Forays on foot from BCEC 2 The Boston Convention & Exhibition Center [BCEC] walkB symbolizes the city’s redevelopment of a former w industrial area. The BCEC, a new Boston landmark | designed by architects Rafael Vinoly/HNTB, opened in 2004. The area around it, originally a 1,000-acre C o

salt marsh, was filled incrementally for use by n y t marine-related industries and railroads. With v i e those now gone, the South Boston Seaport District r n o

is becoming a cultural, tourist and residential neigh- t h i t borhood. Its development gained force with the o u opening of the Big Dig roadways, which provide n A new vehicular access. C r e e Near the BCEC are many “only-in-Boston” sights – some n t t

immediately visible, some hard to find. Within easy n e a e reach are three museums, the Boston Tea Party site, r : the Big Dig, historic engineering bridge artifacts, the C F n harborfront, a fishing fleet, Boston’s old wool trade o o r buildings, contemporary architectural landmarks, i a t and many restaurants. A bit farther are downtown’s y n s

Colonial and Revolutionary attractions. e o v n n o

Choosing the best walk for you F C o l o Walk out the Convention Center’s Summer Street door. s t t

Standing under the huge overhead canopy you can t see these notable sights: the Waterfront and Boston e s

Harbor straight ahead, the downtown skyscrapers to u the left [beyond the ultramodern highway ventilation h c tower sitting at an angle to Summer Street], the Big k a

Dig highway [2004] right in front of the Center. s s

For harborside walks, go straight ahead and take a 1 to the waterfront [where walks 2 3 start]. M For downtown walks, turn left and take 4 to the Fort Point Channel [where walks start]. e

5 6 7 h

1 [15 min] and 4 [25 min] are brief strolls. T y b B d e r © walkBoston o W s a l k MAKING OUR COMMUNITIES MORE WALKABLE n B

T Transit o o s

.25 mile t Old City Hall | 45 School Street | Boston MA 02108 | T: 617.367.9255 N o p MN Museum n 1 /

F: 617.367.9285 | [email protected] | www.walkboston.org S 0 7 o s t o n 1 Boston Harbor Walks 3 Waterside/Museums 4Downtown Walks 6Art Deco/Leventhal Park

