History
Boston was founded in 1630 by Puritan settlers who chose the deep-water Shawmut Peninsula for the same reason every harbor town is chosen — protected anchorage, fresh water, and a beach that could land a longboat. The city grew outward by literally filling in the harbor: the Back Bay, the South End, and most of downtown rest on land reclaimed from the tide. Boston Harbor is still a working port, with cruise ships, container traffic, fishing fleets, ferries, and the USS Constitution all operating from its wharves. The 34 islands of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area protect dozens of historic forts and lighthouses out in the bay.