There Are 3 Must-See Historic Landmarks In The Charming Town Of Brookline, Massachusetts
By Carolyn Harmon|Published January 26, 2023
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Carolyn Harmon
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Under Brown Mountain Lights the Beast of Blandenboro wanders this magical land where lighthouses shine on kingdoms only accessible by ferries. A Lost Colony of legends and pirates revealed in historical sites and majestic mountains with views that make us weep. The home of handmade sculptures and scrumptious cuisine. North Carolina leaves this long-time writer and artist breathless with endless surprises, including the unlikely warmth a winter walk on the beach can bring.
Calling all landscape architects, history buffs, and general admirers of outdoor beauty. Explore these notable sites in Brookline, while taking a visit down memory lane. It is possible to visit them all in one day, as they are within a 10-minute drive and only 30 minutes from Boston. These are some of the best historical sites in Massachusetts.
Visit the design studios and landscaped lawn of Frederick Law Olmsted at the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site in Brookline. He is recognized as the founder of American landscape architecture. He also designed the nearby Emerald Necklace.
Olmsted moved his family to Brookline on two acres of property known as Fairsted, where he built his home and established the professional landscape architecture firm. The site includes archives with nearly one million records of Olmsted firm designs.
Guests are led by guided tours through the historical house, showcasing the rooms where Olmsted’s designs came alive.
Collaborating with others, Olmsted designed many renowned urban parks, such as Central Park in New York City, the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C., and the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina.
One of Olmsted's effective designing tools was sequencing, visible at Fairsted. The landscape has four distinct areas: Carriage Turn, The Hollow, The Rock Garden, and the South Lawn.
While entrance to the house is seasonal, visitors are welcome to walk the grounds daily from dawn to dusk. For more information, visit the National Park Service.
Another place of note is the Brookline Reservoir of the Cochituate Aqueduct.
The reservoir was part of the Cochituate water system, originally built as a drinking water supply for the City of Boston. It was filled to capacity in 1848.
Fishing is allowed by permit, as the water is stocked annually by the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Wildlife. The park is open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. To learn more, visit the Brookline website.
Some of the best views of Boston are available from Larz Anderson Park, formerly the Larz Anderson Estate. The Welds originally built the site as a 17th-century farm.
It is the largest park in Brookline, featuring picnic areas with grills, a hilltop outdoor ice-skating rink, athletic fields, a playground, and a restored pond. Park hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The Larz Anderson Auto Museum is located in the Anderson Carriage House, which was completed in 1888. The hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.
The museum holds the oldest collection of motorcars in the U.S., started by Larz Anderson and Isabel Weld Perkins soon after they married. It is an ever-changing series of exhibits, also home to a vintage bicycle collection.
For more information, visit the museum's website.
Spend a day discovering history through these cherished Massachusetts landmarks. Pack a picnic; bring family and friends. Visiting these sites can lead to a connection, deeper understanding, and appreciation of the past and its people. For more information, visit the Brookline Historical Society
