Boston

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Nicknames: The City, City on the HillMotto(s): Sicut patribus sit Deus nobis (Latin)'As God was with our fathers, so may He be with us'

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Country: United StatesRegion: New EnglandCommonwealth: New EnglandCounty: Suffolk

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Demonyms: Bostonian

**Districts**

* Boston Proper includes the areas of Boston that have “Boston” listed on their address (and is also the area where the majority of tourist attractions are located).
* The Boston metropolis is the urban area surrounding Boston proper. This is the area that most outsiders (ie: people living more than, say, 25 miles outside of downtown) talk about when they say “Boston”.
* Greater Boston is the sprawling suburban area surrounding the Boston metropolis and including everything within roughly 30 miles of the city. It includes everything from industrial inner suburbs ( Revere, Jamaica Plains) to regional commercial hubs (Natick, Quincy, Salem, Nahant, Malden, Milton) to historic havens (Lexington, Concord) and less developed areas ( Lynn )

Neighbourhoods are in brackets

**Boston Proper**

Back Bay

* Known for its significant architecture, the district contains the largest repository of historical documentation in the Boston Public Library, which is frequently visited by Bostonians. The location is also home to several skyscrapers, such as Trinity Tower, Wilson Atomatoys corporate HQ, and the Dartmouth Professional Building.

Beacon Hill

* Once the neighborhood of the Boston Brahmins. Beacon Hill has real gas-lit street lanterns on many of the streets, as well as many original bricks dating back to age of the city itself. Because the Massachusetts State House is located here, "Beacon Hill" is often used as a metonym to refer to the state government or the legislature. It also houses the Vault-Tec regional HQ and the Boston Bugle building.

Boston Habour

* Previously a hub for container vessels as long ago as 1887, Boston Harbor has a rich history. Home to the Custom House Tower from the 1900s and the Shamrock Taphouse established in 1787, Boston Harbor is the most finacially important part of Boston it self.

Charleston

* North of the Charles River, Charlestown is the oldest of the Boston neighborhoods. It was the location of the Battle of Bunker Hill in the American Revolutionary War and is home to historical relics such as Bunker Hill and the USS *Constitution*. The area is also home to the regional office of the BADTFL, a federal agency involved in the investigation of crime boss Eddie Winter and his associates.

East Boston

* East Boston is on a peninsula across Boston Harbor from the main bulk of the city and the location of **Logan Airport**. Several underwater tunnels connect East Boston to the rest of the city.

Esplanade

* One of the most prestigious neighborhoods in Boston, the Charles River Esplanade contains the Charles View Amphitheater, frequently visited by Bostonians.

Financial District

* The neighborhood dates back to before 1711, containing historical landmarks such as the Old Corner Bookstore, Faneuil Hall, and the Old State House. Some of the tallest skyscrappers are also located here like 35 Court and the Mass Fusion Building.

North End

* The North End was settled in the 1630s, as one of the oldest neighborhoods in the Boston area. The district is part of the Freedom Trail, played a large role in the American Revolutionary War, and is also home to several significant landmarks such as the Paul Revere House and Old North Church.

South Boston

* A water front neighbourhood with a proud Irish-American population, it contains Fort Independence which predates the Revolutionary War.

Theater District

* The district is home to a large number of theaters. These included the Warren Theater and the theaters around and inside the Combat Zone.

The Fens

* The Fens holds the World renowed Fenway Park and the Boston red socks who have let to win a game since 1918

**Outside of Boston Proper**

While they may be a bit off the tourist path, these outer districts offer much to offer for tourists who crave a more suburban experience.

Northwest-Lexington and Concord

* A burgeoning landscape, this region contains the historic suburbs of Lexington and Concord and further north Sanctuary Hills. Home to many monuments to the American Revolution, historic buildings like the Old North Bridge are still present. The skyline is mainly dominated by the Corvega factory in Lexington that earns it nickname 'Corvega Town'.

North Central-Malden

* With rolling foothills, the region is a greatly developed suburb with Malden being in the center. Lake Quannapowitt was a popular swimming place but the public advice is to avoid swimming in it due to hazardous materials. A popular tourist spot, the General Atomic's Gallaria can showcase the latest line of Mr.Handy robots.

