Boston Neck
Coordinates: 42°20′38.2″N 71°03′57.5″W / 42.343944°N 71.065972°W
The Boston Neck or Roxbury Neck was an isthmus, a narrow strip of land connecting the then-peninsular city of Boston to the mainland city of Roxbury (now a neighborhood of Boston). The surrounding area was gradually filled in as the city of Boston expanded in population. (See History of Boston.)
The Boston Neck was originally about 120 feet (37 m) wide at normal high tide. The first wave of settlers built a wooden town gate and earthen wall on the neck in about 1631 to prevent attacks from natives and to keep out unwanted animals and people. The gate was constantly guarded and usually locked during certain times during the evening. No residents could enter or leave during that period. There was a wooden gallows just outside the town gate. Burglars and pickpockets were commonly executed in those days, in addition to murderers.
In colonial times, the Charles River marshes were north of the neck, and Gallows Bay was on the south side. It was so named because of the nearby executions at the neck. It later became known as South Bay. The main road through the neck was called Orange Street on Capt. John Bonner’s map of 1722.
In 1710, additional fortifications were constructed. There were supposedly two wooden gates, one for carriages and one for foot travelers. In September 1774, General Thomas Gage strengthened the old fortifications of brick, stone and earth with timber and additional earth. Gage ordered a ditch to be dug in front of the fortifications, that would fill with salt water during high tides, effectively cutting Boston off from the mainland. The neck had soft mud on both sides at low tide, making it very difficult to enter Boston on foot except through the town gate.
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