NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Boston, Massachusetts

Boston (pronounced /ˈbɒstən/ (help·info)) is the capital and largest city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The city is located in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States.^[3] The largest city in New England, Boston is considered the economic and cultural center of the entire New England region.^[4] The city, which had an estimated population of 590,763 in 2006, lies at the center of the Cambridge–Boston-Quincy metropolitan area—the 10th-largest metropolitan area (5th largest CSA) in the U.S., with a population of 4.5 million. Look up Boston in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 509 pixelsFull resolution (2904 Ã— 1848 pixel, file size: 3. ... Image File history File links Us-ma-bo. ... Boston City Seal (presumed fair use from City of Boston - historial document) This work is copyrighted. ... EXAMPLE:Laughbox,Blondie,BamBam,Pinkie,etc. ... Image File history File links Boston_ma_highlight. ... 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Suffolk County is a county located in the state of Massachusetts. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... This article is about the region in the United States of America. ... This article is about the region in the United States of America. ... Light Blue represents the area in Massachusetts known as Greater Boston, while Dark Blue represents the Metro-Boston area and Red represents Boston proper, the City of Boston Greater Boston is the area of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts surrounding the city of Boston, Massachusetts. ... In the United States, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has produced a formal definition of metropolitan areas. ... The United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) defines micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas. ...

In 1630, Puritan colonists from England founded the city on the Shawmut Peninsula.^[5] During the late eighteenth century Boston was the location of several major events during the American Revolution, including the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party. Several early battles of the American Revolution, such as the Battle of Bunker Hill and the Siege of Boston, occurred within the city and surrounding areas. After American independence was attained Boston became a major shipping port and manufacturing center, and its rich history now attracts 16.3 million visitors annually.^[6]^[5] The city was the site of several firsts, including America's first public school, Boston Latin School (1635),^[7] and first college, Harvard College (1636), in neighboring Cambridge. Boston was also home to the first subway system in the United States.^[8] For the record label, see Puritan Records. ... This diagram shows the original dimension of the Shawmut Peninsula. ... John Trumbulls Declaration of Independence, showing the five-man committee in charge of drafting the Declaration in 1776 as it presents its work to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia The American Revolution refers to the period during the last half of the 18th century in which the Thirteen... Engraving by Paul Revere The Boston Massacre refers to an incident involving the deaths of five civilians at the hands of British troops on March 5, 1770, the legal aftermath of which helped spark the rebellion in some of the British colonies in America which culminated in the American Revolution. ... This article is about a 1773 American protest. ... For a list of numerous places and things that are named after this battle, see Bunker Hill. ... Combatants New England militia, Continental Army Great Britain Commanders Artemas Ward, George Washington Thomas Gage, William Howe Strength 17,000 The Siege of Boston (April 19, 1775 â€“ March 17, 1776) was the opening phase of the American Revolutionary War, in which New England militiamenâ€”and then the Continental Armyâ€”surrounded... The Boston Latin School is a public exam school founded on April 23, 1635, in Boston, Massachusetts, making it the oldest public school in the United States. ... Harvard Yard Harvard College is the undergraduate section and oldest school of Harvard University, a private university in the United States, founded in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. ... Location in Middlesex County in Massachusetts Coordinates: , Country State County Middlesex Settled 1630 Incorporated 1636 Government - Type Mayor-City Council - Mayor Kenneth Reeves (D) Area - Total 7. ... â€œMass Transitâ€ redirects here. ...

Through land reclamation and municipal annexation, Boston has expanded beyond the peninsula. With many colleges and universities within the city and surrounding area, Boston is a center of higher education^[9] and a center for health care. The city's economy is also based on research, finance, and technology – principally biotechnology. Boston has been experiencing gentrification and has one of the highest costs of living in the United States.^[10] Land reclamation is either of two distinct practices. ... In the United States, all local governments are considered creatures of the state according to Dillons Rule, which resulted from the work of John Forrest Dillon on the law of municipal corporations. ... The structure of insulin Biotechnology is technology based on biology, especially when used in agriculture, food science, and medicine. ... In San Francisco, during the mid-1960s, the bohemian center of the city shifted from the old Beat enclave of North Beach to Haight-Ashbury (pictured) as a response to gentrification. ... For other uses, see The Cost of Living. ...

1 History
2 Geography
3 Cityscape
4 Climate
5 Demographics
6 Government
7 Crime
8 Economy
9 Education
10 Culture
11 Media
12 Sports
13 Healthcare and utilities
14 Transportation
15 See also
16 Notes
17 References
18 External links

History

Main article: History of Boston, Massachusetts

Boston in 1772.

