History of West Roxbury, MA — Part I

Posted by: Robert Holley
Posted on: Wednesday, June 6, 2007 at 11:39 am
Categories: History Of..., West Roxbury

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West Roxbury has been a neighborhood of Boston since its annexation to the city in 1874.  In the seventeenth century, the town was a part of Roxbury, which had been settled by the Puritans in 1630, and extended from the present town to the border of Dedham, Massachusetts.  The area was then referred to as “Spring Street” or as the “Jamaica End” of Roxbury.

In the first years of the American Revolution, residents of the Spring Street area of Roxbury petitioned the Massachusetts General Court to set themselves off from Roxbury and incorporate themselves as the town of “Washington,” in honor of General George Washington (1732-1799) who commanded the American troops.  However, the petition felt on deaf ears and the separatists’ voices were not heard again until the early 1850s, when their cries for independence resulted in the granting of their ardent wishes.

george-washington.jpg On May 24, 1851, the western section of Roxbury was set off and incorporated as the independent town of West Roxbury. The new town included present-day West Roxbury as well as Roslindale and Jamaica Plain, and town meetings alternated between Taft’s Tavern in Roslindale Village and the village hall on Thomas Street, in present-day Jamaica Plain, for “the greatest convenience of the greatest number” of residents.

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One Response to “History of West Roxbury, MA — Part I”

  1. Tim on June 6th, 2007 1:02 pm

    Great post Robert. Hitory of towns is essential and necessary stuff. Thanks for your efforts

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