Charlestown, Historic neighborhood in Boston, United States
Charlestown spreads across a peninsula flanked by the Mystic and Charles Rivers, displaying a mix of brick row houses, townhouses, and waterfront structures. Streets run downhill from the central heights toward the water, where docks and former industrial buildings stand.
This settlement emerged in 1628 and served as one of the earliest European sites in the region. Most of the original district burned down in 1775 after the Battle of Bunker Hill and was rebuilt afterward.
Residents gather at Thompson Square, where an octagonal park offers space for rest and conversation surrounded by 19th-century townhouses. Local shops along Main Street still carry the names of Irish families who have remained here across generations.
Two Orange Line stations and a ferry service from the Navy Yard to Long Wharf connect the area to downtown Boston. Streets are mostly narrow and steep, especially around Monument Square.
The monument on Bunker Hill actually sits on Breed's Hill, where the 1775 battle truly took place. This granite tower has marked the site since 1843 and stands where most of the fighting occurred.
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