Editorial: Lighting Up Beacon Hill
Beacon Hill is the oldest district in Boston and is known for its brick-lined sidewalks and cobblestone streets. The gas-lit lamps, an iconic piece of its history, have become an increasing cause for concern.
Most gas lamps are in Beacon Hill, but gas leaking can be found in Back Bay, Downtown Boston, Fenway, the South End, and across the entire state of Massachusetts. Each year more and more leaks occur.
When gas leaks, it threatens the trees surrounding the lamps. For example, on Temple Street, there are 16 gas lights and 16 trees. Five of those trees are the original trees, and tests have recorded over 30% methane concentration in their root zones. Methane displaces the oxygen in the ground, which slowly strangles the trees. Gas leaks throughout the city and state are mainly due to aging and rusting pipes. Last year there were 1,389 unrepaired and 1,151 repaired gas leaks.
1,000 of the 2,800 gas lamps are in Beacon Hill. They burn 24 hours a day, year-round, and account for 37% of the city’s lighting emissions. By 1913, the City of Boston had electrified all streetlamps. Half a century later, gas utilities approached the city with the idea that gas lamps would bring Boston’s unique and quaint look. Electric lamps in historic neighborhoods like Beacon Hill were swapped back to gas, funded by gas companies. Architectural historians and preservationists try to find LED alternatives that emit a warm light and maintain the current lamps’ aesthetic. Former Mayor Marty Walsh approved $400,000 to electrify the lamps after neighbors submitted a petition last fall. The money has been set aside, but there has not been progress since the transition in city leadership.
The streetlights of Boston’s Beacon Hill have historically been lit by gas. This system has been known to threaten the neighborhood's ecosystems, as when the gas is leaking it threatens trees by slowly strangling them. Architectural historians and preservationists try to find LED alternatives that emit a warm light and maintain the current lamps’ aesthetic. The most recent numbers reported show that $400,000 has been raised to electrify the lamps, but for now the gas stays.
