Boston is one of the most unique cities in the US. It’s a city of ‘Firsts’ and tons of fun trivia that you just gotta read about!
Boston, a City of ‘Firsts’ and Not Only for the US but the World
First Thanksgiving 1621: Plymouth
First Public park 1634: Boston Common

First public school in the world, 1635: Boston Latin School
First University, 1636: Harvard

First newspaper: 1704
First restaurant, 1714: Union Oyster House

Oldest pub 1784: Bell in Hand
Swimming Pool: 1827
Telegraph invented in Boston: 1824
Modern Hotel: Tremont House 1829
First police department: 1838
First sewing machine was built in Boston in 1845
Boston library is the first public library in the world: 1848 (also home to the first library in North America, which was private, in 1657)
First Aerial Photo, taken from balloon by J. W. Black, 1860
First telephone, invented by Alexander Graham Bell: 1876
First woman Ph.D., Boston University, 1877
Basketball was invented in 1891 by James Naismith in Springfield, Mass.
Volleyball was invented in 1895 by William Morgan in Holyoke, Mass.
First subway: 1897

First marathon: 1897
Disposable razor invented by Gilette: 1901
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) invented the first computer in Cambridge in 1928.

Chocolate chip cookie invented in Whitman, Mass. 1930
Medical Firsts
First time ether was used as an anesthetic during an operation at Massachusetts General. Hospital in 1846
First kidney transplant performed in 1954
First open heart surgery performed at Children’s Hospital in 1967
Boston Nicknames
Beantown
Cradle of Modern America
The Hub
The Walking City
The Athens of America
Related Read: Facts About Boston
Funny facts about Boston – Pure Trivia
Mother Goose is from Boston, and is buried there
Boston Landfill – Back Bay: This section of Boston was once a large, swampy extension of the Charles River that created a terrible smell at low tide. The city commissioned to have the area filled in during the middle of the 19th century. The massive project continued seven days a week for over 17 years.
Boston’s nickname, “The Athens of America,” is because the city features more than one hundred institutes of higher learning within its borders.
The USS Constitution, or “Old Ironsides”, is the US Navy’s oldest commissioned warship, and it is berthed in the Charlestown Navy Yard.
The Boston suburb of Quincy is home to the first Dunkin’ Donuts (located on Hancock Street), as well as the nation’s first Howard Johnson’s (situated on Newport Avenue). Make sure to pay a visit to Quincy Market.

The Boston University Bridge on Commonwealth Avenue has the distinct recognition of being the only place on the planet where a boat can sail under a train going under a car that is driving under an airplane.
The Ted Williams Tunnel runs some 90 feet below the earth’s surface, making it the deepest in North America.
It wasn’t until 1856 that Christmas was made a legal holiday in Massachusetts.
Fun Facts About Boston – Things Boston was First At
Very interesting post, I felt like I’ve just had an intensive history (and not only) lesson about Boston! Cheers! 🙂
I didn’t get to know Boston until last year, but it was worth the wait! Such a pretty, vibrant place and who knew it has so many cool things about it!?
I’ve never been to Boston, but it’s on my “Must see” list! And now I have a better reason to go: Celebrating the birth of the chocolate chip cookie!
HOW COOL!! i didn’t know so much of your great list!
Love these facts! Your series on Boston has been a delight for this Boston gal. There were some of these I didn’t know!
Wow, I had no idea Boston had so many firsts!
I’ve only visited Boston once and have always wanted to go back. Now that I know about the Chocolate chip cookie, I’m even more sold on Boston. 🙂
I haven’t been to the U.S. yet, but as a marathoner, Boston is in my bucket list!
I had no idea that Boston had the first public library. Thanks for sharing these fun trivia tidbits.
Really, really want to go to the Union Oyster House!
As always, so many interesting things to find out from your post!
Correction, Boston Common, Not Boston Commons, You must have been watch old Cheers episodes. We don’t speak with Rose Kennedy accents! Either
Hi Mary,
thanks for that. I fixed it. I’m not sure what you mean speaking like Rose Kennedy. I don’t even know who she is 🙂
ROSE Kennedy was JFK’s mother that lived just out side of the Boston area near Ashmont station ( the subway in Dorchester). John Fitzgerald Kennedy president of the united states, Many of his family members speak with the same accent but this accent is not common in the Boston Area