Gaining Ground: A History of Landmaking in Boston

by Nancy S. Seasholes

Why and how Boston was transformed by landmaking. Fully one-sixth of Boston is built on made land. Although other waterfront cities also have substantial areas that are built on fill, Boston probably has more than any city in North America. In Gaining Ground historian Nancy Seasholes has given us the first complete account of when, why, and how this land was created.The story of landmaking in Boston is presented geographically; each chapter traces landmaking in a different part of the city from its first permanent settlement to the present. Seasholes introduces findings from recent archaeological investigations in Boston, and relates landmaking to the major historical developments that shaped it. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, landmaking in Boston was spurred by the rapid growth that resulted from the burgeoning China trade. The influx of Irish immigrants in the mid-nineteenth century prompted several large projects to create residential land -- not for the Irish, but to keep the taxpaying Yankees from fleeing to the suburbs. Many landmaking projects were undertaken to cover tidal flats that had been polluted by raw sewage discharged directly onto them, removing the "pestilential exhalations" thought to cause illness. Land was also added for port developments, public parks, and transportation facilities, including the largest landmaking project of all, the airport. A separate chapter discusses the technology of landmaking in Boston, explaining the basic method used to make land and the changes in its various components over time. The book is copiously illustrated with maps that show the original shoreline in relation to today's streets, details from historical maps that trace the progress of landmaking, and historical drawings and photographs.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Urban Planning, Urban Studies, American History

533 pages, Hardcover

First published September 28, 2003

Reviews

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although it was hardly a page turner, it was fascinating to read about huge swaths of present day Boston where I live that were converted from low tide salt marshes into buildable land. I learned that my residence was part of the original solid land mass - although it was closer to the ocean than it is now.

The book was massively researched and documented with numerous maps / drawings / and photographs showing how the land was transformed over the past 300+ years. The book probably wouldn’t be of as much interest to someone if you haven’t lived in Boston - past or present.

The book uses the term land making - which was mostly created by filling relatively shallow salt marshes near the shore. The process in many cases was to eliminate the stench created by dumping raw sewage into these shallow marshes before the advent of sewage treatment facilities. The previous plan involved dumping raw sewage into these various shallow bays/marshes and then expecting the tide to drag the sewage out to deeper water and drop it there. Of course that didn’t work so they buried it under feet of dirt, dredged mud, coal ashes, stones, garbage, etc.

[W. Nikola-Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nancy Seasholes is by and far the lead historian on all things Boston, especially its rich land-making activities. She has an incredible command of the subject matter, which dates back to the early 1600s. In this book, far surpassing Muir and Whitehill's earlier text on the subject matter, Seasholes explains Boston's land-making projects with great detail and in language that the lay person can understand.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this history of land-making in Boston. The original shoreline maps were great, as were the historical photos of disappeared hills and ocean bays. It's really quite stunning just how much of Boston is made land.

[kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

very fun to read. the chronology gets confusing since the book is divided into areas of town and not strict chronology through the whole city but so far really interesting.

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book on Boston's history! Very thorough.

[Lauren Siegert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this for History of Boston @ Northeastern. It's the only textbook that I not only kept, but also still read and would never consider using to kill a bug.