Highland Park in Roxbury has officially been designated an Architectural Conservation District, following a unanimous vote by Boston City Council. For a city with so much history, this doesn’t happen often — the park is now Boston’s first protected historic district in over a decade.
Mayor Wu, Boston City Council, and the Boston Landmarks Commission will host a celebratory event today at 3:30 p.m. at the Fort Hill Tower (58 Beech Glen St.)
As you’re getting ready to say hooray for Highland, here are some quick facts about the area.
🌳 It’s bordered by Malcolm X Boulevard (north) Washington Street (southeast) and Columbus Avenue (southwest), covering ~170 acres.
🌳 During the Revolutionary War, the Fort Hill Tower helped position troops in high spots in order to keep an eye out for the British army.
🌳 In 1895, Frederick Law Olmsted (whom we can thank for a lot of Boston’s green spaces) was commissioned to redesign and renovate the park.
🌳 This has been a long time coming. Residents of Highland Park first submitted a petition to designate the area as a historic district in 1978.
🌳 It is now the 10th historic district in Boston. Before Highland Park, the last historic district established by the City of Boston was the Fort Point Channel Landmark District back in 2009.
Check out the City’s other nine historic districts, including the South End + Bay Village, here.
Know another piece of city history that should be recognized? Any group of 10 registered voters can petition the Boston Landmarks Commission to designate a historic neighborhood, building, landscape or object as a protected Boston Landmark or District.
