Tour Description
For over two centuries, Boston’s downtown waterfront was its economic engine, its center of activity, and the manifestation of Boston’s identity as a port city. But by the middle of the 20th century, the waterfront had fallen into disuse and decay. Hidden away behind the new elevated central artery, it was a blighted district that few people ventured into.
Today, the pendulum has swung back. The downtown waterfront is again a center of activity, now for tourism and recreation instead of shipping. What transformed it from an eyesore into an attraction? And why is the waterfront project now largely forgotten?
In this presentation you will learn the story of the Downtown Waterfront - Faneuil Hall project: the plans and planners, developers and architects, demolition and relocation, personalities and controversies. It will change how you perceive your next visit to Boston’s downtown waterfront.
