On February 22nd, the SCI183 lab class had a tour regarding the history of the construction of downtown Boston. We met our tour guide in front of the Samuel Adams statue at Faneuil Hall at 3pm.
After a quick introduction, we examined the history hidden around the statue of Samuel Adams and looked at the old map of Boston on a sign. Then we moved to the north side of Quincy Market, and explored the old red brick buildings which have been restored as bars, restaurants and shops. There is so much history hidden in the traditional buildings. For example, a big stone on the corner was placed in order to prevent cars from driving down narrow roads, and the initial of Thomas Edison were found on the outdoor lamps.
Then we moved to the Public Gardens between the North End and downtown Boston. There used to be a highway separating downtown Boston and the North End, but the highway was reconstructed to run underneath the garden. Due to this project, the North End has established an open and direct connection to downtown Boston.
After examining the history of the highway, we moved to the Aquarium T station to discuss the history of subway construction in Boston. Our guide talked about the difference of the elevation level of each subway and explained that each color of the line has a reason for the color. We took the T back to Park Street, and we finished the tour there.
