62-486: 42°20′31″N 71°07′17″W / 42.342075°N 71.121261°W / 42.342075; -71.121261 Coolidge Corner is a neighborhood of Brookline, Massachusetts , United States, centered on the intersection of Beacon Street and Harvard Street. The neighborhood takes its name from the Coolidge & Brother general store that opened in 1857 at that intersection at the site of today's S.S. Pierce building, which
124-481: A Select Board. In 2017, a Brookline Town Meeting voted to recognize Indigenous Peoples' Day instead of Columbus Day. In 2019, Brookline banned the distribution of carry-out plastic bags at grocery stores and other businesses . In 2021, Brookline banned the sale of tobacco and e-cigarettes to anyone born after January 1, 2000, in Article 8.23 of the town bylaws, expanding on Massachusetts' existing prohibition on
186-607: A bookstore, giftshop, kosher butcher, and various other stores and eateries. . Coolidge Corner is served by the Coolidge Corner station of the MBTA 's Green Line C branch that runs in a reserved central median along Beacon Street beginning at the St. Mary's Street stop west of Kenmore Square . The #66 MBTA crosstown bus route runs through Coolidge Corner along Harvard Street on its way from Nubian Square to Harvard Square . The route
248-460: A history of racial discrimination in zoning, which has led to a disproportionately wealthy population and a very low percentage of Black residents, at only 2.5%. Several streets and railroads were laid out in the town in the 19th century. Today, these are Massachusetts Route 9 (locally "Boylston St", which cuts the town in two) and the various branches of the MBTA's Green Line . To the north of Route 9,
310-437: A large collection of three centuries of funerary art . One-third of its extant gravestones date from the 18th century; almost half date from the 19th century, and about twenty from the 20th-century. Westerly Burying Ground has many individual mound tombs; mound tombs at other burying grounds are typically larger, built to contain a number of bodies. The oldest gravestone, from 1691, commemorates James and Merriam Draper, members of
372-579: A liquor license and reopen, and by 2013 the group had about 800 members. In March 1965, an investigative study of property tax assessment practices published by the National Tax Association of 13,769 properties sold within the City of Boston under Mayor John F. Collins from January 1, 1960 to March 31, 1964, found that the assessed values in Roxbury in 1962 were at 68 percent of market values while
434-435: A median income of $ 56,861 versus $ 43,436 for females. The per capita income for the town was $ 44,327. About 4.5% of families and 9.3% of the population were below the poverty line , including 5.3% of those under the age of 18 and 7.5% of those ages 65 and older. The poverty rate of Brookline's residents rate rose from 9.3% in 2000 to 13.1% in 2010. and then reduced to 10.2% in 2021 The following historic buildings are open to
496-560: A prominent West Roxbury family. Headstones, skilfully carved locally, provide an historic record of three centuries of West Roxbury residents. Boston United Hand in Hand Cemetery is located on Centre Street straddling the Dedham line. Dating back to 1875, the original plot was full by 1896 but subsequently expanded multiple times. There are graves as recent as 1980 in the West Roxbury portion;
558-468: A recent history of blocking multifamily housing construction. Since the 1970s, new housing construction has plunged in Brookline. Brookline has enacted zoning changes that ban multi-apartment buildings and limit the height of buildings. Proposals for new development frequently face onerous lawsuits. These restrictions on housing supply have led housing prices in Brookline to skyrocket in recent decades. In 2023,
620-451: Is humid continental Dfa . Brookline falls under the USDA 6b Plant Hardiness zone . As of the census of 2010, there were 58,732 people, 24,891 households, and 12,233 families residing in the town. The population density was 8,701.0 inhabitants per square mile (3,359.5/km ). There were 26,448 housing units at an average density of 3,889.6 per square mile (1,501.8/km ). The racial makeup of
682-450: Is John F. Sullivan. Brookline is twinned with: West Roxbury West Roxbury is a neighborhood in Boston , Massachusetts , United States, bordered by Roslindale and Jamaica Plain to the northeast, the village of Chestnut Hill and the town of Brookline to the north, the city of Newton to the northwest, the towns of Dedham and Needham to the southwest, and Hyde Park to
