Boston, Massachusetts: Potato Sack Monument

The potato sheds that occupied Millers River Basin from the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s were crucial to the local community. Millions of potatoes were transported by train to Charlestown, where they sat until they were shipped elsewhere or purchased by locals. Some people even swiped taters from the sheds, which were open and not well-guarded. After the sheds burned down in a ten-alarm fire in May 1962, the smell of baked potatoes reportedly lingered for weeks. Ross Miller, a visual artist associated with Boston's Big Dig, led efforts to commemorate the potato sheds. The result was a sculpture of a stack of four potato-packed burlap sacks, with spuds spilling out of of the top bag. Real sacks and potatoes were used to create the monument , which was cast of fiberglass-reinforced concrete. A plaque in the sidewalk explains the sacks' significance.