Boston Common. Photo courtesy of AlexiusHoratius.
Think you’re an expect on Boston? Check out these 10 little known Boston facts and test your knowledge.
1. It’s home to the first public park in America
Established in 1634, Boston Common boasts being America’s first public park. The 48-acre (19 hectare) green space has an interesting history and has been used as a pasture, for military purposes, public hangings and was the place where Martin Luther King, Jr. rallied for civil rights. The gallows were removed in 1817 and cattle grazing was forbidden in 1830, which helped it become the public park people now know and love. Exploring the Boston Common today allows visitors to enjoy nature, history, public art, gardens, live music and more. Best of all, the Boston Common is one of the many great free things to do in Boston.
2. At one time Christmas was banned in Boston
Fun fact about Boston: When the Puritans arrived on the Mayflower, they brought with them their reserved ways and rigid views. Despite the fact Christmas was celebrated in Europe, these people believed it was tied to Paganism and also strongly disliked the singing and dancing that occured on the holiday. Not only did they refuse to take part in the merriment of Christmas, they also forced non-Puritans to work on the holiday and on May 11, 1659, a decree was passed officially banning all Christmas celebrations. In fact, if you were caught celebrating Christmas you were ordered to “pay five shillings, as a fine to the country.” It wasn’t until twenty-two years later when a new wave of Europeans arrived into Massachusetts that the decree was overturned.
3. Boston was the first city in the United States to have a subway system
In 1897, Boston launched the United States’ first subway system and the fifth in the world: The Tremont Street Subway. Today, this original subway tunnel forms part of Boston’s Green Line. This fully-functioning system was created in response to overcrowding on the above-ground trolleys. An interesting fact, the underground subway wasn’t like the subway we see today, but was actually made up of underground trolleys powered by overhead wires.
Fenway Park. Photo courtesy of Werner Kunz.
4. Boston is where you’ll find the oldest Major League Baseball Stadium in use
The Boston Red Sox are one of the country’s most beloved teams, and their home field of Fenway Park is the oldest Major League Baseball Stadium in use, open since 1912. The first game in history was played on April 20, 1912, without an opening ceremony until May 17, because they wanted to show people the field was focused on playing baseball. Today, seeing a baseball game at Fenway Park allows you to still see some of this rich history, for example, through odd asymmetrical dimensions (created because of the asymmetrical city block where it was built), one of the few remaining hand-operated scoreboards in Major League baseball; and original wooden seats.
5. Boston is home to history’s largest art theft
Nicknamed the “Gardner Art Theft,” on March 18, 1990, two thieves posing as police officers stole 12 paintings — worth $300 million total — from the Isabella Steward Gardner Museum. This marks the largest art theft in the world, to date. Some of the pieces stolen include The Storm on the Sea of Galilee and Portrait of a Lady and a Gentleman by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn; five drawings by Edgar Degas; and genre painter Johannes Vermeer’s The Concert, considered the most valuable stolen painting in the world, to name a few.
6. Boston is a great city for biking
Mayor Menino is passionate about transforming the city into a haven for cyclists, and biking in Boston is now a worthwhile endeavor. His city-wide initiative, Boston Bikes, includes cycling programs, bike sharing, events, improvements to Boston’s infrastructure and the recognizing of cycling efforts of local business owners. Along with being home to some great biking trails like the Paul Dudley White Charles River Bike Path and Southwest Corridor Park Trail, the city showcases an array of cycling events. Bike Friday, which celebrates local biking efforts, will be held June 28, July 26 and August 30, 2013, while September 22, 2013, is the city-wide bike ride Hub on Wheels. If you want to mix cycling with sightseeing, opt for a guided or self-guided bike tour of Boston.
Boston Marathon. Photo courtesy of Kinchan1.
7. Boston is home to both the oldest and fastest marathon in the world
The iconic Boston Marathon is the oldest annual marathon in the world, taking place since April 1897. While its beginnings saw only 18 participants, today the event attracts over 20,000 runners and half-a-million live spectators. The 26-mile (42-kilometer) race is not only the oldest in the world, it’s also the fastest marathon in the country, with a median time of 3:44.
8. In Boston you’ll find the deepest tunnel in North America
Opened in 1995, the Ted Williams Tunnel runs about 90 feet (27 meters) below the Earth’s surface, making it the deepest tunnel in North America. The tunnel connects South Boston with Logan International Airport, and was only open to authorized commercial traffic when it first opened. Today, it is open to all traffic at all times.
Latin School of Boston. Photo courtesy of Svetlana Milijkovic.
9. The oldest public school in the United States is located in Boston
Founded on April 23, 1635, the Boston Latin School was the first public school ever created in the United States. Still open today, it is also the oldest existing school in the country. The mission of the school is to “ground its students in a contemporary classical education,” and many notable people have graduated from the school like Samuel Adams, Robert Treat Paine, John F. Fitzgerald, John Hancock and Leonard Bernstein.
10. Many celebrities have called Boston their home
New York and Los Angeles aren’t the only places celebrities go to settle down. In both its past and present many A-list celebrities have lived in Boston. An interesting Boston fact, many celebrities were actually born in Boston, including Mark Wahlberg, Matt Damon, Edward Norton, Uma Thurman, Eli Roth, Conan O’Brien and Chris Evans, to name a few. Other notable residents have included Ben Affleck, Aerosmith, Tom Brady, Steve Carrell and Matt LeBlanc. This is in addition to the many notable historical figures that called Boston home, like Samuel Adams, John Quincy Adams, Paul Revere, Malcolm X and Alexander Graham Bell. Visitors can learn more about this rich history when exploring Boston’s Freedom Trail.