Boston was founded on September 17, 1630 by Puritan colonists from England.^[5] The Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony are sometimes confused with the Pilgrims who founded Plymouth Colony ten years earlier in what is today Bristol County, Plymouth County, and Barnstable County, Massachusetts. The two groups are historically distinct and differed in religious practice. The separate colonies were not united until the formation of the Province of Massachusetts Bay in 1691. 1740 Faneuil Hall, sketch by John Smybert The 18th-century Old State House in Boston is surrounded by tall buildings of the 19th and 20th centuries. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1536x1414, 298 KB) Summary Boston in 1772. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1536x1414, 298 KB) Summary Boston in 1772. ... is the 260th day of the year (261st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events February 22 - Native American Quadequine introduces Popcorn to English colonists. ... For the record label, see Puritan Records. ... A map of the Massachusetts Bay Colony Capital Charlestown, Boston History - Established 1629 - New England Confederation 1643 - Dominion of New England 1686 - Province of Massachusetts Bay 1692 - Disestablished 1692 The Massachusetts Bay Colony (sometimes called the Massachusetts Bay Company, for the institution that founded it) was an English settlement on... This article is about a particular group of seventeenth-century European colonists of North America. ... Seal of Plymouth Colony Map of Plymouth Colony showing town locations Capital Plymouth Language(s) English Religion Puritan, Separatist Government Monarchy Legislature General Court History - Established 1620 - First Thanksgiving 1621 - Pequot War 1637 - King Philips War 1675â€“1676 - Part of the Dominion of New England 1686â€“1688 - Disestablished 1691... Bristol County is a county located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. ... Plymouth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. ... Barnstable County is a county located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. ... A map of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. ...

The Shawmut peninsula was connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus, and surrounded by the waters of Massachusetts Bay and the Back Bay, an estuary of the Charles River. Several prehistoric Native American archaeological sites excavated in the city have shown that the peninsula was inhabited as early as 5,000 BC.^[11] Boston's early European settlers first called the area Trimountaine, but later renamed the town after Boston, Lincolnshire, England, from which several prominent colonists had emigrated. Massachusetts Bay Colony's original governor, John Winthrop, gave a famous sermon entitled "A Model of Christian Charity," popularly known as the "City on a Hill" sermon, which captured the idea that Boston had a special covenant with God. (Winthrop also led the signing of the Cambridge Agreement, which is regarded as a key founding document of the city.) Puritan ethics molded a stable and well-structured society in Boston. For example, shortly after Boston's settlement, Puritans founded America's first public school, Boston Latin School (1635),^[7] and America's first college, Harvard College (1636). Boston was the largest town in British North America until the mid-1700s.^[12] For other uses, see Isthmus (disambiguation). ... Map of Massachusetts Bay. ... For other meanings, see Estuary (disambiguation) RÃo de la Plata estuary An estuary is a semi-enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. ... The Charles River from the Boston side, facing Cambridge and the main campus of Harvard University. ... This article is about the people indigenous to the United States. ... A large number of places in the U.S were named after places in England as a result of English settlers and explorers. ... , Boston is a town and small port in Lincolnshire, UK, on the east coast of England. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... A map of the Massachusetts Bay Colony Capital Charlestown, Boston History - Established 1629 - New England Confederation 1643 - Dominion of New England 1686 - Province of Massachusetts Bay 1692 - Disestablished 1692 The Massachusetts Bay Colony (sometimes called the Massachusetts Bay Company, for the institution that founded it) was an English settlement on... John Winthrop (12 January 1587/8â€“26 March 1649) led a group of English Puritans to the New World, joined the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1629 and was elected their first governor on April 8, 1630. ... City upon a hill is phrase often used to refer to John Winthrops famous sermon, A Model of Christian Charity,, of 1630, based on the one of the metaphors of Salt and Light in the Sermon on the Mount (You are the light of the world. ... The Cambridge Agreement was an agreement made on August 29, 1629, between the shareholders of the Massachusetts Bay Company. ... The Boston Latin School is a public exam school founded on April 23, 1635, in Boston, Massachusetts, making it the oldest public school in the United States. ... Harvard Yard Harvard College is the undergraduate section and oldest school of Harvard University, a private university in the United States, founded in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. ...

Part of current downtown Boston by its harbor.

