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Harvard Bridge

By adamg - 4/28/15 - 11:58 pm

Updated, 12:25 a.m.

For the second day in a row, Boston and Cambridge firefighters and State Police responded to the Massachusetts Avenue bridge on a report of a possible jumper, only to find no evidence on the bridge or in the water that somebody had actually jumped.

Firefighters used thermal imagers and sonar to search the water, after the report of a possible jumper mid-span came in shortly before 11:50 p.m.

The bridge was shut in both directions. Around 12:20 a.m., Boston firefighters began packing up and leaving.

By adamg - 4/27/15 - 6:41 pm
Massachusetts Avenue Bridge scene

The scene on the bridge. Photo by WhiteHotOven.

The Boston Fire Department responded in force around 6 p.m. when a report came in of a possible jumper from the bridge, but after searching the water, firefighters found nothing and left.

By adamg - 11/2/14 - 4:15 pm

Shortly after 4 p.m., Boston and Cambridge firefighters and Boston and State police began rushing to the Mass. Ave. Bridge on a report of a sailboat tipping over in the wind and dumping somebody in the water. Just as firefighters were about to begin their "tech rescue," however, the person managed to get back in the boat and make his way to shore on the Cambridge side - where he was met by troopers and Cambridge firefighters. He declined medical attention.

By adamg - 8/16/14 - 6:51 pm
Oscar Meyer Wienermobile entering Cambridge.

David Cole spotted the Wienermobile on the Mass. Ave. bridge around 6 p.m.

By adamg - 6/20/14 - 10:28 am

WBUR interviews Silvi Naci, who came up with the idea of "stitching" Boston and Cambridge together.

Among other things, she reports very few hipsters actually contributed to the project, so there.

By adamg - 6/2/14 - 7:59 pm
Yarn bomb on the Msssachusetts Avenue Bridge

Marlena Love shows us some guerrilla knitters had some fun on the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge today.

Deborah Elizabeth Finn also paused to take in the city's newest yarn bombing:

Yarn bombing over the river
By adamg - 2/16/14 - 12:00 am

The Boston Fire Department reports firefighters were dispatched to the Mass. Ave. Bridge around 11:35 p.m. when somebody noticed a person on the ice on the Charles.

Mission accomplished:

Person is tethered with a rope and is now walking off of the frozen river to shore. ... Unknown why person was on the ice. Police to investigate.

By adamg - 1/4/14 - 11:46 am
Crescent moon over Boston University

Brian D'Amico braved the winds on the Mass. Ave. Bridge last night to get us this shot of a crescent moon setting between two BU towers.

Copyright Brian D'Amico. Posted in the Universal Hub pool on Flickr.

By adamg - 3/27/13 - 9:09 am

UPDATE: The DA's office reports the victim was a 33-year-old Brighton man and that his death was declared "a non-homicide" after an autopsy and investigation.

State Police report recovering a man's body from the Charles River, between the Hatch Shell and the Harvard Bridge this morning.

By adamg - 1/4/13 - 7:21 am

Shortly before 7 a.m., a driver managed to firmly wedge his box truck into the underpass eastbound at the Harvard Bridge, causing a nice little blockage just as rush hour was getting underway. He tried moving the truck back, but all he did was set of a shower of sparks from where his truck's roof scraped against the top of the underpass.

UPDATE: After working on the truck for around 45 minutes without success, the Cambridge Fire Department ordered an electric saw to the scene to cut the top of the fool thing off.

By adamg - 12/16/11 - 8:17 am

Kenmore Square, 1928.Kenmore Square, 1928.

Complaints about traffic in Boston are nothing new. Even in the 1920s, news photographer Leslie Jones was capturing local traffic jams - and the accidents that often caused them. Here are some from the Boston Public Library's Leslie Jones collection (click on photos to see larger versions).

In 1924, the SS Leviathan moored at a South Boston pier. People flocked to see it; Jones reported "an angry crowd" of jammed motorists:

By adamg - 10/21/11 - 2:17 pm

UPDATE: Authorities make ID.

Ring

The Suffolk County District Attorney's office has released photos of jewelery removed from the body of a woman found in the Charles River yesterday after she jumped off the Harvard Bridge. Officials say she had no identification with her and are hoping somebody recognizes the ring and pendant. If you do, contact Suffolk County State Police Detective Unit at 617-727-8817. She's described as a young black woman, about 5'4" and 110 lbs, with hair shaved on the sides and a longer tuft of hair at the top front.

By adamg - 10/20/11 - 5:55 pm

With no identifying documents to go on, authorities have released some information about the woman whose body was pulled out of the Charles River this morning after witnesses watched her jump off the Harvard Bridge, in the hopes somebody recognizes her. According to the Suffolk County District Attorney's office:

By adamg - 10/17/10 - 12:03 pm

The Globe's Neil Swidey writes an excellent account of a really sad story: The May night when a man jumped into the Charles from the Mass. Ave. Bridge to try to save his suicidal friend.

By adamg - 7/31/10 - 12:03 pm
Houdini about to jump into the Charles

On April 30, 1908, Harry Houdini walked from a nearby hotel to the Harvard Bridge, where he had himself chained up before he jumped into the still frigid Charles River. From The Amazing Harry Houdini:

"But aren't you even afraid, Mr. Houdini?" one of the reporters shouted to him. "Afraid?" Houdini asked with a loud laugh. "What do I have to fear? I am the King of Handcuffs. Nothing can hold me!"

And, of course, he eventually surfaced - after the assembled throng of some 10,000 began to fear he had drowned. That night, he appeared as scheduled at Keith's Theatre on Washington Street.

Photo from the Library of Congress.

By bostonzest - 5/18/10 - 11:12 pm

Story updated at 8 a.m.

The Boston Fire Department and State Police report two men jumped into the Charles River from the Mass. Ave. bridge around 11 p.m. last night.

Boston firefighters and state troopers arrived at the middle of the bridge in time to spot one person in the river "barely treading water." In a statement, State Police say:

By adamg - 10/3/08 - 8:17 am

The Tech reports on tomorrow's anniversary of the Boston area's contribution to the field of weights and measures.

A Salute to Smoot.

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