The Ancient Fishweir Project combines public art, educational programs, and community events in celebration with the contemporary Native American community. Fishweir events are sponsored by the Friends of the Public Garden.
3,700 to 5,300 years ago, near what is now Boston Common, fishweirs were built along the tidal flats to catch fish during the spring spawn.
The Fishweir Project's annual building of a fishweir on Boston Common brings this ancient activity into the current imagination, expanding the time frame of history told in Boston, and honoring the people who lived in the place we now call Boston.
Fishweir Building with students and teachers from Neighborhood House School.
Fishweir celebration on Boston Common with Wampanoag Nation Singers and Dancers. (C) 2003 Lolita Parker, Jr./ParkerDigital Imaging
Fishweir built near what was once an ancient shoreline, now Charles St. side of Boston Common.
Fishweir Building with students and teachers from Neighborhood House School.
Ancient Fishweir Project
Audio recording
Gill Solomon, Sachem, Massachuset Tribe
talks about fishweir and cultural history
TEDxBeaconStreet - Ross Miller
In the place we now call Boston - Story of the fishweir project
2026 ~ Our Annual Fishweir Installation
We celebrated the 23nd annual Fishweir installation on Boston Common during May, 2026. This Fishweir will be built in collaboration with Boston Public school students and support from Jeannie Foster and Thomas Green of the Massachusett Tribe who will be involved with programming, brush collection and construction. The Fishweir will be on the Common until Making History Day in June 2026.
The annual building of the fishweir on Boston Common is made possible by the Friends of the Public Garden.
Brush wood (invasive buckthorn) is collected in Franklin Park by Tom Green, Massachusett Tribe; graduate students from the UMass Historical Archeology program; and with the assistance of City Arborist, Max Ford-Diamond.
PLease contact us for updates on events for 2026.
Many educators are interested in continuing to share ideas about placed-based ways of thinking that are natural to many indigenous cultural traditions. Here are links to thoughtful local tribal groups.
Link to Massachuset tribe
link to Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe
link to Herring spawning in rivers in Massachusett
The Fishweir Project continues to raise awareness of the early history of the people who made their homes in this area for over 200 generations before the arrival of European colonists by sharing the Fishweir building and program activities on Boston Common, including curriculum projects, and public educational outreach.