Newton History Series: Shuttle Boats on the Charles at the Turn of the 20th Century
Join Stephen Guerriero, Director of Education at the Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation to explore the history of boating on the Charles River. This talk will provide a broad view of how the Charles River came to be used in various ways by industry and society, as seen by the rise and fall of commuter steamboat services, canoe manufacturing, and leisure activities of this new industrial class that lived and worked in the Newton and Waltham stretch.
The Charles River was once a major artery for transportation, recreation, and a symbol of the new industrial working-class society of Greater Boston. In particular, the stretch of the river from Waltham through Newton was especially active, with multiple steamers bringing day passengers from the Moody Street dam up to Norumbega Park. The side-wheeled White Swan could carry over 100 passengers at a time on two decks and had a large number of weekend revelers heading to the amusement park, zoo, and picnic grounds. Meanwhile, at least three major canoe manufacturers were located along the Waltham stretch of the Charles, catering to a burgeoning industry of outdoor recreation. Factory workers from companies like Boston Manufacturing and Waltham Watch would take to the river with friends and romantic interests (no room for a chaperone in a canoe!), while several large dancehalls provided music and dancing in the evening.
About the Charles River Museum:
The Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation has as its mission "to educate about America's industrial history and to encourage and inspire future innovation." Located in the Francis Cabot Lowell mill complex on the banks of the Charles in Waltham, the Museum tells the story of American technical and business innovations that have taken place in this region and continue to change the world.
Stephen Guerriero is the Director of Education of the Charles River Museum and holds an M.A. in Classical Studies from Brandeis University, and an M.Ed. from Boston College. Before coming to the Museum, Steve was a classroom teacher in the Needham Public Schools for more than 20 years, most of that time teaching middle school Social Studies. He has a passion for history, archaeology, and the transformative power of education to help us use history to inform our present and prepare for the future.
This program is part of the Newton History Series, co-sponsored by Historic Newton and the Newton Free Library.
- Date:
- Thursday, March 6, 2025
- Time:
- 7:00pm - 8:00pm
- Location:
- Druker Auditorium
- Audience:
- Adult
- Categories:
- Talks & Presentations
- Accessibility:
- The location of this event is wheelchair accessible. Reasonable accommodations will be provided to persons with disabilities requiring assistance. If you need a reasonable accommodation, please contact Newton’s ADA/Sec.504 Coordinator, Jini Fairley, two weeks in advance of this event: jfairley@newtonma.gov or (617) 796-1253. For Telecommunications Relay Service, please dial 711.