Photo: City of Boston Archives

Once a diverse Boston neighborhood, it’s said the South End’s New York Streets neighborhood was really the city’s very first urban renewal project. It even predated the demolition of the West End neighborhood.

The history of the New York Streets, though, wasn’t without controversy. What some refer to as urban redevelopment, others now claim was actually just the destruction of an entire neighborhood.

The story of New York Streets began in the early to mid 1800s. That’s when the Boston Albany Railroad Company was created as a way to link up Boston with Albany, New York.

A new neighborhood then sprang up next to its terminal with street names tied to cities along the Erie Canal. That’s why they were called

Photo: iheartpandas

Cape Cod has a lot of claims to history, but perhaps one of the least known is tied to the nation’s very first rotary. As common as rotaries are today across the nation, the first one just happened to go up in South Yarmouth.

Charles Henry Davis was the co-founder of the National Highways Association. He moved to South Yarmouth around the turn-of-the-century and soon amassed a large fortune from a mining company in Kentucky.

Davis added to his fortune with royalties tied to Henry Ford and his automobiles. Not long after arriving on the Cape, Davis purchased some land around the Bass River.

Here, he built a massive estate for his family. He also built the nation’s very first traffic circle in the 1930s.

While Davis

Photo: matthrono

Commuter rail service may be headed to the Cape. Local officials launched a study last fall to look at connecting up Buzzards Bay to Boston with year-round, commuter rail service.

Currently, rail service ends in Lakeville/Middleboro. The proposal would involve extending it all the way to Buzzards Bay in the future. An advisory group has been studying different options for expanding train service to Cape Cod.

It’s not a new idea. Town officials have been trying to get commuter rail service from Boston for years. The town even joined the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority five years ago.

Previously the MBTA said it wasn’t feasible to add a Cape connector service to Middleboro. However, others view it as something

photo: cmh2315fl

Extremely exclusive, it’s almost impossible for the average person to visit Great Island today. This prestigious community is only connected to the rest of Cape Cod during low tide, but its fortunate property owners enjoy sensational views and plenty of private luxuries.

That’s why, for most, the ultra-private island and its famed lighthouse remain a bit of a mystery. However, if you go back in history, that wasn’t always the case.

The Point Gammon Lighthouse dates back more than 200 years. In the early 1800s, Great Island was home to a smallpox hospital and the island’s secluded location was certainly ideal.

The hospital stood on a portion of the island called Point Gammon. That’s because there were a number of dangerous

Sure, there are some great restaurants, museums, parks and other attractions to visit in Boston, but sometimes you just want to enjoy life closer to home. For some area residents, that means relaxing poolside. Luckily there plenty of desirable residential buildings to choose from in the Boston area with fantastic pools.

Sepia

If you want to cool off at the Sepia in the Ink Block development, all you need to do is head to the property’s roof terrace. That’s where you’ll find the swimming pool and sundeck. There’s even a nearby grassy area that’s perfect for playing lawn games

The Kensington

Prepare for more fantastic views from the sky deck high atop The Kensington. The sixth floor is where you’ll find a heated swimming pool and patio, plus

While Cape Cod is well known for its boating and its beaches, there’s also plenty of history. Some of that history is obvious, while some is a bit more discreet. 

The Columns Restaurant

It’s pretty hard to miss the old Columns Restaurant in West Dennis. The stately white building sits right along Route 28, just as it has for around 150 years. Originally a sea captain’s home, the old home was later turned into a popular restaurant and club. It once brought in some of Cape Cod’s hottest jazz musicians.

While some renovations have been made in the decades since, the long-standing property is now owned by a Plymouth-based company interested in turning it into multi-unit housing.

The Dome Restaurant

Another historic landmark sits in the