Boston Common Carousel

Boston Common is the oldest public city park in the United States and the central green heart of Boston, Massachusetts. The roughly 50-acre (20-hectare) site, bordered by streets such as Tremont, Park, Beacon, Charles, and Boylston Street, has a long history that stretches from its use as cattle pasture in the 17th century to its present status as a protected landscape landmark. The land originally belonged to the settler William Blaxton before it was purchased by the founders of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Over the centuries, the grounds served a variety of purposes, including as an encampment for British troops before the Revolutionary War and as a site for public executions, until it was finally transformed into a park in the 19th century. Today it is part of the Emerald Necklace and is managed by the Boston Parks Department, with a private advocacy group helping with its upkeep.

Visitors will find the park a lively gathering place for formal and informal meetings, concerts, and sports. In winter, the Frog Pond in the northern section becomes a popular ice-skating rink, while in summer softball games are played and the Parkman Bandstand in the eastern section hosts theater and musical productions. The wide expanse of lawn in the west has room for large events and is also the site of the annual Christmas tree, which the province of Nova Scotia sends as a thank-you. Historic landmarks shape the look of the park: the Soldiers and Sailors Monument rises on Flag Staff Hill, while the memorial to Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment stands in the northeast corner. One architectural highlight is the Brewer Fountain near Park Street Station, a bronze work of art with figures of Neptune and Amphitrite that is fully functional again after an extensive restoration.

The park is also closely interwoven with the history of the city and the country. On Boylston Street lies the Central Burying Ground, where the painter Gilbert Stuart and the poet Samuel Sprague, among others, are buried. Park Street Station in the eastern corner is considered the first subway station in the U.S., and Boston Common marks the southern end of the famous Freedom Trail. Well-known figures such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Pope John Paul II gave speeches here, and the park was the scene of major protests, such as those against the Vietnam War. With its combination of natural beauty, historical depth, and cultural diversity, Boston Common offers visitors an impressive glimpse into the identity of Boston.