Boston. Bahston. A wicked good look at the city of Boston, it's
people, history, culture, and surrounding neighborhoods.
Whether it's called Beantown, The Olde Towne, Titletown, The Cradle of
Liberty, The Athens of America, The Puritan City, The City on a Hill, or
any of its other obscure or oft-repeated nicknames, Boston has a long
and varied history. Its universities and hospitals lead the nation, and
its sports teams, politicians, and colloquialisms continue to captivate.
Exploring this city's fascinating history, people, myths, culture, and
trivia, The Handy Boston Answer Book takes an in-depth look at one
of America's oldest major cities.
Learn about the city's founding by Puritan settlers, the Boston
Massacre, the Great Fire, the opening of the T, the busing desegregation
strife, the Big Dig, and much, much more. Tour landmarks from Faneuil
Hall to Fenway Park to the United States' first public school, Boston
Latin School, and important institutions such as Harvard and
Massachusetts General Hospital. Sports (and the local sports fanatics)
are illuminated (and explained). Popular neighborhoods, ethnic enclaves,
and the surrounding suburbs are canvassed. The government, notable sons
and daughters, parks, and cultural institutions are all packed into this
comprehensive guide to the city of Boston. Find answers to 1,200
questions, including:
What was the Boston revolt of 1689?
Who dramatized Paul Revere's Midnight Ride?
How did the Embargo Act of 1807 affect Boston?
How did Protestant and Yankee Boston become the multi-ethnic metropolis
of today?
When did Boston's Great Fire occur?
How much of the city's land was reclaimed by filling in marshes, mud
flats, and gaps between wharves along the waterfront?
What cities and towns comprise the "Greater Boston" region?
How many college students reside in Boston?
Why is the Boston Marathon always run on the third Monday of April?
Who ran the Boston Marathon the most times?
Were the baseball players always called the Red Sox?
Why did Boston get the Athens of America nickname?
What's "The T"? What's "The Pike"?
Who designed Boston's "Emerald Necklace"?
Who was Boston's longest-serving mayor?
Are "Tonics" and "Whoopie Pies" available at most "Spas"?
What do the colored lights on top of the old Hancock building say about
the weather?
What do Samuel Adams, James Taylor, Benjamin Franklin, and Taylor
Schilling have in common?
A convenient place to go to look up the basic--and fun--facts about
Boston, its history and culture, The Handy Boston Answer Book
illustrates the unique character of the city through a combination of
facts, stats, and stories, as well as the unusual and quirky. This
informative book also includes a helpful bibliography and an extensive
index, adding to its usefulness.
