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In the 1930s an 40s, folklore abounded that the windy streets of
Boston were originally determined by cows wandering about the town. The old postcard above muses, "In Boston town, of old renown, the gentle
cows the pathways made, which grew the streets that keep the stranger quite
dismayed."
Analyzing this assertion, it is most likely that topography and a lack of
urban planning were the main reasons why Boston's streets were laid out so randomly.
Boston was originally a peninsula, located in the delta of the Charles, Mystic, and
Chelsea Rivers. Boston had several hills, with Beacon, Copp's and Fort Hills being the most prominent.
Looking at the original peninsula, one can infer the streets were laid out
chronologically for the following reasons:
Topography. The town was very hilly, with many streams.
It is likely that some of the original streets from Tremont Street to the
waterfront followed such streams. Hanover, State, and Summer Streets
are likely examples.
Natural Obstacles. Some areas of the ancient town could only be
accessed by rope-walks. Streets were laid out to avoid these bogs and
obstacles. An example
is Post Office Square, which was probably a low-lying area 300 years ago.
Commerce. Boston was a bustling seaport for 200 years. Beach Street to the south once contained wharves before the area was filled-in (the Boston Tea Party took
place at Griffin's Wharf, off Beach Street). The mill dam to the north
was filled-in to create new land. When streets were added,
they were likely designed to support the shipping industry, with warehouses
built there. Portland, Friend, and Canal Streets near North
Station are examples. Mayor
Josiah Quincy had reclaimed the land at
the foot of Long Wharf to build
Quincy Market.
Land Speculation. By the early 1800s, the
Merchant Princes of Boston
deliberately took down Beacon Hill and developed the Back Bay District.
Beautiful and expensive brownstone residences were built there.
Thus, one can deduce that cows did not lay out the streets in ancient
Boston. The only hint of truth in such folklore is that High Street
was once known as Cow Lane. Amusingly, when you are stuck in
traffic in downtown Boston, or cannot get to your destination due to a
one-way street, it may be a good time to blame those cows for the windy
streets!
Boston in 1775
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