The Back Bay Fens

The Fens

Description

The Fens is a park and saltwater marshland in the Back Bay neighborhood in Boston. When the area became heavily polluted in the 19th Century, Olmsted was challenged to restore and reinvigorate the marshy area and create an urban wildlife refuge.

Constructed, 1879

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The Back Bay Fens Compilation

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current Images

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The Fens is essentially an ancient spot of saltwater marshland that has been surrounded by dry land, disconnected from the tides of the Atlantic Ocean, and landscaped into a park with fresh water within

The adjacent area of marshland to the west was a tidal flat of the Charles River

With places for passive recreation and active pursuits, the park offers a range of experiences such as gardening and sports and is a popular spot for birders

John Olmsted designed the main stone arch span, while Richardson added the tourelles flanking the arch of the Boylston Bridge

current Drawings and documents

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General Plan of the Fens

Map of the Fens

1879 - Constructed

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1879 - Constructed - Images

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The largest bridge is the Boylston Street bridge, designed as part of a collaboration between Henry Hobson Richardson and Olmsted

Starting in 1878, Olmsted’s challenge in the Back Bay was to restore a stagnant saltwater marsh that flooded and threatened public health

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