South End: Home

Located just south of the Back Bay, the South End is an elegant residential neighborhood known for its Victorian townhouses and many small parks. The neighborhood was originally built on tidal flats during the mid-1800s, planned to attract the wealthy merchant class with a regular street grid, elegant townhouses, and thirty parks. Today it remains a popular residential area for with a thriving restaurant and arts scene, and is the United States' largest Victorian residential district. 

This diverse neighborhood is home to active young families, professionals, and immigrants, and is popular with Boston’s gay community. Residents of the South End inhabit a mix of historic brick town homes and publicly funded housing. The many parks, including the Southwest Corridor Path built over the depressed Orange Line train, offer green space to the area. The Boston Center for the Arts brings numerous performances to the neighborhood each year. 

Jorge Cancela. November 5, 2011. South End. Retrieved July 28, 2020 from Flickr. This image is licensed under Creative Commons. Click the link to view rights and terms of use.