In the 1770s, British attempts to exert more stringent control on the thirteen colonies, primarily via taxation, prompted Bostonians to initiate the American Revolution.^[5] The Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, and several early battles occurred in or near the city, including the Battle of Lexington and Concord, Battle of Bunker Hill, and the Siege of Boston. During this period, Paul Revere made his famous midnight ride. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2500x1894, 3102 KB) A view of downtown Boston, Massachusetts taken in August of 2006. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2500x1894, 3102 KB) A view of downtown Boston, Massachusetts taken in August of 2006. ... In 1775, the British claimed authority over the red and pink areas on this map and Spain ruled the orange. ... John Trumbulls Declaration of Independence, showing the five-man committee in charge of drafting the Declaration in 1776 as it presents its work to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia The American Revolution refers to the period during the last half of the 18th century in which the Thirteen... Engraving by Paul Revere The Boston Massacre refers to an incident involving the deaths of five civilians at the hands of British troops on March 5, 1770, the legal aftermath of which helped spark the rebellion in some of the British colonies in America which culminated in the American Revolution. ... This article is about a 1773 American protest. ... The Battle of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775 was the first battle of the American Revolutionary War and was described as the shot heard round the world in Emersons Concord Hymn. ... For a list of numerous places and things that are named after this battle, see Bunker Hill. ... Combatants New England militia, Continental Army Great Britain Commanders Artemas Ward, George Washington Thomas Gage, William Howe Strength 17,000 The Siege of Boston (April 19, 1775 â€“ March 17, 1776) was the opening phase of the American Revolutionary War, in which New England militiamenâ€”and then the Continental Armyâ€”surrounded... For the song by the Beastie Boys, see Paul Revere (song). ...

After the Revolution, Boston had become one of the world's wealthiest international trading ports due to the city's consolidated seafaring tradition – exports included rum, fish, salt, and tobacco. During this era, descendants of old Boston families became regarded as the nation's social and cultural elites; they were later dubbed the Boston Brahmins. In 1822, Boston was chartered as a city.^[13] Boston Brahmins, or simply Brahmins—sometimes also called the First Families of Boston—are a blue-blooded class of New Englanders who claim hereditary or cultural descent from the Anglo-Saxon Protestants who founded the city of Boston, Massachusetts and originally settled New England. ...

The Embargo Act of 1807, adopted during the Napoleonic Wars, and the War of 1812 significantly curtailed Boston's harbor activity. Although foreign trade returned after these hostilities, Boston's merchants had found alternatives for their capital investments in the interim. Manufacturing became an important component of the city's economy and by the mid-1800s, the city's industrial manufacturing overtook international trade in economic importance. Until the early 1900s, Boston remained one of the nation's largest manufacturing centers, and was notable for its garment production and leather goods industries.^[6] A network of small rivers bordering the city and connecting it to the surrounding region made for easy shipment of goods and allowed for a proliferation of mills and factories. Later, a dense network of railroads facilitated the region's industry and commerce. From the mid- to late nineteenth century, Boston flourished culturally; it became renowned for its rarefied literary culture and lavish artistic patronage. It also became a center of the abolitionist movement.^[14] The city reacted strongly to the Fugitive Slave Law, which contributed to President Franklin Pierce's attempt to make an example of Boston after the Burns Fugitive Slave Case. The Embargo Act was a series of laws passed by the Congress of the United States between the years 1806-1808, during the second term of President Thomas Jefferson. ... Combatants Austria[a] Portugal Prussia[a] Russia[b] Sicily[c] Sardinia Spain[d] Sweden[e] United Kingdom French Empire Holland[f] Italy Etruria[g] Naples[h] Duchy of Warsaw[i] Confederation of the Rhine[j] Bavaria Saxony Westphalia WÃ¼rttemberg Denmark-Norway[k] Commanders Archduke Charles Prince Schwarzenberg Karl Mack... This article is about the U.S.â€“U.K. war. ... A baby wearing many items of winter clothing: headband, cap, fur-lined coat, shawl and sweater. ... For other uses, see Leather (disambiguation). ... This article is about the abolition of slavery. ... The Fugitive Slave Law of the United States may refer to one of two laws of the same name: Fugitive Slave Law of 1793 Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Franklin Pierce (November 23, 1804 â€“ October 8, 1869) was an American politician and the fourteenth President of the United States, serving from 1853 to 1857. ...