West-Forest Grove and Fort Hagen

* This region consists of foothills to the west descending into the suburban neighborhoods of the greater Boston area to the east. Mostly wilderness, it is dominated by Fort Hagen township to the west. Along the Charles River is the suburb of Forest Grove and to the north, a high-tec farm entirely ran by robots.

Coast-Salem, Nahant and Revere

* On shores of the Atlantic Ocean to the northeast are a vacation destination, especially Revere beach. The suburbs of Salem, Nahant and Revere can provide a great variety of commercial choices. The Salem Museum of Witchcraft can provide a great day with its re-enactments.

Southwest-Natick

* Foothills from the west descends into Natick suburb. A highly industrial town, with factories, shops and a large power plant west of Lake Cochituate. To the south of Natick are many of limit sites owned by the U.S army.

South-West Roxbury, Milton, Jamaica Plains, Hyde park and Quincy

* A relatively swampy area to the south of Boston. It largest town, Quincy birth-site of two U.S presidents, has an aray of commercial shops. North of Quincy is the township of Jamiaca Plains with their treasures.

Boston Habour Islands

* Explore the mostly unhabited islands that scatter Boston Habour, with Spectatle Island being the most popular.

**History**

Massachusetts' first governor, John Winthrop, famously called Boston a "shining city on the hill," a reference to Jerusalem and a declaration of the original settlers' intent to build a utopian Christian colony. From the very beginning, the people who lived there declared their home to be one of the most important cities in the world.

The father of American jurist Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes) once called the Boston statehouse "the hub of the solar system," but common usage has expanded to the now-current **Hub of the Universe**. This half-serious term is all you need to know to understand Boston's complicated self-image. Vastly important in American history, and for centuries the seat of the USA's social elite, Boston lost prominence in the early twentieth century, largely to the cities of New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Over the past decades, Boston has regained political, cultural, and economic importance.

In 1629, English Reverend William Blackstone was the first English immigrant to arrive in the city. A year later, John Winthrop and the Massachusetts Bay Colony had followed. The Massachusetts Bay Colony were Puritan religious dissidents who had fled England to find freedom in the New World. At the time the city was called Shawmut, a name coined by Native American settlers, however now a new settlement, Winthrop had decided to rename the city Boston after his hometown in England. Because of its easily-defended harbor and the fact that it is the closest port to Europe it rapidly assumed a leading role in the fledging New England region, with a booming economy based on trade with the Caribbean and Europe. The devastating Fire of 1760 destroyed much of the town, but within a few years the city had bounced back.

Boston was also a city of great intellectual potential. Many statesmen had emerged in Boston along with prestigious Schools such as the Commonwealth Insitue of Technology and the first public school in America, Boston Latin. With the founding of these schools as well as the first printing press in New England, Boston was becoming more of a colonial society.

Bostonians were the instigators of the independence movement in the 18th century and the city was the center of America's revolutionary activity during the Colonial period. Several of the first Revolutionary War skirmishes were fought there, including the **Boston Massacre**, **The Boston Tea Party**, and the battles of **Lexington** and **Concord** -which were fought nearby. Boston's direct involvement in the Revolution ended after the **Battle of Bunker Hill** and, soon afterwards, the ending of the **Siege of Boston** by George Washington. For some time afterwards the city's political leaders continued to have a leading role in developing of the new country's system of government. The residents' ardent support of independence earned the city the nickname **The Cradle of Liberty**.

Throughout the 19th century, Boston continued to grow rapidly, assimilating outlying towns into the metropolitan core. Its importance in American culture was inestimable, and its economic and literary elite, the so-called **Boston Brahmins** assumed the mantle of aristocracy in the United States. Their patronage of the arts and progressive social ideals was unprecedented in the New World, and often conflicted with the city's Puritan foundations. They helped drive unprecedented scientific, educational and social change that would soon sweep the country. The Abolitionist movement, anesthesia and the telephone are a few examples of this.

At the same time, the city's working class swelled with immigrants from Europe. The huge **Irish** influx made Boston one of the most important Irish cities in the world, in or out of Ireland. Gradually the Irish laborer population climbed into city's upper class, evidenced no better than by the continued importance of the **Kennedy family** in national politics.