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#1733115966307744-483: Is a kind of landscape garden, and there is nothing in America of the sort, so inexpressibly charming as the lanes which lead from one cottage, or villa, to another. No animals are allowed to run at large, and the open gates, with tempting vistas and glimpses under the pendent boughs, give it quite an Arcadian air of rural freedom and enjoyment. These lanes are clothed with a profusion of trees and wild shrubbery, often almost to
806-558: Is a surplus building used by the town to temporarily teach students in when another school building is being renovated. It was rented in 2009 as the venue for the play Sleep No More . As of the 2012–13 school year, the student body was 57.4% White, 18.1% Asian, 6.4% Black, 9.9% Hispanic, and 8.2% multi-race. Approximately 30% of students came from homes where English is not the first language. Several private primary and secondary schools are located in Brookline. Several institutes of higher education are located in Brookline. Also, parts of
868-464: Is based on his stay there. Like its neighboring communities, West Roxbury's residential development grew with the construction of the West Roxbury branch of the Boston and Providence Railroad ; the area grew further with the development of electric streetcars . Until the 2000 census West Roxbury's population had been recorded as declining slightly, but it increased at the 2010 census. This could be due to more rigorous counting procedures instituted by
930-478: Is considered one of the MBTA's 15 key bus routes that have high ridership and higher frequency standards than other bus lines. Coolidge Corner is home to a K-8 public elementary school, the Edward Devotion School . In 2018, Brookline's Town Meeting approved a warrant article to rename the school, citing Edward Devotion's ownership of slaves. The new name was decided by a community wide process. The school
992-791: Is home to District E-5 of the Boston Police Department , Boston Emergency Medical Services Ambulance 5 that posts at the intersection of West Roxbury Parkway at Centre St and Paramedic 5 stationed at the Faulkner Hospital provide EMS service, and there are two Boston fire stations, Ladder 25 & Engine 30 on Centre Street and Engine 55 on Washington Street. The Needham Branch of the MBTA Commuter Rail network has three stations in West Roxbury ( Bellevue , Highland and West Roxbury ). Several MBTA bus lines run through and/or terminate in West Roxbury. A large Veterans Affairs hospital
1054-699: Is land. The northern part of Brookline, roughly north of the D-line tracks, is urban in character, as highly walkable and transit rich. The population density of this northern part of town is nearly 20,000 inhabitants per square mile (8,000/km ), similar to the densest neighborhoods in nearby Cambridge , Somerville and Chelsea , Massachusetts (the densest cities in New England), and slightly lower than that of central Boston's residential districts (Back Bay, South End, Fenway, etc.). The overall density of Brookline, which also includes suburban districts and grand estates south of
1116-628: Is located opposite the Charles River on the VFW Parkway near the Dedham line. West Roxbury is home to several places of worship, including three Catholic parishes, churches of various Protestant denominations, and a Jewish synagogue. The neighborhood was home to an experimental transcendentalist Utopian community called Brook Farm , which attracted notable figures including Margaret Fuller and Nathaniel Hawthorne , whose 1852 novel The Blithedale Romance
1178-557: The Boston Elevated Railway system, this upgrade from horse-drawn carriage to electric trolleys occurred on many major streets all over the region, and made transportation into downtown Boston faster and cheaper. Much of Brookline was developed into a streetcar suburb , with large brick apartment buildings sprouting up along the new streetcar lines. Brookline has a history of racial covenants that blocked people of color and some ethnic minorities to own housing in Brookline. In
1240-901: The Boston University campus and into Allston-Brighton . Brookline is served by several MBTA bus routes: The town of Brookline is protected full-time by the 158 paid, professional firefighters of the Brookline Fire Department (BFD). It currently operates out of five fire stations located throughout the town, under the command of a Deputy Chief per shift. The BFD also operates a fire apparatus fleet of four engines, two ladders, one quint, one cross-staffed rescue (special operations), two squads, one special operations unit, one haz-mat decon trailer, two maintenance units, as well as numerous other special, support, and reserve units. The Brookline Fire Department responds to approximately 8,500 emergency calls annually. The current Chief of Department
