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Another Sign Of Spring: Swan Boats Return To Boston

BOSTON (CBS/AP) — The Boston Marathon isn't the only longstanding local tradition being enjoyed this holiday weekend.

Saturday marked the return of the iconic Swan Boats to the Public Garden lagoon.

Swan Boats Boston
People take a ride on a Swan Boat in Boston. (Photo: Kim Tunnicliffe)

Democratic Mayor Marty Walsh joined a group of local schoolchildren for the first ride of the season.

This is the 140th year for the Swan Boats, which have been owned and operated by the Paget family since 1877.

Robert Paget, an Irish immigrant and shipbuilder, based the original design for the boats on the opera Lohengrin, which ends with a swan guiding the hero across a river.

The city says the oldest Swan Boat still in use is more than a century old while the newest launched in 1993. Each boat can carry up to 20 passengers.

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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