As is the case with so many coastal New England towns, the waterfront district is one of the oldest settled areas in Boston. In the 1600s and early 1700s, this was the thriving hub of commerce which, for the most part, centered around seafaring industries. Later, the Boston Tea Party took place here; a museum commemorates that historic event. 

 

Today, the Waterfront remains an active and exciting corner of the city. Many of the granite warehouses which once housed the ship-building trades have been converted into loft-style condominiums; in addition, newer residences have been constructed in recent years, giving the area an eclectic feel. Hotels and restaurants stretch from Battery Wharf to Atlantic Wharf. Other wharves - Commercial, Lewis, Union, Lincoln, Burroughs, and Long – are also no longer active for commerce, with several built up with residential units. 

 

Residents of the Waterfront neighborhood enjoy close proximity to the North End, the Seaport, and the Financial District, as well as the Harborwalk (a multi-mile walking/jogging promenade along the water) and the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway.