| Massachusetts could be considered the northernmost state of Boswash, the megalopolis anchored by Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington D.C., where
about 44 million people, 16% of the nation's and 7% of the world's population, live and work. Yet its influence extends beyond what would normally be expected of a mere 6.35 million souls.
Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket, are all well-known islands in the southeastern corner of the state where well-to-do tourists and summer residents swell the populations. The
Berkshires, home of the Mohawk Trail and Arrowhead where Herman Melville penned Moby Dick, is the westernmost region of the state. The Greater Merrimack Valley is filled with history.
Concord and Lexington where the American Revolution started and Lowell, the heart of the American Industrial Revolution, are here. North of Boston is where Salem, the site of the famous
Witch Trials, can be found along with sandy beaches, harbors, and the port towns of Gloucester, Marblehead, and Newburyport. Still, Boston and Cambridge are at the center of the state's
cultural, educational, political, and financial life.
Boston has been known as The City on a Hill, Beantown, and The Cradle of Liberty. Surprisingly, the city had a population of 589,141 in 2000. Not very big when you consider its influence on the
rest of the country. The metropolitan area has a population of about 5.8 million, perhaps enhancing that influence a bit. Boston College, Boston University, Harvard, MIT, and Emerson College
head up a list of about 100 institutions of higher learning in the Boston area. Many high tech and biotech companies are located on Highway 128. Other industries contributing to the local economy
include finance and health care. Then there's the region's history including Beacon Hill where the black and white communities on opposite sides of the hill were united in their support for the
abolition of slavery, and where today condominiums can go for as much as 3 million dollars. The Back Bay, another present day upscale neighborhood, is where fashionable boutiques and eateries can
be found, especially on the east end of Newbury Street. Cambridge, across the Charles River, is promoted as being more funky and "Left Bank-ish." The mixture of culturally liberal students and
staid Brahmins give this city its animated, eclectic edge.
There is much more to the City of Boston, of course. Yet before visitors can explore all the wonderful sights, cultural offerings, 17th and 18th century architecture, or shopping, they must plan
their trip and arrange for flights, hotels, a car rental, definitely a tour. The Boston site gives travelers all the tools they need to accomplish their trip planning, plus general information
like a city map, weather forecast, suggested restaurants, attractions, and much more. So get ready to explore the many offerings of Boston, the flagship city of Massachusetts.
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