Boston's Gas Tanks (Rainbow Swash)
The Boston Gas Tanks, commonly known by their distinctive visual identifier the Rainbow Swash, are a series of five cylindrical storage tanks located in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. Built between 1919 and 1925 by the East Boston Gas Company, these industrial structures stand approximately 140 feet tall and measure 90 feet in diameter, making them among the most visually prominent industrial landmarks in the city.[1] The tanks gained widespread recognition and cultural significance following a 1971 public art project in which artist Corita Kent and volunteers painted a bold, multicolored swirling stripe pattern around the uppermost sections of three of the tanks, transforming utilitarian industrial structures into an unexpected icon of Boston's urban landscape. Today, the Rainbow Swash stands as one of the city's most beloved and recognizable public artworks, visible from highways, neighborhoods, and the harbor, representing the intersection of industrial heritage, contemporary art, and community identity in Boston.
History
The construction of Boston's five gas storage tanks began in the early twentieth century as the East Boston Gas Company sought to expand infrastructure to serve the growing metropolitan area. The tanks were built between 1919 and 1925 using riveted steel construction, a technology that represented advanced industrial engineering for the period.[2] Positioned in the Dorchester neighborhood near the junction of major transportation corridors, the tanks functioned as part of a distribution network that delivered manufactured gas to residential and commercial customers throughout Boston and surrounding communities. The manufactured gas industry was critical to urban development in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, providing lighting and heating fuel before widespread electrification and natural gas distribution. The tanks remained largely anonymous industrial fixtures for the first half-century of their existence, serving their utilitarian purpose without significant public attention or aesthetic consideration.
The transformation of the gas tanks into cultural landmarks occurred in 1971 when artist Corita Kent, a renowned muralist and art educator based in Boston, conceived a proposal to paint a large-scale public artwork on the structures. Kent, who had gained prominence through her colorful, text-based prints and large-scale public murals celebrating social justice and spiritual themes, approached the Dorchester gas tanks as a canvas for community engagement and artistic expression. Working with volunteer painters and community members, Kent designed and executed the Rainbow Swash—a sweeping, multicolored striped pattern that spirals around three of the five tanks. The design incorporated vibrant hues of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple, creating a dynamic visual effect that transformed the industrial tanks into celebratory public art. The project was completed over several weeks with support from local community organizations and the gas company, which granted permission for the artistic intervention. The Rainbow Swash became immediately iconic, visible from multiple vantage points across the city and serving as a bold declaration that public art could claim industrial spaces and transform them into sources of community pride.
Culture and Community Impact
The Boston Gas Tanks and their Rainbow Swash have assumed profound cultural significance within Boston's artistic and social landscape since their completion in 1971. The painted tanks have become visual symbols of the city's identity, featured prominently in photographs, films, and artistic representations of Boston. The artwork attracted international attention and established a precedent for large-scale public art interventions in urban industrial contexts, influencing municipal attitudes toward commissioning and preserving public murals. For residents of Dorchester and surrounding neighborhoods, the gas tanks represent accessible community art—a monumental artwork that exists in public space without requiring admission fees or formal institutional contexts. The tanks have been the subject of scholarly analysis examining the relationship between industrial heritage, public art, and urban revitalization.
The maintenance and preservation of the Rainbow Swash has become a significant cultural concern. The painted surface requires periodic restoration due to weathering, fading, and the environmental challenges posed by exposure to saltwater air, industrial pollution, and seasonal temperature fluctuations. In 2008 and again in 2014, restoration projects were undertaken to refresh the painted surfaces and ensure the artistic integrity of Kent's original vision. Community organizations, including the Dorchester Historical Society and various neighborhood associations, have advocated for ongoing preservation funding and recognition of the tanks' cultural value. The gas tanks have been referenced extensively in Boston popular culture, appearing in documentaries, films, and television programs that examine the city's urban landscape and artistic heritage.[3] Educational institutions have incorporated the tanks into curriculum materials discussing public art, industrial history, and urban design, establishing them as teaching tools for multiple academic disciplines.
Geography and Location
The Boston Gas Tanks are situated in the Dorchester neighborhood at a location bounded by Interstate 93 to the north and the Fort Point Channel area to the south. The specific site, near Gove Street and Landmark Street in Dorchester, occupies a strategic position within Boston's industrial corridor, historically significant as a manufacturing and distribution hub. The tanks' elevated position and considerable height make them visible from numerous neighborhoods across Boston, including South Boston, Roxbury, the South End, and areas of Cambridge across the Charles River. The visibility of the Rainbow Swash from major transportation routes, particularly Interstate 93, has contributed significantly to the artwork's prominence in the city's visual identity. The tanks stand as distinctive landmarks visible from the city's waterfront areas and serve as navigation reference points for residents and visitors orienting themselves within the urban landscape.
The geographical context of the tanks reflects Boston's industrial heritage and the pattern of industrial development that characterized the city during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The location near major transportation infrastructure facilitated efficient distribution of manufactured gas throughout the metropolitan area during the period of operational use. Following the transition to natural gas delivery systems and changes in energy infrastructure, the tanks lost their primary industrial function but retained physical prominence and visibility. The site has remained largely unchanged, with the tanks preserved as historical structures despite evolving surrounding land uses and urban development patterns. The tanks' location within an established residential and commercial neighborhood has ensured continued public awareness and community engagement with the artwork, unlike industrial structures isolated in peripheral locations that might fade from public consciousness.
Preservation and Current Status
The Boston Gas Tanks have been recognized as significant historical and cultural structures deserving preservation. In 2014, the tanks were added to the National Register of Historic Places, a designation acknowledging their value as historical industrial structures and significant public artworks.[4] This recognition provided a framework for preservation efforts and established guidelines for any future modifications or restoration work. The National Register listing explicitly acknowledged both the industrial significance of the tanks themselves and the artistic importance of the Rainbow Swash, treating the two aspects as inseparable components of the site's overall cultural value.
Ongoing maintenance and restoration of the painted surfaces remains an active concern for preservation advocates and city officials. The vibrancy of the original colors fades over time due to exposure to weather, ultraviolet radiation, and atmospheric pollution. Restoration projects have involved consultation with experts in public art preservation, historical paint analysis, and structural maintenance to ensure that restoration work respects the integrity of Corita Kent's original design while employing contemporary conservation techniques. Funding for preservation work has come from municipal budgets, state cultural agencies, and private donors supporting public art preservation. The tanks continue to function as cultural landmarks and tourist attractions, with the sites receiving visits from photographers, artists, students, and residents interested in observing and documenting the artwork. The preservation of the Boston Gas Tanks represents a commitment to maintaining industrial heritage and public art as integral components of the city's cultural landscape, demonstrating recognition that artistic and historical significance extends beyond conventional fine art institutions into the everyday urban environment.