Boston, Massachusetts
The city of Boston is renowned for its world class educational facilities, cultures, rich past and champion sports franchises.
Boston is the largest city and the capital of Massachusetts and also a very popular tourist destination of people from around the world. The city is known as a leader when it comes to culture, technology, health services and commercial activities. A very lively city, Boston has been ranked as one of the most livable cities in the world and is the most preferred city for work, study or as a place to reside. The city of Boston is well appreciated for is its outstanding health system. For a city that houses some of the most prestigious medical schools and hospitals, getting optimal health care is never a problem in Boston.
In addition to having some of the nicest medical institutions in the world, the city of Boston also boasts of having numerous universities that have gained worldwide reputation. These include the Boston University, Suffolk University, New England School of Law and the University of Massachusetts Boston, giving the city the title of a center for academic excellence.
Boston is one of the most enchanting cities in the United States and has been rated as one of the most livable cities in the world. Known for its breathtaking structures, monuments and parks, Boston is a city to appreciate any day and any time. The city has some of the best educational and health systems in the country. With a coastal climate, the city has moderate temperatures and weather events, with few major fluctuations in heat or cold. The city witnesses hundreds of events organized throughout the year, with the quality of theatres praised by everybody.
Boston History
The history of Boston distances back to 5000 B.C. Established in the 17th century (1630 to be precise) by colonial masters from the United Kingdom, the city has witnessed an impressive transformation over the years. Recent archeological findings show that the area that is now Boston had been inhabited by Native Indian tribes for thousands of years before the coming of the English colonists.
The first batch of English colonists pitched their tents in an area that was called Trimountaine. After a while, it was decided to change the name of the area to Boston, after a settlement back home in Britain. These sets of English settlers were quite religious and this reflected in the way they controlled the area. As a result of their responsible administration, the city witnessed admirable growth right from its earliest days. It is interesting to know that these colonists (popularly referred to as the Puritans) were the brains behind some of the very first public schools in the United States.
Growth remained steady until the late 1700s when major event took place -the American Revolution. What started as a stiff resistance to the control of the British colonists soon snowballed into a full-scale conflict. The city of Boston is a site of some of the most spectacular events of that era, and the most well-known of these are the Boston Massacre, Siege of Boston and the ever-memorable Boston Tea Party. In no time, the Revolution ended and Boston emerged as one of the most prosperous cities in the country. Historians have attributed the rapid growth of the settlement to its firmly-rooted and highly-profitable maritime activities. Vast amounts of revenue were generated from the exports of cash crops and alcohol. As expected, the offspring of the original settlers from England were regarded as some of the wealthiest in the country.
However, in the 19th century, a series of legislation slowed down the shipping activities in the city's harbor. But the most interesting is that the city's business tycoons were not caught napping as they smartly switched to alternative methods to generate income. In a matter of decades, Boston became one of the greatest centers for manufacturing in the country. The real growth was to come with the introduction of railroads to the area.
By the second half of the 19th century, the demographics of the city began to change with the arrival of migrants from European nations. Irish and Italians dominated the influx but with time, Asians (from the Mediterranean nations of Syria and Lebanon) and Jews also decided to settle in the city. With the population rising steeply, city administrators had to embark on reclamation in order to free up some space to accommodate the unrelenting wave of immigrants.
The 20th century was somewhat challenging for the city as its strong industrial base weakened but the city soon picked up with the introduction of new projects. By the end of the century, economic progress was visible as the city embarked on the construction of various skyscrapers. In the 21st century, the city of Boston became a major center for commerce, culture, politics and science. Forged over the decades, it stands as an eloquent testimony to the American dream.
About Boston, Massachusetts
Boston is one of the most prosperous cities in the country, a city that will always feature on top of the most preferred cities to live and work. It is the capital and largest city in the state of Massachusetts, Boston was founded at a time when most of the cities in the country were not even in existence. The economy of Boston is one of its greatest strengths and it is regarded as the center of the entire New England region. With a population of more than 610,000, and about 4.5 million when the metropolitan area is considered, Boston is a bustling city. Boston was founded in 1630 by the Puritan colonists who migrated from England. The Puritans laid a very solid foundation for the city and until today, their legacies are still very much visible in the city.
Over time, the city of Boston has witnessed various historical events. These include the famous Boston Tea Party, the American Revolution, the Siege of Boston, the Boston Massacre and the Battle of Bunker Hill. It is important to state that shortly after its establishment as a settlement, the city of Boston soon gained a reputation as a major center for shipping activities, and its harbor was instrumental to development of the city's economy with the export of various commodities, especially cash crops and alcoholic drinks. In the 19th century, the prosperous nature of the city proved reason enough to attract migrants from various parts of Europe, especially from Italy and Ireland. That era saw a steep rise in the population of the city and the immigrant population is still a very important component of the city.
After making its mark as a major sea faring center, Boston also became a hub for manufacturers and industrialists who are responsible for most of the skyscrapers and the high-rise buildings that are present in the city today. In the 1970s, Boston began the construction of superb medical centers and astonishing academic institutions that will make the Beantown a major center for medical tourism and education. Even in the 21st century, Boston is still a global leader when it comes to getting the very best of health services and learning. The city plays host to many students (especially medical students) from various states in the country and other parts of the world.
Boston has numerous neighborhoods, and the official records have listed 21 of such. In fact, Boston is also called the ‘city of neighborhoods'. Some of these neighborhoods include South Boston, West Roxbury, Hyde Park, East Boston, Beacon Hill, Bay Village, Jamaica Plain and Mission Hill. The climate of the city has been classified as being continental but as a result of its proximity to a large body of water also affects the climatic conditions. There are four seasons in the city: warm summers, snowy winters, mild springs and enjoyable falls.
Tourism is a major source of revenue for the city, and on a yearly basis, Boston receives hordes of tourists who come to see the city's glorious sites. These include places like the Boston Opera House, Symphony Hall and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Thus, when one hears that Boston has been listed as one of the most livable cities in the United States, it should not sound too surprising.
About Suffolk County, Massachusetts
The city of Boston is located in Suffolk County and serves as the county seat. Apart from being the county seat, Boston is the largest city in the county. At the last count, the county had a population of more than 720,000 people and it has a land area of 311 sq km. The county is bordered by the following counties: Essex County to the northern flank, Middlesex County to the west and Norfolk County to the southern border. The Massachusetts Bay lies to the eastern front of the county.
Established in the 17th century (the year 1643 to be precise), Suffolk county was named after a city of the same name in the United Kingdom. Suffolk is often translated to mean "the southern folk". At the time it was founded, Suffolk County was made up of just seven settlements. These are Roxbury, Boston, Weymouth, Hingham, Braintree, Dedham and Dorchester. Over time, some parts of the county were excised and became part of another county (Worcester). Today, the county has the following major towns and cities: Boston, Winthrop, Revere and Chelsea.
Unlike what is seen today, it is interesting to note that the county was initially without a government. The situation was the same in many of the counties in existence at that time. Even today, the county has no county commissioner or council. However, there are state officials who are elected to oversee the administration of the county.
For those interested in hiking or enjoying sites of natural grandeur, Suffolk County is home to some of the most spectacular sites in the United States. Some of these are the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area, Boston National Historical Park and the Boston African American National Historic Site.
Statistics show that more than half of the county's residents are Whites while others are African Americans, Latinos (Hispanics), Asians, Native Indians and Pacific Islanders. For those with Asian origins, many have come from India, Vietnam and China.