Shawmut Peninsula

The Shawmut Peninsula is in the language of the Indians the name of the headland on which the city of Boston, Massachusetts in the United States was built. The peninsula that just under 789 acres (3.2 km ²) measured originally, was almost doubled by land reclamation in the 19th century in their area.

Geology and Topography original

Like the Shawmut Peninsula, most of the landscape in Massachusetts was formed by glacial erosion and caused by the retreat of the glacier moraines at the end of the last ice age. The topography of the peninsula was determined by three hills Copps Hill in today 's North End, Fort Hill in today's Financial District and Trimountain in today's Beacon Hill. Of the three hills of Trimountain was as steep massif with three peaks by far the largest. Over time, the name has been reduced to Tremont. In the south there was with the Boston Neck a narrow isthmus that connected the peninsula with the mainland at Roxbury.

Colonization by the British

The name is derived from the Shawmut Algonquian word Mashauwomuk whose actual meaning is not known. The first recorded use of the word Shawmutt as the name of the peninsula dates from the year 1630, when the hermit William Blaxton John Winthrop writing to invited to move his settlement from the present to the Charlestown Peninsula. On the Charlestown Peninsula there was not enough drinking water, while the Shawmut Peninsula via an " excellent fountain" on the north side - the present-day Beacon Hill - possessed.

Land Reclamation

In 1820, the first projects were implemented for land reclamation and continued until 1900. Thus, the Boston neighborhoods South End, Back Bay and Fenway - Kenmore emerged. The Back Bay Fens, an urban wilderness with fresh water, are a remnant of the salt marshes that once surrounded the peninsula.

Although these projects destroyed the ecosystem of the former wetlands and under the present environmental legislation probably would not be at approvable, they were considered for two reasons as a great asset for the community: first, the foul-smelling mud flats were eliminated that had been soiled by sewage, and Second, land was created, which today is one of the most valuable land in the whole of New England.