Making Ground for Commonwealth Pier - Boston, MA - Massachusetts Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

In Boston's Seaport District, is the Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center, with a pair of signs at the archway with pictures of maps of Boston illustrating how the area has changed over time.

The sign is located at the upper level of the convention center, at the end of World Trade Center Avenue, a floor above Seaport Boulevard.

The signs are located on either side of the arch opening. They have the following text:

Sign 1:

"Making Ground For Commonwealth Pier

These maps illustrate how the land you are currently standing on was transformed from a tidal flat to a bustling commercial district through a process called landmaking.

Landmarking occurred in Boston as a solution to a number of problems including lack of space for a rapidly growing population and a need for a more developed harbor. While landmaking occurred in areas all around the city, it was here in South Boston, once known as the South Boston Flats, that one of the largest landmaking projects in the city's history took place.

These three maps depict the area from 1775 to 1867 before the South Boston Flats were filled. However, landmaking was occurring in many other areas around the city, primarily through a process called wharfing out - extending wharves out from the shore and later filling the slips between them.

View the maps on the East side of the pier to see the progression of the land in the 20th century."

Below, in smaller print:

"BACKGROUND MAP: This map graphically shows the growth of Boston's land area and change in its shoreline from 1630, when Boston was established, to the present." Following are various credits.

1775 Map - "This rare map depicts Revolutionary War Boston and the military situation just after the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775, 15 years before landmaking began in Boston."

1806 Map - "This map created in 1806 shows the beginning of wharfing out in Boston."

1867 Map - "In 1860 a commission of experts was appointed to study the declining condition of the harbor and make recommendations for its improvement. The recommended improvements included a seawall around the flats illustrated by this 1867 map.
The commissioners agreed to fill the flats enclosed by the wall after urging by Boston's business interests."

Timeline at bottom - "1790 - Landmaking begins in Boston. 1860 - Boston Harbor improvements study, that would eventually recommended the South Boston Flats be filled, begins. 1873 - Filling of the flats begins. 1897 - Construction begins on the Commonwealth Pier platform and is completed in 1901."

Sign 2:

The general text is the same except for the third paragraph:

"These three maps depict the area from 1900 to 2000 and illustrate the development of the South Boston Flats. View the maps in the West arches to see the state of the land prior to the filling in of the flats."

The smaller text is the same, as well.

1900 Map - "This indexed map of the city shows South Boston as it was in 1900 and includes the Commonwealth Pier platform that was completed in 1901.

1914 Map - "This 1914 map was created the year construction of Commonwealth Pier was completed. The pier is shaded red with text that reads White Star Line to Liverpool & Mediterranean on the East side and Hamburg-American Line to London, Paris, & Hamburg on the West side of the pier."

2000 Map - "This map from 2000 shows Boston as it exists today."

Timeline - 1897 - "Construction begins on the Commonwealth Pier platform and is completed in 1901." 1912 - Construction begins on the Commonwealth Pier building." ca 1927 - "The South Boston Flats landmaking project is completed in the late 1920s, more than 50 years after it began." 1980 - "More land is filled on the flats in the 1980s to create Subaru Pier and is the most recent landmaking activity on the Boston mainland."

In addition to the maps on the sign, there are groups of banners above with the maps printed on them.

Agency Responsible for Placement: Other (Place below) Agency Responsible for Placement (if not in list above): Seaport Hotel and World Trace Center Year Placed: 2000 County: Suffolk City/Town Name: Boston Relevant Web Site: [Web Link]

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