Scollay Square in the 1880s

In the 1820s, Boston's population began to swell and the city's ethnic composition changed dramatically with the first wave of European immigrants. Irish immigrants dominated the first wave of newcomers during this period. By 1850, about 35,000 Irish lived in Boston.^[15] In the latter half of the nineteenth century, the city saw increasing numbers of Irish, Germans, Lebanese, French Canadians, and Russian and Polish Jews settle in the city. By the end of the nineteenth century, Boston's core neighborhoods had become enclaves of ethnically distinct immigrants – Italians inhabited the North End, the Irish dominated South Boston, and Russian Jews lived in the West End. Scollay Square in the 1880s Location: Scollay Square, Boston Source: [1] This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Scollay Square in the 1880s Location: Scollay Square, Boston Source: [1] This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Government Center is a city square and plaza in Boston, Massachusetts, bounded by Cambridge, Court, Congress, and Sudbury Streets. ... 2000 Census Population Ancestry Map Immigration to the United States of America is the movement of non-residents to the United States. ... French Canadian is a term that has several different connotations. ... Jewish history in Poland 960 Jewish merchant from Spain, Ibrahim Ibn Jaqub (Abraham ben Jakov), travels to Poland and writes the first description of the country. ... Image of the North End, Boston neighborhood. ... South Boston is a heavily populated neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts, located south of the Fort Point Channel and abutting Dorchester Bay. ... The West End of Boston, Massachusetts is a neighborhood bounded generally by Cambridge Street to the south, the Charles River to the west and northwest, Martha Road and Lomasney Way on the north and northeast, and Staniford Street on the west. ...

Irish and Italian immigrants brought with them Roman Catholicism. Currently, Catholics make up Boston's largest religious community^[16] and since the early twentieth century the Irish have played a major role in Boston politics—prominent figures include the Kennedys, Tip O'Neill, and John F. Fitzgerald. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... The Irish Catholic political dynasty, John, Robert, and Edward Kennedy The Kennedy family is a prominent Irish-American family in American politics and government descending from the marriage of Joseph P. and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy. ... Thomas Phillip ONeill, Jr. ... For the American author John Fitzgerald, see John D. Fitzgerald. ...

Trinity Church reflected in the façade of the John Hancock Tower.

Between 1630 and 1890, the city tripled its physical size by land reclamation, by filling in marshes, mud flats, and gaps between wharves along the waterfront,^[17] a process Walter Muir Whitehill called "cutting down the hills to fill the coves." The largest reclamation efforts took place during the 1800s. Beginning in 1807, the crown of Beacon Hill was used to fill in a 50-acre (20 ha) mill pond that later became Haymarket Square. The present-day State House sits atop this shortened Beacon Hill. Reclamation projects in the middle of the century created significant parts of the South End, West End, the Financial District, and Chinatown. After The Great Boston Fire of 1872, workers used building rubble as landfill along the downtown waterfront. During the mid-to-late nineteenth century, workers filled almost 600 acres (2.4 km²) of brackish Charles River marshlands west of the Boston Common with gravel brought by rail from the hills of Needham Heights. In addition, the city annexed the adjacent towns of Roxbury (1868), Dorchester (1870), Brighton, West Roxbury (including present day Jamaica Plain, Roslindale and West Roxbury), and Charlestown. The last three towns were annexed in 1874.^[18] Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 533 pixelsFull resolution (2000 Ã— 1333 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 533 pixelsFull resolution (2000 Ã— 1333 pixel, file size: 2. ... Land reclamation is either of two distinct practices. ... Walter Muir Whitehill (b. ... This article is about the unit of measurement. ... A hectare (symbol ha) is a unit of area, equal to 10 000 square metres, commonly used for measuring land area. ... Haymarket Square is an area of Boston, Massachusetts, USA noted for its old style open air markets. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The South End is a neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts. ... The West End of Boston, Massachusetts is a neighborhood bounded generally by Cambridge Street to the south, the Charles River to the west and northwest, Martha Road and Lomasney Way on the north and northeast, and Staniford Street on the west. ... The Beach Street gate into Bostons Chinatown. ... Ruins left by the fire The Great Boston Fire of 1872 was Bostons largest urban fire and still one of the most costly fire-related property losses in American history. ... Roxbury is a neighborhood within Boston, Massachusetts USA. It was one of the first towns founded in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630 and became a city in 1846 until it was annexed to Boston on January 5, 1868. ... 1888 German map of Boston Harbor showing Dorchester in the lower left hand corner. ... Cemetery and apartment houses along Commonwealth Avenue, Brighton, near Chandlers Pond Brighton is a neighborhood of the City of Boston, Massachusetts, located in the northwest corner of the city. ... Founded in 1630 (contemporaneously with Boston), West Roxbury, Massachusetts was originally part of the town of Roxbury and was mainly used as farmland. ... Soldiers Monument and First Church in Jamaica Plain Unitarian Universalist Jamaica Plain, commonly known as JP, is a historic neighborhood of 4. ... Birdseye view of Boston, Charlestown, and Bunker Hill between 1890 and 1910. ...

The first community health center in the United States was the Columbia Point Health Center in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston. It was opened in December 1965 and served mostly the massive Columbia Point public housing complex adjoining it. It was founded by two medical doctors, Jack Geiger of Harvard University and Count Gibson of Tufts University. It is still in operation and was re-dedicated in 1990 as the Geiger-Gibson Community Health Center.^[19] 1888 German map of Boston Harbor showing Dorchester in the lower left hand corner. ...

