Winthrop Parkway facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Winthrop Parkway, Metropolitan Parkway System of Greater Boston
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Winthrop Parkway, Revere, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Area | 3.5 acres (1.4 ha) |
| Built | 1909 |
| Architect | Eliot, Charles; Olmsted Brothers |
| MPS | Metropolitan Park System of Greater Boston MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 03001471 |
| Added to NRHP | January 21, 2004 |
Winthrop Parkway is a special road in Revere, Massachusetts. It's known for its history and beautiful views. This parkway was built a long time ago, between 1909 and 1919. Today, it's part of Route 145.
The road stretches for about 0.75 miles (1.2 km). It starts at Eliot Circle, where it connects with other important roads like Revere Beach Parkway. From there, it goes southeast all the way to the border between Revere and Winthrop. When this parkway was built, it was the last time the public bought land right by the ocean in Revere. Because of its history, Winthrop Parkway was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004.
Building Winthrop Parkway
Winthrop Parkway was one of many special roads planned for the coast north of Boston, Massachusetts. This idea came up in 1895. The Metropolitan Parks Commission (MPC) made plans for it a few years later. The MPC was a group that helped build parks and roads.
Why It Took So Long
Even though plans were made, building Winthrop Parkway was put on hold. The MPC decided to focus on other roads first. They built Winthrop Shore Drive and Revere Beach Parkway instead. Also, Winthrop Parkway needed a completely new path. The other roads were built mostly on paths that already existed. This made Winthrop Parkway harder to build.
How the Road Was Built
In 1905, a railroad company called the Boston, Revere Beach and Lynn Railroad gave some land to the MPC. This land was between Eliot Circle and Leverett Street. The first part of the parkway was built on this land in 1909. It went right through a neighborhood in Revere called Beachmont.
The original plan was to build the road all the way to Winthrop Beach. So, in 1914, the MPC suggested making the parkway longer. They bought more land and started building. This part of the road runs along the coast and was finished by 1919. After that, the MPC also built a strong wall next to the ocean to protect the road. There were talks about making the parkway even longer, but it never happened.
Changes Over Time
In 1946, the road was made wider. This was probably to make more space for cars to park. Before that, special gates were added near Leverett Street. These gates help control the water flowing in and out of Belle Isle Marsh.
