Jamaica Plain, a neighborhood on the western side of Boston, was once the idyllic retreat of the Boston elite. Governors John Hancock and Samuel Adams both owned land in the area. The scenic landscape that originally drew country estates has now been transformed into parks and trails for the public.
History
Until the advent of the electric street car in 1889, Jamaica Plain was a quiet farming and mill community disconnected from the city of Boston. Around this same time, Frederick Law Olmsted, father of landscape architecture and designer of New York City's Central Park, began work on Franklin Park.
Olmsted's philosophy was that park spaces should be a harmonious escape from work and life and provide a variety of recreational options. Over a period of twenty years, Olmsted created a green retreat for Bostonians, with the bulk of it located in Jamaica Plain.
Parks
The Emerald Necklace parks throughout Jamaica Plain include spaces for walking, hiking, biking and sailing. The chain connects parks from the Boston Commons to Franklin Park in Jamaica Plain along a well-paved bike path. Jamaica Pond, the largest body of water in the park system, has a boat house with sail and paddle boats available for rent.
The area now known as the Southwest Corridor Park was originally designated to be a highway, but residents in the surrounding communities lobbied to protect the area and it was turned into a 52-acre linear park. Though there are benches throughout, the park is dominated by a bike trail, which connects Jamaica Plain to central Boston.
Walking Tours
In addition to the trails in the Emerald Necklace Parks, there are two historic walking tours available in Jamaica Plain. The Arnold Arboretum offers a self-guided tour of native trees, which you can take any time the arboretum is open. Every Saturday, the Jamaica Plain Historical Society offers guided tours in different areas of the neighborhood, including Jamaica Pond.
Considerations
The weather in Jamaica Plain can be severe in both the summer and the winter. In the winter, temperatures typically hover below freezing and blizzards are common. Summers see high heat and humidity, punctuated by thunderstorms.
Getting There
Jamaica Plain is accessible from downtown Boston by car, bus, subway or commuter rail. The #39 bus runs along Centre Street, the main thoroughfare, to Forest Hills, the location of the Arnold Arboretum. The commuter rail also connects Boston to the Forest Hills station. The orange line of the Boston MBTA subway system travels through the Southwest corridor park.
By car, Jamaica Plain is located on Massachusetts Route 9. Route 2 from Western Massachusetts and Interstate 95, which runs along the east coast from Maine to Florida, both intersect Route 9.
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