Boston real estate

A Bit About Boston

Boston, the capital of Massachusetts and the largest city in New England, is a dynamic metropolis of many dimensions, both charmingly Old World and vitally modern. Over the years, this city that has played a major role in the American experience has garnered many nicknames, from the folksy “Beantown” to the lofty "Athens of America."

Whatever you call it, Boston has been a vibrant intellectual and cultural hub for more than three centuries. Consistently voted one of America’s most livable areas, it is one of a few major cities in the United States that has experienced a steady rise in population over the past 20 years.

History of Boston

The oldest major city in the nation, Boston was founded in 1630 by a community of English colonists. First named Trimountain after its three hills, the city took its permanent name from an English town. In the early 1700s, it grew into a thriving port serving ships from England and the West Indies.

Boston is the site of many significant events in America’s early Colonial and Revolutionary history. At every turn, the city serves up slices of the country’s rich past, with narrow cobblestone streets and historic landmarks that awaken the Boston Tea Party, Paul Revere’s ride, and the Battle of Bunker Hill.

After the Revolutionary War, Boston grew rapidly and was chartered as a city in 1822. Immigrants from Europe and beyond streamed into the area, laying the foundation for the city’s distinctly multicultural character.

Boston today

Today, Boston serves as the commercial, cultural and educational center of New England — and it exerts its unique influence throughout the nation and world. Known for its bold innovations, it is a city of firsts, including:

• the first public school (Boston Latin School, 1635)
• the first U.S. college (Harvard University in Cambridge, 1636)
• the first newspaper published over a continuous period (the Boston News-Letter, 1704)
• the first savings bank (the Provident Institute for Savings, 1816)
• the first steam-heated building (Eastern Hotel, 1845)
• the first free public city library (Boston Public Library, 1852)
• the first vaudeville theater (Gaiety Museum, 1883)
• the first subway (1897)

Transportaion in Boston

Boston is served by Logan International Airport and Amtrak Northeast Corridor trains. Once you’re in the city, walking is your best option. Driving is for experts only, and even those with nerves of steel usually prefer to walk or take Boston’s rapid-transit system, the “T.”

The Beantown Trolley is another great way to see the city. Or try a ride by Duck, a vintage World War II amphibious vehicle providing narrated part-land, park-water tours. Heads up! The Duck is quick to abandon its wheels for a dive in the Charles River.

Location: Boston is located along the Atlantic Ocean on Boston Harbor.

Total area: 89.63 square miles (48.43 square miles land area; 41.21 square miles water area)

Population: 589,141

Housing units: 251,935

Average annual rainfall: 42.53 inches

Average temperatures: 29°F (winter) to 74°F (summer)

^*Information provided by 2000 Census