Boston Harborwalk
| Boston Harborwalk | |
|---|---|
 Part of Harborwalk under Charlestown Bridge. | |
| Length | 46.9 mi (75.5 km) |
| Location | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Trailheads | Chelsea Creek, Neponset River |
| Use | Walking, bicycling, inline skating |
| Difficulty | easy |
| Season | year round |
| Sights | Boston Harbor |
| Hazards | follows edges of piers, some stairs |
| Website | www |
Boston Harborwalk is a public walkway that follows the edge of piers, wharves, beaches and shoreline around Boston Harbor. When fully completed it will extend a distance of 46.9 miles (75.5 km) from Chelsea Creek to the Neponset River,[1]
History
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Creation of the Harborwalk is a long-term cooperative project between the City of Boston, the Boston Redevelopment Authority, MassDEP, and the Boston Harbor Association to maintain a walkable waterfront in the city as public access areas. Since 1984, the project has established parks, walking paths, educational sites, transportation facilities, and other amenities along the harbor, stretching from East Boston to Dorchester. Sections of the Harborwalk are made possible by the provisions of Chapter 91 of the M.G.L. that protects the public’s rights and access to private and public Commonwealth tidelands.
Connections to other trails
The Harborwalk leads into other trails. They contribute[original research?] to Boston being one of the most walkable cities in the country.[2] They include:
- Freedom Trail
- Black Heritage Trail
- Rose Kennedy Greenway
- Walk to the Sea[3]
- Charles River Bike Paths
- Emerald Necklace
- Cambridge's African American Heritage Trail[4]
- the South Bay Harbor Trail (which includes Rolling Bridge Park, along Fort Point Channel)
- Miller's River Littoral Way in Charlestown from under the Zakim Bridge that follows to Rutherford Avenue[5]
Public art
Along many parts of the Harborwalk sculptural artwork is placed and serves as way finding landmarks. Playful fish sculpture benches by Judy Kensley McKie have been created for Eastport Park, South Boston;[6] sculptures by Tony Smith, Willem de Kooning, Luis Jimenez, Dennis Oppenheim, William Tucker, and Sol LeWitt are located on the University of Massachusetts Boston Campus on Columbia Point in Dorchester.[7] In South Boston between the Institute of Contemporary Art and the Federal Courthouse a series of artworks by Ross Miller evoke moments in the history of Fan Pier.[8] Memorial sculptures found along the Harborwalk include a Memorial to Robert Greene, Firefighter at Castle Island in South Boston;[9] a Korean War Memorial at Shipyard Park in the Charlestown Navy Yard.[10] A Native American Memorial is in development for Deer Island (Massachusetts).[11] In the North End's Langone Park is a memorial dedicated to the U.S. Maritime Service from the people of Boston.[12]
Historical exhibitions
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Along the Harborwalk are several indoor displays of historical materials that are available for view 24 hours a day. A selection from the archive of Norman B. Leventhal’s collection of Maps of Boston Harbor and Massachusetts Bay is located in the lobby of the Boston Harbor Hotel; and in the lobby of Building 114 at the Charlestown Navy Yard is an exhibition of boat models, photographs and boat building tools.
Notable attractions
- John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum - located in Dorchester on Columbia Point along the southern part of the trail.
- Massachusetts Archives - also located on Columbia Point, next door to the JFK Library. Home to such artifacts as the Massachusetts Constitution.
References
- ^ "Welcome! The Boston Harbor Association". Retrieved 2012-05-20.
- ^ "Boston Rentals, Apartments, and Neighborhoods on Walk Score". Walkscore.com. Retrieved 2012-05-20.
- ^ "Walk to the Sea". Walk to the Sea. Retrieved 2012-05-23.
- ^ "African American Heritage Trail Guidebook". .cambridgema.gov. Retrieved 2012-05-20.
- ^ "Miller's River Littoral Way". Rossmiller.com. 2011-12-16. Retrieved 2012-05-24.
- ^ "Art and Sculpture: South Boston: Eastport Park". Bostonharborwalk.com. Retrieved 2015-05-05.
- ^ "University of Massachusetts Boston - Arts on the Point". Retrieved 2013-05-27.
- ^ "Ross Miller Studio". Rossmiller.com. Retrieved 2015-05-05.
- ^ "Boston Fire Historical Society". Bostonfirehistory.org. Retrieved 2015-05-05.
- ^ [1] Archived 2008-08-20 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Deer Island Native American Memorial - Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area". Retrieved 2013-05-27.
- ^ "Merchant Marine Memorial". Publicartboston.com. Retrieved 2015-05-05.