What is now known as Charlesgate was originally referred to as the Beacon Street Entrance to the Back Bay Fens. This grand entrance was included in landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted's initial plans for the area, known as the Muddy River Improvement. The entrance was filled with lush shoreline plantings, and included a direct connection between the Muddy and Charles Rivers. Since the mid-20th century, the prioritization of road construction over parkland have compromised this once-idyllic space. The construction of Storrow Drive, the Massachusetts Turnpike, and the Bowker Overpass severed Charlesgate from both the Back Bay Fens and the Charles River Esplanade. Charlesgate's portion of the Muddy River was channelized, and the direct connection between it and the Charles River was blocked. In 2017, Emerald Necklace Conservancy assisted in the founding of a community group, the Charlesgate Alliance, to plan and implement a public process to revitalize Charlesgate. The conceptual revitalization plan created through this partnership was embraced by the City of Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and developed into the Charlesgate Revitalization Process—the first phase of which is currently under construction. After years of neglect, the future of this unique green space looks bright.