Belmont is home to some notable people who have had significant influence in the American culture. Here are the top 5 famous people from Belmont, MA.
Frederic Law Olmstead
Popularly known as the father of American landscape architecture, Frederic Law Olmstead took up residence at the famous McLean Hospital in Belmont, MA after retiring from his profession. He was born in Hartford, Connecticut but is greatly revered as a Belmont resident. Olmstead is known for designing famous urban parks in the United States with the help of his strong partner Calvert Vaux. He designed the first municipal park in America; the Elm Park in Worcester, Massachusetts. Other parks that are credited to Olmstead include Central Park in New York City and Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.
Mitt Romney
Top of the list of notable people in Belmont is none other than the Republican Party’s nominee for President of the US in the 2012 countrywide election, Mitt Romney. Although Mitt was born in Detroit, Michigan, he is considered a Belmont resident since it is here that he built a home with his wife Ann Romney and their five kids. Mitt is also famous for being the 70th Governor of Massachusetts (2003-2007). He is a career politician who almost became the 45th president of the United States after the 2012 contest against Barack Obama.
Bruce Mather
A local legend and ice-hockey hall of famer, Bruce Mather was born and bred in Belmont, MA, a place where he learned his playing skills before making it to the United States ice hockey national team. He was part of the 1948 Winter Olympics US ice hockey national team that participated in the controversial tournament where the US team was not eligible to win any medals. Bruce played in all the US games of the 1948 tournament scored remarkable five goals against the Austrian team. He died in 1975 but left a name that will forever be imbued in the hearts of Belmont locals.
Henry Kissinger
Nobel Peace Prize winner Henry Kissinger is another famous person associated with Belmont, MA. Although born in Germany, Kissinger has been at the forefront in advancing United States’ interest in the global scene. He was the United States Secretary of State and National Security Adviser for a long period in the 70’s. He has a home in Belmont where he lives with his spouse and family. Kissinger was offered the 1973 Nobel Peace Prize for his effort on the Paris Peace Accords that resulted in the withdrawal of US forces in the Vietnam War. The award was jointly awarded to Kissinger and Le Duc Tho, a Vietnamese General who became one of the first people to decline a Nobel Peace Award.
Bill Lee
Also known as Spaceman, Bill Lee is a former baseball pitcher who played for the Boston Red Sox and the Montreal Expos in his heydays. His name has been etched in the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame and is widely remembered as the left-handed pitcher who helped them win lots of matches. Lee is also an author of several books that are mostly about his experience playing baseball. He was born in Burbank, California but is a resident of Belmont. He is one of the well-known people in the area.
Lastly, it is important to realize that there are thousands other famous people from Belmont, MA that did not make it to this list. People like preacher Daniel Butler and Sheriff John Buckley are perfect examples of famous Belmont residents who did not make it to this list but are worth mentioning.