We just came down a relic of the American past that probably goes largely unnoticed by many who walk or jog by. A Connecticut sandstone staircase of 25 steps that leads down from Pinebank Promontory along the Pond’s slope to the shore path.
Stop to read the text on the steps: “From The Terrace of the John Hancock Mansion.” The Perkins family purchased them at auction and salvaged these from Hancock’s house which was unfortunately demolished for a wing of the Massachusetts State House in 1863. It’s fitting that Hancock’s steps from Beacon Hill came to rest here in Jamaica Plain since the man with the famous signature had a connection with JP. Hancock had two summer homes - one only a short distance away on the shore of Jamaica Pond (and the other across Boston Bay at Point Shirley). Hancock’s local home was near Jamaica Pond along Eliot Street. The structure was humble: one and one - half stories in height and shaded by linden trees. John Hancock’s nephew, Thomas, later built another house on the site in 1800. Thomas lived there until selling it to Nathaniel Curtis, a prominent local landowner.
The island we see dates from the 1910s when Perkins' Cove was filled in and the isle was created. Credit for this operation goes to Mrs. Mary Sargent, wife of the first Director of the Arnold Arboretum (Charles Sprague Sargent). She lived on the shore of this section of the Pond, backing into Brookline. When summers were long and hot, Mary would see the promontory appear as the Pond lowered. She mentioned the idea to build a permanent island out of this base to James V. Shea of the Parks Department. The project was approved, and that summer planks were nailed together, boated out to the island and positioned as caissons to shape and secure the island base. These are probably in as good shape today as in 1915, as fresh water preserves wood well.
Heartier winters then made the next stage of getting anchoring rocks across easy. During the autumn rocks were piled up on shore by the Hancock Stairs. When the ice in the cove was thick enough, horse - drawn sleds brought them to the point above the promontory (now submerged), and the stones, set in frames, were carefully positioned. The spring thaw dropped them into place. It took two winters to get enough rocks across to form a proper "Shea's Island." Soil was then added by ferrying it out. Finally about 6 willow trees were planted. Most are gone now, as the Parks Department doesn’t replace them after they fall.
Continue on the path around the Pond.