Massachusetts: Boston Is Home To Oldest Public Park
From the Freedom Trail to Fenway Park, the streets of Boston are filled with education and tradition. Daily Passport recently detailed the oldest public parks in America and did you know that the Boston Common is number one?
The Boston Common Dates Back To 1634
“Puritan colonists purchased the land rights to the Common’s 44 acres from the first European settler of the area, Anglican minister William Blackstone,” Boston Parks and Recreation explains.
In total, the Boston Common spans 44 acres. “Centuries ago, public parks were created for unique and specific purposes, such as animal husbandry, town assemblies, or even burying the dead,” Daily Passport states. They also explain how this space was purchased by Puritans who needed a communal pasture for cows.
In addition to the various tours you can hop on, the city of Boston provides a detailed history of how the Boston Common public park has evolved. They explain how natives in the 19th century planted many trees around the time when cows were banned.
The Boston Common Today
Today, “The park includes ballfields, a tot lot and the Frog Pond, which provides skating in winter and a spray pool for children in the summer,” Boston.gov says.
Here are some other fun facts about the Boston Common include;
- It’s the official start of the Freedom Trail
- Two subway T stations are underground beneath the park
- It served as the site the Red Coats departed to during the travel to the Battle of Lexington and Concord.
Additional American Park History
Four of the six oldest public parks in America are Boston neighbors, all calling the east coast home. This includes Bowling Green in New York (with the charging bull statue), Franklin Square in Philadelphia, and Washington Park in Newark. Realistically, for history buffs, you can hit all four of these parks in one single weekend, with Boston and Philadelphia being about 300 miles apart.
From Pizza To Guitars Here Are Your Best I-95 Stops From Boston To New York
#2 Hoxie Scenic Overlook Point
If you need a moment of fresh air or to loosen up the legs, this scenic lookout point offers a nice view of the Mystic River. There’s comfortable parking space, and its an easy pull off or on to the interstate. It’s not uncommon to find people taking photographs here as well.
#4 Milford Service Area Rest Stop
After all that pizza and coffee somebody is going to need a bathroom. At mile-marker 41, via southbound access, you will find a rest stop in Milford CT that is a direct pull-off I-95. You can fill up on gas, or more food if you still feel like snacking. There are plenty of fast food and candy options at this stop.
