Boston Common Walking Guide and Map

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Boston Common
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WELCOME
TO
BOSTON
Welcome to Boston, one of the oldest cities in
the United States. Boston is not only the
largest city in Massachusetts; it is the state
capital. Established in 1822, it was part of the
hubbub of America’s birth. Today, it stands as
an historical landmark and a memorial of
freedom.
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1. Blackstone
Memorial Tablet
The Blackstone Memorial Tablet is
like the cornerstone of any
important building.
The tablet
memorializes the
Starting from the Boston Common, located in
founding of the
the Boston National Historical Park, there is a
Boston Common in
2.5 mile red brick pathway that winds
1684 with an
through the city highlighting American
history in the making. The majority of the
inscription of a
historical sites revolve around the American
deposition of the
Revolution. Come walk Freedom Trail and
last survivors of the original
experience the birth of America as you visit
inhabitants. The inscription
such sites as the State House, the Boston
Massacre Site, the Old State House, Paul
declares that the lawful owners of
Revere’s House, the U.S.S. Constitution, and the Common are the people of
finally the Bunker Hill Monument.
Boston. It reads that in 1634 John
Winthrop and his Puritan settlers
While in Boston, be sure to experience its
purchased this "Common" area
unique culture. Boston has a variety of
museums including the Museum of Fine
from Reverend William Blackstone
Arts, the Isabella Stewart Garden Museum,
for cattle feeding and training.
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registered on the National Historic
Landmark as the oldest subway
line in the US.
3. Lafayette Monument
The Lafayette Monument was
placed in Parkman Plaza in 1924.
The sculptor, John Francis
Paramino, designed the
monument, which was forged by
the Gorham Manufacturing
Company. It was created to
memorialize Marie-Joseph Paul
Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier,
known simply as Marquis de
Lafayette, who served as a MajorGeneral under George Washington
in the Revolutionary War at the
age of 19. He is credited with
negotiating an alliance with the
Oneida tribe against the British,
gaining the commitment of French
the Museum of Science, and especially for the
kids, the Boston Children’s Museum. The
troops, and playing a significant
New England Aquarium and the Franklin
2. Park Street Subway role in the defeat of General
Park Zoo are also two great places to visit
Cornwallis at the Siege of
Station
with the family.
The Park Street Subway Station is Yorktown. Lafayette was an avid
opponent of slavery and friend to
Continue experiencing Boston’s unique
the oldest of two original stations
culture through the performing arts including
the cause of liberty, and he
on the United States' oldest
the Colonial Theater, the Boston Opera
subway system. The continued these struggles as a
House, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the
decorated officer in
Culter Majestic Theater, and the Boston
Park Street Subway
the French
Ballet.
Station was built in
Revolution. He
1897 along with the
Boston accommodates all tourists and
returned to the US
Boylston Street Station. The Park
visitors. There are many different affordable
several times and
Street Subway Station (MBTA or
lodging choices whether looking for a
was granted
campground, bed and breakfast, resort or
"T" station) is serviced by the Red
hotel, Boston has them all.
honorary
and Green lines. When the Park
citizenship. George Washington
Street Station first opened it was
Enjoy Boston! We are glad you are here!
Lafayette, his son, buried him in
serviced by a horse-drawn
Paris on May 20, 1834.
underground rail line to the
- CityWalkingGuide
Boylston Street Station called the
Tremont Street Subway. Today, the
Tremont Street Subway is
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4. Brewer Fountain
Standing at the corner of Park and
Tremont Streets, the Boston
Common is home to the historic
Brewer Fountain. This majestic
work of art is the only surviving
copy of the fountain designed by
French artist Lienard for the 1855
World Exposition in Paris.
Featuring images of Neptune,
Galatea, Amphitrite and Acis
reclining as quiet sentinels, this
bronze work of art stands 22 feet
tall and weighs over 15,000
pounds. Placed at its current
location in 1868,
Brewer Fountain
was fully
operational for 135
years until it fell
into disrepair and
stopped working in
2003. The fountain sat quiet until
2009 when major repairs were
undertaken by sculpture
conservator Joshua Craine of
Daedalus, Inc.. One year and
$640,000 later, the once again
operational and always beautiful
Brewer Fountain was returned to
its place of honor, and rededicated
on May 26, 2010.
5. Commodore John
Barry Monument
Displayed at Boston Common at
the corner of Tremont Street and
Temple Place, is the Commodore
John Barry Monument. Designed
by artist John Francis Paramino,
this monument displays a likeness
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of Commodore John Barry, an
officer in the Continental Navy
during the American
Revolutionary War
who commanded 3
ships, including the
Alliance, which
won the final naval
battle of the war.