1302-563: The Green Line D branch . The portion of Beacon Street west of Kenmore Square was laid out in 1850. Streetcar tracks were laid above ground on Beacon Street in 1888, from Coolidge Corner to Massachusetts Avenue in Boston, via Kenmore Square. In 1889, they were electrified and extended over the Brighton border at Cleveland Circle . They would eventually become the Green Line C branch . Thanks to
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#17331159663071364-681: The West Roxbury Education Complex , Media Communications Technology High School , Parkway Academy of Technology and Health , and the Urban Science Academy were located in West Roxbury, but closed in 2019 due to structural issues in the building. The Roxbury Latin School , a private school for boys, is located in West Roxbury. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston operates the Holy Name Parish School as well as
1426-483: The 19th century. The Boston and Worcester Railroad was constructed in the early 1830s, and passed through Brookline near the Charles River. The rail line is still in active use, now paralleled by the Massachusetts Turnpike . The Highland branch of the Boston and Albany Railroad was built from Kenmore Square to Brookline Village in 1847, and was extended into Newton in 1852. In the late 1950s, this would become
1488-602: The Boston-Brookline border was redrawn to connect the new Back Bay neighborhood with Allston-Brighton. This merger created a narrow strip of land along the Charles River belonging to Boston, cutting Brookline off from the shoreline. It also put certain lands north of the Muddy River on the Boston side, including what are now Kenmore Square and Packard's Corner . The current northern border follows Commonwealth Avenue, and on
1550-468: The Brookline government enacted a zoning change to only permit single-family housing in most of the territory of Brookline. Many of the present-day apartment buildings in Brookline were constructed prior to this zoning change. In 1970, the state authorized rent control in municipalities with more than 50,000 residents. Brookline, Lynn, Somerville, and Cambridge subsequently adopted rent control. Brookline began decontrolling units in 1991. Brookline has
1612-423: The City of Boston and Massachusetts in an unsuccessful attempt to avoid losing the state's tenth congressional seat. West Roxbury has historically been a heavily Irish Catholic neighborhood. In the twentieth century, upwardly mobile Irish Americans moved to the neighborhood from elsewhere in Boston. By the first decade of the 21st century, an influx of new residents contributed to increased ethnic diversity in
1674-597: The City of Boston on 5 January 1874. Westerly Burying Ground served as this community's burial place well into the 19th century. The oldest graves contain many of the town's earliest and most prominent families. Eight veterans of the American Revolution and fifteen veterans of the American Civil War are also buried here. War veterans interred are detailed in the article “Westerly" and the Civil War . The site has
1736-530: The D-line, is still higher than that of many of the largest cities in the United States, especially in the South and West. Brookline borders Newton (part of Middlesex County ) to the west and Boston (part of Suffolk County ) in all other directions; it is therefore non-contiguous with any other part of Norfolk County. Brookline became an exclave of Norfolk County in 1873, when the neighboring town of West Roxbury
1798-548: The Dedham portion is still active. Chestnut Hill's Congregation Mishka Tefila currently owns the cemetery. The United States Postal Service operates the West Roxbury Post Office in West Roxbury. West Roxbury is represented by a city councilor, Ben Weber. Boston Public Schools operates public schools. Ludwig van Beethoven Elementary School, William Ohrenberger School, Joyce Kilmer K-8 School, and Patrick Lyndon K-8 School are in West Roxbury. The three schools in
1860-714: The Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity ( METCO ) system. There are eight elementary schools in the Brookline Public School system: Baker School , Florida Ruffin Ridley School , Driscoll , Roland Hayes School , Lawrence School , Lincoln School , Pierce School , and Runkle School . As of December 2006, there were 6,089 K–12 students enrolled in the Brookline public schools. The system includes one early learning center, eight grades K–8 schools, and one comprehensive high school. The Old Lincoln School
1922-552: The St. Theresa of Avila School in West Roxbury. Catholic Memorial School , which is an all boys private middle and high school, is located on Baker Street. Boston Public Library operates the West Roxbury Branch Library. In 1876 the city library took over the West Roxbury Free Library, establishing a delivery station in West Roxbury. The West Roxbury facility was upgraded to a library branch in 1896. In
