Swan Boats on the Boston Public Gardens
Fun facts about the World Famous Swan Boats
The Swan Boats on the Boston Public Gardens is a popular attraction for tourist and locals. It's still run by the Paget Family who started peddling the boats back in 1877.
The whole concepts of the boats started back in 1861 when Robert Paget went to the Opera to watch Lohengrin. In the show, Elsa, the daughter of the king, is accused of murder and the dashing knight comes to save her in a Swan boat.
Owners of the Swan Boats
- 1877 - 1878 - Robert Paget
- 1878 - 1913 - Julia Paget
- 1913 - 1952 - John J Paget
- 1952 - Present- Paul Paget, Lyn Paget and Phil Paget
Some Things that I learned about the Swan Boats
- The Swan Boats started a year after the Great Elm on the Boston Commons fell.
- In 1881, the boats were not allowed to run on Sundays and employees were arrested for running the boats. (July 21, 1881)
- In 1960, when the Boston Commons garage was in construction, water started flooding the whole garden and the Swan boats were sinking.
- The summer of 1954 was the only summer the boats didn't run because the city drains the pond after 30 ducks died due to an infection.
- John Paget operated Nobscot Apple Orchard in Framingham before taking over the family business.
- The Swan Boat ride takes about 15 minutes.
- The Swan boats don't operate when the wind is above 20 knots.
- The empty Swan boats weight approx 2 tons. and each boat carries up to twenty passengers.
- When the boats are taken out of the water for the winter, they are broken up into 60-odd pieces.
- The Swan boats are taken out on the third Sunday in September and put back into operation on the third Saturday in April.
- It cost $12,000 to make the Swan boats in 1973, adjusted for inflation it would cost $64,928.65 today.
- When you're on the Swan boat, look for the 'Hidden Swan' on one of the nearby buildings.
- Some notables that have ridden the boats include John F. Kennedy, Harry S. Truman, Bob Dylan, Shirley Temple, Arthur Fiedler, Will Rogers, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Cast members of Cheers, Jay Leno, and Joan Crawford. Every single Massachusetts Governor since 1877.