Beacon Street
Encyclopedia
Beacon Street is a major thoroughfare in Boston, Massachusetts and several of its western suburbs. Beacon Street in Boston, Brookline
, Brighton, and Newton
is not to be confused with the Beacon Street in nearby Somerville
, or others elsewhere.
and School Street
. From this point it rises up Beacon Hill
for a block where it meets Park Street
in front of the Massachusetts State House
. From that intersection it descends Beacon Hill as a two-lane, bi-directional street until it reaches Charles Street. At Charles Street it becomes a one-way avenue that runs through the Back Bay neighborhood until it reaches Kenmore Square
.
From Kenmore Square, Beacon Street skirts the area around Fenway Park
and follows a southwesterly slant through Brookline
along either side of MBTA Green Line
trolley tracks to Cleveland Circle
in Brighton. From there it passes Boston College
as it winds its way to the city of Newton
, where it crosses Centre Street to form the defining intersection of Newton Centre, meets Walnut Street at "Four Corners" near the Newton Cemetery, and goes through Waban
at its intersection with Woodward Street. It ends at Washington Street near Boston's circumferential highway
, Route 128.
, and was extended over the Charles River
Basin as a dam that would later form the shore between a narrowed river and the newly filled-in Back Bay neighborhood. The part of Beacon Street west of Kenmore Square was originally laid out in 1850. Railroad tracks were first laid in 1888 for what would eventually become the modern Green Line "C" Branch.
Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 58,732.-Etymology:...
, Brighton, and Newton
Newton, Massachusetts
Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States bordered to the east by Boston. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Newton was 85,146, making it the eleventh largest city in the state.-Villages:...
is not to be confused with the Beacon Street in nearby Somerville
Somerville, Massachusetts
Somerville is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located just north of Boston. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 75,754 and was the most densely populated municipality in New England. It is also the 17th most densely populated incorporated place in...
, or others elsewhere.
Description
Beacon Street begins as a one-way street from the intersection of Tremont StreetTremont Street
Tremont Street is a major thoroughfare in Boston, Massachusetts.-Etymology:The name is a variation of one of the original appellations of the city, "Trimountaine," a reference to a hill that formerly had three peaks. Beacon Hill, with its single peak, is all that remains of the Trimountain...
and School Street
School Street
School Street is a short but significant street in the center of Boston, Massachusetts. It is so named for being the site of the first public school in the United States...
. From this point it rises up Beacon Hill
Beacon Hill, Boston, Massachusetts
Beacon Hill is a historic neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, that along with the neighboring Back Bay is home to about 26,000 people. It is a neighborhood of Federal-style rowhouses and is known for its narrow, gas-lit streets and brick sidewalks...
for a block where it meets Park Street
Park Street, Boston
This article refers to Park Street in Boston. For other Park Streets, please see the Park Street disambiguation page.Park Street is a small but notable road in the center of Boston, Massachusetts. It begins at the top of Beacon Hill, at the intersection of Beacon Street, where it is lined up with...
in front of the Massachusetts State House
Massachusetts State House
The Massachusetts State House, also known as the Massachusetts Statehouse or the "New" State House, is the state capitol and house of government of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is located in Boston in the neighborhood Beacon Hill...
. From that intersection it descends Beacon Hill as a two-lane, bi-directional street until it reaches Charles Street. At Charles Street it becomes a one-way avenue that runs through the Back Bay neighborhood until it reaches Kenmore Square
Kenmore Square
Kenmore Square is a square in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, consisting of the intersection of several main avenues as well as several other cross streets, and Kenmore Station, an MBTA subway stop. Kenmore Square is close to or abuts Boston University, Fenway Park, and Lansdowne Street, a...
.
From Kenmore Square, Beacon Street skirts the area around Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
and follows a southwesterly slant through Brookline
Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 58,732.-Etymology:...
along either side of MBTA Green Line
Green Line (MBTA)
The Green Line is a streetcar system run by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in the Boston, Massachusetts area of the United States. It is the oldest line of Boston's subway, which is known locally as the 'T'. The Green Line runs underground downtown and on the surface in outlying...
trolley tracks to Cleveland Circle
Cleveland Circle
Cleveland Circle, an area of Boston, Massachusetts, is located in Boston's Brighton neighborhood, and more specifically the Aberdeen section of Brighton, in very close proximity to Brookline and Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, at the intersection of Beacon Street and Chestnut Hill Avenue.Cleveland...
in Brighton. From there it passes Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
as it winds its way to the city of Newton
Newton, Massachusetts
Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States bordered to the east by Boston. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Newton was 85,146, making it the eleventh largest city in the state.-Villages:...
