Newell Boathouse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Newell Boathouse |
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| General information | |
| Type | Boathouse |
| Location | Charles River |
| Address | 801 Soldiers Field Rd. |
| Town or city | Allston, Boston, Massachusetts |
| Country | United States |
| Coordinates | 42°22′11″N 71°07′33″W / 42.3697°N 71.1258°W |
| Named for | Marshall Newell |
| Owner | Harvard University |
| Technical details | |
| Material | Concrete, slate |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Peabody and Stearns |
The Newell Boathouse is a special building located on the Charles River in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is the main place where Harvard University's top men's rowing teams practice. The boathouse is named after Marshall Newell, a popular Harvard athlete who passed away young.
The land where the boathouse stands is owned by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Harvard University uses this land through a unique agreement called a peppercorn lease. This means they pay a very small amount of money each year to use the land.
Contents
History of the Boathouse
Building a Memorial
The Newell Boathouse is sometimes called a "wise old building" among the boathouses on the Charles River. It was named after Marshall Newell, who graduated from Harvard College in 1894. Marshall was a fantastic athlete. He was a varsity rower and an All-American football player for all four years he was at Harvard.
People loved Marshall, and he was known as "Ma" because he helped guide younger athletes. After Marshall Newell passed away in 1897, people raised $2,000 to build a boathouse in his memory.
Design and Purpose
The boathouse was built in 1900 on the south side of the Charles River. It was designed by the famous architects Peabody and Stearns. One of the architects, Robert Peabody, had been a rowing captain at Harvard himself.
The Newell Boathouse is made of strong concrete, with outside walls and a roof covered in slate. It was the first permanent boathouse Harvard ever had. Before this, they used several wooden boathouses in the area.
The building is not just for storing racing shells, which are special long boats used for rowing races. It also has locker rooms for athletes, meeting rooms, and training areas. There are even rowing tanks and other equipment for practice inside. An expert on buildings, Bainbridge Bunting, once said that its unique shape makes it a famous sight on the river.
The Land Agreement
A Special Lease
The excellent spot by the river where the Newell Boathouse is located belongs to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Harvard University made a deal for this land.
Harvard gave the Commonwealth forty-six acres of land further down the river. In return, Harvard pays only $1 per year to keep the boathouse on this spot. This agreement is a lease that lasts for one thousand years! After that, Harvard can choose to renew it for another thousand years. This kind of deal is a great example of a peppercorn lease. It's almost like Harvard owns the land, even though they just pay a tiny amount.
See also
- Peppercorn rent
