Elizabeth Warren came to Chelsea, again, recently. She appeared at a political time given in her behalf by noted local writer Luke Salisbury and his wife Barbara – who served as the state’s budget chief under Governor Michael Dukakis many years ago.
Warren is running against Republican Senator Scott Brown who achieved an extraordinary political victory in 2010 to succeed the late Senator Ted Kennedy.
Warren’s appearance here was her second in one month. She had earlier campaigned at Tito’s Bakery on Broadway, meeting residents and shaking hands with public officials.
The Salisbury’s affair for Warren was a different setting – a slice of Chelsea not seen or much understood by many of those residing outside the city who hold preconceived notions about the place.
About 70 people, including Chelsea City Manager Jay Ash, attended the affair in Salisbury’s turn of the century mansion which they have restored meticulously during nearly 35 years of living there.
The imposing wooden gabled center entrance home with fabulous views of the rising Boston skyline in the near distance is located on Washington Avenue, along the city stairs that climb up the side of Powderhorn Hill. It was a wonderful venue for Warren and especially for those who came to meet her.
“I am very pleased to be here and to meet so many residents of Chelsea who are curious about who I am and what I stand for,” Warren told the Chelsea Record.
“I am very lucky to have met and spoken with the Salisburys,” she added. “They are wonderful people and I thank them for having me.”
One by one nearly every person coming into the Salisbury’s spacious, high ceiling and oak wood paneled hallway stopped to greet Warren before roaming about the grand home noted largely for four reasons: its fabulous pillared kitchen with dramatic lighting and cooking accoutrement; for Luke Salisbury’s extraordinary collection of fine books, unparalleled in this city’s modern history, and a personal library containing the world’s greatest literary works; for its magnificent oak staircase, brilliant framed prints and old documents hanging on the walls throughout and for the sheer size and mass of the stately home which is decorated par excellence.
Warren was, of course, stunned by the setting – and so too were many of those Chelsea residents who attended the event.
In the spacious wood paneled dining room an array of fine foods set the tone for the evening, which went on for about 2 hours with Warren making brief remarks to the assembled crowd.
“I am tired of the Republicans. I want change. Elizabeth Warren will be all about change,” Barbara Salisbury told the Record.
For Warren, it was an event to remember.
For the Salisbury’s, it was just another night in their Chelsea home with friends.