Not Simply The Birthplace of Gungian
Written: Jul 31 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Original site, well-preserved
Cons: On-street [metered] parking
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| gungian's Full Review: Massachusetts |
Fall River, Massachusetts is situated on the slopes rising from the Taunton River. Not surprisingly, the once flourishing mill town is not celebrated as the birthplace of Gungian. Rather, Fall River is more frequently associated with a more infamous resident.
We recently visited Fall River while in New England for a family wedding. Paging through the local paper we came upon an advertised tour of the Lizzie Borden House. The old children’s ditty came immediately to mind. You remember . . .
Lizzie Borden took an axe
And gave her mother forty whacks.
And when she saw what she had done,
She gave her father forty-one.
At any rate, we did take the tour and were minded of this sensational case. So lets embark on a four-legged Epinions journey through (1) Matters Of Fact, (2) The Scene Of The Crime, (3) Conjecture And Speculation, and (4) Our Experience. May you enjoy the trip and, please, don’t lose your head(s)!
Matters Of Fact:
Lizzie Andrew Borden was born in Fall River, Massachusetts on 19 July 1860. Some 32 years later, a crime occurred that will forever link the names of that lady and that city.
Lizzie, her father, step-mother, sister [Emma], and a live-in maid [Bridget Sullivan] resided in a single family house at 92 Second Street. Her father [Andrew J. Borden] and stepmother [Abbey Durfee Gray Borden] were slain on 04 August 1892. Each sustained numerous blows to the head from a sharp heavy instrument.
After an inquest and Grand Jury investigation, Lizzie was charged [on 3 counts] with both murders. On 20 June 1893 [at 3:24 PM] the jury of twelve farmers and tradesmen was given the case to deliberate. At 4:32 PM, a mere 68 minutes later, the jury returned with its verdict. Lizzie was found not guilty on all three counts.
Lizzie died of heart failure in Fall River on 01 June 1927 – just a few weeks shy of her 67th birthday.
The Scene Of The Crime:
Lizzie and her sister Emma moved shortly after her acquittal. They used 92 Second Street as rental property and finally sold the house in 1918. The site had a number of subsequent owners. The house has been extensively reworked and returned to a near 1892 condition. The Borden house is currently operated as a combination bed & breakfast and museum.
The Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast Museum [as it is now called] is located at the original site -- 92 Second Street in the heart of Fall River. All areas of the house are accessible with the exception of the attic. The print shop next-door hosts a small display of books, printed reports, small items of memorabilia, and a rather nondescript counter top touted as the “gift shop”. Details are available at http://www.lizzie-borden.com.
For those of you who cannot get to Fall River to visit the real thing, there is even “The Virtual Lizzie Borden House”. This site is not affiliated with the Fall River facility. You can take a cyber-tour at http://www.halfmoon.org/borden.
Conjecture And Speculation:
Some pundits compare the investigation and trial of Lizzie Borden to the more recent O.J. Simpson case. There have been numerous articles, books, and now web sites that claim to expose the “real story” behind these gruesome crimes. It seems that there are almost as many opinions as authors.
Did Lizzie do the deed(s)? Though acquitted of the murders in court – many still suspect that Lizzie was the perpetrator. Some noted sources include: Edwin Porter’s 1893 work “The Fall River Tragedy”, Edmund Pearson’s 1937 “The Trial Book of Lizzie Borden”, and Robert Sullivan’s 1974 “Goodbye Lizzie Borden”.
Did the maid, Bridget Sullivan, wield the axe? That is one claim put forth in Edward Radin’s 1961 “Lizzie Borden, The Untold Story”.
Did “the other sister”, Emma, strike the blows? That is the assertion of Frank Spiering in his 1984 book entitled “Lizzie”.
Our Experience:
Mrs. G and I drove down to 92 Second Street on a hot and steamy July day. [Come to think of it, the weather was very reminiscent of that August day almost 108 years before.] We parked on the street [feeding the very 20th century parking meter] and approached the front door shortly after noon. The admission was $7.50 per person. In return for our greenbacks we each received a single sheet of promotional literature notifying us that “tour guides will be informing you of the history and mystery of each room during your tour of the house where the most infamous crime of 19th century America took place.”
The small staff spelled each other for lunch and so we had the benefit of two different guides during our 45-minute tour. Both were pleasant, female, rather young, and a bit unimaginative. While they solicited questions, each seemed totally shaken when asked to deviate from the carefully memorized script. [Not surprising when you figure that their hourly wage would likely get them not much more than a large order of fries at the local fast food emporium.]
Still, it was a pleasant interlude and an interesting peek at life [or the loss of life] in a Massachusetts home near the turn of the last century. The next time you are in Fall River, 92 Second Street is probably worth a visit.
Mrs. G. and I have our differing suspicions about the crime. But, like any good juror, each of you will have to decide for yourself.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
gungian
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Location: Falls Church, Virginia
Reviews written: 222
Trusted by: 439 members
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10/16/06 - Life is hectic - but good! Write On!
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