Boston's Back Bay: A World Within Itself
by Melissa Eckhardt

Once called "a nuisance, offensive and injurious to the large and increasing population," by the Boston Board of Health in 1849, the tree-lined streets of trendy retail and residential real estate of Boston's Back Bay run primarily from the Public Gardens to Massachusetts Avenue.

In fact, Back Bay, a now upscale neighborhood, was once an undesirable swamp. The area, Charles River on the north, Embankment Road and Arlington Street on the east, Boylston Street on the south, and Charlesgate East on the west, became one of the largest landfill projects in America in the mid-nineteenth century.

By the turn of the century, it was home to one of the greatest concentrations of Victorian homes in the country, according to Sidewalk Boston. Many of these homes have been restored and cater to an elite market in real estate. Parking alone can cost up to $350 per month for a single space.

The Boston Common and the Public Garden are located side by side between Boylston and Beacon Street. Riding the Garden's Swan Boats in summer and ice-skating the Common's Frog Pond in winter are popular activites. The Common also features sports fields and year-round tennis courts, as well as outdoor film festivals, concerts, and even Shakespearean plays, weather permitting. It is home to First Night, Boston's well-known New Year's Eve event.

Trinity Church and the Boston Public Library in Copley Square are appealing for their beauty and also for their on-site events. The square outside Trinity Church hosts concerts and summer folk-dancing lessons, and is part of the annual Art Festival of Boston. Boston Public Library offers year round events and programs inside and out.

The Charles River and Esplanade are favorites for land and water sports. The Hatch Shell, located on the Esplanade, is home to Pops Goes the Fourth, as well as Friday Night Flicks, concerts, and other fair weather events. The Charles also features the annual Head of the Charles Regatta, which will be held this year on October 23 and 24.

To many Boston residents, the shopping and dining experience of Back Bay makes it an unrivaled neighborhood in the city. Newbury Streets alone is a veritable plethora of unique boutiques and eateries of all shapes, sizes, and nationalities. Scents wafting down the street are enough to boggle the senses. Indian spices of Kashmir (279 Newbury) mingle with the Vietnamese aromas of Pho Pasteur (119 Newbury) and the combined scent of used books and coffee drifting from Trident Booksellers and Cafe (338 Newbury).

Many locations appear in the 1998 Boston Phoenix's Best of Boston poll. For atmosphere unlike any other store, visit Gargoyles, Grotesques, and Chimeras (262 Newbury ), winner of "Best Place to Buy Moldy Religious Relics." For "Best Secondhand Todd Oldham," try Second Time Around (167 Newbury ), a used clothing store catering to the fashion-conscious consignment shopper. Avenue Victor Hugo (339 Newbury) received "Best Store for Used Books" in the reader's poll, cited for its "musty charm" and broad selection. The vast number of boutiques in the area is unparalleled.

Back Bay is accessible by both the Red and Green Lines, but for residents, the sidewalk means that the world of Back Bay is literally just a step away.

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