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In misty mid-October, as the trees along the Charles turn bronze and gold, the oars of Harvard rowers slice through water just as they have for more than a century — yet the buildings that cradle their boats have recently stepped into a new era. The newly restored Weld and Newell Boathouses, long symbols of Harvard’s storied rowing legacy, recently underwent a historic renovation after 50 years.
The two boathouses stand as living testaments to more than a century of change: first built as tributes, later rebuilt after fires, and continually reshaped by the currents of Harvard's rowing history.
Newell boathouse was completed in 1900 in memory of Marshall “Ma” Newell — one of Harvard’s most celebrated athletes from the class of 1894, a football and crew star whose death at 23 in a train accident deeply affected the Harvard community. The Harvard club of New York, largely made up of former rowers and athletes at the time, decided to fund the construction of the boathouse in Newell’s honor at a price tag of $25,000 on the Boston side of the Charles.
Architects from Peabody and Stearns designed Newell in a wood-shingled Colonial Revival style with wide boat bays, sweeping eaves, and dormered windows. Newell’s story began against the current as a fire tore through the almost-finished building in 1900, testing the resolve of those determined to see it rise on the riverbank.
For more than a century, Newell underwent only modest repairs and mechanical upgrades. Some boilers were replaced and new docks were added, meaning that the structure quietly aged as three generations of rowers passed. River air, water carried in by boats and rowers, and summer humidity had faded the boathouse’s wood-shingled exterior to a dull gray, and the structural beams softened and worn after decades of damp conditions. The erg room (indoor training area) lacked modern ventilation and insulation, making it uncomfortable for appropriate training in the summer and winter. In 2024, a full restoration replaced the weathered shingles and structural beams, reinforced the roof, and rebuilt the interior with new locker rooms, training areas, and improved ventilation and lighting – transforming Newell into a modern facility that still preserves its earlier 20th century character.
“I think at large, the Boston rowing community sees Newell as kind of a beacon of rowing at large in the city,” said senior heavyweight rower Leo Bessler. “The building itself is kind of an architectural icon. Being able to carry that through for generations to come, I think is super important.”
Weld boathouse stands as both a gift and a symbol. Funded through the Philanthropy of George Walker — class of 1860 — the boathouse was completed on the Cambridge side of the Charles River. The architects, Peabody & Stearns, designed Weld in the Beaux-Arts style with a distinctive red-tiled roof, arched windows, and stucco façade. Weld, an avid rower himself, endowed the boathouse to serve as a more open space for the broader Harvard community, not just varsity men’s rowers.
“It’s my 40th year, and the building was slowly aging in a way that it was time for a renovation,” said men’s heavyweight Head Coach Charley Butt. “It’s very nice.”
Weld has served as a communal rowing hub – home to freshmen crews, intramurals, and the Radcliffe rowing team. In some sense, Weld is seen as a bridge in Harvard’s gender integration in athletics — a site where women claimed a permanent place in one of the university’s most tradition-bound sports. It also now serves as the home of the Harvard recreational rowing program, which offers classes and boat access to Harvard affiliates, including students in intramurals, staff, and faculty.
“I think for now, we're starting to notice intramural teams showing up more. It seems like there's more of an interest among people in the Harvard community at large in rowing. You just see them around getting in their boats for whether it's like their house practice or whatever else. So it's cool to see other people there.” said Leo Bessler ‘26
In 2023, crews restored the river facing façade, replaced the roof, and redesigned the locker rooms and training spaces, reviving Weld’s early-twentieth-century elegance while preparing it for another century on the Charles.
“It’s super functional. The space is high-end when it comes to the equipment,” Assistant Coach Tom Siddall said. “I think what’s really cool about the renovation is that it didn’t lose any of its history.”
“Training in Newell reminds me of all the past HUBC legends who came before me, and all the blood, sweat, and tears they put in while pursuing the ultimate goal,” said senior heavyweight rower Owen Marcovitz. “The renovations really make the space feel elite, and allow me and the guys to take our power and endurance to that next level.”
The two boathouses face each other across the river, renewed but unchanged in purpose.
“The Head of the Charles is such a special time for Newell to be up and running. The feeling of the boys cheering you on from the dock really motivates us to take that next stroke just a little bit harder,” Marcovitz added. “Especially when we know our moms are on the dock with their cameras."
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