The first of a pair of photo sets from a conference visit (Materials Research Society) to Boston in early December. The common theme is “outside” – no prizes for guessing the following theme!
The hotel was in a prime site in the Back Bay of Boston, just up Boylston street from the iconic John Hancock tower [42 20 58 N, 71 4 29 W], here with Trinity Church in the foreground. The land of Back Bay was created by infill of Boston Bay in the latter half of the 19th century.
Commonwealth Avenue runs up the length of Back Bay, parallel to Newbury and Boylston streets.
Entering the historic centre of Boston, via Boston Common [42 21 13 N, 71 4 63 W].
The state capitol [42 21 29 N, 71 3 49 W] (of Massachusetts) lies on the north-eastern point of the Common. (The surrounding Beacon Hill neighbourhood is well worth a visit, but the sun was too low for a decent picture).
Copp’s Hill Burying Ground [42 22 2 N, 71 3 23 W] in the North End area is one of America’s oldest cemeteries. North End was the site of an unusual industrial accident – the Boston Molasses Disaster.
A plaque marking the Boston Tea Party. The ethics of the Tea Party are a little greyer than presented here. The protesters were angry over the selective removal of the tea tax for the East India Company. Many were smugglers seeking to protect their lucrative trade from a “state supported” rival.
Machinery on the Congress Street bridge [42 21 8 N, 71 3 6 W].
Looking back at the Financial District from the Congress Street bridge.
Night view towards the centre of Boston from the Aquarium [42 21 33 N, 71 3 0 W].
Night on Newbury Street – an upmarket shopping street where the ground floors of many of the Victorian brownstone houses have been converted to boutique-style shops.