Main Street, Hingham

You’ve got to figure that between goodwill tours and campaign junkets a first lady is bound see a lot of American Main Streets. So when Eleanor Roosevelt picked one upon which to slap the superlative “most beautiful,” chances are it’s something special. Take a stroll through the center of this historic ‘burb and see if you don’t agree.

Paul LeBlanc, owner of the Cracker Barrel general store, serves up hot popcorn. Photo by Amelia Kunhardt

Cost: $8.79 for popcorn, a sandwich and a soda

Time: 60 minutes

TAKE A NIBBLE

This is a lunch hour, so going the full length of Main Street is out. Instead, take a little sample. Grab a two-hour parking spot in front of the super-quaint Cracker Barrel general store at 613 Main St. You can shop there for the fuel you need for your stroll. While the offerings include everything from mac and cheese to slushies, the fresh popcorn is recommended for its portability, tastiness and $1 price tag. The friendly shopkeeper will even scoop it for you.

The High Street Cemetery on Main Street is a picturesque place of peace and quiet during a stroll down Main Street. Photo by Amelia Kunhardt

HIT THE ROAD

Whether you go right or left, you can’t go wrong, but for this quick trip, hang a left and head north. As the joggers and dog walkers and stroller pushers will tell you, this town is fortunate to have a Main Street with a sidewalk. It’s safe and a good vantage point for looking at the “beautiful” homes. It’s not hard to imagine what Mrs. Roosevelt found so appealing or what the town looked like in its earliest days. On this street, historic date boards are as common as mailboxes.

SERENITY NOW

While you’re thinking about those who came before, get a little more historical flavor by strolling through the grand granite and iron gates of the High Street Cemetery, which includes the lovely Whiting Memorial Chapel.

REFUEL AND RETURN

The Main Street Market and Deli, another general store abounding with old-time charm, is a good spot to about-face and head back. First, though, you might want to refuel with a chicken salad sandwich ($5.25) and soda ($1.54) that you can munch on a bench on the store’s big farmer’s porch.