The skyline of Boston's Back Bay neighborhood, home to some of the city's tallest skyscrapers, as seen from the Back Bay Fens. The Prudential Tower, John Hancock Tower, 111 Huntington Avenue, and the Christian Science Center are all visible; left to right.

By the early and mid-twentieth century, the city was in decline as factories became old and obsolete, and businesses moved out of the region for cheaper labor elsewhere.^[5] Boston responded by initiating various urban renewal projects under the direction of the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA), which was established in 1957. In 1958, BRA initiated a project to improve the historic West End neighborhood. Extensive demolition garnered vociferous public opposition to the new agency.^[20] BRA subsequently reevaluated its approach to urban renewal in its future projects, including the construction of Government Center. By the 1970s, the city's economy boomed after thirty years of economic downturn. Hospitals such as Massachusetts General Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Brigham and Women's Hospital led the nation in medical innovation and patient care. Schools such as Harvard University, MIT, Boston University, Boston College and Northeastern University attracted students to the Boston area. Nevertheless, the city experienced conflict starting in 1974 over desegregation busing, which resulted in unrest and violence around public schools throughout the mid-1970s. Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 719 Ã— 599 pixelsFull resolution (740 Ã— 617 pixel, file size: 149 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) The Boston skyline as seen from the Fens. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 719 Ã— 599 pixelsFull resolution (740 Ã— 617 pixel, file size: 149 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) The Boston skyline as seen from the Fens. ... List of buildings List of masts List of tallest buildings in the world List of tallest buildings and structures in the world List of tallest buildings and structures in the world by country List of tallest buildings in Chicago List of tallest buildings in New York City List of tallest... Sunset view of the Back Bay Fens in Boston The Back Bay Fens (also called The Fens), once a salt water shallow bay, is now a fresh water park in Boston, Massachusetts, USA designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. ... Prudential Tower in 2006. ... John Hancock Tower, 200 Clarendon St. ... View of 111 Huntington Avenue from the Prudential Tower observatory. ... Christian Science Plaza in Boston, Massachusetts The First Church of Christ, Scientist (Christian Science Center in common reference) is the mother church and administrative headquarters of the Christian Science Church and is located in the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. ... Urban Renewal redirects here. ... The Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) is the municipal planning and development agency for Boston, working on both housing and commercial developments. ... Government Center circa 2000 Government Center is a city square and plaza in Boston, Massachusetts, bounded by Cambridge, Court, Congress, and Sudbury Streets. ... Massachusetts General Hospital (often abbreviated to Mass General or just MGH) is a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School and biomedical research facility in Boston, Massachusetts. ... Both an international and regional referral center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Boston, Massachusetts is a major teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. ... Brigham and Womens Hospital (BWH) is a hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. ... Harvard redirects here. ... â€œMITâ€ redirects here. ... For the similarly named institution in Chestnut Hill, see Boston College. ... For similarly-named academic institutions, see Education in Boston, MA. Boston College (BC) is a private university located in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, in the New England region of the United States. ... â€œNeuâ€ redirects here. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

The Columbia Point housing projects, built in 1953 on the Dorchester peninsula, had gone through bad times until there were only 350 families living in it in 1988. It was run down and dangerous. In 1984, the city of Boston gave control of it to a private developer, Corcoran-Mullins-Jennison, who re-developed and re-vitalised the property into an attractive residential mixed-income community called Harbor Point Apartments which was opened in 1988 and completed by 1990. It is a very significant example of revitalisation and re-development and was the first federal housing project to be converted to private, mixed-income housing in the United States.

In the early twenty-first century the city has become an intellectual, technological, and political center. It has, however, experienced a loss of regional institutions,^[21] which included the acquisition of the Boston Globe by The New York Times, and the loss to mergers and acquisitions of local financial institutions such FleetBoston Financial, which was acquired by Charlotte-based Bank of America in 2004. The city also had to tackle gentrification issues and rising living expenses, with housing prices increasing sharply since the 1990s. The Boston Globe is the most widely-circulated daily newspaper in Boston, Massachusetts and in the greater New England region. ... The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed internationally. ... FleetBoston Financial was a Boston, Massachusetts-based bank created in 1999 by the merger of Fleet Financial Group and BankBoston. ... Charlotte redirects here. ... Bank of America (NYSE: BAC TYO: 8648) is the largest commercial bank in the United States in terms of deposits, and the largest company of its kind in the world. ... In San Francisco, during the mid-1960s, the bohemian center of the city shifted from the old Beat enclave of North Beach to Haight-Ashbury (pictured) as a response to gentrification. ...

