Walk the streets of Boston and history is around you everywhere. This is an intricate city adorned with charming neighborhoods, a diverse mosaic of residents, an abundance of employment opportunities, and ample opportunities of entertainment. But more then that, Beautiful Boston is a city of firsts. To really get to know Boston, read on to discover more about Boston’s numerous firsts.
Boston is home to America’s first public park! The United States of America’s oldest public park, Boston Common was purchased by its citizens in 1634 for 30 Pounds and officially set aside as public or “common” land by a vote in 1640. The park’s original purpose was for military training grounds and a place for grazing cattle. In modern times, Boston Common is used for recreation. It’s a place to escape from the bustle of the city. There are several “malls,” or broad walkways, where people stroll to relax and get a little exercise. And every once in a while, one may see a political protest or a voting drive at Boston’s downtown “centerpiece.”
In 1639 the city of Boston was the first city in the United States to experience a UFO sighting. America’s first UFO was sighted over the Charles River in Boston. Lights sped back and forth across the Charles River from Back Bay Fens to Charlestown. Governor John Winthrop made an entry in his journal regarding this strange event. The primary witness was described as a man of good reputation, activity and estate in Boston.
Boston created the United States’ first newspaper. The earliest newspapers of the New World were published in Boston. The very first venture was attempted in 1690, with the publication of “Public Occurrences. Both Foreign and Domestic,” printed by Richard Pierce for Benjamin Harris at the London Coffee House. It came to a sudden end after a single issue. The General Court denounced it as containing “reflections of a very high nature,” and promptly suppressed it; at the same time forbidding “anything in print without license first obtained from those appointed by the government to grant the same. Fourteen years later in 1704, the Boston News-Letter made its debut, “Printed by Authority,” and publication continued for 72 more years. It was the first true newspaper published in Boston, and in the colonies. The initial issue bore the date of April 24, 1704. Its appearance was an event in Boston. An early historian wrote, “There was a visible sensation.
In 1875 a truly significant invention was introduced. This was the exciting year that Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. historic first transmittance of sound over wire is located in front of the John F. Kennedy Building on Cambridge Street. The marker reads, “Birthplace of the Telephone. Here, on June 2, 1875, Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas A. Watson first transmitted sound over wires. This successful experiment was completed in a fifth floor garret at what was then 109 Court Street and marked the beginning of world-wide telephone.
