Sail Boston Historical Waterfront Tour July 10, 2009

Take in the incredible architecture and relive Boston's past while getting a glimpse at her future on this guided tour of Boston's waterfront as Boston By Foot celebrates the arrival of the tall ships and Sail Boston 2009.

The Boston Waterfront was the epicenter of the maritime economy in the New World. From Dock Square to Rowes Wharf, this walk through Boston's mercantile history features tales of the colonial shoreline, the lore of clipper ships, and the vibrant commerce of today's shops and restaurants.

On this awesome tour you will walk along four centuries of Boston's ever-changing coastline. From John Smibert's 1742 Faneuil Hall to the modern day Rowes Wharf, this tour of discovery is filled with artifacts and clues of New England's great seafaring heritage.

In its heyday, the Boston waterfront was a maze of docks, warehouses and wharves serving Alexander Parris' Quincy Market and Boston's growing Financial District. Today, tourists flock to the waterfront to experience this maritime history walking among architectural treasures such as the Custom House and the Grain Exchange Building.

The once 1,742 foot Long Wharf is a popular destination for the New England Aquarium and sightseeing among Boston's 34 harbor islands encompassing nearly 4,000 acres of sheltered anchorages. Long Wharf, although quite a bit smaller today, remains the oldest continuously operating wharf in the United States.

You will also see the surviving wharf buildings designed by some of the finest mid-19th century architects including Gridley J.F. Bryant and Isaiah Rogers. Newly created green spaces in Columbus Park and the Rose Kennedy Greenway provide further connections with the Boston Harbor on land once occupied by Mercantile Wharf, City Wharf, T Wharf, India Wharf and Griffin's Wharf (where some rebels once steeped a large quantity of tea).

Official Website: http://www.bostonbyfoot.org/tours/Waterfront