Boston’s Top 10 : Around Newbury Street

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Don’t let the profusion of Prada-clad shoppers fool
you: there’s more to Newbury Street than world-class retail, people
watching, and al fresco dining. One of the first streets created on the
marshland known as Back Bay, Newbury has seen a myriad of tenants and
uses over the past 150 years. Look closely and you’ll glimpse a
historical side to Newbury Street all but unseen by the fashionistas.

  • “T” station: Arlington, Copley, or Hynes/ICA

Boston Architectural Center

  • 320 Newbury St

  • 617 262 5000

  • open 8:30am–10pm Mon–Thu, 8:30am– 5 pm Fri, 9am– 5pm Sat, noon– 5 pm Sun

Church of the Covenant

  • 67 Newbury St

Emmanuel Church

  • 15 Newbury St

French Library & Cultural Center

  • 53 Marlborough St

  • 617 912 0400

  • open 10am– 5pm Mon–Sat; later hours some evenings

New England Historical Genealogical Society:

  • 101 Newbury St

  • 617 536 5740

  • Open 9am–5pm Tue–Sat (until 9pm Wed–Thu)

Society of Arts & Crafts

  • 175 Newbury St

  • 617 266 1810

  • Open 10am–6pm Mon–Sat, noon–5pm Sun

Trinity Church Rectory

  • 233 Clarendon St

  • Closed to the public


Back Bay’s Origins

Since its settlement by
Westerners, Boston has been nipped, tucked, and reshaped to suit the
needs of its inhabitants. Back Bay derives its name from the tidal
swampland on which the neighborhood now stands. During the 19th century,
gravel was used to fill the marsh and create the foundations for the
grand avenues and picturesque brownstones that now distinguish this
highly sought-after area.




Around Newbury Street



Newbury Street

Stock up at Deluca’s Back Bay Market (

239 Newbury St

) and have a picnic.


View the schedule for Emmanuel Music, a highly respected chamber music society, at www.emmanuelmusic.org or call 617 536 3356.




Top 10 Sights

  1. Emmanuel Church

    Architect
    Alexander Estey’s impressive church (1860) was the first building to
    grace Newbury after the in-filling of Back Bay. The adjacent Lindsey
    Chapel (1924) is home to the renowned Emmanuel Music.




  2. Commonwealth Avenue

    A
    mall running along the center of Commonwealth Avenue provides a leafy
    respite from the Newbury Street throngs. Benches and historical
    sculptures line the pedestrian path, where couples and a dog or two
    stake out their favorite spots.




  3. Church of the Covenant

    Although
    far more famous for his Trinity Church in New York, English-born
    architect Richard Upjohn also left his Neo-Gothic mark on Boston with
    the Church of the Covenant, erected in 1865.




  4. Society of Arts & Crafts

    Formed
    in 1897, the Boston Society of Arts and Crafts was one of the earliest
    of its kind. Societies such as this helped to elevate the status of
    traditional arts.




  5. Boston Architectural College

    For
    more than 100 years, aspiring architects have sought the counsel and
    workshops offered by the venerable BAC. The McCormick Gallery displays
    architectural plans and designs.

  6. Louis, Boston

    Originally
    a natural history museum opened in 1864, this landmark building now
    offers the haughtiest couture shopping experience in town .

  7. Gibson House Museum

    One
    of Back Bay’s first private residences, Gibson House was also one of
    the most modern houses of its day. Boasting gas lighting, indoor
    plumbing, and heating, it spurred a building boom in the area.




  8. French Library & Cultural Center

    Housed
    in a grand Back Bay mansion, the French Library hosts everything from
    lectures in French to concerts and a legendary Bastille Day celebration.
    The library’s lobby posts wire-service news reports from France.

  9. New England Historic Genealogical Society

    Members
    seek to make contact with their New England progenitors in one of the
    most extensive genealogical libraries in the US. For a fee, you too, can
    try your luck.

  10. Trinity Church Rectory

    H.
    H. Richardson, Trinity Church’s principal architect, was commissioned
    to build this rectory in 1879. His handiwork reflects the Romanesque
    style of his Copley Square masterpiece .