Massachusetts has, among others, an official state cat as a mascot – the tabby. This was granted after the wishes of local schoolchildren in 1988.

Mother Goose existed, and is buried in Boston. Real name Mary, 'Mother' Goose composed hundreds of nursery rhymes for her grandchildren, and died in 1690 aged 42. Her grave is in the Old Granary cemetery on Tremont Street.

Edgar Allen Poe, who was born in Boston, returned at the aged of 18 and published his first book – Tamerlane and Other Poems, under the nom-de-plume, 'A Bostonian'. It failed to sell and went unnoticed.