Boston: Its an Island

[Patriots_1228]

Is this common knowledge? Do i spend way too much time in live maps? today I discovered that technically, Boston is an island.

The charles river flows from downtown inland, and then once it hits route 95 it turns and starts flowing south. Once it reaches Dedham, it heads back inland, but where it turns there is a smaller thing of water flowing out to sea called Mother Brook. Mother Brook flows into the Neponset, which flows into the harbor. So, Boston is surrounded by water on all four sides, and therefore, an island.

two responses im expecting: "We already knew this dumbass"
"who cares"

 

[Scott]

Actually it is a number of islands.

How many? I'm not sure.

 

[Ron Newman]

I knew it but it's not common knowledge, at all. Even more surprising is that this diversion is the first canal in North America, and dates to the settlement of Dedham in 1639.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Brook

But, this part of your statement is definitely wrong:

The charles river flows from downtown inland, and then once it hits route 95 it turns and starts flowing south

No, just like any other river, the Charles flows into the ocean, not out of it. Mother Brook diverts some of the Charles river flow into the Neponset, but the Neponset also flows into the ocean, not out of it.

 

[Patriots_1228]

^ o yea...i was confusing the direction of the flow with the "path" we were taking...if you can understand that poor explanation. Although if i remember right there was one time I was going by and it looked like it was flowing backwards

 

[Ron Newman]

Actually it is a number of islands.

Some of which have disappeared over the years, by being connected to the mainland. Deer Island, Castle Island, the East Boston islands now subsumed into Logan Airport, and probably others.

 

[Suffolk 83]

Although if i remember right there was one time I was going by and it looked like it was flowing backwards

It would look like that, depending on the location and the tides.

 

[Scott]

Some of which have disappeared over the years, by being connected to the mainland. Deer Island, Castle Island, the East Boston islands now subsumed into Logan Airport, and probably others.

Others have been created, some recently like the one near North Point that is actually in Boston or the failed marina near Commercial point in Dorchester.

The Neponset has at least two islands, the Esplande has at least three. Mother Brook has a few that are within the city limits none of which are (to my knowledge) have names.

 

[Scott]

It would look like that, depending on the location and the tides.

Only the Neponset (in a sense) flows backwards with the tides because it is not dammed at its mouth like the Mystic and the Charles.

 

[JimboJones]

I always considered it an isthmus.

 

[Scott]

How profound! I suppose JP could be considered an isthmus with the Muddy River on one side and the Stoney Brook on the other, connected by land on either end.

 

[underground]

Is an island by definition anything that's surrounded by water on all sides? Cape Cod is then technically an island because of the canal, but I'd be willing to bet that no one considers it that way because the canal is man made. On the other hand, Cape Ann is seperated from the main land by a river (can't remember the name), but it's also not considered an island. Maybe, when it comes down to it, the rule is that people can call things whatever the hell they want!

 

[vanshnookenraggen]

People call it the East River but it is not a river at all but a tidal straight.

I think calling a piece of land a certain term has more to do with how it is perceived psychologically. Islands, since they are their own entity, have a perception of being different from the main land. You could consider Chinatown an cultural island.

Boston may be an island in the technical sense, it isn't in the psychological. New York City, on the other hand, is a series of islands (except the Bronx) and each has their own unique subculture and are psychologically different.

Think of it this way, what feels more like an island, Boston, Charlestown, or East Boston? I would argue that Eastie feels most like an island. It is hard to get to (even with highway and subway connections) and truly feels like its own little place (not to mention that it used to be a series of islands.)

 

[Ron Newman]

On the other hand, Cape Ann is seperated from the main land by a river (can't remember the name), but it's also not considered an island.

Annisquam River, and part of it is actually the man-made Blynman canal. Which is almost as old as Mother Brook.

I think of Gloucester and Rockport together as an island, because there are only three ways onto it: the Stacy Boulevard drawbridge, Route 128, and the railroad. The drawbridge is in constant use and causes long queues and delays.