The Boston Harbor Islands have been called Boston's "hidden shores." While some are ragged rocks teeming with coastal wildlife, such as oystercatchers and harbor seals, others resemble manicured parks or have the appearance of wooded hills rising gently out of the water. Largely ignored by historians and previously home to prisons, asylums, and sewage treatment plants, this surprisingly diverse ensemble of islands has existed quietly on the urban fringe over the last four centuries. Even their latest incarnation as a national park and recreational hub has emphasized their separation from, rather than their connection to, the city.
In this book, Pavla Šimková reinterprets the Boston Harbor Islands as an urban archipelago, arguing that they have been an integral part of Boston since colonial days, transformed by the city's changing values and catering to its current needs. Drawing on archival sources, historic maps and photographs, and diaries from island residents, this absorbing study attests that the harbor islands' story is central to understanding the ways in which Boston has both shaped and been shaped by its environment over time.
Author(s): Pavla Šimková
Series: Environmental History of the Northeast
Publisher: University of Massachusetts Press
Year: 2021
Language: English
Pages: 273
City: Amherst
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. The Commons of Boston Harbor: The Harbor Islands and Colonial Boston
2. The Ultimate Sink: The Harbor and the Islands as Boston’s Dumping Ground
3. The City of Tomorrow: Boston Harbor and Visions of Urban Renewal
4. The Romance of Boston Bay: Reimagining the Boston Harbor Islands
5. A New Spectacle: Conservation and Recreation in Boston Harbor
Epilogue
Notes
Index
Back Cover
