* Boston is where the nation’s first public park (The Boston Commons 1640), the first
* public library (1653) and the first subway (1897) were founded.
* The Boston University Bridge (on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts) is the only place in the world where a boat can sail under a train driving under a car driving under an airplane
* On January 15, 1919 the Great Molasses Flood occurred in the North End of Boston – a tank burst at the Purity Distilling Company, dumping over 2 million gallons of molasses into the streets and killing 21 people. Some say that on hot days, the streets have the faint odor of molasses.
* The Children’s Museum in Boston displays a giant milk bottle on the museum’s wharf. If it were real it would hold 50,000 gallons of milk and 8,620 gallons of cream.
* About 250,000 college students live in Boston.
* On March 10, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell made the very first phone call in history from his Boston machine shop. The call was to his assistant, Thomas A. Watson. Mr. Bell said “Watson come here, I want you!”
How Boston got its name?
Boston was named after another city across the sea in old England. The English city was originally named “Boltophston” after Saint Botolph, and orthodox preacher in England. Boston came from a shortening of “Boltophston.” Boston.
Over the years Boston has acquired a lot of nicknames: Here are some of them and the reason behind their names.
Bean town:
While some may believe the city got this label because it flourished with beans, it was actually an overabundance of molasses made from sugar traded from the West Indies that contributed to the early colonial obsession with Boston Baked Beans. Still it is famous among the locals while lobster and chowder have become favorites.
Cradle of Modern America:
This term best describes its cultural and literal prosperity of the late 19th Century. The area had a huge role in birthing and growing of modern America. Events like the Revolution-sparking Boston Tea Party of 1773 changed American history forever, while marvelous projects like the Big Dig are signs of future growth and development.
The hub:
In a novel he wrote in 1858, Cambridge-born author and philosopher Oliver Wendell Holmes described the Massachusetts State House as the “Hub of the Solar System.” As society in Boston developed, the nickname developed into an even greater brand – “The Hub of the Universe.” The term of reference, shortened to “The Hub,” is seldom used today in daily conversation.
Walking city:
A combination of small, safe neighborhoods and an effective public transportation system has helped deem Boston the friendliest walker city in the country. No doubt is walking the easiest and cheapest way to get around, but being able to avoid endless traffic jams and having to not search parking spots often makes walking the quickest mode of moving. As for taking an historic tour around the old town, forget about tour buses and trolleys. A march along the Freedom Trail will guide you – free of charge – around most of the sites you’ll want to visit.