When And Why It Became Historic?
Jamie P.
Dorchester Heights
Assignment
Dorchester Heights is located in Thomas
Park in South Boston, Massachusetts. Dorchester Heights became an historic
site in June of 1997. In 1898, the General Court of Massachusetts commissioned
a monument to stand in the remaining hill of the heights. It was designed
by the architectural firm of Peabody and Stearns. The white marble Georigan
revival tower commemorates the victory of 1776.In 1996 the Heritage Conservation
and Recreation service added it to the National Register of Historic Places.
Twelve years later the National Parks and Recreation Act authorized by
the city of Boston to transfer the site to the National Park Service.
Dorchester
Heights played a huge role in one of Boston's biggest victories. In November
1775, Washington had dispatched Bostonian Henry Knox to retrieve badly
needed cannon from Fort Ticondegora, New York. The people teemed up with
eighty yoke of oxen made the three hundred mile journey, bringing 59 cannon
for the colonial army then circling throughout Boston. As they got closer
to the city, rebels faced a new challenge. They didn't know how they were
going to roll the guns into place without tipping their hand to the British.
On the evening of March 4, 1776, colonial militia and local volunteers
stealthily fortified the summit of Dorchester Heights, they moved the
cannon from Roxbury and entrenched them on these hills of South Boston.
The British general Howe planned an attack, but a violent storm prevented
him and his soldiers from landing. During the war of 1812 the army improved
fortifications and again stationed on Dorchester Heights. After 1814,
however the twin hills declined in military importance. But since Boston
had annexed Dorchester Neck in 1804, developers eyed the Heights as a
source of raw materials for the expanding city. This is the main reason
why Dorchester Heights was made an Historical Site. Dorchester Heights
adds an important dimension to the park. Its historical significance and
the development of the surrounding community vividly reflect the history
and growth of the city of Boston.
Harris, John Boston, The Boston Globe Historic Walk In Old Boston, 1982, United States.