After the war,
Commodore Barry was appointed
by President George Washington
to organize and command the first
U.S. Navy in 1794, and is
commonly recognized as the
"Father of American Navy."
Sculpted in granite, the
Commodore John Barry
Monument as displayed today in
Boston Common, is a copy of the
bronze original. The original
monument, stolen in 1977 and
later recovered, now stands on
display in the U.S.S. Constitutional
Museum located in nearby
Charlestown.
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tour. Boston’s Freedom Trail
Foundation is the official nonprofit organization charged with
preserving America’s first historic
walking tour. The Freedom Trail
Information Center directs
participants to
follow the red
painted line that
connects the sites
along the 2.5 mile
walking trail. The
tour typically can
last two to three
hours, although many visitors
make a day of it, breaking for
refreshment at one of Boston’s fine
restaurants.
7. Parkman Plaza
Parkman Plaza was named after
Dr. George Parker Jr. who, upon
his death in 1908, donated $5
million for the preservation of
Boston Common and other city
parks. Located on Tremont street,
6. Freedom Trail
Parkman Plaza marks the
beginning of the Boston Freedom
Information Center
Trail. The plaza's Visitor Center
Located at 148 Tremont Street in
provides free maps for following
the Boston Common area of
the historic walking
Boston, the Freedom Trail
tour of Boston and a
Information Center offers
red line painted on
information about exploring the
the ground marks
Freedom Trail, which leads visitors
the trail. In 1961,
to sixteen historic sites covering
three statues were
American history from past to
dedicated to
present. Unofficial guided tours
Parkman Plaza,
are available, some of which use
meant to depict three traits of
trolleys to take riders to selected
Freedom Trail stops. However, by Bostonian life. The statues create a
far the most popular option is the semi circle around the plaza. On
self-guided Freedom Trail walking the south side of the plaza, a statue
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of a young boy on his knees,
hands lifted to heaven depict
Boston's religious roots. The west
side has a statue of a man drilling
for industry. The north side is
labeled learning shows a young
boy sitting on top of a globe,
reading a book.
8. Declaration of
Independence Plaque
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stunning granite and bronze
Boston Massacre Memorial,
dedicated to the five victims of
March 5, 1770, when British
soldiers shot and killed five
Bostonians. Created in 1988 by
Robert Adolf Krauss, the bronze
sculptured figure of Revolution
soars magnificently beneath the
names of the victims. Bedecked in
symbols of liberty, she clutches a
broken chain in her upraised fist,
proudly proclaiming freedom
from tyranny. An American eagle
prepares to take flight beside her
as she crushes a British crown
beneath her foot. The lower
section of the Boston Massacre
Memorial is a beautifully rendered
bronze bas relief rendition of the
famous engraving by Paul Revere
depicting this event. Of note is the
rubbed-away hand of one of the
victims; perhaps his ghostly
handshake is considered good
luck.
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Charles was an early American
poet and Samuel was a part of the
Boston Tea Party and a soldier in
the Revolutionary war. Countless
British soldiers that met their
demise from contracting disease
during the Siege of Boston or at
Bunker Hill were buried here as
well.
11. Parkman Bandstand
The Parkman Bandstand is the
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of
second monument in Boston
happiness are considered to be
Common dedicated to Dr. George
central tenets of American society,
Parkman Jr., benefactor who
but the Declaration of
donated $5 million to the
Independence initially created the
preservation of Boston's parks.
remarkable phrase. The opening
Parkman Bandstand is located on
sentence is frequently overlooked,
the eastern side of Boston
but life, liberty, and the pursuit of
Common. It was erected in 1912
happiness have often caught the
and restored as recently as 1996.
attention of other governments
Today, Parkman Bandstand is used
and common citizens. The
as a gathering point, a social
Declaration of Independence
venue, and a spot for political
plaque on the Boston Common
rallies. In 2007, Barack Obama
shows the Founding Fathers at
spoke from Parkman Bandstand
work on the document.
during a presidential primary.
10. Central Burying
Annually, the Boston Freedom
Ground
The Declaration of Independence
Rally is held at Parkman
Established in 1756, the Central
plaque took stylistic cues from
Bandstand, the second largest rally
Burial Ground has provided many calling for the reform of marijuana
John Trumbull's mural in the
notable early Americans with a
Capitol Building's Rotunda in
laws in the United States. The
peaceful place for their final rest.
Washington D.C. The plaque
Commonwealth Shakespeare
depicts a scene from July 4th, 1776, Tombstones of people such as the Company puts on free plays from
but the piece was not installed on famous artist Gilbert Stuart, who
Parkman Bandstand, drawing as
is most recognized for painting
the Boston Common until 1925.
many as 100,000
portraits of George
theater-lovers into
and Martha
9. Boston Massacre
the park every
Washington, can be
summer.