15 min./.6 mile round trip 35 min./1.6 mile round trip 25 min./1.0 mile round trip 50 min./2.2 mile round trip Leave the Convention Center, cross Summer St. and Follow 1 then cross Seaport Blvd. and turn L along the From the Convention Center, turn L onto Summer St. to Follow 4 to Fort Point Channel. Cross the Summer follow the viaduct to the Seaport World Trade Center harbor. Turn R at the new Institute of Contemporary Art the bridge over the Channel. Return the same way. St. Bridge, turn R along the Channel, and turn L on straight ahead. Just before the harbor, look for the clock [ICA]. Go to the harbor side of the ICA building, and Congress St. to Franklin St. Return the same way. What to look for: With the downtown skyline as a on your left, turn L and descend diagonal stairway. turn L connecting to the Harborwalk which circles back constant backdrop, Summer St. bridges the Big Dig What to look for: Three of the city’s best Art Deco to Seaport Blvd. Cross Congress St. into the Fort Point What to look for: A spectacular urban walk on the highway to enter the Fort Point Channel District. Here, towers surround Norman Leventhal Park, a good Channel District. Turn L at Summer St. to return. viaduct that keeps the harbor and downtown always 100-year-old yellow brick buildings built for the wool spot for viewing these buildings with a foreground of in view. The viaduct will be the front door for new What to look for: Historic and cultural landmarks shine trade now house offices and artists’ lofts. The Fort full-grown trees, a fountain, a grassy mall, and space development in the area: offices, restaurants and a in this saltwater harbor/downtown route—the Institute Point Channel was once a busy water route between for noontime summer concerts. Look for the bronze shopping mall are planned. The midway point is the of Contemporary Art, the Children’s Museum, the Fire the Harbor and the industrial South Bay area to the duck/squirrel Humane Society monument nearby. Silver Line T station. Near the left end of the viaduct is Museum, and an outdoor museum of bridges [four dif- west. At the Channel 567start. Just beyond the • Telephone Company Bldg. [1947] – 185 Franklin St. a whimsical dragon sculpture which leads diagonally ferent types span the Channel]. The Fort Point Channel Channel is the South Station transportation center. with 160’ lobby mural of 197 life-sized “Telephone down to Seaport Boulevard, where 23start. District’s concentration of 100-year-old yellow brick Men and Women at Work” [1951] buildings is unique in Boston. The spectacular new ICA • United Shoe Machinery Bldg. [1929] – corner of museum and the federal courthouse architecture are 5Boston Common/Filene’s Basement Franklin & Federal Sts. with peaked copper roof & some of Boston’s best. 1st-floor bronze panels depicting busy workers 2 Working Waterfront 70 min./2.8 mile round trip • ICA – Institute of Contemporary Art [2006] – first • McCormack Federal Bldg. [1933] – 5 Post Office Sq. Follow to the end of Summer St. Bridge, then continue 50 min./2.0 mile round trip Boston art museum built in 100 years 4 with copper grilles on its 1st floor windows and on Summer St. to Washington St. For Boston Common Follow 1 , then cross Seaport Blvd. and walk around • John Moakley Federal Courthouse [2001] – a 9-story stylized carved eagles high on the façade continue one more block [Winter Street] to Tremont St. Commonwealth Pier. At Seaport Blvd. turn L to Fish sloping glass wall faces the harbor. Free tours • Batterymarch Bldg. [1928] – corner of Franklin & For State House take Park St. Return the same way. Pier. Walk to Bank of America Pavilion [Seaport Blvd. • Courthouse garden & pier – striking views of Batterymarch St., has 30 different colors of brick becomes Northern Ave.] and to the brewery, L after downtown Boston and the waterfront A short walk brings you to the retail heart of Boston – from reddish brown to yellow, emphasizing its height traffic circle. Return via Northern Ave. and D St. • Northern Ave. Bridge [1908] – pivoting swing bridge, Downtown Crossing. You’ll cross the Rose Fitzgerald now for pedestrians only Kennedy Greenway atop the Big Dig tunnels. Walk What to look for: A walk for seaside ambience — • Evelyn Moakley Bridge [1996] – fixed modern span along Summer St. which burned in 1872 and was 7Razor Blade/Channel an active working port, with piers, drydocks, fisheries, • Congress St. Bridge [1930] – counterweights balance rebuilt with wider streets and sidewalks. Boston’s only cruise ships, ferryboats and yachts. Commonwealth 50 min./2.0 mile round trip pivoting bascule lift bridge pedestrian shopping zone at Summer and Washington Pier flies flags of all nations above docks, offices and Follow along Summer St., just before the bridge • Summer St. Bridge [1899] – rare retractable Streets includes the original [and best] Filene’s 4 convention facilities. Cruise ships and tugboats are over the Fort Point Channel [253 Summer St.]. Turn L drawback bridge on rails Basement. One block farther [after Summer St. tied to bollards on this pier. The Fish Pier contains fish down stairway to Channel walkway. Follow the water • Children’s Museum – with colorful roadside becomes Winter St.] is historic Boston Common and a docking and auction facilities. The Bank of America to Rolling Lift Bridge Park. Return the same way. stand/milk bottle, and a new building addition view of the Massachusetts State House. [BOA] Pavilion’s graceful white tent is a summer • Boston Tea Party Site [1773] – across the Channel, • South Station – once the busiest rail station in the What to look for: A narrow linear waterside park leads venue for world-class musicians and is dramatically facing the Children’s Museum US, with an iconic eagle above the façade to the Gillette Company and the world’s largest razor lit every night of the year. The Harpoon Brewery is • Boston Sparks & Fire Museum – 344 Congress St., • Dewey Square – outdoor seasonal farmers’ market blade factory. The walkway [opened in 2005 as part fittingly named for a fishing port. built on collections of Boston Pops conductor Arthur • Rose Kennedy Greenway – under construction of the Big Dig] leads along the Fort Point Channel to • Commonwealth Pier [1914] Fiedler [Th – Sat. seasonally] • Mansard roof buildings – built after Great Fire of 1872 new towers and remodeled warehouses. The Gillette • Cruise ship dock – L side of Commonwealth Pier • Fort Point Channel District [1895] – 80+ wool import/ • Filene’s Basement – Summer & Washington Sts. razor factory faces the Channel, as it has for 102 • Ferry dock – beyond cruise ships export buildings, now artists’ studios, lofts and offices • Winter St. – narrow, as it escaped the 1872 fire years. A new park commemorates the former massive • Luna Tugboat – East Coast’s last wooden tug • Fort Point Arts Community Gallery – 300 Summer St. • Site of Sam Adams House — 56 Winter Street railroad bridges over the Channel. [R side of pier] • Boston Common [1630] • Main Boston post office - facing Channel • Fish Pier [1914] – with Boston’s oldest fishing fleet • Park St. Subway Station – the nation’s first [1893] • Channel walk – built above Big Dig tunnels • Exchange Bldg. – was fish auction house [end of Pier] • Park St. Church [1809] • Gillette World Shaving Headquarters since 1904, the • BOA Pavilion – seats 5,000 • Granary Burial Gounds – Hancock, Revere, Sam “Z” building [1963] produces 12,000,000 razors/day • Harpoon Brewery – 306 Northern Ave. [beer tastings Text: Bob Sloane Adams and Mother Goose buried here • Rolling Lift Bridge Park – remnant of Scherzer bascule Tu – Sat. @ 4:00 pm] Design: www.ninagarfinkle.com • Mass. State House [1797] by architect Charles Bulfinch railroad bridge [1896-9], the largest of its type in US