Boston: History of the Landfills

The Sequence of Landfill
Projects in Boston

The above animation shows an approximation of the sequence of landfill projects in Boston in chronological order. The scale of this project is one of the largest of the 19th century.

Note: the following animations are animated gifs, and require no special software or plug-ins; most recent browsers should display the image sequences automatically. They are reduced versions of an earlier presentation.

Slide Show, part 1
17th century

Slide Show, part 2
18th century

Slide Show, part 3
1790-1820

Slide Show, part 4
1820s

Slide Show, part 5
Quincy Market, 1820s

Slide Show, part 6
The Back Bay, part 1

Slide Show, part 7
The Back Bay, part 2

Slide Show, part 8
1870-1890:
The South End

Slide Show, part 9
1872 Fire

Boston Population
Growth

LandFill Sequence

The Big Dig:
1990s

Examining the pattern of landfill projects reveals much about the history of the city. Boston today is bustling, densely populated, and many of the original landmarks which distinguished the topography of the city have been irrevocably altered, or lost from sight.


Boston Landfill -- Page 2
Boston Landfill -- Page 3

Table of Contents | Quick Index: | 17th century | 18th century | 19th century | 20th century | Architecture links | Fine Arts department home page

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Boston College
Jeffery Howe, 1996