63-730: Charlestown is the oldest neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts , in the United States. Also called Mishawum by the Massachusett , it is located on a peninsula north of the Charles River , across from downtown Boston, and also adjoins the Mystic River and Boston Harbor waterways. Charlestown was laid out in 1629 by engineer Thomas Graves , one of its earliest settlers, during the reign of Charles I of England . It
126-660: A Boston designer who later designed the stained glass for the Connecticut State Capitol. The Warren Tavern first opened in 1780. It is located at 2 Pleasant Street. The building was one of the first built after the Battle of Bunker Hill . The Tavern took its name from Joseph Warren , American Patriot who played a key role in the American Revolution and was killed in the Battle of Bunker Hill. It
189-572: A facility of Massachusetts General Hospital. Many commercial ventures line the Mystic River along Medford Street and Terminal Street. The Navy Yard, home to USS Constitution , is now part of the Boston National Historical Park , which marks the southern edge of the neighborhood. The waterfront has two marinas, Constitution Marina and Shipyard Quarters Marina. Charlestown is located north of downtown Boston on
252-524: A majority of Hispanics, Brazilians, and young professionals, with a remnant of older Italians, and is the site of Logan International Airport . On the north bank of the Charles River is Charlestown ; once a predominantly Irish enclave and site of the Bunker Hill Monument, it is now a home for young professionals. West of downtown are the neighborhoods of Fenway Kenmore, Allston, Brighton, Longwood and Mission Hill. Fenway Kenmore borders
315-653: A peninsula extending southeastward between the Charles River and the Mystic River . City Square in the southern part of Charlestown was the location of the city hall before annexation by Boston. It is also the terminus of the Charlestown Bridge and the former Warren Bridge , and was formerly a stop on the Charlestown Elevated . The Central Artery was built between 1951 and 1954, routing elevated ramps through City Square. The Central Artery North Area (CANA) project moved these underground, into
378-444: A population of 22,132, making its population density 9,442 people per square mile, which is denser than Medford generally. The range of house values is between $ 400,000 and $ 700,000. Three-quarters of residents are of the "white" race. It's said that South Medford is closer to Downtown Boston than most of Boston. Its southern borders stretch to Winter Hill, Somerville, Massachusetts , and its northern and eastern borders lie on
441-621: A some form of public transportation to get to their jobs and Charlestown is well served by public transportation as it is accessible by several forms of public transportation, including train, bus and ferry. The train transportation is the MBTA Orange Line , the Community College station , located near Bunker Hill Community College and serves the center of the town; and the Sullivan Square station , located on what
504-605: Is $ 89,017, and the median family income is $ 100,725. The median income for whites is $ 103,652; that for Blacks or African Americans, $ 12,143; for Hispanics or Latinos, $ 30,833; for Asians, $ 61,875; and for others, $ 16,876. Seventeen percent of the population and 37% of the children live below the Federal Poverty Line . Of married couples, 32.4% are living in poverty with families. Of male householders with no wife present, 3.4% live in poverty; and of female householders with no husband, 64.2% live in poverty. According to
567-482: Is a community of white professionals and Latinos, and includes the larger side of the Arnold Arboretum. South Boston is a predominantly Irish-American neighborhood, which hosts the city's annual St. Patrick's Day parade. South of Roxbury, Jamaica Plain and Dorchester are the neighborhoods of Mattapan, Roslindale, Hyde Park and West Roxbury. Roslindale is known for its small business district and includes
630-738: Is also accessible via the Charlestown Navy Yard Ferry Terminal where the MBTA operates a ferry between the Navy Yard and Long Wharf (near the New England Aquarium ), making this a popular choice among both commuters and tourists. The Boston Harborwalk and the Freedom Trail pass through the neighborhood. But the jury they found me guilty, And the judge he wrote it down, "For breaking of