, where it crosses Centre Street to form the defining intersection of Newton Centre, meets Walnut Street at "Four Corners" near the Newton Cemetery, and goes through Waban
Waban, Massachusetts
Waban is one of the thirteen villages of Newton, Massachusetts, an affluent suburban city approximately seven miles from downtown Boston.-Origin of name:Waban was named for Waban, the first Massachusett Indian converted to Christianity, in 1646...
at its intersection with Woodward Street. It ends at Washington Street near Boston's circumferential highway
Circumferential Highway
Circumferential Highway may refer to one of the following beltways/orbital roads/ring roads:- Canada :* Nova Scotia Highway 111, known as the Dartmouth Circumferential Highway-Philippines:...
, Route 128.
History
Beacon Street initially formed the northern limit of Boston CommonBoston Common
Boston Common is a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts. It is sometimes erroneously referred to as the "Boston Commons". Dating from 1634, it is the oldest city park in the United States. The Boston Common consists of of land bounded by Tremont Street, Park Street, Beacon Street,...
, and was extended over the Charles River
Charles River
The Charles River is an long river that flows in an overall northeasterly direction in eastern Massachusetts, USA. From its source in Hopkinton, the river travels through 22 cities and towns until reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Boston...
Basin as a dam that would later form the shore between a narrowed river and the newly filled-in Back Bay neighborhood. The part of Beacon Street west of Kenmore Square was originally laid out in 1850. Railroad tracks were first laid in 1888 for what would eventually become the modern Green Line "C" Branch.
In culture
- The Beacon Street GirlsBeacon Street GirlsThe Beacon Street Girls is a book series by Annie Bryant. The series, which is published by B*tween Productions, Inc., is designed for girls aged 9–14, and typically produced following consultations with various specialists in issues for girls...
series of preteen books is set around Beacon Street in Brookline. - Nanci GriffithNanci GriffithNanci Griffith, is an American singer, guitarist and songwriter from Austin, Texas.-Biography:...
's 1987 album Lone Star State of MindLone Star State of MindLone Star State of Mind is Nanci Griffith's fifth album, and her first with a major recording label. Griffith's music had seen a turn from her original folk music base into more commercially viable country music in her previous two albums. On the current album she enlists the hit-making talents of...
has a song called Beacon Street.
See also
- Amory-Ticknor HouseAmory-Ticknor HouseThe Amory-Ticknor House in Boston, Massachusetts was built in 1804 by businessman Thomas Amory, and later owned by scholar George Ticknor. It sits atop Beacon Hill, across from the Massachusetts State House on Beacon Street and the Boston Common on Park Street...
- Nathan Appleton ResidenceNathan Appleton ResidenceThe Nathan Appleton Residence, also known as the Appleton-Parker House, is a historic house located at 39-40 Beacon Street, Boston, Massachusetts. It is now a National Historic Landmark.-History:...
- Beacon Street GirlsBeacon Street GirlsThe Beacon Street Girls is a book series by Annie Bryant. The series, which is published by B*tween Productions, Inc., is designed for girls aged 9–14, and typically produced following consultations with various specialists in issues for girls...
- Boston Athenaeum
- Boston Bar AssociationBoston Bar AssociationThe Boston Bar Association, which also goes by the acronym BBA, is a volunteer non-governmental organization in Boston, Massachusetts, United States...
- Boston CommonBoston CommonBoston Common is a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts. It is sometimes erroneously referred to as the "Boston Commons". Dating from 1634, it is the oldest city park in the United States. The Boston Common consists of of land bounded by Tremont Street, Park Street, Beacon Street,...
- Boston Public GardenBoston Public GardenThe Public Garden, also known as Boston Public Garden, is a large park located in the heart of Boston, Massachusetts, adjacent to Boston Common.-History:...
- Boston Transit Commission BuildingBoston Transit Commission BuildingBoston Transit Commission Building is an historic building at 15 Beacon Street in Boston, Massachusetts.The building was constructed by William Gibbons Preston and added to the National Historic Register in 2007....
- Cheers Beacon Hill
- Chester Harding HouseChester Harding HouseThe Chester Harding House is an historic building located at 16 Beacon Street in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, across from the Massachusetts State House in Beacon Hill.-History:...
- Cleveland CircleCleveland CircleCleveland Circle, an area of Boston, Massachusetts, is located in Boston's Brighton neighborhood, and more specifically the Aberdeen section of Brighton, in very close proximity to Brookline and Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, at the intersection of Beacon Street and Chestnut Hill Avenue.Cleveland...
