The Boston Women’s Heritage Trail (BWHT), in partnership with the Women’s Foundation of Massachusetts (WFM), hosts a public celebration on Tuesday, September 9, 2025, from 3:30 PM to 4:15 PM at the Jamaica Pond Boathouse (507 Jamaicaway) to unveil a new Sidewalk Stories trail marker honoring Ellen Swallow Richards—a groundbreaking scientist, educator, and the first woman to graduate from MIT.
Richards revolutionized public health and environmental science, beginning with her landmark 1872 study at Jamaica Pond that transformed Boston’s approach to water quality and sanitation. This new marker not only commemorates her achievements but also connects past and present through a QR code linking visitors to an interactive audio story, biography, and educational resources.