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Longwood

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The Longwood neighborhood is the furthest east of Brookline and therefore the closest in proximity to the city of Boston. It was named after Napoleon’s estate on St. Helena by David Sears II. Sears was one of the wealthiest landowners in Boston during his lifetime and purchased land in Brookline in the 1820s in hopes of developing it. 

The Longwood area houses part of Wheelock College, yet it is a quiet area that attracts an older professional demographic and few students. There are four well-known squares in the Longwood area – Kynvet, Longwood, Mason, and Winthrop – that originated out of the initial “English Cottages” style that many of the first homes of Longwood were built in. These homes were designed in the style of Greek revival architecture and instead of being arranged in a strict grid pattern they were built around residential squares. This planning style created the current aesthetics of Longwood that features urban residential areas surrounding public green areas for residents to enjoy.

The ”D” Branch of the MBTA green line runs through Longwood, and the neighborhood has its own “Longwood” stop, as well as a nearby stop on the “C” Branch called Hawes Street. Longwood is in close proximity to the heart of Boston, so the neighborhood does not offer many restaurants and shops of its own. The area is primarily residential and very quiet, and its residents can head to the Fenway area if they are looking for shopping or a fun night scene.