Boston has a rich and unique history that is reflected in its current infrastructure and character. The city is loaded with wonders. It has made notable advances in everything, from science and technology to society, heritage and culture. Did you know that you can drive 90 ft below the earth’s surface in Boston? Know some of the fast facts about the Beantown.
Image by Robbie Shade via Wikimedia Commons
Did you know that….
Boston Demographic and Geographic Fast Facts
Boston is the capital of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States.
Boston is the largest city in Massachusetts.
Boston is the largest city in New England and the twenty-fourth largest city in the US.
Boston is the 11th largest in the US by metropolitan area-wise.
The deepest tunnel is North America is the- Ted Williams, 90 ft below the surface.
It has 9 sister cities.
It is one of the eleventh United States global cities.
According to the Globalization and World Cities Study Group & Network, it is classed as a “Gamma World City”.
The elevation of the city is 19 feet or 5.8 meters above the sea level.
Boston is composed of twenty-one official neighborhoods, thus is known as the “City of Neighborhoods”.
The ethnic composition of Boston includes White-52.9%, Black-24.1%, Hispanic-18.8%, Amerindian-0.4%, Non-Hispanic Whites-45.9%, Asian-9.0%, and two or more races-4.5%.
Boston History Fast Facts
In 1630, Puritan colonists from England founded Boston.
Boston Latin School, America’s first school was founded in 1635.
In 1716, the first American lighthouse was constructed in Boston Harbor.
Early settlers in the city were Puritans.
Boston became the city in 1822.
The Great Boston Fire started in 1872 which destroyed about 65 acres of downtown Boston.
The city was originally named Shawmut by the local Native Americans.
Boston was America’s largest, influential and wealthiest city from its founding to 1760s.
On 16th December, the Boston Tea Party reenactment is held in Boston Harbor every year.
Boston Government and Economy Fast Facts
Boston has a strong mayor-council form of government.
The City Council of Boston is elected every two years.
It is ranked among the top thirty economically powerful cities in the world.
The Greater Boston metropolitan area possesses the 6th largest economy in the nation and twelfth largest in the world.
The economic base of Boston comprises of government activities, professional and business services, and finance.
Boston has one of the highest living costs in the US.
Boston Important and Interesting Fast Facts
Boston is nicknamed as "Beantown," “The Athens of America,” “The Walking City,” "The Hub," “The Cradle of Liberty,” and “The Cradle of Modern America”.
The America’s first public park was Boston Common, regarded so in 1634.
The John Hancock Tower is a 60-story skyscraper that has 13 acres of glass.
In Boston, you can drive 90 ft below the earth’s surface.
The oldest Major League baseball park-Boston Fenway Park is still in use since 1912.
The first mayor of Boston to possess an automobile was James Michael Curley. The number was “576,” which indicated the number of letters in the mayor’s name. The official car of the Mayor still has the same plate number.
In 1880, Candlepin bowling was invented in Boston.
Harvard was established in 1636 and was the first college up in North America.
In Boston, Alexandra Graham Bell invented the telephone in 1876.
John. F. Kennedy was born in the neighborhood of Boston- Brookline in 1917.
The Boston Public Library in 1848 became the first publicly supported free municipal library in the world.
In the United States, Boston constructed the first subway ever in 1897.
Christmas celebration was outlawed in Boston between 1659 and 1681.
The two major daily newspapers in Boston are “the Boston Herald” and “the Boston Globe”.
