Boston

The peninsula at the mouth of the Charles River forms the historic core, surrounded by reclaimed marshland that now comprises densely built neighborhoods such as Back Bay and South End. Brick rowhouses line nineteenth-century streets alongside modern glass and steel towers, while public parks and waterfront paths run along the river and harbor.

Puritan colonists under John Winthrop established a settlement on the sparsely wooded Shawmut Peninsula in 1630. The city became a flashpoint for colonial unrest during the 1760s and 1770s, culminating in the 1770 Massacre and the 1773 Tea Party. Massive Irish and Italian immigration during the nineteenth century transformed the demographic composition fundamentally.

More than 80 colleges and universities operate within the metropolitan area, giving the city one of the world's highest concentrations of students per capita. This academic density has made Boston a global center for medical research, biotechnology, and financial services, while its theater and music scenes draw steady support from student audiences year-round.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority operates four subway lines linking downtown with suburbs, supplemented by buses and commuter trains reaching as far as Providence and Worcester. Logan International Airport sits 3 miles (5 kilometers) northeast and connects via subway or water taxi. Many attractions cluster along a 2.5-mile (4-kilometer) walking route called the Freedom Trail.

Boston Common, the nation's oldest public park dating to 1634, originally served as grazing land for colonists' cattle and as a military training ground. America's first subway line opened in 1897, initially running streetcars through an underground tunnel beneath Tremont Street. The public Latin school established in 1635 still operates today and counts five signers of the Declaration of Independence among its graduates.

Location: Suffolk County

Inception: September 7, 1630

Founders: John Winthrop

Elevation above the sea: 43 m

Part of: Greater Boston

Shares border with: Quincy, Brookline, Cambridge, Somerville, Winthrop, Revere, Chelsea, Everett, Watertown, Newton, Dedham, Milton, Chestnut Hill, Needham

Address: Boston, MA, USA

Website: https://boston.gov

GPS coordinates: 42.35883,-71.05783

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:48