Memorial
found here. The
Less than a half mile from the
father and son duo
small circle of stones marking the of Samuel Sprague and Charles
site of the actual event is the
Sprague were also laid to rest here.
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Charles River from the Common
to march towards Lexington and
The Flagstaff is a central part of
Concord. After those battles,
Boston Common. In fact, the top of
George Washington
the Flagstaff Hill is the highest
laid siege to Boston.
point of the
Fox Hill was
Common and is the
fortified during the
only hill mentioned
siege.
in the historical
documents
In the book, A
concerning the Common. In 1837,
Topographical and
it is rumored that a 37 foot
Historical Description of Boston,
flagpole was fashioned from a
Part 1, published in 1872, author
single tree and mounted on the top Nathaniel Bradstreet Shurtleff
of the Flagstaff Hill, known
describes Fox Hill, as it was in
previously as Powder Horn Hill.
1859: “This hill was not very large,
In 1866, the flagpole was moved to being about twenty feet in height
the nearby Parkman Bandstand
and fifty feet in diameter, and was
where the American flag still
almost surrounded by water, being
waves proudly.
on the edge of the
part of Charles
13. Papal Mass Plaque
River generally
known as the Back
On October 1st, 1979, on the 350th
Bay.” Erected in 1925, the Fox Hill
anniversary of the founding of
Plaque commemorates one of the
Boston, over 400,000 stood under
the rain in the grassy, western part sites where the Revolutionary War
began.
of the park to hear the Pope John
Paul II's mass. This was John Paul
II's first visit to the United States
15. Royal Navy Plaque
and the very first mass he ever
The Royal Navy Plaque was
offered in America. In 1981, the
erected in 1945 by the British
people of Boston dedicated the
Royal Navy as a display of their
Papal Mass Plaque in celebration
gratitude to the people of the city
of this historic event.
of Boston. The residents of the city
12. The Flagstaff
14. Fox Hill Plaque
Among the historic markers in the
Boston Common area is the Fox
Hill Plaque, originally placed on
one of the southern pillars of the
Charles Street entrance of the
Boston Common. On April 18,
1773, the British crossed the
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Mall. It was constructed in 1824
and parallels the original colonial
shoreline. It was renamed in the
mid 20th century to honor General
Douglas MacArthur.
17. Carty Parade
Ground
Named for Thomas
Carty, a member of
the Ancient and
Honorable Artillery
Company, Carty
Parade Ground was
established in 1852,
but the area has a
much longer history. Boston
Common, of which the parade
ground is one small part, dates
back to 1634 and was the scene of
many famous events of the
American Revolutionary war. The
site of the current Carty Parade
Ground was then a British camp
where thousands of soldiers were
quartered.
18. Charles Street
Entrance
The Charles Street entrance at the
Boston Common, is the sole
survivor of the original four
of Boston displayed generous
entrances. Designed in 1846 by the
hospitality and friendship to the
famous architect
thousands of British Sailors during
Richard Upjohn,
the World War II.
who is most well
known for
designing Trinity
16. MacArthur Mall
Church in New York, and erected
The MacArthur Mall was
in 1836, these five gates were
originally called the Charles Street
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connected by a decorative
ironwork fence.
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inviting John Winthrop and his
party to the Shawmut peninsula.
Winthrop's ship, The Arabella, is
Of the original five gates, four
floating in the background. Ann
were torn down during World War Pollard is one of several onlookers
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in the background,
effort. Ironically, it was only after
having been the
they had been disassembled that
first white woman
they were found to be cast iron,
to settle in Boston.
not wrought iron as expected, and
Although she has
were useless for their intended
been depicted by
purpose. It is rumored that these
Paramino as a child, she was fully
four gates were then disposed of
grown when settling in Boston.
in Boston Harbor, though it has
never been proven. In 1976 a
On the right side of the bas relief is
replacement fence was installed
a woman and a soldier who
and today, Charles Street Gate
together represent the growth and
remains a silent sentinel to the
future strength of the city. The
park entrance, a
large frame atop which this bas
timeless historical
relief is perched was designed by
icon.
Charles A. Coolidge. Because there
19. Beacon
Street Mall
The Beacon Street Mall was
constructed in 1815 and remains
the best preserved of the five
original malls. The Beacon Street
Mall retains its original layout and
trees and offers visitors a glimpse
as to what the 19th century Boston
Common once looked like.
are no existing depictions of
Blackstone, the model for
Blackstone was Mayor Curely.
21. Oneida Football
Plaque
The Oneida Football Plaque
commemorates the first organized
football team in the United States.
