The Back Bay, once a stagnant pool of water behind the Public Garden, now boasts some of the most exclusive real estate in Boston. A stroll down Newbury Street will take you from haute couture to hip ice cream parlors. And a stroll up Commonwealth Avenue will allow you take in some of the most elegant townhouses in the city. With its rows of historic homes and a vibrant commercial district to boot, Back Bay is an elegant and exciting place to be.

From Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay

1814	Development begins
1821	Basin subdivided into Upper or Fill Basin, Lower or Receiving Basin, to power water mills
1828	70-75 Beacon Street built along the mill dam, oldest structures in the Back Bay
1841	U.S. Harbor Commission established line beyond which the Back Bay could not be filled, and thus encroach on the harbor
1849	Health Department demanded the area be filled
1850	152 Beacon Street built for Isabella Stewart by her father

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