Spectacle Island, Massachusetts
| Spectacle Island | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
||
| Waters | Boston Harbor , Atlantic Ocean | |
| Geographical location | 42 ° 19 ′ 29 ″ N , 70 ° 59 ′ 6 ″ W | |
|
||
| surface | 46 ha | |
| Highest elevation | 53.65 m | |
Spectacle Island is an island in Dorchester Bay in Boston Harbor . It is 4.2 mi (6.8 km ) from downtown Boston on the territory of the state of Massachusetts in the United States . Spectacle Iceland has a permanent area of approximately 85.5 acres (0.35 square kilometers), which through a watt , depending on the tidal range is temporarily increased by up to 28.4 acres (0.11 square kilometers). It is administered by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and is part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area . Lifeguards are available on the beach from June 23rd through Labor Day .
geography
geology
The island originally only consisted of two drumlins connected to one another . In the 1920s, the island began to be used as a landfill , increasing the area of the island by 36 acres (0.15 km²). Today it consists of two man-made turf hills on which terraced retaining walls were built. At 176 ft (53.6 m ), the island offers the highest viewpoint in the entire port area.
Flora and fauna
In the recent past, new deciduous and coniferous trees have been planted and lawns have been created. The island's wildlife is still the subject of scientific research.
history
In the past the island was used for a variety of purposes; It was used for agriculture , a quarantine hospital, luxury hotels and an adhesive factory were built and it was used as a landfill. Most recently, the excavation of the Big Dig project was dumped on the island, which was then converted into a park and made available to the public again.
As early as the 1850s, a Boston businessman built an animal carcass recycling facility on the island; up to this point it was customary to simply throw dead horses into the harbor basin. In the 20th century there was a factory for the production of all kinds of fats on the island, and at the same time it was used as a landfill for the municipal waste generated in the city. According to tradition, ships in the fog could only orient themselves on the putrid stench of the island. Even long after the landfill was closed, the island was not only unsightly, but also posed a public health risk due to toxins and pollutants leaking into the harbor basin. The solution to the problem was to remove a second one at the same time, using the excavation of the Big Dig project, which comprised approximately 30,000 m³ , to cover and remodel the island at the same time. A layer of mother earth between 2 ft (0.6 m) and 5 ft (1.5 m) thick was then applied so that 2,400 trees and 26,000 shrubs could be planted afterwards. Today the island serves as a local recreation area and even offers a monitored sandy beach.
Attractions
Spectacle Island has, among other things, a visitor center and various administration buildings. The remains of the old pier can also still be visited. 5 mi (8 km) of hiking trails are available to visitors, and bird watching is particularly popular .
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e Island Facts: Spectacle Island. National Park Service , accessed July 2, 2013 .
- ↑ Christopher Klein: A Harbor Spectacle. In: The Boston Globe . June 22, 2008, accessed July 2, 2013 .
Web links
- Boston Harbor Islands. Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation , accessed July 2, 2013 (DCR basic information about the sanctuary, travel preparations and behavior).