693-866: Is known for its supposed tight knit nature. Residents apparently can still be heard speaking Italian in South Medford, as well as remnants from the rich Italian-American past such as a bocce court at the South Medford Fire Station. South Medford has more Italian bakeries than the North End of Boston. Legend has it that Frank Sinatra used to frequent DePasquale's (now Bocceli's) in South Medford, along with "Crazy Guggenheim" Frank Fontaine , and Rocky Marciano . Apparently, City officials have proposed registering South Medford as an Italian-American historical district. As with its neighboring city of Somerville, Massachusetts , South Medford
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#1732765326300756-470: Is populated largely by African Americans and Caribbean Americans, whereas West Roxbury is predominantly white, but with rapidly growing African American, Middle Eastern and Latino populations. The 23 official neighborhoods in Boston are made up of approximately 84 sub-districts, squares and neighborhoods within each official neighborhood. The Boston Redevelopment Authority defines 16 planning districts (plus
819-591: Is west of the Public Garden , and Beacon Hill is the site of the Massachusetts State House . The Back Bay and Beacon Hill are also home to national and local politicians, famous authors and top business leaders and professionals. Bay Village is one of the smallest neighborhoods in Boston and mostly contains Greek Revival -style row houses. North and east of downtown are the neighborhoods of East Boston and Charlestown. East Boston has
882-464: The Battles of Lexington and Concord . A restaurant opened in 1780 and still in operation, Warren Tavern , claims to have been one of Revere's favorite taverns. Of Charlestown's churches, St. Mary's (1887–1893) is considered one of the masterpieces of Patrick Keely . In St. John's Episcopal Church, on Devens Street, the central stained glass above the altar is a notable work of William James McPherson,
945-667: The Charles and the Mystic . They were given a grant by Sir Robert Gorges, with whom they had settled at Wessagusset ( Weymouth ) in September 1623 and arrived at what they called Mishawaum in 1624. John Endicott , first governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony , sent William, Richard and Ralph Sprague to Mishawaum to lay out a settlement. Thomas Walford, acting as an interpreter with the Massachusett Indians, negotiated with
1008-481: The Charles River with him on the Shawmut peninsula . This was the first act in the foundation of the city of Boston . The territory of Charlestown was initially quite large. From it, Woburn was separated in 1642, Malden in 1649 (including what is now Melrose and Everett ) and Stoneham in 1725. South Medford , the land south of the Mystic River (now surrounded by Somerville), was known as "Mistick Field" and
1071-586: The Irish Mob Wars of the 1960s. In the late 1980s, however, Charlestown underwent a massive Yuppie gentrification process similar to that of the South End . Drawn to its proximity to downtown and its colonial, red-brick, row-house housing stock, similar to that of Beacon Hill , many yuppie and upper-middle-class professionals moved to the neighborhood. In the late 1990s, additional gentrification took place, similar to that in neighboring Somerville. Today
1134-643: The Tobin Bridge to the City of Chelsea across the Mystic River . State routes passing through Charlestown include 38 to the City of Somerville and 99 to the City of Everett . The sole city-owned road linking the neighborhood Charleston with Downtown Boston is North Washington Street to the Southwest. According to the Census from 2010 to 2014, 53.7% of the population will drive to work and 30.0% will take
1197-450: The 1840s. Since the late 1980s, the neighborhood has changed dramatically because of its proximity to downtown and its colonial architecture. A mix of yuppie and upper-middle-class gentrification has influenced much of the area, as it has in many of Boston's neighborhoods, but Charlestown still maintains a strong Irish-American population. In the 21st century, Charlestown's diversity has expanded dramatically, along with growing rates of
1260-631: The 2012–2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, the largest ancestry groups in ZIP Code 02129 are: The Massachusetts Department of Correction operated the Charlestown State Prison from 1805 until its closure in 1955. The former prison site is occupied by Bunker Hill Community College. The Boston Navy Yard was located in Charlestown from 1801 until it was closed in 1974. The United States Postal Service operates
1323-472: The 20th century. Interstate 93 was constructed between 1956 and 1963. South Medford is located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, approximately 2 miles from Boston . The area that is now known as "South Medford" was originally known as "Mistick Field". It was transferred from Charlestown to Medford in 1754. The neighborhood of South Medford has an area of 2.344 square miles (6.07 km ), and
