Growing Up In Lower Mills

Dorchester: Lower Mills and Pope's Hill

My childhood home

By: Gregory Skillin

I was born and raised in the Lower Mill's section of Dorchester but currently I live in the Pope's Hill neighborhood which is also in Dorchester. I, along with my three brothers and one sister, were raised in a home that was built by my grandfather, who was a Boston firefighter. 

Andrew Canning March 29, 1955

While removing wallpaper we discovered that my grandfather had signed the wall to mark the date that the house was completed.

St. Gregory's

At the time that I was growing up in Dorchester the neighborhoods were broken up into which parish you belonged to. Essentially it was which church you attended. There was St. Brendan's, St. Mark's, St. Anne's and St. Gregory's to name a few. St. Gregory's was the church I attended and it is located in the heart of Lower Mills. 

Neponset River at the Baker Chocolate Factory

Lower Mills sits along the Neponset River and is the final neighborhood before you cross over into Milton. It was where the Walter Baker Chocolate Factory was located, which was the first chocolate factory in America. Along the edge of Lower Mills sits the Cedar Grove Cemetery which is the only cemetery in the United States that has a trolley running through it. Lower Mills is also the home of the current mayor of Boston, Marty Walsh.

View from Pope's Hill

Lower Mills is the type of neighborhood where the residents look out for one another and will support each other in any way they can. When my wife and I were looking for a place to start a family we wanted to find a neighborhood that had the same values as Lower Mills. We were fortunate enough to find a great home in the Pope's Hill section of Dorchester. Pope's Hill is a family friendly neighborhood that boasts stunning city views, great parks, and is a short walk to vibrant restaurants and shops. I am very proud to call Pope's Hill my new home.