A summary of Boston Architecture

http://wwwiboston.org/mcp.php?pid=arch
http://www.bostonpreservation.org

Good Afternoon Everyone:

My plan today was to write about a Frank Lloyd Wright car dealership in New York City being demolished but events in the city of Boston, Massachusetts have made it this idea seem pointless. Instead, I'd like to spend my time with you writing about the architectural history of this great American city.

The city of Boston has been home to many historical people and events.  The magnificent building and public spaces have served as a backdrop to some of the most important events in American history.  For example, Boston was the site of two very well known Revolutionary War period events, the Boston Massacre (1770) and Boston Tea Party (1773).  Let's also not forget Paul Revere's fabled "Midnight Ride" just prior to the Battles of Lexington and Concord and let's not forget the Battle of Bunker Hill.  Some famous Bostonians connected with the Revolution were John Adams, who became the second President of the United States, John Hancock, and Samuel Adams.  Even before the Revolution Boston was the place where the Puritans, fleeing persecution in England, settled.  One of the most famous Colonial period religious figures was Anne Hutchinson, a midwife who challenged the strict moral adherence and guidance of the Puritans.  In the nineteenth century, the city began to grow even more and the Back Bay Area was filled in to accomodate the expanding population.  The city also became one of the sites for the growing Abolitionist movement.  It was also during the nineteenth century that Boston was one of the first American cities to receive Irish immigrants fleeing the Potato Famine.  These newcomers eventually integrated themselves into the city forever giving it a certain identifiable Celtic character.  John F. Kennedy was a descendent of those Irish immigrants.  In the twentieth century, Boston continued to grow and, in the twenty-first century has become a site for technology industry thanks to Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University in nearby Cambridge.

In 1978, the Boston Preservation Alliance was formed with the mission of protecting and improving the quality of the city's distinct architectural heritage.  This task is accomplished through advocacy and education which brings together people and organizations to influence the future of Boston's historic buildings, landscapes, and communities.  One of the Alliance's accomplishments was successfully petitioning the city government to grant landmark status to the United Shoe Machinery Corporation Building, built in 1930 by the firm Parker, Thomas, & Rice. This building is regarded as one of Boston's finest example of Art Deco architecture.  Another example of preservation in action was the success with the Chestnut Hill Waterworks (1888 and 1895) by Arthur Vinal and Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge.  After the city stopped using the Chestnut Hill Waterworks in the seventies, this example of nineteenth century Romanesque Revival and Beaux Arts fell into disrepair.  A citizens group urges the city to maintain the buildings and the Alliance's Executive Director Albert Rex, chaired a committee was given the job of creating guidelines for the Request for Proposals for the building.  Eventually a plan was implemented to convert the Waterworks into condominiums and office space.  Finally, Fenway Park (1912) is the oldest Major League ballpark still in use.  In 1999 it was threatened with demolition and plans to construct a new ballpark were announced.  The Alliance and concerned citizens formed the SAve Fenway Park! to successfully  advocate the preservation and restoration of the stadium for use in the twenty-first century.

Beyond these examples of successful preservation advocacy, Boston is home to fine examples of architecture that has been integral in American history.  For example, Christ Chapel, known as Old North Church is the oldest still active church building in Boston.  The first stone was laid on April 15, 1723 (Happy 290th Birthday) and its steeple was immortalized by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere."  The Old State House (1657/1711/1747; attributed to Robert Twelves) originally was Town Hall of the provisional governor, the City Hall, before becoming the state house of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  Faneuil Hall (1742 & 1762 John Smibert/ 1805 Charles Bullfinch) was the place where the first stirrings of Revolution took place.  Trinity Church (H.H. Richardson 1872-77) was considered by James O'Gorman as important cultural event in American history because of its departure from the Puritan past and the emergence of American creativity.  The Boston Public Library (Charles McKim; McKim, Meade, & White; 1887-95)  was one of the first free public lending libraries.  In the twentieth century, the John Hancock Tower (Henry Cobb; I.M. Pei; 1972-75) is the most prominent building in the Boston skyline.  The glass facade offers an impressionistic view of the city.

Perhaps tomorrow I'll go back to blogging about the usual subjects.   For today, please keep good thoughts and prayers in hearts for the injured, the dead, and their families in the City of Boston, Massachusetts.  Please pray that the perpetrator(s) of this heinous crime be brought swiftly to justice.