Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park |
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Aerial view of the park in 2016
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| Type | Public Park |
| Location | Boston |
| Created | 1967 |
The Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park is a fun public park in Boston's North End neighborhood. It's a popular spot for people to relax and enjoy the waterfront views.
Park History
How the Park Started
The park was created in 1967. A group called the Knights of Columbus originally planned to build homes here. However, their main leaders didn't agree with that idea. So, the local group decided to build a park instead. They named it after their patron, Christopher Columbus.
Other stories suggest the park was first called Waterfront Park. A local banker, Frank S. Christian, helped plan it. A statue of Columbus was later added. The park was then renamed Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park. This happened in 1979 with the approval of Mayor Kevin White.
Memorials in the Park
In 1992, a special memorial was placed in the park. It's called the Massachusetts Beirut Memorial. This memorial honors those who served and were lost in Beirut.
The Columbus Statue
The statue of Christopher Columbus in the park faced some challenges. It was often damaged by people.
For example, in 2004, red paint was sprayed on it. In 2006, the statue's head was removed. In 2015, more spray paint appeared on it.
Most recently, in June 2020, the statue's head was taken again. The mayor of Boston at the time, Marty Walsh, decided to remove the rest of the statue. It was placed into storage for safety.
Mayor Walsh later announced that the statue would not return to the park. The city is now thinking about replacing it. They might put up a new statue to honor Italian immigrants who came to America. The Boston Art Commission is helping with this decision.
