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work that city: back
bay
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Built
between 1857 and 1910, the Back Bay area was originally a marshy,
uninhabitable land mass. During high tide, the area up to what is now the
Hancock Tower would be washed with water, and at low tide the area was a
smelly swamp. For 43 years, 24 hours a day, the Back Bay was filled with
gravel brought in from Needham on a special train built for the purpose. By
the end of the district's formation, 400 acres were added to the Boston
peninsula. Because the entire Back Bay sits on what was originally a
waterway, many of the buildings in the area require wood pilings for support.
If the pilings in buildings aren't maintained and kept moist, buildings in
the area risk sinking into the ground. Back Bay was also the first Boston
Neighborhood to have broad streets, and a logical, well-planned, alphabetical
street plan. Back Bay boasts some of the most beautiful Victorian
architecture (as well as some of the most expensive real estate) in Boston.
Some interesting facts about Back Bay:
-The Hotel Vendome (Commonwealth Ave. and Dartmouth) was
the first commercial building in America to have electric lights.
-The Teddy Bear in front of FAO Schwartz (Boylston St.) is the largest teddy
bear in the world. It is 12 feet high, weighs 2 tons, and cost over $500,000
to make. Now that FAO Schwartz is closing, the bear will be relocated to the
Children's Hospital lobby... why not Boston Medical Center?
Sites of
interest in Back Bay:
-Copley Plaza (St. James's Ave. and Dartmouth): One of
the most expensive malls in the area.
-Trinity Church (Corner of St. James Ave. and Clarendon): Trinity Church has
been ranked the 9th best building in the country. A statue of Phillips Brooks
stands outside.
-Boston Public Library (on Boylston between Dartmouth and Exeter): A
beautiful reading room on the second floor for those days when you just can't
handle Lamont, and a gallery of John Singer Sargent paintings on the third.
-John Hancock Tower (St. James and Clarendon): Designed by IM Pei and
completed in 1974, the Hancock Tower stands at 790 feet. The building's glass
exterior provides a nice reflection of Trinity Church and the other buildings
around it. The tower's completion was delayed for many years due to
construction problems caused by the land of Back Bay (the building didn't
have the structural support it needed in its initial stages, and the windows
kept popping out).
-Old John Hancock Building: The smaller, stone building near the John Hancock
Tower. You can get weather info from the lights on the tower of the John
Hancock Building:
Steady blue, clear view,
Flashing blue, clouds due,
Steady red, rain ahead,
Flashing red, snow instead. (or the Red Sox game is cancelled)
-Christian Science Center (The Mother Church) (175 Huntington Ave): The newer
buildings were designed by I.M. Pei and partners. The Mother Church was
constructed from 1903-1906. Aside from its breathtaking exterior, the church
offers the Mapparium, a glass world map that you can stand in. Also, the
really cool reflecting pool with the mist curling on it is part of the
cooling system for the complex.
-Symphony Hall (Huntington Ave): Home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra,
Symphony Hall is reputed to have some of the best acoustics of any orchestra
performance space.
-Prudential Center (between Boylston and Huntington, off Exeter): Offers good
views of all of Boston from the tower and you can see as far as New Hampshire
on a clear day. The "Pru" building was the tallest building in New
England when it was built (the Hancock tower tops it by 40 feet).
Back Bay Links:
-Back Bay Neighborhood Action Group
-Neighborhood Assn. of the Back Bay
-
Boston Redevelopment Authority
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