Maybe less well-known than the main city, South Boston is located a small journey away from the downtown area of Boston and has an interesting and diverse history.
South Boston started life as a simple trading post founded by David Thompson in 1624 on Thompson Island. In 1637 access to Dorchester Neck was only through Native American land and was used by 100 new settlers to graze their animals upon. In 1673 Captain Hepstill James Foster built the first habitable dwelling on this piece of land; in a place known as Leek Hill. From this point onwards, the settlement grew up steadily and by 1774 there were a total of 12 families in residence, and by 1804 over 60 families. At this time, with the taxations being demanded by the British, the area really needed its own postcode. The first map of the area was constructed and the name “South Boston” was born. These days, inhabitants of the South Boston neighbourhood fondly refer to it as simply “Southie”.
South Boston offers walking tours taking in the famous architectural landmarks such as the E. L Evans building (established in 1888) and the South Boston Municipal building. The tour begins at Tucker Watkins Bridge, where South Boston began its life in 1854 as a railroad depot.
The commercial district of South Boston comprises mainly two-story brick buildings established in the 1880-1890’s. Although the shop fronts have moved with the times, looking upwards you can still see the original facades and round-arch windows. One of the most impressive buildings must be the Planters and Merchants Bank (209 Main Street). Constructed in 1891, this remarkable building, highlighted with a cast-iron false front reflects the times where the tobacco industry was booming.
Believed to be one of the oldest surviving commercial buildings is the E. L. Evans Building along 225-227 Main Street. Built circa. 1888 the 2-storey building provides a magnificent example of parapets, Romanesque-like window heads and intricate cornices, typical of the Victorian era.