From the early twentieth century until the 1970s, Boston's importance on the national stage waned. Cities in what was once the frontier, like Chicago, San Francisco, and later Los Angeles, shifted the nation's center of gravity away from liberty's cradle. In the past decades, Boston's importance and influence has increased, due to growth in higher education, health care, high technology, and financial services. It remains America's higher educational center; during the school year, one in five Bostonians are university students. There are more college students per square foot in Boston than any other city in the Western Hemisphere.

Boston's nicknames include "Beantown", "The Hub" (shortened from Oliver Wendell Holmes' phrase 'The Hub of the Universe'), "The City of Higher Learning" (due to the plethora of universities and colleges in the Boston area) and - particularly in the 19th century - "The Athens of America," on account of its great cultural and intellectual influence. If you don't want to stand out as a tourist, don't refer to Boston by any of these nicknames. Locals generally don't use any of them, except the heavy use of "Hub" in journalism (Boston takes up more headline space).

**Get In**

**By plane** Boston Logan International Airport serves as a hub for both domestic and international arrivals to Boston and New England. Airlines such as Horizon Airlines and Skylanes Air operated here, providing service to cities such as Chicago and New York, and private flying. It is also connected to Boston via the metro

**Getting Around**

**Driving**

**Driving is to be avoided** if possible, due to traffic congestion, poor parking options, high driving-associated costs, the complexity of navigation, notoriously aggressive drivers, difficult-to-follow city rules and signage, and police that will gladly write you a ticket for even the most minor traffic violations.

As an alternative (in fair weather), walking is usually preferable in terms of ease, cost, and comfort. Boston is known as an **excellent walking city,** since it is clean, historic, and generally-safe. It also has excellent public transportation available in the metropolitan area and suburbs, to complement foot travel. Most tourist attractions are readily accessible by foot from the "subway"

**Metro**

Operated by the **Boston Mass Transit Authority (MTA)** is the primary public transportation authority for the Boston metropolitan area. Boston MTA operates several train lines within downtown Boston, extending to Cambridge, Malden, Back Bay, Scollay Square, and other portions of the city. These lines included the Red, Blue, Orange and Green lines working in tandem with buses and monorail trains that shared several stations with subway trains.

**Red Line** The Red Line connected travelers from Cambridge through Boston Common and into South Boston. The line interchanges with the Green Line at Park Street station.

**Orange Line** The Orange Line traveled from Roxbury to Malden, passing through Boston's Theater District in the process. It is the longest subway line operated by the MTA, traveling across several districts and connecting the southern outskirts of Boston to Malden, a city north of Boston.

**Blue Line** The Blue Line ran from the Boston Airport in East Boston to Postal Square in the Financial District. Scollay Square station and Post Office station are extremely close to each other.

**Green Line** The Green Line connected The Fens to the North End, stretching across the entirety of downtown Boston. The line interchanges with the Red Line at Park Street station. The line passed under the Boston Public Library and Boston Common.

### Monorail

The city's monorail system runs on a rail suspended under the city's elevated freeway system. The track runs from Quincy through the Theater District and Financial District, extending through Charlestown before abruptly ending at an interchange east of Lexington. A second track runs by Outpost Zimonja in the north, heading southwest through the same Lexington interchange and eventually out of Boston in the south.

**See**

**Museums**

* Museum of Freedom in Concord-This museum celebrates the lives of American soldiers who sacrifieced their lives for freedom
* Museum of Witchcraft in Salem-This historical church offers information on Salem's past, especially its sordid history dealing with witchcraft
* USS Consitution Museum in Charleston-Enjoy all-ages hands-on exhibits on sailing skills and crafts with Captain Ironsides

**Events**

* **March: St. Patrick's Day**, March 17th is not celebrated officially as St. Patrick's Day, but rather as Evacuation Day, a local holiday marking the expulsion of British troops from the city on 17 March 1776. But Boston has one of the highest Irish populations outside of Ireland, and Irish pride reigns on this day. Don't forget to wear green, drink a beer, and buy something that says "Kiss Me I'm Irish!" (regardless of your ethnicity). If possible, catch the local band Dropkick Murphys (you know, the people behind "Shipping Up To Boston") at their infamous St. Patrick's Day show.

