The Jamaicaway
Encyclopedia
Jamaicaway is a four-lane, undivided parkway
in the Jamaica Plain
neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts near the border of Brookline
.
The Jamaicaway was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted
as part of Emerald Necklace
of green spaces extending from Boston Common
on Beacon Hill to Franklin Park
in Roxbury
. The Jamaicaway connects the Riverway in the north with the Arborway in the south.
Designed with carriage
s in mind during an era when Jamaica Plain was a sparsely-inhabited streetcar suburb
, the Jamaicaway is now a well-traveled route for motor vehicle
s. Adding to the volume of traffic is the Jamaicaway's proximity to the Longwood Medical and Academic Area
and to main roads leading to Forest Hills
, West Roxbury
and the densely-populated suburbs of Norfolk County
. The winding nature of the road, and its heavy use by commuters lead to many accidents, as evidenced by the damage done at vehicle height to many of the trees that line the Jamaicaway.
Many of the houses which line the Jamaicaway are large and of architectural interest. The oldest houses were created by elite Bostonians
for year-round or seasonal use. The person most mentioned in association with the Jamaicaway today is probably James Michael Curley
, the Irish American
Mayor of Boston whose former house was long easy to spot, even after Curley's death, by the shamrock
design incised in its shutters.
Parkway
The term parkway has several distinct principal meanings and numerous synonyms around the world, for either a type of landscaped area or a type of road.Type of landscaped area:...
in the Jamaica Plain
Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts
Jamaica Plain is a historic neighborhood of in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded by Boston Puritans seeking farm land to the south, it was originally part of the city of Roxbury...
neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts near the border of Brookline
Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 58,732.-Etymology:...
.
The Jamaicaway was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted
Frederick Law Olmsted was an American journalist, social critic, public administrator, and landscape designer. He is popularly considered to be the father of American landscape architecture, although many scholars have bestowed that title upon Andrew Jackson Downing...
as part of Emerald Necklace
Emerald Necklace
The Emerald Necklace consists of an chain of parks linked by parkways and waterways in Boston and Brookline, Massachusetts. It gets its name from the way the planned chain appears to hang from the "neck" of the Boston peninsula, although it was never fully constructed.-Overview:The Necklace...
of green spaces extending from Boston Common
Boston Common
Boston Common is a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts. It is sometimes erroneously referred to as the "Boston Commons". Dating from 1634, it is the oldest city park in the United States. The Boston Common consists of of land bounded by Tremont Street, Park Street, Beacon Street,...
on Beacon Hill to Franklin Park
Franklin Park, Boston
Franklin Park, a partially wooded parkland in the Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, and Dorchester neighborhoods of Boston, Massachusetts, is maintained by the City of Boston Parks and Recreation Department...
in Roxbury
Roxbury, Massachusetts
Roxbury is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was one of the first towns founded in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630, and became a city in 1846 until annexed to Boston on January 5, 1868...
. The Jamaicaway connects the Riverway in the north with the Arborway in the south.
Designed with carriage
Carriage
A carriage is a wheeled vehicle for people, usually horse-drawn; litters and sedan chairs are excluded, since they are wheelless vehicles. The carriage is especially designed for private passenger use and for comfort or elegance, though some are also used to transport goods. It may be light,...
s in mind during an era when Jamaica Plain was a sparsely-inhabited streetcar suburb
Streetcar suburb
A streetcar suburb is a residential community whose growth and development was strongly shaped by the use of streetcar lines as a primary means of transportation. Early suburbs were served by horsecars, but by the late 19th century cable cars and electric streetcars, or trams, were used, allowing...
, the Jamaicaway is now a well-traveled route for motor vehicle
Motor vehicle
A motor vehicle or road vehicle is a self-propelled wheeled vehicle that does not operate on rails, such as trains or trolleys. The vehicle propulsion is provided by an engine or motor, usually by an internal combustion engine, or an electric motor, or some combination of the two, such as hybrid...
s. Adding to the volume of traffic is the Jamaicaway's proximity to the Longwood Medical and Academic Area
Longwood Medical and Academic Area
The Longwood Medical and Academic Area is a medical campus in Boston....
and to main roads leading to Forest Hills
Forest Hills, Boston
Forest Hills is a part of the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States.-Overview:As the name indicates, Forest Hills is characterized by hilly terrain and wooded areas within and adjacent to its borders...
, West Roxbury
West Roxbury, Massachusetts
West Roxbury is a neighborhood in Boston bordered by Roslindale to the north, the Town of Dedham to the east and south, the Town of Brookline and the City of Newton to the west. Many people mistakenly confuse West Roxbury with Roxbury, but the two are not connected. West Roxbury is separated from...
and the densely-populated suburbs of Norfolk County
Norfolk County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Adams National Historical Park* Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area * Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site* John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site-Demographics:...
. The winding nature of the road, and its heavy use by commuters lead to many accidents, as evidenced by the damage done at vehicle height to many of the trees that line the Jamaicaway.
Boston Brahmin
Boston Brahmins are wealthy Yankee families characterized by a highly discreet and inconspicuous life style. Based in and around Boston, they form an integral part of the historic core of the East Coast establishment...
for year-round or seasonal use. The person most mentioned in association with the Jamaicaway today is probably James Michael Curley
James Michael Curley
James Michael Curley was an American politician famous for his four terms as mayor of Boston, Massachusetts. He also served twice in the United States House of Representatives and one term as 53rd Governor of Massachusetts.-Early life:Curley's father, Michael Curley, left Oughterard, County...
, the Irish American
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
Mayor of Boston whose former house was long easy to spot, even after Curley's death, by the shamrock
Shamrock
The shamrock is a three-leafed old white clover. It is known as a symbol of Ireland. The name shamrock is derived from Irish , which is the diminutive version of the Irish word for clover ....
design incised in its shutters.