“This is an opportunity to help residents and visitors explore new neighborhoods while showcasing the unique historical elements of the Grove Hall neighborhood,” said Joel Sklar, Board Chair of the Boston Main Streets Foundation. “It’s our hope that the app will not only offer an educational and inspirational walking experience through the Roxbury and Dorchester cultural districts, but also drive more traffic to the small businesses along the Main Streets.”

The purpose of the trail is to:

Improve the economic vitality of Grove Hall and Dudley Square by improving the foot traffic for businesses by attracting tourists to the area and enhancing their visitor experience.

Help with historic preservation and bringing history alive by celebrating and building on the cultural assets of the community; expressing the important, unique and underrepresented heritage and unearth what is important in cultural expression to the community. The trail will improve Greater Boston’s understanding of the history, heritage, arts and culture of the great neighborhood of Roxbury; “There is a real need to make visible the history and heritage of Roxbury to a wider audience,” according to Gaskin.

If the campaign reaches its crowdfunding goal of $5,000 by June 30th, 2018, at midnight, the project will win a matching grant with funds from Boston Main Streets Foundation. Learn more and donate patronicity.com/Roxbury_Dorchester_trail

The Boston Main Streets Foundation is committed to making Boston’s neighborhood commercial districts thriving, vibrant centers of commerce and community through its support of the Boston Main Streets program. By developing long-term strategies to increase the economic power and resources of neighborhood commercial districts, the Foundation invests in creative initiatives that build knowledge and capacity for local Main Streets programs and the businesses they serve. Raising corporate, private, public, and foundation support and awareness, the Foundation develops renewable income streams for local Boston Main Streets organizations and provide funding opportunities to each of Boston’s 20 Main Streets districts.