Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

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Boston College and the Chestnut Hill Reservoir
Boston College and the Chestnut Hill Reservoir

Located 6 miles west of Boston, Chestnut Hill is a wealthy suburban village notable for its stately old houses, scenic landscape and the historic campus of Boston College. Like all Massachusetts villages, Chestnut Hill is not an incorporated municipal entity. Its borders are roughly defined by the 02467 ZIP Code, and it encompasses parts of the town of Brookline, the neighborhoods of Brighton and West Roxbury (parts of the city of Boston), and the city of Newton, Massachusetts. The portion of Chestnut Hill located in Newton is designated as one of Newton's thirteen unincorporated villages. "Chestnut Hill" is not a clear topographical designation, as the name refers to a series of hills that overlook the 135 acre (546,000 m²) Chestnut Hill Reservoir.

In 1986, the National Register of Historic Places designated parts of Chestnut Hill as a historic district for the significance of its landscape and architecture. Examples of Colonial, Italianate, Shingle, Tudor, and Victorian architectural styles are evident in country estates and mansions. The Boston College campus is itself an early example of Collegiate Gothic architecture. While most of Chestnut Hill remained farmland well into the early twentieth century, the area around the reservoir was developed in 1870 by renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, designer of Central Park in New York.

Contents

[edit] Points of interest in Chestnut Hill and environs

[edit] Boston College

Stained glass window depiction of a thurible, St. Ignatius Church
Stained glass window depiction of a thurible, St. Ignatius Church
  • Alumni Stadium, home of the Boston College Eagles Football team (Brighton, MA)
  • Conte Forum and Kelley Rink, home of BC basketball and hockey (Brighton, MA)
  • The Burns Library, rare books and special collections at Boston College (Newton, MA)
  • The Cardinal's Mansion, former residence of Boston's archbishops, now part of the Boston College campus (Brighton, MA)
  • The McMullen Museum of Art, on the Boston College campus (Newton, MA)
  • The "Tip" O'Neill Museum, a permanent exhibit in the O'Neill Library at Boston College that documents the late Speaker of the House (Newton, MA)
  • St. Ignatius Church, on the Boston College campus (Brighton, MA)

[edit] Other Schools

[edit] Religious

[edit] Retail Shopping

  • The Atrium Mall, an upscale shopping center (Brookline and Newton, MA)
  • The Mall at Chestnut Hill, an upscale shopping center (Newton, MA)
  • The Chestnut Hill Shopping Center, upscale stores, restaraunts, and a movie theater (Brookline, MA)

[edit] Social, Cultural and Recreational

  • The Chestnut Hill Country Club and Newton Commonwealth Golf Club (Newton, MA)
  • The Country Club (Brookline, MA)
  • The Longyear Museum, documenting the life of Mary Baker Eddy, founder of the Christian Science Church (Brookline, MA)
  • The Longwood Cricket Club, birthplace of the Davis Cup (Brookline, MA)
  • The Mary Baker Eddy House, the historic last residence of Mary Baker Eddy (Newton, MA)
  • Reilly Memorial Recreation Center, a public ice skating rink and swimming pool (Brighton, MA)

[edit] Geographical

[edit] Transport

Chestnut Hill is served by three branches of the Green Line of the MBTA, Boston's light rail system. Stations include:

  • B Line: Chestnut Hill Ave, South Street, Boston College
  • C Line: Cleveland Circle
  • D Line: Reservoir, Chestnut Hill

[edit] Natives of Chestnut Hill

Coordinates: 42°19′50″N, 71°09′58″W

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