The Boston Harborwalk, started in 1984 as a way of protecting public access to the Boston Harbor, now stretches along Boston’s waterfront for 47 miles, connecting a variety of neighborhoods from East Boston to the Neponset River with a single walkway. Our walk this evening will take us along the 1.5 mile downtown portion of the Harborwalk. Sculptures, seating areas, cafes and restaurants dot this area, as well as signage marking points of historic interest. Always the economic engine of the city, Boston Harbor now enjoys Heart of the Hub status as well, thanks to its vibrant redevelopment. Our walk starts at Boston’s iconic Federal Reserve Building and ends at Long Wharf. Along the way, we’ll pass Boston’s destination hotels, the first outdoor ice cream stand in the country, and the site of the Boston Tea Party. Today’s Harborwalk curves along a completely invented shoreline, as generations of Bostonians wharfed it out, filled it in, or dug it up according to what worked best. The ordinances governing this process trace back to the 1640’s and the Massachusetts Bay Colony, making them the oldest laws of this type in the country. Please join us as we walk along today’s sparkling gem of a harbor, enjoy the stories of its past, and talk about its hopes for the future.