Boston Firsts
Boston has played an innovative and central role in American history for over 300 years. It has made significant advances in everything from science and engineering to culture and society.
- 1621 – First Thanksgiving Feast
- 1632 – First Windmill: Copp’s Hill
- 1634 – First public park: Boston Common
- 1635 – First public school: Boston Latin, still in operation
- 1636 – First college: Harvard University
- 1653 – First public library
- 1704 – First newspaper: Boston News-Letter
- 1714 – First American restaurant: Union Oyster House, still in operation
- 1765 – First chocolate factory: Baker Chocolate Factory in Dorchester
- 1780 – First State Constitution
- 1784 – First pub: The Bell in Hand bar
- 1797 – First commissioned Navy warship: The USS Constitution
- 1837 – First city police department
- 1837 – First Electric telegraph invented by Samuel Morse
- 1837 – First city police department
- 1846 – First sewing machine
- 1876 – First telephone: Alexander Graham Bell
- 1897 – First subway: Metro Boston Transportation Authority, the “T”, completed on schedule and on budget
- 1897 – First U.S. Marathon: Boston Marathon
- 1924 – First mutual fund
- 1928 – First computer: MIT
- 1947 – First microwave oven: Percy Spencer
- 2004 – Largest social media network conceived: Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg
- 2006 – First to offer free Wi-Fi at its convention centers: The BCEC and the Hynes
- 2008 – First Mobile Dexterous Social Robot: Nexi, MIT
- 2011 – First full face transplant in the U.S.
- 2011 – First bionic lower leg system
- 2011 – Largest convention center HD LED media tower
ANNE HUTCHINSON
ARCHEOLOGY
BACK BAY
BACK BAY FENS
BEACON HILL
BOSTON COMMON
BOSTON LATIN SCHOOL
BOSTON MASSACRE
CHARLES RIVER
CHARLESTOWN
COPP’S HILL BURYING GROUND
FANEUIL HALL
GRANARY BURYING GROUND
GREEN DRAGON TAVERN
JOHN HARVARD
JOHN WINTHROP
KING’S CHAPEL BURYING GROUND
MARY DYER
OLD NORTH CHURCH
OLD SOUTH MEETING HOUSE
PAUL REVERE HOUSE
THE WASHINGTON ELM