Boston Bricks - Boston, MA - Smithsonian Art Inventory Sculptures on Waymarking.com

In Boston's downtown section is a brick lined alleyway that includes this sculpture of special bricks showing scenes and symbols of Boston history and culture.

The installation is located between Winthrop Square and Arch Street. The alleyway is about 12 ft wide and is open at both roads. The sculpture consists of many brass 'bricks' distributed all along the alley are are substituted for bricks. Each brick shows a distinctive scene/symbol depicting something from Boston history.

The Smithsonian inventory states that there were over 100 brick reliefs set into pavement (bricks?) Here are a few of them:

- an entire cod (or scrod)
- parts to an early telephone (like, well before there even was a dialer)
- a ballet shoe
- an oboe (in two parts)
- the "Boston Millstone"
- the front of a transistor radio
- keys on a ring
- part of the surface of the moon
- a baseball mitt
- the Old North Church spire

It also states that Winthrop Lane (previously Snow Lane) was restored in 1985, with support from the Browne Fund Commission.

There are many more bricks, as well.

See what you can see while you walk through.

TITLE: Boston Bricks ARTIST(S): Kate Burke, Gregg LeFevre, and CBT (fabricator) DATE: 1/1/1985 MEDIUM: Brass in brick CONTROL NUMBER: IAS 87740090 Direct Link to the Individual Listing in the Smithsonian Art Inventory: [Web Link] PHYSICAL LOCATION: Installed among bricks in an alleyway (Winthrop Lane) of Arch Street and Winthrop Square. DIFFERENCES NOTED BETWEEN THE INVENTORY LISTING AND YOUR OBSERVATIONS AND RESEARCH: Pieces are worn since they are embedded into the walkway where people will step on them.

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