THE VIADUCT AT THE CHARLES RIVER DAM HAS REPLACED THE OLD CRAIGIE BRIDGE CONNECTING BOSTON AND EAST CAMBRIDGE. THE DAM WAS BUILT TO PREVENT THE TIDE RISING ABOVE THIS POINT AND MAKE POSSIBLE THE CHARLES RIVER BASIN WITH ITS PARKS AND PROMENADES ALONG THE RIVER FRONT. SHIPPING CAN STILL ENTER THE BASIN BY MEANS OF THE LOCKS AT THE DAM, BUT VESSELS WITH MASTS CANNOT GO UNDER THE LOW ARCHES OF THE NEW CAMBRIDGE BRIDGE, SO THAT CAMBRIDGE PORT CAN NO LONGER BE PRONOUNCED WITH THE ACCENT ON THE “PORT.”

      ALONG BOYLSTON STREET FROM PARK SQUARE WEST ARE SOME OF THE SMARTEST AND MOST ALLURING SHOPS IN BOSTON, SUGGESTING SOMEWHAT THE CHARACTER OF THOSE IN BOND STREET, LONDON. THE DEPARTMENT STORE IS NOT YET REPRESENTED IN THIS DISTRICT. MERCHANTS SPECIALIZE THEIR WARES AND GIVE CUSTOMERS A MORE INDIVIDUAL ATTENTION THAN IS POSSIBLE IN THE GREAT STORES IN THE DOWN-TOWN SHOPPING DISTRICT. A VIEW ALONG BOYLSTON STREET SHOWS THE CHURCH TOWERS AND OTHER ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES IN COPLEY SQUARE AND ITS NEIGHBOURHOOD.

     EAST BOSTON COMPRISES TWO HARBOR ISLANDS, NODDLE’S AND BREED’S (EARLIER HOG) ISLANDS, WHICH WERE ANNEXED TO BOSTON IN THE EARLIEST DAYS OF ITS SETTLEMENT. THE DISTRICT HAS ALWAYS BEEN IDENTIFIED WITH SHIPS AND SHIPPING. SOME OF THE LARGEST TRANS-ATLANTIC LINERS THAT ENTER BOSTON HARBOR NOW DOCK AT EAST BOSTON. THE ENERGY OF BOSTONIANS WAS EARLY IDENTIFIED WITH SHIP CONSTRUCTION, AND THE EAST BOSTON LAUNCHINGS HAVE BEEN EVENTS SINCE COLONIAL TIMES. THE CLIPPER SHIPS, BUILT HERE FOR THE CALIFORNIA SERVICE DURING THE GOLD DIGGING DAYS, WERE THE STAUNCHEST AND SWIFTEST CRAFT OF THEIR KIND. WITH THE PASSING OF THE OLD WOODEN SHIP EAST BOSTON’S PALMY DAYS OF MARINE CONSTRUCTION HAVE GONE, BUT HERE AND THERE THE PICTURESQUE OLD SHIPYARDS HAVE SOME VESSELS ON THEIR WAYS.

     NORTH SQUARE IS NOW THE HEART OF THE ITALIAN COLONY. THE SQUALID TRIANGULAR INCLOSURE WAS ONCE TREE SHADED AND SURROUNDED BY MANSIONS AND CHURCHES OF THE GENTRY. IT WAS THE CENTRAL POINT OF THE NORTH END, IN COLONIAL TIMES BOSTON’S MOST DIGNIFIED RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD. NORTH SQUARE’S FEATURE OF HISTORIC VALUE IS THE HOUSE OF PAUL REVERE, THE SILVERSMITH. THIS IS A LITTLE LOW HOUSE OF WOOD, RECENTLY RESTORED BY J. E. CHANDLER, NOW HEDGED IN BY AMBITIOUS MODERN STRUCTURES. HERE REVERE DWELT FROM ABOUT 1770 THROUGH THE REVOLUTION AND UNTIL 1800, WHEN HE BOUGHT A FINER HOUSE NEAR BY AND THERE SPENT HIS REMAINING DAYS. WITH ONE POSSIBLE EXCEPTION, REVERE’S HOUSE IN NORTH SQUARE IS THE OLDEST STANDING STRUCTURE IN BOSTON.