1700-1800

In the eighteenth century, the West End housed copper works, rope-walks, almshouses, distilleries, grist mills, and shipyards–all undesirable industries that were unwelcome in the heart of the city. As Boston continued to grow, the West End lagged behind until the construction of the Charles River Bridge (c. 1786) and the West Boston Bridge (c. 1793) spurred rapid development in the area including the establishment of a working-class residential community at the foot of Beacon Hill.