CELEBRATING OUR 40th ANNIVERSARY!
If you see someone on the islands in a blue shirt, chances are it's a Friend - say hello!

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The Friends of the Boston Harbor Islands are supported by our Members and in-part by the special project grants from Boston Marine Society.  Consider joining or renewing your membership.  FBHI Volunteers that are Mass State Employees may be able to donate a day a month via the SERV Program.

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40th Anniversary & Reunion Cruise - May 5th

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Thank you to Montilio's & a secret donor for your generous assistance and design work providing our Anniversary Cake!
Link to the Patriot Ledger article about our 40th, by Sue Scheible 

Through the years:

1979: Suzanne Gall Marsh forms the Boston Harbor Island Volunteer Corps with others from the Sierra Club and Appalachian Mountain Club to supplement programs of the Boston Harbor Islands State Park staff.
1980: Boat trips and island tours begin with the first annual New Year’s Day outing. The seasonal day trips go to islands the public ferry does not serve: Rainsford, Calf and Great Brewster.
1980s: The Island Sunset Series offers trips in summer for 20-plus years. The Northern and Southern Lighthouse Tours also run for many years with Boston Harbor Cruises.
1982: the Corps becomes the Volunteers and Friends of The Boston Harbor Islands. The mission is to provide direct service to the park, public education programs, boat trips and advocacy.
1980s: and 1990s: Friends create Living History programs for Georges, Bumpkin, Gallops, Lovells, Peddocks, Grape and Thompson Islands.
1990: The Lighthouse Families Reunion on Little Brewster gathers elders whose fathers were keepers at Boston Light.
1992: The Friends co-sponsor “Your Islands in Transition” exhibit and public forum at Boston Public Library. The focus is on Spectacle, Long, Peddocks and Little Brewster Islands.
1996: the 34 harbor islands are designated as a National Park Area under the National Park Service.
2004: Friends play a key role in the listing of Nixes Mate on the National Register of Historic Places.
2010: A tribute exhibit to the late Edward Rowe Snow of Marshfield, legendary author and storyteller, opens at Fort Warren on Georges Island on the Friends’ 30th anniversary.
2011: Friends co-sponsor the Boston Harbor Islands Mass Memories Road Show with UMass Boston Archives. The public records stories, videos and photographs about the islands for a permanent online archive.
2019: Friends celebrate 40th anniversary with a free cruise and a commemorative booklet.
Ongoing and Upcoming Events
Lovells Oil House Project, with state Department of Conservation and Recreation, to save the last remnant of the Lovells Island Range Lights.
Fall Speaker Series at the Old South Meeting House in Boston with a focus on the harbor, the islands and the environment.
“Stewardship Saturdays” volunteerism events offer 1-day opportunities for the public to work on specific projects.

$33,920 Raised So Far - Thank you all 100+ Donors!

LOVELLS OIL HOUSE INFORMATION:  Click here to learn more!

DCR Partnerships Award Ceremony 1/14/19

New Year's Day Seafarer's Holiday Cruise Photos
photos by Jeff Doretti
photos by FBHI Board Member Ken Stein

Boston Globe Article - NY Day Trip

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INSTANT Membership Online

YOU Can help the Friends of the Boston Islands every day with an easily budgetable donation.  Donations will be withdrawn from your credit card for a 12 month period.  Consider this wonderful and easy option!  The Friends are truly a 'grass roots' organization, a donation from you goes a-long-way.  Donors that donate using the 'subscription' method become members with all of our membership benefits.  For the cost of just a pot or two of coffee, you can make a difference!  Thank you.
Pick an amount that your budget can afford
Your 2019 discount codes are on the back of your 2019 membership card.  

​These  discount codes are needed for all on line ticket sales.  If you are purchasing tickets at the counter or ticket office you must show your 2019 membership card.  Renew today and take advantage of these opportunities to travel around the Harbor and Massachusetts Bay.
 