Geography

See also: Neighborhoods in Boston, Massachusetts

A simulated-color satellite image of the Boston area taken on NASA's Landsat 3

The headquarters of the Church of Christ, Scientist in the Back Bay are dominated by a reflecting pool. The tall buildings in the background are the Prudential Tower and 111 Huntington Avenue.

Owing to its early founding, Boston is very compact. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 89.6 square miles (232.1 km²)—48.4 square miles (125.4 km²) of it is land and 41.2 square miles (106.7 km²) (46.0%) of it is water. This compares with cities of comparable population such as Denver at 154.9 square miles (401 km²) and Charlotte, North Carolina at 280.5 square miles (726 km²). Of United States cities over 500,000 in population, only San Francisco is smaller in land area. Boston's official elevation, as measured at Logan International Airport, is 19 feet (5.8 m) above sea level.^[22] The highest point in Boston is Bellevue Hill at 330 feet (101 m) above sea level, while the lowest point is at sea level.^[23] Houses on Louisburg Square, Beacon Hill. ... Boston LANDSAT File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Boston LANDSAT File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... For other uses, see NASA (disambiguation). ... Landsat 3 undergoing final launch preparations Landsat 3 is the third satellite of the Landsat program. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 533 pixelsFull resolution (2000 Ã— 1332 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 533 pixelsFull resolution (2000 Ã— 1332 pixel, file size: 1. ... The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. ... Back Bay is the name of several places and neighborhoods in the world, including: Back Bay, Boston Back Bay, New Brunswick This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Prudential Tower in 2006. ... The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title ) is a part of the United States Department of Commerce. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol kmÂ², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... Nickname: Location of Denver in the State of Colorado Location of Colorado in the United States Coordinates: , Country United States State State of Colorado City and County Denver[1] Founded 1858-11-22, as Denver City, K.T.[2] Incorporated 1861-11-07, as Denver City, C.T.[3] Consolidated... Charlotte redirects here. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... For the Logan airport in Billings, Montana, see Billings Logan International Airport. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, â€² â€“ a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... Bellevue Hill is the highest natural point in the city of Boston and Suffolk County[1][2][3]. It rises to a height of 330 feet (101m) above sea level[4]. Located in the West Roxbury neighborhood of Boston, the closest major intersection is that of Washington Street and West...

Boston is surrounded by the "Greater Boston" region, and bordered by the cities and towns of Winthrop, Revere, Chelsea, Everett, Somerville, Cambridge, Watertown, Newton, Brookline, Needham, Dedham, Canton, Milton, and Quincy. Light Blue represents the area in Massachusetts known as Greater Boston, while Dark Blue represents the Metro-Boston area and Red represents Boston proper, the City of Boston Greater Boston is the area of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts surrounding the city of Boston, Massachusetts. ... Nickname: Winthrop-by-the-Sea Settled: 1635 â€“ Incorporated: 1852 Zip Code(s): 02152 â€“ Area Code(s): 617 / 857 Official website: http://www. ... Location in Suffolk County in Massachusetts Coordinates: , Country State County Suffolk County Settled 1630 Incorporated 1846 Government - Type Mayor-council city - Mayor Thomas G. Ambrosino Area - City 10. ... Location in Massachusetts Coordinates: Country United States State Massachusetts County Suffolk County Settled 1624 Incorporated 1739 Government - Type Council-manager city - City Manager Jay Ash Area - City 2. ... Nickname: Location in Middlesex County in Massachusetts Coordinates: , Country State County Middlesex Settled 1630 Incorporated 1870 Government - Type Mayor-council city - Mayor John F. Hanlon Area - Total 3. ... Location in Middlesex County in Massachusetts Coordinates: , Country State County Middlesex Settled 1630 Incorporated 1842 Government - Type Mayor-council city - Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone Area - Total 4. ... Location in Middlesex County in Massachusetts Coordinates: , Country State County Middlesex Settled 1630 Incorporated 1636 Government - Type Mayor-City Council - Mayor Kenneth Reeves (D) Area - Total 7. ... The Town of Watertown is a city[1] in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. ... Nickname: Location in Middlesex County in Massachusetts Coordinates: , Country State County Middlesex County Settled 1630 Incorporated 1688 Government - Type Mayor-council city - Mayor David B. Cohen (Dem) Area - City 18. ... Location in Norfolk County in Massachusetts Coordinates: , Country State County Norfolk Settled 1638 Incorporated 1705 Government - Type Representative town meeting Area - Total 6. ... Needham is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. ... Nickname: Location in Massachusetts Coordinates: , Country United States State Massachusetts County Norfolk County Settled 1635 Incorporated 1636 Government - Type Representative town meeting - Town Administrator Bill Keegan - Board of Selectmen Marie-Loise Kehoe Mike Butler James MacDonald Carmen DelloIocono Dennis Teehan Area - Town 10. ... Canton is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. ... Milton is a suburban Boston town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. ... Location in Massachusetts Coordinates: , Country State County Norfolk County Settled 1625 Incorporated 1792 Government - Type Mayor-council city - Mayor William J. Phelan Area - City 26. ...

