User:Aboutmepage/City of Boston Co

City of Boston Co About Page Providing information Historical and current, by a variety of topics related to culture, countries of origin and Boston's population. City of Boston's events calendar is always filled with something to do, whether it be cheering on the crews at the Head of the Charles or taking in the region's best ice cream at the Scooper Bowl. People City of Boston's original settlers were mostly of English origin and formed the basis of the city's old aristocracy, known as the "Boston Brahmins." By the middle of the nineteenth century, the first waves of Irish immigration began, made up largely of peasants fleeing the potato famine in that country. The Irish eventually became one of the city's major ethnic groups and gained a dominant position in its political life. Boston is also home to a sizable Jewish community, which accounts for the single largest distinct religious denomination after the Catholics. City of Boston ranked twenty-second in population among cities in the United States in 1996, with a population of 558,394. Down 2.8 percent since the 1990 census when its residents numbered 574,283 (48 percent male, 52 percent female). City of Boston proper had a 2009 estimated population of 645,169, making it the twentieth largest in the country. Boston is also the anchor of a substantially larger metropolitan area called Greater Boston, home to 4.5 million people and the tenth-largest metropolitan area in the country. Visitors Providing information for visitors about lodging, dining, activities, entertainment including events calendar, restaurant listings and other News. Events See what's hot in Boston nightlife, arts, and local events. Find the best things to do in Boston, and meet people who share your interests. News Get the latest News and video about traffic, weather, politics and sports and stay in touch with what's happening in your area. Even More Whether you live in Boston or are visiting Massachusetts. Discover the heart of the city while exploring the region's unique shopping and numerous dining options. Moments in Boston History Boston: Massachusetts Birthplace of the American Revolution. City of Boston retains the old, while creating the new, providing visitors with a perfect mix. Explore it on foot or take the "T" the nation's first subway. Boston is the capital and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. 1630: Boston Founded Under the leadership of John Winthrop English Puritans moved from overcrowded Charlestown and colonized the Shawmut Peninsula. Permission was granted from its sole English inhabitant, Anglican cleric Willian Blaxton. Their city on the hill was named Boston in honor of the native English town of their leaders. 1636: Harvard Created Boston's Puritan Leaders established a college at Newtowne (later Cambridge) to educate future generations of clergy. When young Charlestown minister John Harvard died two years later and left his books and half of his money to the college, it was renamed Harvard. 1775: American Revolution Friction between colonists and the British crown had been building for more than a decade when British troops marched on Lexington to confiscate rebel weapons. Forewarned by Paul Revere local militia, known as the Minute Men skirmished with British regulars on Lexington Green. During the second confrontation at Concord the shot heard the world marked the beginning of the Revolution, which ended in American independence with the 1783 Treaty of Paris. 1845: Irish Arrived Irish fleeing the potato famine arrived in Boston in tens of thousands, many eventually settling in the south of the city. By 1900 the Irish are dominant ethnic group in Boston. They flexed their political muscle accordingly by securing the election of John F. Kennedy as president in 1960. 1848: Boston Public Library Founded The Boston Public Library was established as the first publicly supported municipal library in the US. In 1895 the library moved into the Italianate "Palace of the people" on Copley Square. 1863: Black Boston Went to War Following decades of agitation to abolish slavery, the city sent the country's first African-American regiment to join Union forces in the Civil War. The regiment was honored by the Shaw Memorial on Boston Common. 1886: City Expanded Boston assumed its modern form with the filling in of Back Bay and the completion of Franklin Park, the final link in the Emerald Necklace. 1897: Subway Opened The Tremont Street subway the first underground in the US, was opened on September 1 to ease road congestion. It cost $4.4 million to construct and the initial fare was five cents. This single line grew into the Metropolitan Boston Transit Authority (MBTA) with 181 routes and 252 stations. 1958: Freedom Trail Opened This historical walking tour was established, with its familiar red brick and paint connecting the city's sights. It was based on a 1951 Boston Herald Traveler column by William Scofield, and was the first of its kind in the US. 1991: The Big Dig The new central artery/tunnel, aka the the Big Dig, is the most technologically challenging highway project in the country. The $15 billion project plans to alleviate Boston arterial traffic congestion by 2005.