Peddocks Island Chapel
Another way some – not many – people approach Boston is by sea. Depending on their route, they might glimpse Peddocks Island Chapel sitting just above the waterline on one of the Boston Harbor Islands. This chapel was built as a non-denominational chapel in 1941. It was one of about 500 military kit chapels built before and during World War II and was used for Catholic, Protestant and Jewish services for members of the military and their families when Fort Andrew was an active military base. It also served as a place of worship for Italian prisoners of war held on the island and later for summer visitors to cottages on the island.
The chapel was abandoned in the 1950s when the base was decommissioned and fell into disrepair. Between 2012 and 2014 the chapel was fully renovated by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Boston Harbor Alliance with support from the New England Union Carpenter’s Training Program and the Amelia Peabody Charitable Foundation.
The renovation addressed significant structural issues, pew removal, lighting and sound system upgrades, painting and landscaping. Windows, doors, and hanging lights were installed from an identical chapel at the Naval Air Station in South Weymouth, MA that was being demolished. The original chapel had a government issued pipe organ that was not replaced in the renovation.
Today the chapel – which can be seen from Hull on the mainland, is available for weddings and other special services. From mid-June through early September, regular ferry service from Boston, Hingham and Hull provides daily access to Peddocks Island.