The South End is Boston’s largest neighborhood, bordering the Back Bay. It extends from Columbus Avenue to Harrison Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue to Berkeley Street. In 1973 the South End was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the largest urban Victorian neighborhood in the country; in 1983 it was also designated a Boston Landmark District. Originally a narrow strip of land known as the Boston Neck which connected Boston to Roxbury and surrounded by a tidal marsh, only a few mansions existed. In the 1840’s the city added land to the Neck by adding fill, brought in from Needham, to the marshy areas. In the 1850’s, architect Charles Bullfinch developed a plan for the new South End. The plan included ornate brick row houses of various architectural styles and small parks with fountains were interspersed into the neighborhood. Soon the South End was in vogue, attracting families from other more crowded areas of Boston. Today it remains one of Boston’s most historic, diverse and trendy neighborhoods. It is home to some of Boston’s most popular restaurants, cafes, bars, nearly 30 parks, a thriving arts community, the Boston Center for the Arts (BCA) and the Boston Ballet School.
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