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1984-401: The age of 18, living with them, 38.4% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 52.2% were non-families. 36.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.86. In the town, the population distribution
2046-477: The area is fairly urban; the southern part is much less so. At the time of the 2020 census , the population of the town was 63,191. It has been the most populous municipality in Massachusetts to have a town (rather than city) form of government since Framingham changed to a city in 2018, following a 2017 referendum. Once part of Algonquian territory, Brookline was first settled by European colonists in
2108-547: The assessed values in West Roxbury were at 41 percent of market values, and the researchers could not find a nonracial explanation for the difference . At Centre and Corey Streets, the Theodore Parker Church features seven stained glass windows made by the Tiffany Studios between 1894 and 1927. The original church, designed in 1890 by Alexander Wadsworth Longfellow Jr. , is now a parish hall. Henry Seaver designed
2170-423: The carriage tracks, and curve and wind about, in a manner quite bewildering to the stranger who attempts to thread them alone; and there are more hints here for the lover of the picturesque in lanes than we ever saw assembled together in so small a compass. Brookline residents were among the first in the country to propose extending the vote to women. Benjamin F. Butler , in his 1882 campaign for governor, advocated
2232-439: The current church in 1900. Theodore Parker (1810–1860), an advocate of progressive religious ideas, abolitionism and women's suffrage, was minister of this Unitarian congregation from 1837 to 1846. Westerly Burying Ground , also known as Westerly Burial Ground, (currently at Centre and LaGrange Streets) was established in 1683 to permit local burial of residents of Jamaica Plain and the western end of Roxbury. When West Roxbury
2294-400: The early 17th century. The area was an outlying part of the colonial settlement of Boston and known as the hamlet of Muddy River. In 1705, it was incorporated as the independent town of Brookline. The northern and southern borders of the town were marked by two small rivers or brooks, which is the town's namesake. The northern border with Brighton (which was itself part of Cambridge until 1807)
2356-512: The early 20th century, Brookline banned the construction of triple-decker housing , which was a form of housing popular with poor immigrant communities in the United States. Advocates for the ban justified the ban with anti-immigrant rhetoric. In 1922, Prescott F. Hall , a Brookline resident who co-founded the Immigration Restriction League , petitioned the Brookline government to exclusively allow single-family housing. In 1924,
2418-497: The first Sunday in June. Since starting in 1994 with 250 runners the event has grown into the largest community event, attracting about 2000 runners, plus event volunteers, families and friends. Centre and Lagrange Streets are briefly closed during the race. It is a benefit event hosted by the Bligh family of the adjacent Corrib Pub and Restaurant that has raised over half a million dollars over
2480-515: The following are located in Brookline: Boston University including Wheelock College , Boston College , and Northeastern University 's Parsons Field . Newbury College closed in 2019. Brookline is served by the C and D branches of the MBTA 's Green Line trains, with inbound service to downtown Boston and outbound service to Newton. The B line runs just to the northwest of Brookline along Commonwealth Avenue , through
2542-407: The idea. Two branches of upper Boston Post Road , established in the 1670s, passed through Brookline. Brookline Village was the original center of retail activity. In 1810, the Boston and Worcester Turnpike, now Massachusetts Route 9 , was laid out, starting on Huntington Avenue in Boston and passing through the village center on its way west. Steam railroads came to Brookline in the middle of
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2604-550: The median sale price for a single-family home in Brookline was $ 2.51 million, and the median condo price was $ 927,500. As a consequence of restrictions on housing supply, Brookline is overwhelmingly wealthy. Only 2.5% of its population is black, which is the second-lowest share of black people in any community in the Boston area. Only 14% of Brookline teachers, 21% of Brookline police and 22% of Brookline firefighters live in Brookline, as median salaries for these kinds of jobs make housing in Brookline largely unaffordable . Brookline
