Boston plans first permanent Indigenous monument in Franklin Park

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

Boston has never had a permanent monument dedicated to an Indigenous community. The White Pine Gathering Place, a Wampanoag-designed monument planned for Scarboro Hill in Franklin Park, would be the first.

The design centers on the story of Moshup, a giant in Wampanoag folklore who separated Martha's Vineyard from Cape Cod. SmokeSygnals, the Wampanoag-led creative group behind the project, must raise about $2 million and win city approvals before construction.

Why it matters

If built, the monument gives Boston's Indigenous communities a permanent space for ceremony and public education in the city's largest park.

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Key Indicators

$2M

Fundraising goal for construction

SmokeSygnals needs to raise roughly $2 million to build the monument.

Permanent Indigenous monuments in Boston today

The White Pine Gathering Place would be the first.

2 yrs

Target timeline to completion

Steven Peters hopes the space is realized within two years.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

Ever wondered what historical figures would say about today's headlines?

People Involved

Steven Peters

Creative director at SmokeSygnals

Leading the monument design

Erin Genia

Indigenous Public Art and Cultural Spaces consultant, City of Boston

Advocating for permanent Indigenous representation

Amira Madison

Tribal council member, Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah)

Participated in design workshops

Organizations Involved

SmokeSygnals

Creative organization

Designing the monument

Wampanoag-led creative group designing the White Pine Gathering Place.

City of Boston Office of Arts and Culture

City agency

Overseeing the initiative

City office running the 'Un-monument | Re-monument | De-monument: Transforming Boston' initiative.

Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe

Federally recognized tribe

Participating in design

One of the Wampanoag tribes involved in the design process.

Timeline

2 events Latest: Today

October 2026
Public unveiling of final White Pine Gathering Circle design
Upcoming Event

SmokeSygnals presents the final design at Franklin Park with ceremony, speakers, and a performance by the Wampanoag Singers and Dancers.
October 18th, 2026 • 2:00 PM
Boston.com reports on planned Indigenous monument
Today Announcement

Boston.com reports the White Pine Gathering Place will be Boston's first permanent Indigenous monument, planned for Scarboro Hill in Franklin Park.
Today

Scenarios

White Pine Gathering Place Opens in Franklin Park

Likely Resolves by Oct 18, 2028

Discussed by: Steven Peters and SmokeSygnals

SmokeSygnals raises the roughly $2 million needed and wins Boston Art Commission approval. Construction proceeds and the monument opens within two years, as Peters hopes. The space becomes a functional gathering place for tribal ceremonies and public education.

Fundraising Shortfall Delays Monument

Possible Resolves by Oct 18, 2027

Discussed by: WBUR reporting

SmokeSygnals struggles to raise the $2 million needed for construction. The project enters a holding pattern while the group pursues grants and donations. The design is complete but installation is postponed.

City Approvals Stall the Project

Unlikely Resolves by Oct 18, 2027

Discussed by: WBUR reporting

The Boston Art Commission or other city bodies raise concerns about the design or the proposed cultural respect agreement. The project faces extended review, pushing construction beyond the two-year target.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

1948-present

Crazy Horse Memorial (1948-present)

Sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski began carving a mountain memorial to Lakota leader Crazy Horse in South Dakota's Black Hills in 1948. The project, funded by private donations, was a response to Mount Rushmore being carved in the same mountains.

Then

The face of Crazy Horse was completed in 1998, 50 years after work began.

Now

The memorial remains unfinished today, a symbol of the long, underfunded arc of Indigenous monument-building.

Why this matters now

Shows how Indigenous monuments often take decades and sustained fundraising, a contrast to the two-year timeline Boston hopes for.

November 2020

National Native American Veterans Memorial (2020)

The Smithsonian opened the National Native American Veterans Memorial on the National Mall in November 2020. Designed by Cherokee artist Harvey Pratt, the circular stainless steel and stone work honors Native American veterans.

Then

The memorial opened after a design competition and several years of fundraising and construction.

Now

It became a model for Indigenous-designed public monuments in major American cities.

Why this matters now

Demonstrates that Indigenous-designed monuments can be completed in a few years with institutional support, a precedent for Boston's project.

June 2020

Boston Columbus statue removal (2020)

Boston removed a statue of Christopher Columbus from the North End's Waterfront Park in June 2020 after protests. The statue had been a focal point for Italian-American heritage celebrations and a target for critics of colonial violence.

Then

The statue was taken down and placed in storage, and the city began a process to rethink public monuments.

Now

The removal helped spark the 'Un-monument | Re-monument | De-monument' initiative that led to the White Pine Gathering Place.

Why this matters now

The monument's removal opened space for the city to reconsider who it memorializes, leading directly to the Indigenous monument project.