Historical Markers
A group of people walking down a street next to trees - historic districts

On foot · metro area, Massachusetts

Historic Districts in Boston, MA

Whole neighborhoods listed on the National Register as districts, where the history is in the streets as much as in any one building.

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Photo: Nils Huenerfuerst on Unsplash

The Boston–Cambridge–Newton, MA-NH metro area has about 5,034,221 residents, ranking 11th in the country. The roadside signs most drivers never slow down for are the cheapest day out in the country, and each one has a longer story behind it than the plaque has room for.

People walking on sidewalk during daytime - historic districts
Photo: Mick Haupt on Unsplash
A group of people walking down a street next to tall buildings - historic districts
Photo: Brett Wharton on Unsplash
A couple of people that are walking down a street - historic districts
Photo: Katt Romero on Unsplash

On the record near Boston, MA

The 12 nearest

57 listed sites on the record match historic districts within 30 miles of Boston, MA, out of 1,789 listed sites of every kind within 25 miles.

  1. Blackstone Block Historic Districtunder a mile from the center of Boston · District · Boston · listed 1973National Register of Historic Places
  2. Park Street Districtunder a mile from the center of Boston · District · Boston · listed 1974National Register of Historic Places
  3. Fulton-Commercial Streets Districtunder a mile from the center of Boston · District · Boston · listed 1973National Register of Historic Places
  4. West Street Districtunder a mile from the center of Boston · District · Boston · listed 1980National Register of Historic Places
  5. Washington Street Theatre Districtunder a mile from the center of Boston · District · Boston · listed 1979National Register of Historic Places
  6. Church Green Buildings Historic Districtunder a mile from the center of Boston · District · Boston · listed 1999National Register of Historic Places
  7. Liberty Tree Districtunder a mile from the center of Boston · District · Boston · listed 1980National Register of Historic Places
  8. Piano Row Districtunder a mile from the center of Boston · District · Boston · listed 1980National Register of Historic Places
  9. Beach-Knapp Districtunder a mile from the center of Boston · District · Boston · listed 1980National Register of Historic Places
  10. Blake and Knowles Steam Pump Company National Register District1.3 miles from the center of Boston · District · Cambridge · listed 1997National Register of Historic Places
  11. Winter Street Historic District1.4 miles from the center of Boston · District · Cambridge · listed 1982National Register of Historic Places
  12. South End District (Boundary Increase)1.9 miles from the center of Boston · District · Boston · listed 2014National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of Boston, MA. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

Historic Districts in Boston, step by step

  1. 1

    Choose a starting point you can park at or walk to

  2. 2

    Load the loop and check the distance between stops

  3. 3

    Walk it at an easy pace and read each story on arrival

  4. 4

    Photograph anything that differs from the record

  5. 5

    Log the walk and let the map suggest the next loop

What people in Boston, MA ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in Boston, MA?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

How close does a site have to be to show up here?

The list is sorted by straight-line distance from the center of Boston, MA and covers sites out to about sixty miles. Most people find several within a short drive, and in older towns a few within walking distance.

Can I visit the sites that are private homes?

You can see them from the street, which is how most listed houses are meant to be enjoyed. Please do not walk onto the property or knock unless the site is open to visitors.

How a visit works in Boston

  1. Step 1

    Find the place

    Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In Boston, MA the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.

  2. Step 2

    Read the story

    The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.

  3. Step 3

    Get there under your own power

    Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in Boston, MA are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.

  4. Step 4

    Collect it and come back

    Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.

The rules that make it work

The record comes first

Every site on these pages comes from a published register or marker program, with its source named. Nothing is listed that is not on the record.

Read the whole story

A marker is a few lines on a post. The story behind it is longer, and it includes the hard parts. Both are worth the stop.

Movement makes it stick

People remember the places they walked to. A route through five markers teaches more than fifty marker pages read on a couch.

Local beats famous

The marker two streets over usually has a better story than the one in the guidebook, and nobody else is standing in front of it.

Respect the ground

Many sites are private homes, working churches or cemeteries. View from the public way, follow posted hours, and leave it as you found it.

Every visitor can improve it

Markers go missing, get moved, or carry mistakes. A photo or a location fix from the person standing there is how the record stays right.

More ways in around Boston, MA

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