Few People Know America Got Its First Public Park Right Here In Massachusetts In 1634
By Melissa Mahoney|Published January 13, 2022
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Melissa Mahoney
Author
I'm an east coast girl living in a west coast world. I grew up in New England before moving to SoCal for several years. I then lived in NYC or a year before moving to AZ in 2009. I worked in the entertainment industry for many years of my adult life and have a deep love for photography, writing, and traveling around the U.S. as well as to far-flung locations around the world. Travel is my life and writing about it is a dream!
As one of the 13 original colonies, Massachusetts has quite a long history. It was here that the Pilgrims first landed and it was here that the first public park opened in America. Long before the United State became a country, Boston Common in Massachusetts was created as a central space for community gatherings.
Boston Common is bordered by five streets: Tremont, Park, Beacon, Charles, and Boylston. The park's 50 acres form the shape of a pentagon.
The year was 1634 when a vote passed to tax each Bostonian household six schillings apiece in order to purchase a plot of land. William Blackstone's farm was purchased and eventually transformed into Boston Common, a common space for the community.
The Common has seen its fair share of military history. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Common was used as a military training ground. In the years 1775 and 1776, 1,700 soldiers were encamped and the British installed artillery entrenchments here.
Additionally, public hangings and whippings were also performed in the Common during its early days. However, it was also used for agriculture, a pasture for cattle, and recreation.
Over the next few centuries, fountains, monuments, pathways, gardens, and tree-lined malls were added to the Common. Today this park is a gorgeous green space in the middle of an urban environment.
Residents and visitors use the park for recreation, events, and even protests. One of the most popular features is the Frog Pond which is used for playing and splashing in the warmer months. When frozen over in the winter, it's used as an outdoor skating rink.
Located close to Park Street Station, Brewer Fountain Plaza is used as a gathering space for the community. Events are often held here as well as musical performances by local students.
Boston Common has quite the remarkable history as the first public park in America. Although it has transformed quite a bit of the centuries, it remains an integral part of the city of Boston.
As America’s first public park, the Boston Common in Massachusetts is a place of beauty, gathering, recreation, and more. What is your favorite park in Massachusetts? Let us know in the comments. You can learn more about the Boston Common on the National Park Service website.
