Blessing of the Bay

Blessing of the Bay is a Massachusetts historical marker in Somerville, Middlesex County, dedicated 1930.

Mystic Avenue, Somerville · location approximate

Directions to the area ↗Start a road trip Historical trails

Here Governor John Winthrop built a bark of thirty-six tons, named the "Blessing of the Bay," which was launched July 4, 1631. This was probably the first vessel built in Massachusetts.

1930 text, presented as a historical document.

TodayHistorical map

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

Historical maps covering this location

1677 · A map of New England (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1852 · Boston and vicinity. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1866 · Boston and Adjacent Cities. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1888 · Boston. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
1890 · 31. Boston sheet. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)

A map of New England, 1677, covering the location of Blessing of the Bay, with a pin at the marker's coordinates — A map of New England, 1677, covering this location. David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries. The pin is ours and the location is approximate.

Example

For example, one family's tree showed the Articles of Confederation marker in Pennsylvania standing under a mile from where William Gabby lived in the 1760s.

What that marker records spans 1777 to 1789, overlapping William Gabby's years there.

From one family's 77-marker roster

Upload your family tree and TreeAlive finds the markers near where your own ancestors lived.

See your family's markers

Start with a tree file, a FamilySearch sign in, or a WikiTree ID.

Report a problem with this page

The marker isn't at this spotOur pin may be off. If you know where it stands, tell us.I couldn't find the markerWe record what the source recorded. We have not been to look.The sign reads differentlyExpected here. This page shows the older published text, and some signs were recast later. Telling us still helps.The historical map looks wrongThe period map behind the pin, not the marker itself.Something else

We may pass what you report to the state's marker program. Please don't include personal details.

Marker data: Massachusetts Bay Colony Tercentenary Commission, 1930 (Commonwealth of Massachusetts)

Blessing of the Bay

Historical maps covering this location

More markers nearby