- Dean Road (MBTA station)Dean Road (MBTA station)Dean Road is the twelfth stop on the "C" Branch of the Green Line, which is a light rail line belonging to the MBTA...
- Gibson House MuseumGibson House MuseumThe Gibson House Museum is a historic house museum located at 137 Beacon Street in the Back Bay, Boston, Massachusetts. It preserves the 1860 building occupied by three generations of the Gibson family.-History:...
- Hancock ManorHancock ManorThe Hancock Manor was a house located at 30 Beacon Street on Beacon Hill, Boston, Massachusetts. It stood near the southwest corner of what are today the grounds of the Massachusetts State House.-Description:...
- Headquarters House (Boston, Massachusetts)
- Harrison Gray Otis HouseHarrison Gray Otis HouseThere are three houses named the Harrison Gray Otis House in Boston, Massachusetts. All were built by noted American architect Charles Bulfinch for the same man, Harrison Gray Otis.-First Harrison Gray Otis House:...
- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. was an American physician, professor, lecturer, and author. Regarded by his peers as one of the best writers of the 19th century, he is considered a member of the Fireside Poets. His most famous prose works are the "Breakfast-Table" series, which began with The Autocrat...
lived on Beacon St. 1871-1894 - Julia Ward HoweJulia Ward HoweJulia Ward Howe was a prominent American abolitionist, social activist, and poet, most famous as the author of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic".-Biography:...
lived on Beacon St. - Kenmore SquareKenmore SquareKenmore Square is a square in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, consisting of the intersection of several main avenues as well as several other cross streets, and Kenmore Station, an MBTA subway stop. Kenmore Square is close to or abuts Boston University, Fenway Park, and Lansdowne Street, a...
- Leavitt-Riedler Pumping EngineLeavitt-Riedler Pumping EngineThe Leavitt-Riedler Pumping Engine is a historic steam engine located in the Chestnut Hill Pumping Station, 2436 Beacon Street, Boston, Massachusetts. It has been declared a national landmark by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers....
- Massachusetts State HouseMassachusetts State HouseThe Massachusetts State House, also known as the Massachusetts Statehouse or the "New" State House, is the state capitol and house of government of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It is located in Boston in the neighborhood Beacon Hill...
- Mount Vernon Church, BostonMount Vernon Church, BostonMount Vernon Church in Boston, Massachusetts, was a Congregational church located on Beacon Hill and later in Back Bay .-Beacon Hill, 1844-1891:...
- Myles AnnexMyles AnnexMyles Annex is a small Boston University coeducational dormitory, which is located in Kenmore Square at 632 Beacon Street. The building is generally considered part of the larger Myles Standish Hall to which it is adjacent . Access is obtained by entering Myles Standish Hall and passing through a...
- Myles Standish HallMyles Standish HallMyles Standish Hall is a Boston University dormitory located at 610 Beacon Street, in Kenmore Square. Originally constructed in 1925 and opened as the Myles Standish Hotel, it was deemed to be one of the finest hotels in the world...
- One Beacon StreetOne Beacon StreetOne Beacon Street is a modern skyscraper in the Government Center neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. Built in 1972 and refurbished in 1991, it is Boston's 14th-tallest building, standing 505 feet tall, and housing 37 floors...
- John Phillips (mayor)John Phillips (mayor)John Phillips was an American politician, serving as the first mayor of Boston, Massachusetts from 1822 to 1823. He was the father of abolitionist Wendell Phillips.-Biography:...
lived on Beacon St. (corner of Walnut Street), 1804-1823 - William H. PrescottWilliam H. PrescottWilliam Hickling Prescott was an American historian and Hispanist, who is widely recognized by historiographers to have been the first American scientific historian...
lived on Beacon St., 1845-1859 - Robert Gould ShawRobert Gould ShawRobert Gould Shaw was an American officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. As colonel, he commanded the all-black 54th Regiment, which entered the war in 1863. He was killed in the Second Battle of Fort Wagner, near Charleston, South Carolina...
Memorial - Somerset ClubSomerset ClubThe Somerset Club is a private social club in Boston, Massachusetts, founded perhaps as early as 1826.The original club was informal, without a clubhouse. By the 1830s this had evolved into a group called the Temple. In 1851 the group purchased the home of Benjamin W. Crowninshield, located at...
- Washington Square (Boston)Washington Square (Boston)Washington Square is a neighborhood in Brookline, Massachusetts at the corner of Beacon Street and Washington Street. This area is relatively upscale, featuring attractive brownstone buildings which line both Beacon Street, and the leafy side streets...