Off the Bricks

Big Scores · STOP 07 · Waterfront

The pirate William Fly retied his own noose in 1726. Boston hung his body in chains on a harbor island as a notice to every ship coming in.

In July 1726 the pirate William Fly was hanged in Boston, and, the story goes, he retied the hangman's noose himself. Then the town hung his body in chains on an island in the harbor, where every incoming ship could see it. The island is mostly gone too. Stand at the water's edge in the park and look toward the outer harbor.

This is stop 7 of Big Scores. Walk it - any two stops are free.

The plate

Hung Out on Nixes Mate

Collected on site

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Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Christopher Columbus Park path, west of the Harborwalk (near 110 Atlantic Avenue)
Directions

1

Nixes Mate is less than six miles out. What's left is a pile of rock under a black-and-white striped cone, a harbor marker; much of the island's slate was dug away, Flemming says.

More footnotes on the story card, in the app.

Crime and punishment, Planes and ships, Made land and water

In these collections: Under Your Feet, Crime Scenes

Near Aquarium · Near State

Sources (5)