Located on the spot of the founding of Charlestown in 1628, City Square Park in Boston celebrates the history associated with the area while also creating an important place for the community in the present. Built at the request of a vocal and active community in what is now the Charlestown neighborhood, City Park Square has become one of the most historically relevant parks in Boston while also serving as a means of connection for audiences in the present.
From a “Great House” to a Gateway to Charleston
City Park Square occupies land where John Winthrop, the first governor of Massachusetts, built his home that became known as the “Great House” in 1630. The entire area soon became the heart of a thriving commercial port and maintained prominence throughout the colonial era.
After the Revolutionary War concluded, the town enlarged the open space and the area became known as Charlestown Square. New roads and developments would eventually transform the Square into a commercial center that became a dense collection of buildings and transportation infrastructure, including an elevated railway and expressway.
In the 1970s, the Central Artery North Area project moved all of the main roads into tunnels under the site while the elevated railway was removed. City Park Square became a Boston Landmark that would serve as a gateway to the Charlestown neighborhood. It also uncovered and installed numerous monuments related to this history.
The Monuments of City Park Square
The Great House and Three Cranes Tavern is a reconstructed foundation outline that represents the tavern uncovered by archeologists during the 1980s. Postholes from the Great House timbers were also found among the stones. Concrete bands have been added to complete the outline of the two-story tavern that was destroyed during the Battle of Bunker Hill, which itself is commemorated with a nearby monument.
The Justice Statue, the Central Fountain, the Paul Revere Memorial, the World War II Memorial and the Gateway Medallions also reside in City Park Square. All of these monuments honor events and individuals that have played a major role in the history of Charleston and of the United States.
Numerous other sculptural elements are associated with these monuments and are located throughout City Square Park. These aesthetics and their associated history are just part of the reason the space has become such an important place for the Charleston community.
For Public Use and Enjoyment
Dedicated in 1996, the park is for public use and enjoyment. This includes sitting around on the benches, laying on the grass when the weather is good and interacting with the literal and narrative history that can be experienced throughout the space.
As a gathering place for residents as well as an essential element of maps and tours of the city for tourists, City Square Park has hosted numerous events since it was dedicated. During the summer months, movies are shown on the lawn and it hosts weddings and other special events throughout the year.
The space is maintained in part by the generosity of the Friends of City Square Park, an organization dedicated to ensuring the proper maintenance, preservation, beautification, programming, and care of City Square Park and its vicinity and to encourage an awareness of its history. Such endeavors further highlight what it has meant for the park to become part of the present-day community to ensure it has a legacy that will carry on into the far future.
Transforming a Space to Celebrate the History of a Community
The efforts to protect and restore historic fixtures and to install unique public art has enabled extensive community involvement at City Park Square. Such developments and results highlight what it can mean to see a space transformed for the benefit of the present and future of an entire community.
