Aloha!

Hawaii is known for it's beautiful scenery, fancy resorts, and overall, tranquil environment. In 2003, over 6.4 million tourists visited the islands of Hawaii, and in 2007, numbers increased to 7 million visitors. Every year, billions of dollars are spent on the tourism of Hawaii. Larger aircraft and economic growth has allowed for such a large increase in tourism over the years. The majority of tourists visiting Hawaii are from the United States, particularly the west coast. The next place in which many tourists are from, would be Asia, specifically Japan. 

The city of Boston hosts over 12 million visitors from all parts of the world annually.  Boston is known for it's culture, architect, world-class educational institutions, sport franchises, and much more. 

Historic Old State House in Boston

California

Within California lies Los Angeles. Los Angeles is the second largest city in America. It is home to motion pictures, entertainment and media. People from all over the world travel to Los Angeles with the hopes of making their dreams become reality. Those who seek to be movie stars, directors, or even famous singers all come together in LA.  Boston is not known for it's entertainment such as LA, but it does have the largest broadcasting market in New England. It's radio market is the eleventh largest in the United States. Boston is also the home to the major network PBS. 

Below is a short film produced by Jared Leto, which I feel captures the curiosity and love of those who both traveled to or were raised in Los Angeles. 

Pacific Northwest

Vancouver port 

Canada's largest city is Vancouver. Vancouver is home to the largest port in Canada, which ships crops and lumber. British Columbia is where 54% of Canada's timber is produced.  

In Boston, the Port of Boston is the major seaport located in the Boston Harbor. This port was originally located in the area now known as Downtown Boston, but is now adjacent to the city. This port was originally used as a trading post for Native Americans in the region. In the year 1630, after John Winthrop established the city of Boston, the port served the expanding American colonies. 

Below is a video showing the Boston seaport.

The Rocky Mountains and the Intermontane

The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in North America, stretching more than 3,000 miles. The Rocky Mountains contain the highest peaks in North America, reaching as high as 14, 440 ft above sea level. 

Although there are several mountains in Massachusetts, there are no mountains in Boston. The city of Boston is officially 19 ft above sea level, where they Logan International Airport is established. The highest point in Boston is at Bellevue Hill, 330 feet above sea level. 

The Great Plains

The agriculture in The Great Plains is dominated by wheat. Winter wheat is planted in the fall so that it can be ready by the winter. It is grown from northern Texas to southern Nebraska.  Spring wheat is grown from central South Dakota to south-central prairie provinces of Canada. It is planted in early spring and harvested between late summer and early fall.

In Boston, urban agriculture is improving it's access to locally produced fresh food, by implementing urban activities. One activity is urban farming, where locally produced fresh food has lower carbon and transportation costs, so it is very beneficial. Some other urban activities include community gardens (which there are over 200 of in Boston), school gardens (which are in over 100 public schools in Boston), and public access fishing (over 20 locations in Boston have cleaned the water to make it possible for people to fish in local ponds).

Students planting seeds in their school garden

Child fishing in a Boston pond

The Midwest

In the Midwest, the Great Lakes are responsible for sourcing water to the population. In Boston, the city's drinking water comes from two source reservoirs in central and western Massachusetts. They are known as the Quabbin and Wachusetts Reservoirs.  

The Quabbin Reservoir is the largest inland body of water in Massachusetts and was built between 1930 and 1939. 

The Wachusetts Reservoir is the second largest body of water in Massachusetts.

The water system in Boston includes these two reservoirs, surface aqueducts, covered storage tanks and deep rock tunnels. This system is known as the Metropolitan Boston Water System. 

The Ozarks -Drug Use-

In the Ozarks,  Methamphetamine is the primary drug of choice, which is being manufactured within small labs in various locations. In Boston, there has been a 50% rise in overdoes deaths between 1999 and 2004.  The majority of these overdose victims are white, followed by blacks, then hispanics. In 2003, there were 145 overdoes deaths. 94 of the victims were white, 32 were black, and 19 were hispanic.  The drug of choice for all of these overdose victims was Heroin. Researchers say that white drug users are more likely to prefer Heroin, while hispanics and blacks prefer crack or cocaine, which concludes to the apparent rise in popularity of Heroin.

Gulf Coastal Plains

Above is a chart of the typical climate in Boston. The climate in Boston is typically hot in the summers and very cold in the winters.  It can hit almost 90 degrees in the summer and as low as 20 degrees in the winter. It snows in Boston and has small winds during the winter season.  This differs from the climate in the Gulf Coastal Plains because the Gulf Coastal Plains has previously experienced hurricanes, which Boston has not. 

Florida

The state of Florida's climate is humid subtropical in the northern and central areas, and tropical in the southern region. Florida is known for it's tropic thunderstorms, humidity and rainfall.  

In Boston, the weather is somewhat predictable. The coldest month is January, reaching as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit. The hottest month is July, which is typically around 73 degrees Fahrenheit. The city averages 43.7 inches of rain per year, and 45.1 inches of snow. Much like Florida, fog and humidity is fairly common, and the occasional tropic thunderstorm does occur. 

Southern Atlantic...

In the Southern Atlantic region, there is a variety of popular foods. Barbecue is a very popular style, with sauces, corns, potatoes, meats, and much more. In Boston, there is a large emphasis on seafood and dairy products. Clam Chowder is a city favorite, along with fish and chips, lobster, and fried clams. 

One historic restaurant in Boston is The Union Oyster House which has been serving customers since 1826. It is the oldest restaurant in the United States, and was listed a National Historic Landmark in 2003. 