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#17327653263001386-481: The Boston Harbor Islands) and 64 Neighborhood Statistical Areas (with four areas further subdivided). These correspond roughly with the neighborhoods and sub-neighborhoods of Boston. Unofficially, Boston is made up of approximately 105 neighborhoods. Lists of neighborhoods Neighborhood guides South Medford South Medford is the southern neighborhood of Medford, Massachusetts . Medford
1449-555: The Boston and Lowell Railroad in West Medford in the 1830s, and the Boston and Maine Railroad to Medford Center in 1847. The historic Stearns House was built in 1845 in the village, near a canal that closed in 1852. George Luther Stearns was an American industrialist and one of John Brown's Secret Six . His passion for the abolitionist cause shaped his life, bringing him into contact with the likes of Abraham Lincoln and Ralph Waldo Emerson and starting The Nation magazine. He
1512-709: The Charlestown Post Office. Boston's Charlestown neighborhood is served by the Boston Public Schools system. There are also private educational institutions within the neighborhood. Boston Public Library operates the Charlestown Branch. The library first opened in the Warren Institution for Savings building on January 7, 1862. The library moved to a larger space in the new Charlestown City Hall in 1869. In 1913
1575-559: The City Parking Clerk, and the City's Department of Neighborhood Development have also designated their own neighborhoods. Unofficially, Boston has many overlapping neighborhoods of various sizes. Neighborhood associations have formed around smaller communities or commercial districts (often with "Square" in the name) that have a well-defined center but poorly identified extremities. As the city of Boston has grown and evolved, its neighborhoods have changed as well. The names of
1638-590: The City Square Tunnel, making way for a revitalized surface park. The .17-acre (0.069 ha) Thompson Square is located at the confluence of Main Street, Dexter Row, Green Street, and Austin Street. Thompson Square station was formerly a stop on the Charlestown Elevated . A small portion of Charlestown is north of the Mystic River, containing the northern approach to the Malden Bridge and now
1701-642: The Colonial era, Charlestown proper was founded in 1628 and settled July 4, 1629, by Thomas Graves , Increase Nowell , Simon Hoyt, the Rev. Francis Bright, and the Spragues (Ralph, Richard, & William Sprague) , among some 100 others who preceded the Great Migration . John Winthrop 's company stopped here for some time in 1630, before deciding to accept the invitation of William Blaxton to settle across
1764-608: The Sullivan Square area. The Interstate act as a boundary of Charlestown neighborhood with points heading west with only two roads heading westward: Cambridge Street in the north and Austin Street/Gilmore Bridge to the south. US 1 diverges with Interstate 93 at the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge where US 1 becomes a toll road and passes below Paul Revere Park and City Square before becoming
1827-718: The Union Bank, You are sent to Charlestown." Neighborhoods in Boston Boston's diverse neighborhoods serve as a political and cultural organizing mechanism. The City of Boston's Office of Neighborhood Services has designated 23 Neighborhoods in the city: The islands in Boston Harbor are administered as part of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area . The Boston Redevelopment Authority ,
1890-532: The West End, North End and South End refer to their positions on the Shawmut Peninsula , the original extent of Boston. Due to the annexation of surrounding communities, those neighborhoods are no longer at those geographic extremities. The Back Bay and Bay Village neighborhoods were formerly part of an actual bay , becoming the neighborhoods they are today after landfill projects expanded the size of
1953-432: The areas just outside the center of Boston. South Medford soon became an enclave for Italian-Americans who brought with them the rich cultural heritage of "the old country" which they had previously bestowed so deeply upon Boston's North End neighborhood. Since this wave of emigration the neighborhood has traditionally been largely Italian-American , with a sizable Irish-American population present as well. The community
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2016-469: The banks of the Mystic River along historic Medford Square. It borders the Medford Hillside neighborhood to the west. The Prudential Tower can be seen in the background looking south from Main Street. Charlestown, Boston is 1.6 miles (3.29 km) away from its southernmost border. In the early parts of the 20th century, large waves of Italian and Irish immigrants began to settle into
