Boston Landmarks 40th Anniversary Events

A series of free events will be scheduled throughout 2015 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Boston Landmarks Commission (BLC), according to the City of Boston.

The series will feature four seasonal programs celebrating the city’s historic places and the progress made during the past four decades to protect and enhance Boston’s unique identity.

“For forty years, the Boston Landmarks Commission has worked to safeguard the character of our beloved city, from its iconic downtown buildings to its many vibrant neighborhoods,” Mayor Martin J. Walsh said in a press release.

The Mayor encouraged residents and visitors to take advantage of the BLC’s free programming during this anniversary year, celebrating these landmark achievements.

On March 12 (the first event) BLC will partner with the Friends of the Public Garden for a Spin in the Park, a free guided tour of the Boston Common presenting the colorful history of the public space, a Boston Landmark since 1977 and the ongoing effects to restore and maintain the heavily used in area.

The Friends will reveal how the Common’s significant fences, statuary and fountains helped define one of the city’s foundational places.

Skating on the Frog Pond and complimentary hot chocolate is part of the tour. Online registration is available at blcxlwinter.eventbrite.com.

Other slated events include a National Historic Presentation Month Keynote event in May, a picnic and talk at Franklin Park, co-hosted by the Boston Parks Department in July and a harvest-themed archaeological program coinciding with National Archaeology Month in October.

For additional upcoming events and announcements visit boston.gov/landmarks.

The BLC was established in 1975 to identify and protect historic buildings, structures, areas and sites, review development and demolition activities affecting older properties, provide public information and assistance related to preservation and archaeology and provide staff support to the local Historic District Commissions. There are over 8,000 properties within local Historic Districts or designated as individual Boston Landmarks by the Commission.