Much of the Back Bay and South End neighborhoods are built on reclaimed land—all of the earth from two of Boston's three original hills, the "trimount", was used as landfill material. Only Beacon Hill, the smallest of the three original hills, remains partially intact; just half of its height was cut down for landfill. The downtown area and immediate surroundings consist mostly of low-rise brick or stone buildings, with many older buildings in the Federal style. Several of these buildings mix in with modern high-rises, notably in the Financial District, Government Center, the South Boston waterfront, and Back Bay, which includes many prominent landmarks such as the Boston Public Library, Christian Science Center, Copley Square, Newbury Street, and New England's two tallest buildings: the John Hancock Tower and the Prudential Center.^[24] Near the John Hancock Tower is the old John Hancock Building with its prominent weather forecast beacon—whatever light illuminates gives an indication of weather to come: "steady blue. clear view; flashing blue, clouds are due; steady red, rain ahead; flashing red, snow instead." (In the summer, flashing red indicates instead that a Red Sox game has been rained out.) Smaller commercial areas are interspersed among single-family homes and wooden/brick multi-family row houses. Currently, the South End Historic District remains the largest surviving contiguous Victorian-era neighborhood in the U.S.^[25] This article is about the neighborhood of Back Bay. ... The South End is a neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts. ... Land reclamation is either of two distinct practices. ... Cutting down Beacon Hill, about 1800; a view from the north toward the Massachusetts State House. ... Central Pavilion, Tontine Crescent, 1793-1794, by Charles Bulfinch Federal style architecture occurred in the United States between 1780 and 1830, particularly from 1785 to 1815. ... Government Center is a city square and plaza in Boston, Massachusetts, bounded by Cambridge, Court, Congress, and Sudbury Streets. ... South Boston redirects here. ... The Boston Public Librarys McKim building The Boston Public Library was established in 1848. ... The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. ... Trinity Church with the Old John Hancock Tower in Copley Square Trinity Church reflected in the windows of the John Hancock Tower Copley Square is an area of the Back Bay district of Boston, Massachusetts. ... Newbury Street is located in the Back Bay area of Boston, Massachusetts. ... John Hancock Tower, 200 Clarendon St. ... Prudential Tower in 2006. ... John Hancock Tower, 200 Clarendon St. ... A weather beacon is a tower which indicates the weather forecast, usually with colored or flashing lights. ... The Boston Red Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Boston, Massachusetts. ...

Along with downtown, the geography of South Boston was particularly impacted by the Central Artery/Tunnel (CA/T) Project (or the "Big Dig"). The unstable reclaimed land in South Boston posed special problems for the project's tunnels. In the downtown area, the CA/T Project allowed for the removal of the unsightly elevated Central Artery and the incorporation of new green spaces and open areas. South Boston redirects here. ... For other projects of the same name, see Big Dig. ... For other projects of the same name, see Big Dig. ... The Central Artery, officially the John F. Fitzgerald Expressway, is a section of freeway in downtown Boston, Massachusetts, designated as Interstate 93, U.S. Highway 1 and Route 3. ...

Boston Common, located near the Financial District and Beacon Hill, is the oldest public park in the U.S.^[26] Along with the adjacent Boston Public Garden, it is part of the Emerald Necklace, a string of parks designed by Frederick Law Olmsted to encircle the city. Franklin Park, which is also part of the Emerald Necklace, is the city's largest park and houses a zoo.^[27] Another major park is the Esplanade located along the banks of the Charles River. Other parks are scattered throughout the city, with the major parks and beaches located near Castle Island, in Charlestown and along the Dorchester, South Boston, and East Boston shorelines. Equestrian statue of George Washington. ... Boston Public Garden, the second link of the Emerald Necklace The Emerald Necklace consists of an 1,100-acre chain of parks linked by parkways and waterways in Boston and Brookline, Massachusetts. ... {{Infobox Person | name = | image = FLOlmstead. ... Boston Public Garden, the second link of the Emerald Necklace The Emerald Necklace consists of an 1,100-acre chain of parks linked by parkways and waterways in Boston and Brookline, Massachusetts. ... Zoo New Englands Logo The Franklin Park Zoo, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is one of the oldest zoos in the U.S. It is operated by Zoo New England, which also operates the Stone Zoo in Stoneham, Massachusetts. ... St Clair Beach and esplanade, Dunedin, New Zealand Promenade at Rizal Boulevard in Dumaguete City, Philippines. ... The Charles River from the Boston side, facing Cambridge and the main campus of Harvard University. ... Castle Island is a 22 acre (89,000 mÂ²) major recreation site located in South Boston on Boston Harbor, owned by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. ...

