Once a part of Charlestown that could only be reached via "The Neck" (present-day Sullivan Square), Somerville became accessible from Boston with the construction of the Middlesex Canal and the extension of various rail lines in the mid- to late nineteenth century. By 1842, Somerville's population had increased to the point that the town officially separated itself from Charlestown. Over the years, the population continued to grow. With the increase in population came tremendous change, including the subdivision of farms and estates for residential neighborhoods. The city of Somerville was...

With Roslindale, Boston historian Anthony Mitchell Sammarco chronicles the development and evolution of this historic Boston neighborhood in over two hundred black-and-white images coupled with detailed and informative photograph captions. Originally known as "South Street Crossing," Roslindale was once a part of Roxbury and later the Town of West Roxbury. The neighborhood was named "Roslin" by one of its early citizens after a fondly remembered Scottish town whose rolling hills evoked comparison with those of this
area. In this volume, both gradual and radical changes in Roslindale's...

The Back Bay was one of Boston's premier residential neighborhoods between 1837 and 1901. From its quagmire beginnings and with the creation of the Boston Public Garden in the 1830s, the Back Bay was envisioned as an urbane and sophisticated streetscape of stone and brick row houses. The major center of the neighborhood became Art Square, now known as Copley Square, which was surrounded by Trinity Church, New Old South Church, Second Church of Boston, the Boston Public Library, and S.S. Pierce and Company. With images of swan boats and architectural delights, Boston's Back Bay in the...

In Dorchester Volume II, local author Anthony Mitchell Sammarco continues his detailed look at this diverse town that he began in Volume I, which the Boston Globe hailed as a best-seller. Founded in 1630 by Puritans, Dorchester has experienced spectacular growth over the last few centuries; the Old Colony Railroad and later the Red Line provided
impetus for the quick development of this "streetcar suburb." From a town of twelve thousand residents in 1870, when it was annexed to the city of Boston, to one hundred thousand at the turn of the century, Dorchester became home to a quarter of a...

Visit territory such as the House of Reformation at City Point and the Home for the Feeble-minded at City Point. Explore the Perkins Institute for the Blind, relocated in the former
Mount Washington House in 1839. City Point boasts its own attractions, such as the old aquarium, designed by William Downer Austin; the Head House, designed by Edmund March Wheelwright; and a spectacular view from Castle Island. With more than 200 photographs, Anthony Sammarco probes yet deeper into the history of South Boston. A well-known local historian, Sammarco is a resident of Milton and the author of...

One of the largest development projects in nineteenth-century America, Boston's Back Bay was essentially a tidal basin until the construction of the Mill Dam (present-day Beacon Street) just after the War of 1812. By 1837, the area bounded by Charles, Boylston, Beacon, and Arlington Streets was filled in and laid out as the Public Garden, later the site of Boston's famous swanboats. In the late 1850s, the massive infill of the Back Bay commenced, and the earth collected from the hills of Needham was deposited in the city's "west end" for nearly four decades. As the new land began to reach...

Dorchester was settled in 1630 by Puritans from England, and for over two hundred years it remained a small farming community. However, the arrival of the Old Colony Railroad brought first a flood of wealthy new residents from the city of Boston, and
soon a second wave of newly-arrived immigrants who
introduced a new diversity and vibrancy to the area.
Renowned local historian and author Anthony Mitchell Sammarco has brought together more than two hundred compelling images of the town of Dorchester, showing the events, places, and faces that defined Dorchester during the exciting...

The Boston Elevated Railway broke ground in 1899 for a new transit service that opened in 1901, providing a seven-mile elevated railway that connected Dudley Street Station in Roxbury and Sullivan Square Station in Charlestown, two huge multilevel terminals. When the EL, as it was popularly known, opened for service, it provided an unencumbered route high above the surging traffic of Boston, until it went underground through the city. The new trains of the EL were elegant coaches of African
mahogany, bronze hardware, plush upholstered seats, plate glass windows, and exteriors of aurora...

Architecture is defined as the design of structures for various uses, but the passion of the designers and builders makes it much more than that. Milton
Architecture shows the unique views of the town's style from its earliest days. Known as Unquety by the Neponset Tribe of Indians, Milton was founded
in 1640, and was incorporated in 1662. During the town's first century, the architecture was post-Medieval or First Period construction. Describing the town in 1839 for his Historical Collections of Every Town in Massachusetts, John Warner Barber said, "Milton is adorned with some...