2666-452: The neighborhood. The Irish Social Club of Boston, founded in Dorchester in 1945, moved its headquarters to West Roxbury in 1978, and had a membership of 15,000 in the mid-1970s. The club closed in 2011 due to financial troubles and declining membership (the club had around 300 members at the time, mostly seniors). Support from the city council and state lawmakers allowed the club to obtain
2728-671: The northeast, St. Mary's Street. When Frederick Law Olmsted designed the Emerald Necklace of parks and parkways for Boston in the 1890s, the Muddy River was integrated into the Riverway and Olmsted Park , creating parkland accessible by both Boston and Brookline residents. Throughout its history, Brookline has resisted being annexed by Boston, in particular during the Boston–Brookline annexation debate of 1873 . The neighboring towns of West Roxbury and Hyde Park connected Brookline to
2790-423: The public: Other historic and cultural sites include: Since 1916, Brookline has been governed by a representative town meeting , which is the town's legislative body, and a five-person Select Board , the town's executive branch. Fifteen town meeting representatives are elected to three year terms from each of the town's seventeen precincts. From 1705 to 1916, the town was governed by an open town meeting and
2852-540: The rest of Norfolk County until they were annexed by Boston in 1874 and 1912, respectively, putting them in Suffolk County . Brookline is now separated from the remainder of Norfolk County. Brookline has long been regarded as a pleasant and verdant environment. In the 1841 edition of the Theory and Practice of Landscape Gardening , Andrew Jackson Downing described the area this way: The whole of this neighborhood of Brookline
2914-595: The sale of tobacco products to anyone under the age of 21. In March 2023, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court upheld the bylaw in the case Six Brothers Inc. v. Town of Brookline . The town is served by the Public Schools of Brookline . The student body at Brookline High School includes students from more than 76 countries. Many students attend Brookline High from surrounding neighborhoods in Boston, such as Mission Hill and Mattapan through
2976-471: The southeast. West Roxbury is often mistakenly confused with Roxbury , but the two are separated from each other by Roslindale and Jamaica Plain . Before 1630, the area was inhabited by the Wampanoag Indian Tribe. Founded in 1630 (contemporaneously with Boston), West Roxbury was originally part of the town of Roxbury and was mainly used as farmland. West Roxbury seceded from Roxbury in 1851, and
3038-457: The town was 73.3% White , 3.4% Black or African American , 0.12% Native American , 15.6% Asian (6.7% Chinese , 2.6% Indian , 2.3% Korean , 1.8% Japanese ), 0.03% Pacific Islander , 1.01% from other races , and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.0% of the population (0.9% Mexican , 0.8% Puerto Rican ). (Source: 2010 Census Quickfacts) There were 25,594 households, out of which 21.9% had children under
3100-400: The traditional neighborhood retail mix. There is a growing community backlash against this trend. The neighborhood has a significant Jewish population, and there are large synagogues located on both Beacon and Harvard streets. The northern portion of Harvard Street, near the border with the Boston neighborhood of Allston , is characterized by a cluster of Jewish-oriented shops, including
3162-614: The west. It is known for being the birthplace of John F. Kennedy . The land which comprises what is today Brookline was first settled in 1638 as a hamlet in Boston, known as Muddy River (as it was settled on the west side of the river of the same name ). It was incorporated as a separate town with the name of Brookline in 1705. In 1873, Brookline had a contentious referendum in which it voted to remain independent from Boston. The later annexations of Brighton and West Roxbury , both in 1874, and that of Hyde Park in 1912, eventually made Brookline into an exclave of Norfolk County. The town has
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#17331159663073224-563: The years for a variety of local causes. The Parkway Little League Parade, is a small event to start little league baseball and softball for the areas of West Roxbury and Roslindale. Young baseball and softball players dress up in their team uniforms and march from Fallon field in Roslindale to the Guy Cammarata Complex in West Roxbury. The Shamrock Shootout is an annual street hockey tournament that takes place in West Roxbury. The event