2079-639: The branch moved to the intersection of Monument Avenue and Monument Square, in proximity to the Bunker Hill Monument . The branch moved to its current location in 1970. The Bunker Hill Public Housing has divided Bunker Hill Street into two Charlestowns. The housing development company Corcoran-SunCal plans to make changes and replace the 1,100 affordable units. "While preserving the affordable units, Corcoran-SunCal will also create approximately 1,700 additional market and moderate-rate units". This company will allow all current residents to move back into
2142-402: The building served other purposes, and then was saved in the 1970s. The Tavern was reopened in 1972. The Constitution Yacht Charter is located on Boston Harbor. According to the U.S. Census Bureau in its 2007–2011 report, the population of Charlestown is 16,685, comprising 7,843 males and 8,842 females. The largest age group is 25 to 29 years (14.6%), the second-largest is 30 to 34 (12.3%), and
2205-461: The campus of Boston University and houses many college students and young professionals and is the location of Fenway Park . Allston and Brighton are populated heavily by students from nearby universities, as well as recent graduates. Mission Hill is an ethnically diverse neighborhood, adjacent to the Longwood area, which is full of world-class medical institutions. South of downtown are
2268-534: The city. Brighton (including Allston), Charlestown, Dorchester (including South Boston, Mid Dorchester, Mattapan and Hyde Park), Roxbury (including West Roxbury, Roslindale and Jamaica Plain), have all at some point been municipalities independent from downtown Boston, providing a source of well-defined boundaries for the largest areas. Downtown Boston includes Downtown Crossing , the Financial District and Government Center . Surrounding downtown are
2331-478: The community's Training Field. The city developed a water supply from the Mystic Lakes and, on October 7, 1873, a vote was held to determine whether Charlestown should leave Middlesex County and join Boston as part of Suffolk County. Out of its 32,040 residents, 2240 voted in support of the merger and 1947 opposed. Boston residents also approved the question, 5,960–1,868. Charlestown's separate city government
2394-506: The entrance to Encore Boston Harbor (which made jurisdiction over the casino a matter of dispute). This land was formerly a peninsula, but landfill has more completely connected it to the mainland of Everett. This boundary was part of the original 1649 separation of Malden from Charlestown, where the Penny Ferry operated at the time; the first bridge opened on the site in 1787. Two small hills mostly covered in residential buildings fill
2457-899: The extent that the informal demonym " Townie " continues to imply the working-class Irish, as opposed to newer immigrants. During the Civil War , over 26,000 men joined the Union Army and Navy at the Navy Yard , which was also responsible for constructing some of the most famous vessels of the conflict: the Merrimack , the Hartford , and the Monadnock . Following the war, the city commissioned Martin Milmore to construct its civil war memorial , dedicated in 1872 and still standing in
2520-772: The famous Battle of Bunker Hill , an early major battle in the American Revolutionary War . Launched in 1797, the USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned vessel in the US Navy and the oldest warship in the world still afloat. Today it is docked in the Charlestown Navy Yard , today part of the National Park Service. Charlestown was also the location from which Paul Revere began his famous "midnight ride" before
2583-478: The harbor from about 400 yards off the southern end of the peninsula. Charlestown, including its wharves and dockyards, was almost completely torched during the battle by British forces. The town was not appreciably rebuilt until the end of hostilities but, in 1786, the first bridge across the Charles River connected Boston with Charlestown. An 87-acre (35 ha) Navy Yard was established in 1800; Charlestown State Prison opened in 1805. The Bunker Hill Monument
Charlestown, Boston - Misplaced Pages Continue
2646-498: The historic event. The Isaac Royall House , located on Main Street, once belonged to one of Harvard Law School 's founders, Isaac Royall, Jr. It is a National Historic Landmark and local history museum. The house was used by Continental Army troops, including George Washington and John Stark , during the American Revolutionary War . During the 17th century, a handful of major public roads (High Street, Main Street, Salem Street, "the road to Stoneham", and South Street) served