* **Third Monday in April: Patriot's Day/Boston Marathon,** The oldest marathon in the world, the race started in 1897 and is always run on the holiday that commemorates Paul Revere's ride in 1775 and the ensuing battles at Lexington and Concord (suburbs of Boston) that started the Revolution. The race runs from Hopkinton to the finish line in Copley Square. The halfway point is the wealthy suburb of Wellesley, where students from Wellesley College (America's leading institute for all-women's education) form the "Scream Tunnel" to cheer on runners (who are in turn encouraged to "Kiss a Wellesley Girl for good luck!"). Parts of Commonwealth Avenue outbound from there and surrounding streets are closed for the race. Elsewhere, Paul Revere's ride and the battles are re-enacted each year in front of thousands of people. Arrive early to get a good spot. Finally, the Red Sox always have a home game on this date, which starts at 11AM to accommodate the crowds who watch the Marathon as it goes by Fenway Park. This is the only Major League baseball game that starts before noon local time during the season. Other than St. Patrick's/Evacuation Day this is the only time that you will find huge crowds at bars early in the morning.
* + **The Fourth of July: Independence Day** [98]. A host of events occur throughout the day that culminate with the Boston Pops concert on the Esplanade along the Charles river - the oldest and largest public celebration of the Fourth in the country. The concerts were started in 1929 by conductor Arthur Fiedler and were enhanced with fireworks by philanthropist David Mugar during the bicentennial celebrations in 1976. Sometimes sparsely attended in the beginning, it is televised nationally and has become the country's premier 4th of July event with hundreds of thousands squeezing along both sides of the Charles each year. This event also holds the world record for the largest crowd to ever attend a classical concert. Seats closest to the stage go to folks who show up before dawn to wait in line but there are speakers and huge TV screens posted all along the river so everybody can see the show. Parts of Storrow Drive in Boston, Memorial Drive in Cambridge, and Massachusetts Avenue on and near the Mass. Ave. bridge are closed due to extremely heavy pedestrian traffic. Note that the roads and public transit are heavily congested after the fireworks display. There are other celebrations during the day, starting with a flag-raising ceremony at City hall at 9AM. This is followed by a parade to the Granary Burial Ground which is led by the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company, Boston's militia, which is the 3rd-oldest military unit in the world. Honors are given at the graves of each of the signers of the Declaration of Independence who are interred there, as well as the victims of the Boston Massacre and Peter Faneuil. The parade then moves on to the Old State House where the Declaration is read in its entirety from the main balcony (which overlooks the site of the Massacre) to the crowd, just as it has been every year since 1776.
	+ **Late August: The Feast of St. Anthony**. The biggest of several Feasts in the North End. This one includes lots of food vendors, games, music, and a parade on Hanover Street and environs.
	+ **October: The Head of the Charles Regatta**. Over 8,000 rowers from around the globe compete in this regatta, one of the world's largest two-day rowing events. It often attracts up to 300,000 spectators along the banks of the Charles River.
	+ **31 December/1 January: First Night**[99]. Boston's New Year's Eve celebration, it is the oldest public New Year's Eve party in America and has been copied by cities all around the world. It is a city-wide, family-friendly arts and culture festival which starts in the late morning with child-centric events and continues with dozens of music, dance, poetry and other exhibitions through midnight, culminating in fireworks on the waterfront. Dress warmly.

**Do**

* **Boston Common and Public Garden.** A must-see for all visitors during the warmer months. The oldest public park in America. Ride the famous Swan Boats, walk across the world's shortest suspension bridge and generally enjoy the park with its shady trees, fountains, statues, sidewalk vendors, and greenery. Visit the "Post" bar across Beacon St, but be forewarned: *only tourists go here*. A great starting point for visitors interested in local historical sights, or on your way to Downtown Crossing or the Back Bay. Very nice foliage in the fall. The garden are serviced by Park Street Station.

* **Freedom Trail.** A 2.5 mi walking tour of 16 historic sites that begins at Boston Common, goes through downtown Boston, the North End and Charlestown, ending at the USS Constitution. Sites include the old State House, Faneuil Hall, Paul Revere's House, and the Old North Church. The Freedom Trail connects to the Boston Harbor Walk. The Freedom Trail is marked by a line of red paint or red brick in the sidewalk. The beginning of the trail is accessible on the Green Line or the Red Line from Park St station. However, all the lines are convenient at various points along the way, via several downtown stations.

