Living in Brookline
Brookline is a town, not a city, just west of downtown Boston. It borders the Boston neighborhoods of Brighton, Allston, Fenway-Kenmore, Mission Hill, Jamaica Plain and West Roxbury, with Newton on its western side. First settled in 1638 as the hamlet of Muddy River, part of Boston, it became its own town in 1705. In 1873 its voters chose not to join Boston, and it has been governed by a representative town meeting since 1916.
Brookline has several distinct areas. Coolidge Corner and Washington Square are the two main shopping districts, and Brookline Village was the town’s original commercial center. Residential areas include Chestnut Hill, Brookline Hills, Fisher Hill and Pill Hill. President John F. Kennedy was born here, and his birthplace is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is open to visitors from May through September.
Homes you will find
- Large brick apartment buildings from the town’s streetcar-suburb era
- Condos in converted homes and newer buildings near Coolidge Corner, Brookline Village and Washington Square
- Single-family homes on the residential streets of areas such as Chestnut Hill, Fisher Hill and Pill Hill
Getting around
Two branches of the MBTA Green Line run through Brookline. The C branch runs through Coolidge Corner to Cleveland Circle, and the D branch stops at Brookline Village and continues toward Riverside. Both lead into downtown Boston, and the B branch runs just outside town along Commonwealth Avenue.
Parks and everyday life
Brookline is part of Frederick Law Olmsted’s park legacy. Olmsted Park and the Riverway, both part of the Emerald Necklace, follow the Muddy River. Fairsted, Olmsted’s home and design office on Warren Street, is now the Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site. Larz Anderson Park covers 64 acres and includes the Larz Anderson Auto Museum. The Coolidge Corner Theatre is a local landmark, and the Public Library of Brookline has its main library on Washington Street plus branches in Coolidge Corner and Putterham. Brookline runs its own public school system, and families can contact the Public Schools of Brookline directly for school details.
Who Brookline suits
Brookline suits buyers who want to be close to Boston with Green Line service and walkable shopping districts, condo buyers who like classic brick buildings, and anyone who values parks and historic sites close to home.
Interested in Brookline? Ask Suad about recent sales and what is available now, in English, Spanish (with Diana) or Bosnian.