Gerritt Smith Miller decided to
create a football team with a few
rules in 1862. After graduating
20. Founders Memorial from Epes Sargent Dixwell Latin
School, Miller formed the Oneida
Erected in 1930, The Founders
Memorial in Boston Common was Football Club. They played the
"Boston game" version of football
designed by sculptor John F.
and completed against other
Paramino to commemorate the
secondary school and pickup
300th anniversary of Boston's
teams on the Boston Common.
settlement. It depicts William
This early version of football was
Blackstone, an Anglican minister
and Boston's first English resident, simple and very rough. One team
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had to prevent another from
crossing its team line on the
opposite side of a field with a ball.
Miller's efforts were
commemorated by the granite
Oneida Football Plaque on the
Boston Common in 1925. His team
was one of
champions. The
plaque notes that
no other team
crossed the Oneida
team line for four
years of play.
Football evolved to its present
form with more rules and
regulations shaped by Ivy League
colleges.
22. Frog Pond
The Frog Pond offers seasonal
activities that are enjoyable for
groups of all ages. During the
warm season, the pond allows for
reflection, wading and spray
pools, a carousel and outdoor
exercise classes. As winter
approaches, however, the Frog
Pond is transformed into a
beautiful ice skating rink that is
home to skating
teams, school field
trips and general
admission. In
between enjoyment
of the variety of
activities at the pond, The Pond
Cafe is a local market-friendly
restaurant with a seasonal menu
with many healthy products. After
a fun day of ice skating,
swimming or simply relaxing by
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fountain, merchandise is always
available to help
remember the visit.
The whole family
can enjoy the pond
at any time of year.
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already a mature tree in 1722,
when Colonists first settled in the
area. Lanterns once adorned its
branches to symbolize liberty.
Criminals were hanged from its
limbs as well. The elm tree came
under fire from George
Washington’s army during the
23. Soldiers and Sailors Siege of Boston. In the War of 1812,
Monument
defending American troops set up
camp around it. A custom of
The Soldiers and Sailors
hanging and burning effigies from
Monument, on Flag Staff Hill in
the Boston Common, is dedicated the tree left scars upon its massive
to the Massachusetts soldiers and branches. Known as Boston’s
Oldest Inhabitant, the tree became
sailors who died in the Civil War.
a popular tourist attraction in the
It is in the style of a victory
1800s. In 1876, the old tree was
column and stands 126 feet tall.
destroyed by gale force winds. A
Four bronze bas-relief tablets,
plaque now sits at the Great Elm
which depict different aspects of
Site, commemorating the tree’s
involvement in the war, are
striking features of the monument. place in history.
Carved granite figures represent
the four directional sections of the
25. Oliver Wendell
reunited nation. The magnificent
female figure called America, who Holmes Path
stands atop the monument, is
Meandering through Boston
crowned by thirteen stars. The
Common like stepping-stones into
Soldiers and Sailors Monument
history is the Oliver Wendell
was such an inspirational piece,
Holmes Path. Starting at Joy Street
representing those Massachusetts and crossing Boston Common to
citizens who died in the service of run parallel to Tremont Street, the
the nation, that nearly 25,000
path is named because it is
people attended its dedication in
believed to have provided
1877.
inspiration for the work by Oliver
Wendell Holmes, "My Last Walk
With The Schoolmistress" where
24. Great Elm Site
he wrote of a "long path" in the
Located in the Boston Common,
common. The writing itself
the Great Elm Site marks the place provided an image of marriage
where an old elm tree stood for
being a "long path" that he asked
centuries, a silent witness to
his partner to walk with him and it
historic events. Standing six to
is believed to have been a favorite
seven stories high, the elm was
walk for the poet.
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Today, the Oliver Wendell Holmes
Path provides stepping-stones into
history as it carries visitors today
past many points of historical
interest within the Common itself.
26. Guild Steps
The beautiful and ornate Guild
Steps were built as an entrance to
the Boston Commons in 1917.
They were dedicated in honor of
Curtis Guild Jr. who was a three
time Governor of the state of
Massachusetts and ambassador to
Russia. Curtis Guild Jr. was known
for supporting laws that would
support the working conditions
for women and children. The iron
railing was later restored in the
year 1978. A stone pillar that flanks
the Beacon St. side of the gate
holds a bust of Curtis Guild Jr.
himself; across from him appears a
seal of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts. The Guild Steps
hold a wealth of history within its
granite and cast iron, years of
history within every step.
27. Shaw Memorial
A brilliant bronze statue
commemorating Robert Gould
Shaw and the 54th Massachusetts
Volunteer Regiment. During the
Civil War, the Massachusetts 54th
was one of the first official black
units to be organized. The Shaw
Memorial is located directly across
for the State House. Famous
sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens
created this magnificent tribute to
this unit of free black soldiers, the
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