News Release
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It should be noted that fifty years ago today Boston National Historical Park became the 272nd national park unit (there are 431 units today) through an act of Congress, Public Law 93-431.
So much has changed since the 1950s when a congressionally appointed Boston Historic Sites Commission was established to imagine what a national park in Boston might look like. It would take decades of political debate, dialogue with community organizations and businesses, and a lot of negotiations among the City of Boston, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and National Park Service. The extensive research and work by the Commission led to a series of recommendations for a Boston park, in addition to the establishment of Minute Man National Historical Park along the Battle Road in Concord and Lexington in 1959. The Commission's recommendations, however, went dormant until the early 1970s when a sense of urgency and opportunity to create a national park in Boston was influenced by two major events. The first being the imminent celebration of the Bicentennial of the American Revolution and Boston's desire to be nationally recognized for its defining role in the early agitation, debates, and battles that led to the nation's 1776 declaration of Independence from Great Britain. In his statement to a congressional hearing in 1974, John Sears, Metropolitan District Commissioner, on behalf of Governor Francis Sargent stated, "We must make the point that for Boston the Bicentennial focusses on 1975, rather than 1976. We must get going at top speed in order to be ready." The second opportunity that arose was the Navy's announcement that the Charlestown Navy Yard would be closed and the Boston Redevelopment Authority's plan to redevelop the Navy Yard that would include preserving the historic assets, adaptively reusing existing structures, new construction, and the creation of new public open spaces. Thus, several bills were filed in Congress in 1973 to create two national park units: Boston National Historical Park and USS Constitution National Historic Site.
In the summer of 1974, a park bill was adopted containing historic sites of national significance: Old South Meeting House, Old State House, Faneuil Hall, Paul Revere House, Old North Church, Charlestown Navy Yard, and Bunker Hill Monument. The park would also include the U.S. Navy's Ship of State, USS Constitution and other properties within a designated 30 acres historic park unit. The legislation recognized that this type of partnership park would need to embrace public/private cooperation and sharing of authorities, responsibilities, and costs. Some of the park sites would remain owned and managed privately, while the City of Boston or the National Park Service would own others.
On October 1, 1974, President Gerald Ford signed the Boston National Historical Park Act of 1974 into law. Since 1974, Congress amended the legislation in 1978 to include Dorchester Heights as part of the park and expanded NPS properties in the Charlestown Navy Yard.
The world has changed profoundly since Boston National Historical Park was established. The park partnership has widened its lens to allow for new perspectives and interpretation of our national narrative. We recognize that although the American War for Independence ended in 1783, the American Revolution remains unfinished. Like the early revolutionaries that engaged in deep debates about how voices are heard and what liberty looks like, every subsequent generation has continued to grapple with and find their own answers to these fundamental questions. These historic sites are the platforms for dialogue, learning and inspiration.
We are once again working at "top speed" as the Semiquincentennial (250th) is upon us in 2025. We invite you to join us in a series of events throughout this anniversary year that will draw connections from the revolutionary era to today, showing the legacies and lasting impacts of the American Revolution. This revolutionary year will commemorate the founding of the nation in resonant, bold, and inclusive ways, empowering everyone to see themselves in our unfinished story. Together, we will broaden our understandings of the past and give ourselves the tools to build a better future.
Lastly, we want to recognize all those who were, and are, advocates, changemakers and authors of this chapter in Boston’s history. Thank you to the hundreds of partners, national park service staff, our city leaders, volunteers, elected officials, community organizations, academics, businesses and giving organizations – Happy Anniversary!
Michael Creasey
Superintendent
National Parks of Boston
Last updated: October 1, 2024