3286-451: The years of 1921 and 1922 a library building was constructed on the West Roxbury Branch Library current site. In 1973, a fire destroyed the adjacent West Roxbury Congregational Church. The land formerly occupied by the church was donated to the trustees of the library system so an addition could be built. The addition opened to the public on 24 September 1989. The Corrib Classic 5K Road Race is held annually at Billings Field, LaGrange Street,
3348-452: Was Smelt Brook. (That name appears on maps starting at least as early as 1852, but sometime between 1888 and 1925 the brook was covered over. ) The southern boundary, abutting Boston, was the Muddy River . In 1843, a racially restrictive covenant in Brookline forbade resale of property to "any negro or native of Ireland ." The Town of Brighton was merged with Boston in 1874, and
3410-586: Was annexed by Boston (and left Norfolk County to join Suffolk County ). Brookline refused to be annexed by Boston after the Boston–Brookline annexation debate of 1873 . Brookline separates the bulk of the city of Boston (except for a narrow neck or corridor near the Charles River ) from its westernmost neighborhoods of Allston–Brighton , which had been the separate town of Brighton until annexed by Boston in 1873. There are many neighborhood associations, some of which overlap. Neighborhoods, squares, and notable areas of Brookline include: The climate of Brookline
3472-455: Was annexed by Boston in 1874. The town included the neighborhoods of Jamaica Plain and Roslindale. West Roxbury's main commercial thoroughfare is Centre Street. West Roxbury Main Streets is a local non-profit that works to enhance and promote the business district. The neighborhood has some two-family houses but mostly single family homes; many of Boston's civil servants live there. West Roxbury
3534-484: Was for many years the only commercial business in north Brookline. Coolidge Corner developed as a transit-oriented streetcar suburb , and retains a pedestrian-friendly, walking around feel. Many popular coffee shops, pharmacies, small independent boutiques, an independent bookstore , and independent restaurants are located there, as well as a few retail chain stores. In recent years, an influx of national bank chains has taken over several prime storefronts, detracting from
3596-836: Was formerly known as the Coolidge Corner School. In November 2019, members of the town voted to change the name to Florida Ruffin Ridley school. The name change took effect in September 2020. Brookline, Massachusetts Brookline ( / ˈ b r ʊ k l aɪ n / ) is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts , United States, and part of the Boston metropolitan area . An exclave of Norfolk County, Brookline borders six of Boston 's neighborhoods: Brighton , Allston , Fenway–Kenmore , Mission Hill , Jamaica Plain , and West Roxbury . The city of Newton borders Brookline to
3658-609: Was known as the hamlet of Muddy River and was considered part of Boston until the Town of Brookline was independently incorporated in 1705. (The Muddy River was used as the Brookline–Boston border at incorporation.) It is said that the name derives from a farm therein once owned by Judge Samuel Sewall . Originally the property of CPT John Hull and Judith Quincy Hull. Judge Sewall came into possession of this tract, which embraced more than 350 acres, through Hannah Quincy Hull (Sewall) who
3720-458: Was still part of Roxbury, the town's first burial place was what is today Eliot Burying Ground , near Dudley Square. This was a long distance to travel for the inhabitants of West Roxbury, and in 1683 the town selectmen voted to establish a local burying place, now known as Westerly Burying Ground. A conflict between the rural and more urbanised parts of the town led to the split of West Roxbury from Roxbury proper in 1851. West Roxbury became part of
3782-696: Was the Hull's only daughter. John Hull in his youth lived in Muddy River Hamlet, in a little house which stood near the Sears Memorial Church. Hull removed to Boston, where he amassed a large fortune for those days. Judge Sewall probably never lived on his Brookline estate. According to the United States Census Bureau , Brookline has a total area of 6.8 sq mi (17.7 km ), all but 0.039 sq mi (0.1 km ) (0.44%) of which
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#17331159663073844-417: Was wide, with 16.6% under the age of 18, 11.7%, from 18 to 24, 37.3% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.1 males. The median income for a household for 2021 in the town was $ 83,318, and the median income for a family was $ 122,356. Males had
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