Culture Region

Boston is part of the Megalopolis, also referred to as the headquarters of America. The megalopolis dominates the entire nation in population, economic importance, educational opportunities, and health facilities. It extends roughly from southern New Hamsphire to northern Virginia and contains dozens of metropolitan areas. They are joined together by freeways and railways. Megalopolis contains about 50 million people, or close to 1/5th the total population of the United States. Because of Boston's location next to a harbor, it is a center of immigration. It has become one of the gateways to America, bringing people from Spain to Ethiopia. Boston specifically had a significant black population at the time of the American Revolution due to slavery. Boston is also noted for its educational advances with many colleges and universities to choose from.

Human Impact on the Environment

The Boston Harbor Project is committed to restoring the harbor to what it was from what it is today. "Boston Harbor is made up of fifty square miles and includes 180 miles of shoreline and 30 islands. It is a precious and valuable part of New England, but over the past three and a half centuries, we have not treated Boston Harbor with the respect and gratitude that it deserves from us. Ten years ago, it was one of the most polluted harbors in the United States." In 1796, there were a series of illnesses breaking out, the first in many contamination to come to the harbor. As early as the latter part of the 1800's, warnings were posted to not swim in the Boston Harbor for fear of boils. The Clean Water Act was passed in 1972, requiring secondary treatment for discharged waste water from all publicly owned treatment plants.

Recreational Resources

The location of Boston to the bay makes the ocean a major recreational resource in the area. Another resources would be the miles of bike paths that filter through the city. There is also the Stone Zoo and the Franklin Park Zoo. There are boating centers as well as yoga and dance studios. There are many visual and performing art activities, parades, feasts and festivals, and walks and races. The Boston Public Garden is also a popular place for recreation.

Neighborhoods

"While many cities are defined by their skylines, Boston is distinguished by its vibrant neighborhoods. Indeed, Boston's strength, diversity and vitality are all rooted in her 21 neighborhoods, where neighborhood pride and cultures from all over the world are cherished and celebrated. Although each neighborhood has its own personality and distinct appeal, all of the neighborhoods demonstrate Boston's changing face, as this historic capital has become a magnet for all of the world's citizens. These new immigrants have joined native Bostonians and transplants from across the country to make Boston the world-class city it is today."



The North End of Boston

The City of Boston

There are many functions of an urban area including: retailing, wholesaling, manufacturing, business service, entertainment, religious service, political and official administration, military defensive needs, social service, public service, transportation and communication services, meeting place activity, visitor service, and place to live. Boston's coastal location on the north Atlantic makes it the economic and cultural center for the region. Although Boston is the fourth most densely populated city in the country. Boston is also surrounded by the "Greater Boston"and surrounded by cities such as Chelsea, Everett, Somerville, Cambridge, Canton, Milton and Quincy. These cities are considered hinterland as they are the area surrounding a city that directly serves and is served by a city.

Some random facts about Boston:
1. Before the advent of railroads in the middle of the 19th century, all major cities, such as Boston, were associated with waterways.
2. Newspapers reach over 5 percent of all households in Boston than papers from any other center.
3. Boston is one of 24 metropolitan migration fields, which influences the characteristics of the center's population.
4. Boston is one of 7 most diversified cities: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, St. Louis, Philadelphia and New York.
5. Boston is considered a conurbation, or urban cluster. The major urban cluster, and the one called the Megalopolis of America, is the continuous urban string that stretches from north of Boston to the many suburban towns of norther Virginia and includes Boston, Providence, Hartford, New York, Newark, Trenton, Philadelphia, Wilmington, Baltimore, and Washington D.C.
6. Boston is full of new skyscrapers and historic neighborhoods.

Modern Transportation and Communication Systems

According to the Boston Transportation Department, their mission is to promote public safety, manage the city's transportation network, and enhance the quality of life for the residents. Their mission is ensured through the use of planning coordinated engineering, education and enforcement. A recent change in Boston's transportation department is the installation of a new parking meter program which uses kiosks that accepts credit cards, dollars and coins. These kiosks will make it more convenient for residents of the city of Boston instead of the coin-only meters that existed before.
Parking in a major city always has its problems but the city of Boston has many convenient places for its residents and visitors to park. Right now, Boston has over 7300 electronic parking meters, 34 municipal parking lots, 134,000 private parking spaces, along with a multitude of on-street parking in front of houses and businesses.






The city of Boston is committed to providing bicyclist a convenient way to travel through town. Promoting bicycling is a priority for the city and has become the preferred method of travel for many residents as it is not only convenient but also offer many health advantages as well as a better quality of life. Beginning back in the 1870s, bicycling in Boston has always been a common sight. In fact, Colonel Albert Pope, a Civil War veteran, was the foremost proponent of bicycles and he established the Pope Manufacturing Company, which originated in Boston. He company began marketing bicycles in 1878 and the residents took the bicycle and rode with it! Today, Boston is committed to educating both bicyclists and motorists on safety training as well as increasing the public awareness of the laws that are needed to be followed for the safety of all.

Industrial and Commerical Organization

Boston Harbor
Since its discovery in the 1630s, the Boston Harbor has played an important part in history. It was the site of the Boston Tea Party on December 16, 1773. In the 1960s, the water was so polluted that it became the focus of one of the first harbor cleanup programs.
Boston’s exports include grains and metals and its imports are petroleum products, automobiles and general container cargo. In 2004, the port handled 1.3 million tons of general cargo, 1.5 million tons of non-fuels bulk cargo, and 12.8 million tons of bulk fuel.

After the attack on September 11th, Boston suffered as the travel, financial services and high technology sectors were low. Between 2001 and 2003, nearly 32,000 jobs in these sectors were lost however in 2004, the some of the jobs were leveled off, especially in tourism. Manufacturing in Boston has lost some of its ground but it remains an important sector of the economy. Considered one of the top places to do business in the United States, Boston is home to many major industries including finance, high-technology research and development, tourism, medicine, education, commercial fishing, food processing, print and publishing, and government.

Early in Boston history, wool processing and the manufacturing of clothing, textiles, shoes and leather good remained at the center of the industry. Boston is home to Fleet Bank, investment firms such as Fidelity Investments, and insurance firms such as John Hancock Financial Services. Boston is one of the country’s top 10 tourist attractions with a focus on the city’s history sites, restaurants and hotels. In 2004, 16.3 million tourist came to Boston, bringin in $7.9 billion!

Fishing continues to be a focal point in Boston’s economy with more than two million pounds of fish being caught in the waters in and around Boston each year. Such surpluss of fish make Boston a fishing, food processing and food store prime industry. Both large and small printing operations keep thousands of workers employed in the metropolitan area.

Fortune’s Top Companies in Boston
Bain & Co.
Bingham McCutchen
Boston Consulting Group
Nixon Peabody
Pricewaterhouse Coopers
Procter & Gamble

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Harbor
http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Northeast/Boston-Economy.html
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/bestcompanies/2007/states/Massachusetts.html