# Leif Ericson in Massachusetts

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leif-ericson-in-massachusetts/106481>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [April 30, 2002, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leif-ericson-in-massachusetts/106481 "2002-04-30T15:35:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leif-ericson-in-massachusetts/106481/1 "2002-04-30T15:35:30Z")

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I don’t think the original report mentioned it:

[http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mleifinma.html](http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mleifinma.html)

but there’s a statue of ol’ Leif on “Charlesbank West” (actually, on the green strip of Commonwealth Avenue to the _west_ of Massachusetts Avenue – where there’s no jogging/bike path) standing in a rather stubby little Viking ship.

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**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leif-ericson-in-massachusetts/106481/2 "2002-04-30T16:18:15Z")

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I think that’s the same one I mentioned. I bookmarked a page with a lot of information about it, but the link doesn’t work any more. Try this one: [http://cartography.geog.uu.nl/eriksson/files/boston.html](http://cartography.geog.uu.nl/eriksson/files/boston.html)

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**Author:** ![Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/soul_brother_number_two/32/3515_2.png) [@Soul\_Brother\_Number\_Two](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul_Brother_Number_Two)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leif-ericson-in-massachusetts/106481/3 "2002-04-30T17:14:13Z")

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really good job, bibliophage. a very enjoyable read.

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**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\
**Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leif-ericson-in-massachusetts/106481/4 "2002-04-30T21:21:22Z")

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I hope I don’t tick off the master, but I thought the staff report had a lot more substance (read: answered the question) more than some canonical columns of late.

I wonder how long before I’m banned…

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**Author:** ![Connie\_Hirsch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b5e925/32.png) [@Connie\_Hirsch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Connie_Hirsch)\
**Post date:** [May 3, 2002, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/leif-ericson-in-massachusetts/106481/5 "2002-05-03T15:05:17Z")

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The Leif Erikson statue referenced above (thanks for the picture link) looks kinda effeminate for a reason – it was considered inappropriate for the female sculptor to have a man pose for her, so instead she got a woman friend to do the duty. So if you think that the mustache on the statue looks kind of pasted on… it is.