Boston Common and Public Garden
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Boston Common and Public Garden | |
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| Location | Boston, Massachusetts |
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| Coordinates | 42°21′16.2″N 71°4′6.7″W / 42.354500°N 71.068528°W |
| Area | 74 acres (30 ha) |
| Built | 1634 |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000144[1] |
| Added to NRHP | July 12, 1972 |
The Boston Common and Public Garden are a pair of public parks in Boston, Massachusetts. Boston Common, established 1634, is one of the oldest public spaces in the nation, and the adjacent Boston Public Garden is a more manicured garden space which was established in 1837 on marshland that was filled in. The two were listed as a single entry on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, recognizing them as an important combination of municipal public spaces developed over more than three centuries.[1] In 1987, the two were listed on the National Register separately,[1] and each was also designated as a National Historic Landmark.[2][3] The Boston Common, located east of the Public Garden, is separated from it by Charles Street.
History
[edit]The Boston Common, established in 1634, is considered to be the oldest municipal public park in the nation. It original purpose was, as its name implies, used for common pasturage, as well as for other activities requiring large open space, such as militia training. From an early date it also served as a public space for passive recreation, with residents promenading on the property and using the Frog Pond for swimming and skating. A portion of the Common was taken in 1756 to establish the Central Burying Ground. To the Common's west was a marshland, part of which was used for ropemaking in 1794. This land was acquired by the town in 1824, but its development as a horticultural space did not begin until 1839.[4]
Since then, the parks have been developed for recreational and aesthetic purposes, with the Common featuring larger open spaces that facilitate social and political gatherings, and the Public Garden providing a more manicured landscape for promenading. Both parks have been adorned with substantial public art, including examples by Augustus Saint Gaudens, Daniel Chester French, and others.[4]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
- ^ "Boston Common". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on 2015-02-03. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
- ^ "Boston Public Gardens". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on 2012-09-29. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
- ^ a b "NRHP nomination for Boston Common and Public Garden". Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved 2024-12-17.
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