* **Faneuil Hall.** Downtown Boston. Faneuil Hall, Boston's oldest marketplaces, contain a great set of mainly tourist-oriented shops and eateries. Since Faneuil Hall Marketplace is private property, the street performers must audition and thus are consistently entertaining. Faneuil Hall also has a historic meeting hall in its upper levels, and is just down the street from the Old State House.

* **Copley Square.** Enjoy the fountains, visit the top of the nearby Trinity Tower, see the Boston Public Library, visit the beautiful Trinity Church, or go shopping along Newbury Street.

* **Theater District.** Washington St, Tremont St. Broadway is the undisputed center of the theater world, but Boston's Theater District is where most Broadway shows will preview and is usually the first stop on a show's touring run. Resident shows also run.

* **General Atomic's Gallaria.** Engjoy a wide range of shops and entertainment entirely ran by General Atomic's Mr. Handys. Tommorow's shop, today.
* **Beantown Brewery.** Enjoy tours at one of Boston's most famous brewery at a low cost.
* **Starlight Drive-In.** North of Lexington, enjoy Boston's best movies from the confort of your own car.

* **Fenway Park**, The home of the **Boston Red Sox** . The oldest baseball stadium still in use by the major leagues, this brick and stone structure is named after and located in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston, which itself takes its name from the fens, or marshes along the nearby Muddy River. . Yawkey Way is now closed off during games, and those in the stadium can walk outside to enjoy the additional refreshment stands and open area, and then return to the game. With sold-out crowds every game, getting tickets can be difficult. Street resellers will offer tickets outside the stadium, and those will get progressively cheaper as the game goes on. Buying tickets on the street bears a risk of fraud, but most of the tickets are real. More cautious visitors can take a worthwhile Fenway Park tour on non-game days or game days.

**Learn**

**Boston Proper**

* Boston University

**Cambridge**

* Cambridge Polymer Labs
* Commonwealth Insitue of Technology

**Milton**

* Suffolk County Charter School
* Shaw High School

**Malden**

* Malden Middle School

**Safety**

Crime and other hazards in Boston are extremely low for a major American city, although of course one must use common sense.

Dangers related to alcohol consumption are not uncommon, such as fights and drunk driving. Be especially careful when there is a Red Sox and New York Yankees baseball game in progress. Wearing Yankees gear in any part of town (even if you're not from NY), especially in the Fenway area, is invitation to be verbally harassed by the locals. Although generally harmless and in good fun, it is not unheard of for these encounters to escalate into physical altercations, especially when there is excess alcohol consumption involved. It usually takes two people to start a fight, in these cases. Just walk away.

The safest places to have a night on the town in Boston are definitely Boylston Street in the Back Bay, around the Prudential Center area, Beacon Hill, the South End and Faneuil Hall. There are plenty of bars, pubs, clubs, and restaurants that cater to the college, professional, and upscale crowd, greatly reducing the likelihood of crime.

Due to the threat of Chinese invasion, Provisional Govenor Graham has declared parts of Boston, both proper and suburbs, into martial law and curfew. You may be confronted by a Mr. Gutsy or an soldier. You will be told to comply with the law and return to your house or holtel/motel. If you don't comply you may be interrogated and physical force may be used.

Military check-points have aslo been made on major roads leading into Boston. When at these check-points you are advise to cooperate with the authorities. They have full right to interrogate you if they beleive you are a Chinese spy. You are encouraged to report Communism to local authories if you spot any.

In the event of atomic war, you are advise to take shelter from radiation. If possible, make your way to your local vault. Boston proper contains only **Vault 81** near the Fens. **Vault 114** is underconstruction in Park St. Station. If in the suburbs of Concord or Sanctuary Hill, make your way to **Vault 111.** Near Natick is **Vault 95** that is a bit of a walk from the industrial suburb. If in the suburb of Malden make your way to **Vault 75** under the middle school. **Vault 88** is under contruction in Qunicy.

\*Note\* You will only be allowed in any of these Vaults if you are on the Vault program list. Requirements may vary.