Could fish have built it?

Map of Boston in 1775, when the city was almost an island.

“This is a city that has been created by man, by humans. When the English got here, most of it was underwater…Boston’s a city that people have built… and I find it exciting to see that continuing to happen.’’

— Frederick P. SalvuccI (born 1940) (civil engineer, former Massachusetts transportation director and a prime mover in the “Big Dig’’ project and MBTA expansion.