Pictorical Historic Record of Development Along the Charles River - Massachusetts Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

No words are on the plaques (except the official one for the Army Corps of Engineers). The following describes the features on each plaque:

#1 [This plaque shows the river meandering through a wooded landscape flowing from right to left. A tributary joins the river about the center of the plaque, while the river widens likely to the harbor on the left. A Native American village is in the upper left corner of the plaque on the shore of the river, with people doing various tasks. Upstream, a V-shaped stone dam-like structure has been placed in the river, and one person is in the water with a pole, while another waits on shore. A commorant sits on a rock and spreading his wings in the lower left corner.]

This is the most detailed of the plaques. If you see more on this or any plaque, please put it in your log.

#2 [The next one shows Boston in the early years. In the upper right hand corner, the three hills of Boston are intact, across the Charles River, with buildings at the base of these hills. Ships are visible in the harbor. A bridge connects Boston with the Charlestown-Cambridge side. A man sits one of the hills (I'm guessing Breeds and Bunker Hills) and is looking over the scene, in the lower right corner.]

#3 [The next one shows a close up view of activity to move earth from the hills. Horizontally, at the middle of the plaque is a line of five gondola-type rail cars on rails, three of them filled (heaping), and two to the left, empty. A steam shovel is behind them. Men are standing in the shovel and in front of the rail cars, posing.]

#4 [The next shows a well developed river bank, with docks extending from the buildings onto a choppy river. A man stands on a dock. The buildings are several stories tall and probably brick.]

#5 [The next shows a network of railroad lines, probably the yards that were in Charlestown just on the other side of the river from North Station (remnants are still there, today). The branching and merging tracks dominate the space on the plaque with the river running up the right side, and industrial buildings in the upper left side. Near the horizon, a bridge crosses the river. Near the center-bottom of the plaque, two men are working on a switch.]

#6 [The next plaque shows a road along the river, with horse drawn carriages going both ways. (I'm not sure if this is on the Cambridge or Boston side).]

#7 [The next plaque shows a beach with people wading in the river on the near shore, and a large tank and several industrial buildings on the other side. (Again, I don't know if the near side is Cambridge or Boston, but I suspect that the tank may be the tank of the infamous Great Molasses Flood).]

#8 [The next shows the first Charles River Dam, which is where the Museum of Science is now located. In the background is the viaduct that supports the Green Line Trolley. In the foreground, there is a bridge over a canal (probably the present waterway to the Cambridge Galleria). Several small boats are in the water. A boathouse is pictured. Other buildings and a park are shown, as well as an industrial building on the far left side.]

#9 [The next one is an arial shot of the Charles River new dam, Boston's North End, and the edge of Charlestown. The highway is clearly visible crossing the river (the old bridge before the cable-stayed bridge that is there now). Cars are visible on the main roads.]

#10 The last one is the credits. The top half is as follows: "Charles River Dam. Charles River Flood Control. 1972 [Castle Logo] 1978. Constructed by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New England Division." The rest are various names and titles.

Agency Responsible for Placement: Other (Place below) Agency Responsible for Placement (if not in list above): U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Year Placed: 1978 County: Suffolk City/Town Name: Boston Relevant Web Site: Not listed

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