Home Page         Meet Boston Menu       Index

        The question frequently arises where is the dividing line between the various districts of Boston.  The districts, which are the various annexations at different times, have no official recognition, but nine are generally recognized by the standard of the annexations, namely: Boston Proper, Roxbury, West Roxbury, Dorchester, Hyde Park, Charlestown, Brighton, South Boston, and East Boston.  The Back Bay is considered as part of Boston Proper, though parts were formerly within the limits of Roxbury and Brookline.  And the Cottage Farm district, taken from Brookline in 1874, after the annexation of Brighton, is generally considered part of the Brighton district.  Charlestown and East Boston are separated from each other, by water.  Likewise, Fort Point Channel and South Bay separate Boston Proper from South Boston.  Between South Boston and Dorchester: An east-and-west line a bit south of Old Harbor Village.  Between Boston Proper and Brighton (1870 limits); Ashby Street.  Between Roxbury and West Roxbury: Seaver Street (west of Blue Hill Avenue), then a line running across from Eggleston Square through Hyde Square and to near Leverett Pond.  Hyde Park’s northerly limits are two straight lines.  On the northeast, the line is a bit north of Mattakeeset Street and a bit south of Greenfield Road and Rector Road.  On the northwest, the line is a continuation of the part of the Dedham line that is crossed by Grove Street.  Between West Roxbury and Dorchester: Blue Hill Avenue, Harvard Street and Wood Avenue.  Between Roxbury and Dorchester: Blue Hill Avenue from Seaver Street to Grove Hall, then eastward to a line parallel to Blue Hill Avenue, then following Dacia Street and Glenbrook Street, then zig-zagging over to the railroad near Norfolk Avenue, then by the railroad tracks.  Between Boston Proper and Roxbury, the old line runs through Roxbury Canal and continues to Southampton Street, then by Southampton and Northampton Streets, then east of Harrison Avenue, and north of Hunneman Street, then between Arnold and Ball Streets, between Hammond and Kendall Streets.  Roxbury used to take in a good piece of the Back Bay (including Massachusetts Station); but northwest of Columbus Avenue, the postal division is less misleading, being: across to Museum Square, then Huntington Avenue, Francis Street and Brookline Avenue.

Home      Menu      Index