The Charles River separates Boston proper from Cambridge, Watertown, and the neighborhood of Charlestown. To the east lies Boston Harbor and the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. The Neponset River forms the boundary between Boston's southern neighborhoods and the city of Quincy and the town of Milton. The Mystic River separates Charlestown from Chelsea and Everett, while Chelsea Creek and Boston Harbor separate East Boston from Boston proper.^[28] Categories: Stub | Massachusetts geography | Boston ... The Harbor Islands of Boston Harbor, Boston, Massachusetts, are a collection of 34 islands, many of which are open for public recreation and some of which are very small and best suited for wildlife. ... The Neponset River is a river in eastern Massachusetts. ... Location in Massachusetts Coordinates: , Country State County Norfolk County Settled 1625 Incorporated 1792 Government - Type Mayor-council city - Mayor William J. Phelan Area - City 26. ... Milton is a suburban Boston town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. ... For other uses, see Mystic River (disambiguation) A quiet afternoon on the Mystic River, as seen from very close to Grandfathers House, Medford, Massachusetts Mystic River and environs The Mystic River is the name of a short river in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. ...

Cityscape

Boston skyline from the North side of the Charles River.

Climate

Boston experiences a humid continental climate, with prevailing wind patterns that blow offshore, minimizing the influence of the Atlantic Ocean. Summers are typically hot and humid, while winters are cold, windy and snowy. The humid continental climate is a climate found over large areas of land masses in the temperate regions of the mid-latitudes where there is a zone of conflict between polar and tropical air masses. ...

February in Boston has seen 70 °F (21 °C) only once in recorded history, on February 24, 1985. The maximum temperature recorded in March was 90 °F (32 °C), on March 31, 1998. Spring in Boston can be warm, with temperatures as high as the 90s when winds are offshore, though it is just as possible for a day in late May to remain in the lower 40s due to cool ocean waters. The hottest month is July, with an average high of 82 °F (28 °C) and average low of 66 °F (18 °C), with conditions usually humid. The coldest month is January, with an average high of 36 °F (2 °C) and an average low of 22 °F (-6 °C).^[29] Periods exceeding 90 °F (32 °C) in summer and below 10 °F (−12 °C) in winter are not uncommon, but rarely prolonged. The record high temperature is 104 °F (40 °C), recorded July 4, 1911. The record low temperature is -18 °F (-28 °C), recorded on February 9, 1934.^[30] For other uses, see Fahrenheit (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Celsius (disambiguation). ... is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... is the 90th day of the year (91st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... For other uses, see Fahrenheit (disambiguation). ... is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1911 (MCMXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The city averages about 42 in (108 cm) of precipitation a year, with 40.9 in (104 cm) of snowfall a year.^[31] Snowfall increases dramatically as one goes inland away from the city and the warming influence of the ocean.^[32] Most snowfall occurs December through March, usually with little or no snow in April and November and rare snow events in May and October.^[33]^[34] An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, â€³ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... cm redirects here, alternate uses: cm (disambiguation) A centimetre (symbol cm; American spelling: centimeter) is an SI unit of length. ...

Boston's coastal location on the North Atlantic, though it moderates temperatures, also makes the city very prone to Nor'easter weather systems that can produce much snow and rain.^[35] Fog is prevalent, particularly in spring and early summer, and the occasional tropical storm or hurricane can threaten the region, especially in early autumn. For other uses, see Atlantic (disambiguation) The Atlantic Ocean is Earths second-largest ocean, covering approximately one-fifth of its surface. ... Satellite image of the intense noreaster responsible for the North American blizzard of 2006. ... This article is about weather phenomena. ...

Weather averages for Boston, Massachusetts
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °F (°C)	36 (2)	38 (3)	45 (7)	56 (13)	67 (19)	77 (25)	82 (28)	80 (27)	73 (23)	63 (17)	52 (11)	41 (5)	59 (15)
Average low °F (°C)	22 (-6)	23 (-5)	31 (-1)	40 (4)	50 (10)	59 (15)	65 (18)	64 (18)	57 (14)	47 (8)

Contents

Geography

Cityscape

Climate