2709-415: The housing complex. According to Project Manager Sarah Barnet, "by creating both affordable and market rate housing at the site the area will become a more thriving section of the neighborhood, a destination area for residents from all over a Charlestown and a high quality place for people to live". The Interstate 93 as the "Northern Expressway viaduct" travels roughly northwest–southeast and passes through
2772-436: The interior of the neighborhood: Bunker Hill, which is more northerly, and Breed's Hill, which is the site of the Bunker Hill Monument . Bunker Hill was named after George Bunker, who had owned it during early settlement in the 1600s. Charlestown has many places of historical interest, some of which are included along the northern end of Boston's Freedom Trail . The Freedom Trail ends at the Bunker Hill Monument commemorating
2835-411: The local sachem Wonohaquaham for Endicott and his people to settle there. Although Walford had a virtual monopoly on the region's available furs , he welcomed the newcomers and helped them in any way he could, unaware that his Episcopalian religious beliefs would cause him to be banished from Massachusetts to Portsmouth , New Hampshire within three years. Originally a Puritan English city during
2898-560: The narrow Charlestown Neck that connected the northwest end of the Charlestown Peninsula to the mainland at Sullivan Square . On June 17, 1775, the Charlestown Peninsula was the site of the Battle of Bunker Hill , named for a hill at the northwest end of the peninsula near Charlestown Neck . British troops unloaded at Moulton's Point and much of the battle took place on Breed's Hill , which overlooked
2961-509: The neighborhood is a mix of yuppies, upper-middle-class and middle-class residents, housing projects, and a large working-class Irish-American demographic and culture that is still predominant. One of the oldest neighborhoods of Boston, Charlestown is home to the Bunker Hill Monument and historic Charlestown Navy Yard. Charlestown today is a mainly residential neighborhood with an institutional presence. Major institutions include Bunker Hill Community College , Spaulding Rehabilitation Center, and
3024-598: The neighborhoods of Chinatown/Leather District, South End, North End, West End, Bay Village, Beacon Hill and Back Bay. Chinatown / Leather District is the historical garment district and today has thriving Chinese and other Asian populations. The South End is the center of the city's LGBT population and also populated by artists and young professionals as well as a vibrant African American community. The North End retains an Italian flavor with its many Italian restaurants, though many of its Italian families have moved out, while young professionals have moved in. The Back Bay
3087-406: The neighborhoods of Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, Dorchester, Mid Dorchester and South Boston. Dorchester , including Mid Dorchester, is Boston's largest neighborhood and predominantly a working class community considered to be Boston's most diverse. Roxbury is populated largely by African Americans, Caribbean Americans and Latinos and is historically the center of Boston's black community. Jamaica Plain
3150-461: The plan by an overwhelming majority. By 1965, the plan had been reduced to tearing down only eleven percent of the neighborhood, as well as the removal of the elevated rail tracks. Throughout the 1960s until the mid-1990s, Charlestown was infamous for its Irish Mob presence. Charlestown's McLaughlin Brothers were involved in a gang war with neighboring Somerville 's Winter Hill Gang , during
3213-492: The population, but the road network started a long-term expansion in the 18th century. The Medford Turnpike Company was incorporated in 1803, but turned what is now Mystic Avenue over to the city in 1866. The Andover Turnpike Company was incorporated in 1805, but turned what is now Forest Street and Fellsway West over to Medford in 1830. Other major commercial transportation projects included the Middlesex Canal by 1803,
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#17327653263003276-399: The smaller side of the Arnold Arboretum. Roslindale has also recently become a majority-minority neighborhood. Mattapan remains the neighborhood with Boston's highest concentrations of African Americans. Hyde Park and West Roxbury have a distinct suburban feel, while still being a part of the city of Boston. Both neighborhoods have large areas of wooded parks and recreation land. Hyde Park
3339-542: The third-largest is 35 to 39 (9.7%). The majority of the population is white at 12,587 (75.4%). Minorities include Black or African at 1,227 (7.4%), Asian at 1,253 (7.5%), Hispanic or Latino at 1,227 (7.4%), and those of two or more races at 371 (2.2%). In recent years, the percentage of minorities living in Charlestown has increased from 4.9% of the population in 1990 to 23.5% in 2010. The population consists of 15.9% who are foreign born, 48.5% of whom are naturalized citizens , and 51.5% who are not. The median household income
