There is much more to Lynn than sin and gin

By Sharon Oliver
Contributing Writer

LYNN – Boston area residents know or at least know of the notorious nursery rhyme/song “Lynn, Lynn City of Sin.” It’s humorous to many, pesky to some, especially people from Lynn, a city of 103,000 residents less than four miles north of Boston that was founded in 1629.

“Trot, trot to Boston. Trot, trot to Lynn! Be careful when ya get there, Ya don’t fall in!

Lynn, Lynn the city of sin. You never come out, the way you came in,

You ask for water, but they give you gin. The girls say no, yet they always give in.

If you’re not bad, they won’t let you in It’s the damndest city I’ve ever lived in.

Lynn, Lynn the city of sin. You never come out, the way you came in.”

Reputation from Prohibition era
The rhyme originated many decades ago at a time when Lynn was also known for its bootleg gin during Prohibition. Surprisingly, the song and the seaport city’s reputation made its way across the country as noted by people like John Nollet, who wrote on Facebook, “I heard the ‘Lynn, Lynn, City of Sin …’ poetry back in 1984 in San Francisco … my cab driver from the airport was from Massachusetts originally and said he was surprised that people here knew the lines … I thought ‘WOW’ we are famous … I love Lynn … been here since I was 5 and love the “Melting Pot” that it is … people say bad things about the city. It’s usually people who avoid it … I’d just say I’m glad that my mind is not that closed … Yea Lynn, Lynn City of sin…”

With a “rum row” having existed off the coast, speakeasies and bootlegging were common. Nevertheless, times do change and Lynn, like any other city in the United States has gone through transformations since its settlement in Massachusetts. Being a “City of Firsts,” Lynn boasts having the first streetcar to operate in the state, constructed the first fire engine and was a massive manufacturer of shoes. 

It was also the home to notable people such as Academy Award winning actress Estelle Parsons, actor Neil Hamilton (“Batman’s Commissioner Gordon), “Wheel of Fortune’s” original hostess Susan Stafford and “60 Minutes” journalist Lesley Stahl. Singer-songwriter Don White also paid homage to his native city with his 1995 song “I’m from Lynn, What Can I Say.”  White good-naturedly lampoons various aspects of Lynn, rhapsodizing about its plethora of sub shops and juvenile delinquents running amok. But the more upscale North Shore towns of Nahant, Swampscott, and Marblehead don’t escape his razor wit either. 

In 1997, city solicitor Michael Barry proposed renaming the city to Ocean Park in an effort to rebrand Lynn’s reputation of negative connotations. Voters objected and there was even another little ditty written to memorialize the new name.

Peter McCarty remembers well on Facebook, “Howie Carr blasted it in the Herald. ‘Ocean Park, Ocean Park. Don’t go there after dark. If Noah lived here he’d build another Ark.’ He also went on to ask how come all the houses in Lynn real estate seem to be on the Swampscott line, etc…”

Vibrant culture and cuisine
Lynn does have a vibrant culture. In 1850, the first hiking club in New England – the Lynn Exploring Circle – was established and Lynn was among the first in the nation to set aside a large portion of land for parks and green space. The Lynn Woods Reservation is the second largest municipal park in the United States and the High Rock Tower Observatory is an iconic Lynn landmark.

The city is also known for its beautiful beaches and wide range of cuisine. Lynn Beach is a popular spot for sunbathing, swimming, and leisurely walks along the shoreline. Kings Beach is known for its tide pools and rock formations. Foodies can experience everything from Italian to Dominican to Thai, with a few waterfront restaurants worth checking out.

“Lynn, Lynn the city of sin. You never come out, the way you came in” may have a different meaning these days with so much to see and explore.

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