Today, the massive Marriott Long Wharf Hotel dominates Boston’s harbor front, but how different this view of the city was in 1828! While there were no cameras, cell phones, or drones to record the harbor at the time, the powerful artistic mind of talented artist Christopher Blossom, combined with his exhaustive research, and meticulous draftsmanship and skill with a brush, has brought this moment completely to life for us to experience today!

In the 18th century, Boston, Massachusetts was America’s busiest port, boasting 80 wharves that handled overseas and coastal commerce. In 1828, the Long Wharf extended half a mile into the harbor and could accommodate up to 50 boats at a time. Today only a handful of these traditional wharves remain. In 1966 it became a national historic landmark along with the Custom House Block.

In this panoramic painting, Blossom shows the Packetship UNITED STATES departing for her scheduled run to England, in a busy Boston Harbor. The Harbor had over 80 wharves in the early 1800s as the city remained a major commercial hub. The UNITED STATES is seen just dropping off the warping buoy located off the end of the dock. She would have passed a hawser out from the wharf to the buoy to haul herself out in preparation for getting underway. As she lets go of her hawser, she gathers sternway to swing her bow towards sea on a starboard tack. She has braced around her fore, and mizzen yards, and has only to brace around her main yards to be fully underway, but in the meantime, one more boat is alongside with perhaps a last-minute passenger or mail for England.

Astern of the UNITED STATES appear Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall, flanked by granite warehouses, farther up on Beacon Hill, is the State House and its distinctive dome can be seen. The wharves shown include, to the extreme right, just the tip of T-Wharf, then behind the Packetship, Boston’s Long Wharf –which became central to the commercial trade of Boston with its extreme length of over 1,500 feet- Central, and India Wharves. Beyond that, the channel leads into South Boston. A Brigantine along the face of the wharves, is shown heading toward the North, and the Mystic River.

framed image of painting

detail of the painting

detail of the painting

detail of the painting