3402-552: The very poor and very wealthy. Today Charlestown is a largely residential neighborhood, with much housing near the waterfront, overlooking the Boston skyline. Charlestown is home to many historic sites, hospitals and organizations, with access from the Orange Line Sullivan Square or Community College stops or the I-93 expressway. Thomas and Jane Walford were the original English settlers of the peninsula between
3465-641: Was Warren who directed Paul Revere and William Dawes to send the message to Samuel Adams and John Hancock that the British were setting out to raid the town of Concord. Warren's friend Captain Eliphelet Newell decided to build a tavern named after his friend. George Washington visited the tavern when he came to Massachusetts to visit his friend Benjamin Frothingham. After the Tavern was closed in 1813,
3528-483: Was described as "an ancient and charming suburban town" with its own railway line, the Medford branch , although South Medford was then so rural as not to rate either its own rail station or its own post office. The street railway network expanded in the hands of various private companies, and went electric in the late 1890s, when trolleys to Everett and downtown Boston were available. Streetcars were converted to buses in
3591-512: Was dissolved the next year. During the early 1960s, the city initiated plans to demolish and redevelop sixty percent of the housing in Charlestown. In 1963, the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) held a town meeting to discuss their development plans with the community. The BRA's dealings with Boston's West End had created an atmosphere of distrust towards urban renewal in Boston, and Charlestown residents opposed
3654-710: Was erected between 1827 and 1843 using Quincy granite brought to the site by a combination of purpose-built railway and barge. Notable businesses included the Bunker Hill Breweries (1821) and Schrafft's candy company (1861). The Charlestown Branch Railroad opened in 1840 to Sweet's Wharf. Tudor Wharf was the departure point for the ships of the Tudor Ice Company . Around the 1860s an influx of Irish immigrants arrived in Charlestown. The area long remained an Irish and Catholic stronghold similar to South Boston , Somerville , and Dorchester , to
3717-454: Was founded in 1630 by English settlers as part of Charlestown . The area remained predominantly rural and mostly White Anglo-Saxon Protestant ("WASP") in character for over two hundred years, during which the South Medford Baptist church and other institutions were founded. Paul Revere 's famous midnight ride traveled along Main Street in South Medford, continuing onto High Street in Medford Square. An annual re-enactment takes place honoring
3780-424: Was given the rank of major by Massachusetts Governor John Albion Andrew and spent most of the Civil War recruiting for the 54th and 55th Massachusetts regiments and the 5th cavalry. South Medford is home to Tufts University , which was chartered in 1852. The Crane Theological School at Tufts opened in 1869. A horse-powered street railway began running to Somerville and Charlestown in 1860. In 1890, Medford
3843-425: Was once a narrow neck of land referred to as the Charlestown Neck . Two bus lines serve Charlestown. Both routes start at Sullivan Square. and travel to the Financial District of downtown Boston. The 93 bus goes from Sullivan Station, downtown via Bunker Hill Street and Haymarket Station. The 92 bus runs from Assembly Square Mall, downtown via Sullivan Square Station, Main Street and Haymarket Station. Charlestown
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#17327653263003906-406: Was originally a separate town and the first capital of the Massachusetts Bay Colony . Charlestown became a city in 1848 and was annexed by Boston on January 5, 1874. With that, it also switched from Middlesex County , to which it had belonged since 1643, to Suffolk County . It has had a substantial Irish-American population since the migration of Irish people during the Great Irish Famine of
3969-493: Was transferred from Charlestown to Medford in 1754. This grant also included the "Charlestown Wood Lots" (the Medford part of the Middlesex Fells), and part of what was at the time Woburn (now Winchester). Other parts of Medford were transferred to Charlestown in 1811. Still-rural Somerville was split off in 1842 as Charlestown was urbanizing. Everett , Burlington , Arlington and Cambridge also acquired areas originally allocated to Charlestown. Landfill operations eliminated
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