The Union Oyster House

Recently, Boston has also started to showcase more Asian cuisine, with several upcoming restaurants in tow. 

Appalachia...

The Appalachian Region is a region in the eastern United States that stretches from the southern part of New York to the north part of Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia.  According to the 2010 census, it is occupied by 25 million people. Below is a map displaying the Appalachian Region. 

Boston does not have a region like the Appalachian Region, but it does have an area called Greater Boston. Greater Boston is the area of the commonwealth of Massachusetts that surrounds the city of Boston.  Greater Boston contains many historic sites and artistic venues.  It has a huge emphasis on culture, finances, education, and tourism. 

 

Downtown Details...

Boston is known for having a complex, vivacious area known as Downtown Boston. This is the heart of Boston. Here, many companies have their headquarters stationed, and City Hall and the State House are both located in Downtown Boston as well. In Downtown Boston, the streets are filled with street performers, historic sites, and the public transit system.  

The Downtown Boston BID is also located in the city. The Downtown Boston BID is the first Business Improvement District in Boston, which is one of the last major cities in the United States to form a BID. BID was created due to hundreds of interested stakeholders committed to achieving downtown's destination to thrive.  In October of 2004, the city of Boston launched the Downtown Crossing Economic Initiative, whose mission was to restore downtown's culture, including the coordination of events, holiday decorations, etc. 

Boston's Geography...

The city of Boston expanded two ways, which were by landfills and the adding of several neighboring cities. The map above is a census map illustrating landfill and annexations up until the year 1880. By 1890, the city had tripled it's size due to land fill. Marshes and gaps between wharves along the waterfront were filled.  In 1807, the crown of Beacon Hill was used to fill a 50 acre mill pond that later became the Bulfinch Triangle. The Bulfinch Triangle is a historic district which is bounded by canals, markets and streets in Boston. On top of Beacon Hill, is the Massachusetts State House.

Massachusetts State House

During the mid to late 19th Century, the filling of the Back Bay occurred. This was the biggest project that took place, which included almost six hundred acres of Charles River marshlands that were filled with gravel that was brought from the hills of Needham Heights.  Below is a photo of the land fill history in Boston.

Bostonians...

Boston is both the capital of Massachusetts and the largest city in the state. It is the 21st largest city in the United States. The population density of Boston is estimated to be about 13, 143 people per square mile. 

Approximately 5% of the population in Boston is under the age of 5, while about 10% of the population is 65 years and older. About 52% of the population is female, while the other 48% is male. The most prominent race in the city of Boston is white, which makes up a little less than half the entire city's population. African Americans make up the second largest racial group, which is around 24% of the population, while Hispanics make up around 18%, and Asians make up close to 9% of the population.

Boston residents are distinctively referred to as "Bostonians".  Some residents may also use the term "New Englanders".  Boston has a huge sense of community and Boston natives have a lot of pride when it comes to their hometown. 

An Increasing Population...

There are nearly 700,000 residents of Boston, with the population increasing every year.  The city is growing faster than it's suburbs and faster than any urban area northeast of New Jersey.  It is observed that the closer New England cities are to Boston, the faster they are growing. This growth began in 2000 - 2010. During those years, Boston grew faster than the rest of New England for the very first time in more than a century. 

The History of Boston...

Boston was named by European colonists after Boston,  Lincolnshire, England in 1630. European settlers were on a mission to find clean water when they discovered what is now known as Boston. The Massachusetts Bay Colony's first governor, John Winthrop, signed the Cambridge Agreement in 1629.  which was the official document stating the founding of the city. 

John Winthrop

Boston has also played a very important part in American history. Several events of the American Revolution happened in or near Boston. The Boston Tea Party, the Boston Massacre, and the battles of Lexington and Concord and Bunker Hill. During these conflicts, the British were forced to leave, which decreased the population by two thirds in 1770. In 1880, after the American Revolution, the city had recovered and became the main area of transportation for the New England region, which included railroads and both medical and educational facilities. Boston soon became one of the most wealthiest international ports.  Below is a picture of the Boston port.

Boston is home to over 600,000 people. It contains many institutions of higher education including some of the world's finest inpatient hospitals, and professional sports organizations

Interesting Fact: America's first public school was founded in Boston in 1635. 

Boston looks like...

To some, Boston may look a little like New York City at first glance.  Bright lights, strips of land reaching into the water, and tons of people.  Although it may draw some similarities, Boston is a very unique city with interesting characteristics. 
Boston has an area of 89.6 square miles. 48.4 square miles of that is land, and 41.2 square miles of  that is water. It is surrounded by two bodies of water, which are the Atlantic Ocean and Charles River. The city's official elevation is at 19 ft above sea level.   Boston is located in the eastern part of the state on Massachusetts Bay, and the population of Boston is a little under 700,000.

Below is a photo of the Boston skyline and the Charles River.

Boston is often called the "city of neighborhoods", due to it's diversity. Buildings include businesses, churches, homes, government buildings, and much more. Downtown Boston and it's immediate surroundings consist of many low-rise masonry buildings. Smaller areas consist of single-family homes and brick multi-family row houses.  Boston is also known for it's open space and vast greenery. 

There is also a section of freeway in Downtown Boston, known as John F. Fitzgerald Expressway. This freeway is highly conducive to commuting and travelling throughout Boston. It was built in the 1950's and was part tunnel, part elevated. Today, it is constructed almost fully of underground tunnels. It is known as the Central Artery to Boston locals. Below is a video of what the John F. Fitzgerald expressway looks like. 

Welcome to Boston! Here, I will be sharing information about the capital and largest city of the state of Massachusetts. Hope you enjoy!