Boston, Massachusetts, is a fascinating American city. The city is old (by American standards; not by those of other countries), and is steeped in culture, especially that of literature, music, and higher learning.
Boston is the home city of Arianna – the main character in my teen novel Rockin’ into Romance. Or I should say it WAS her home city. But in my novel, she has been displaced and now lives in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. Whoa! That’s a looong way from Boston — on so many levels. (Rockin’ Into Romance is the 3rd title in the Norma Jean Lutz Classic Collection.)
Let’s take a closer look at this historic city. Below are ten interesting facts about Boston:
- Boston was founded in 1630, making it one of the oldest cities in the United States. It was also a key location during the American Revolution. (Ever heard of the Boston Tea Party?)
- Boston’s nickname, “The Athens of America,” isn’t based on any geographical similarities, but because the city features more than one hundred institutions of higher learning within its borders.
- Boston was home to the first library on the North American continent, built in 1657.
- Boston’s Kenmore Square features a massive Citgo sign as one of its center-points. The neon tubing in the sign stretches over 5 miles in length. In the late 1970s the sign was to be torn down, but public outcry saved it.
- Boston’s eponymous dessert, the Boston cream pie, was created at the Parker House Hotel in 1856 by head chef M. Sanzian. The Boston cream pie is, in reality, a cake and not a pie.
- Boston features the first-ever subway in America. The Tremont Street Subway was built in 1897.
- Boston is the home of America’s first university. Founded as New College in 1636, the institution’s name was changed to Harvard College in 1639, and didn’t become a full university until 1841.
- Boston’s population represents only 10% of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, but more than a third of the state’s college students go to school in the city.
- With regard to demographics, age groups in Boston show it’s home to the younger set. Almost 75% of the city’s population is under 45.
10. Boston has more neighborhoods than almost any other city in the United States, making it one of the most subdivided in America. This has earned Boston one of its nicknames, the “City of Neighborhoods.”
There you go. These ten facts make up just a tiny smidgen of what Boston is all about. How about you? Have you ever lived in Boston? Or near Boston? Or have you ever visited this historic city? Let me hear from you. Leave your comments below.
PS: Want to know more about Arianna’s story? How about a FREE download of Chapter 1? Check it our right HERE!
Boyan Slat is a young Dutch inventor and entrepreneur who creates technologies to solve societal problems. He’s the founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup, which develops advanced technologies to rid world’s oceans of plastic.