Classic Harbor Line at Rowes Wharf, Boston.  Day and evening sails onboard Schooner Adirondack III and the 1920s style New England Commuter Yacht Northern Lights.  20% discount for FBHI members.   Tickets available either online or at the counter,

Boston Harbor Lighthouse Cruises sponsored by the Park and Boston Harbor Now are on Saturdays from July 14- September 15th.    FBHI members get $2.00 discount.    Trips are at 1:00 and 3:30 departing from the Welcome Center.  ON LINE TICKET SALES ONLY.  There are also sunset and Friday tours.  Check the Park website for dates and booking.
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Boston Harbor Cruises (Long Wharf) offers 20% on all of their tours including: Whale Watch, Provincetown, Harbor Cruises, Codzilla, Salem ferry, Harbor Islands (Boston).
 
 For Hingham travelers the 20% discount applies to the Southern Loop (inter-island) ferry that has 4 trips a day.  Tickets only available in the Hingham Ferry Terminal.    20% discount on Saturday and Sunday 9:15 a.m. Georges Island trip.  Tickets available both online and in the terminal.   There are no discounts on the MBTA ferry that stops at Georges Island.
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​Mass Bay Lines (Rowes Wharf) offers a 20% discount on all their tours including: Pirate Ship Tours and Tall Ship Sunset Cruise onboard the  sailing vessel Formidable; cruises on motor vessels at sunset and moonlight, as well as specialized holiday tours. Discount available online and at the counter

2018 Annual Meeting Photos

May 6 at the Deer Island Wastewater Treatment Plant, MWRA.  Speakers included Founder Suzanne Gall-Marsh, Chairman Walter Hope,  Volunteer Coordinator Carol Fithian, MWRA Staff welcome, Christian Merfeld Boston Harbor NOW, Liza Stearns, National Park Service and Keynote Speaker Robert Mannino - Nantucket Lightship LV-112 Museum.  Our Board of Directors were voted in and updates were provided on the past year and initial future plans.  Thank you to all who attended!  Thank you to Rita's Catering for providing a wonderful selection and the MWRA for hosting!

2018 New England Boat Show

From February 9 - 18.  A sturdy team of volunteers setup, manned & tore down our booth at the New England Boat Show.  We spoke to 100's of people about the islands, provided information from the NPS & Boston Harbor NOW and heard from boaters, dreamers, and island lovers.  Thank you all the volunteers that provided many hours of time to the show and our booth!

2017 Friends of the Boston Harbor Islands Annual Meeting
MWRA Deer Island Historic Pump Station - Pre-meeting "slides" & photos of the day.

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Books available for sale

Purchase the Newly reprinted Kings Handbook or the Lighthouse Family Books.  Tax, Shipping and handling is included in the prices, order before December 16th for Christmas & we'll do our best to deliver!  Books will also be available at events and the New Year's Day Boat Trip.
Member/Non-Member
price includes shipping/pkg
Member/Non-Member
price includes shipping/pkg

1969 Video of Boston Harbor restored

Through the efforts of Suzanne Gall Marsh & the UMass Archives a rare 1969 film showing Boston & many of the Harbor Islands has been restored and is available for viewing - click on any of the images below and prepare to be take back in time!  The video is just over 18 minutes long.  Enjoy!
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Boston Navy Yard/Charlestown
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Spectacle Island
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Deer Island Light

You can virtually visit the Islands Online Year - Round with many photos of Thompson, Calf, Rainsford, Graves Light Station and Outer Brewster Islands

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Can't make it out - or interested in seeing what you might see on one of our trips?  Visit the islands online via photos by some of our Friends - Click on the island names below to start your journey!

VOLUNTEER!

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Volunteer Job Descriptions have now been posted on our Volunteer Page.  Interested?  Check out the page, read the description and then complete the online form.  And if you're a State Employee, you may be eligible to make use of SERV Time.

Old Cell Phone? 

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Support the Friends by donating your old cell phone via Cellphones For My Cause.  Cell phones contain heavy metals as well as precious metals and should not be land-filled or just thrown away.  Help the environment, while helping the friends.  Click on Cellphones For My Cause to learn how!