Don’t let the profusion of Prada-clad shoppers fool you: there’s much more to elegant Newbury Street than world-class retail, people-watching, and alfresco dining. One of the first streets created on the marshland once known as Back Bay, Newbury has seen myriad tenants and uses over the past 150 years. Look closely and you’ll glimpse a historical side to Newbury Street all but unseen by the fashionistas.
NEED TO KNOW
“T” station: Arlington, Copley, or Hynes/ICABoston Architectural College • 320 Newbury St • 617 585 0100 • open 8:30am–10pm Mon–Thu, 9am–9pm Fri, 9am–5pm Sat, noon–7pm SunChurch of the Covenant • 67 Newbury St 
Emmanuel Church • 15 Newbury StFrench Cultural Center • 53 Marlborough St • 617 912 0400 • open 10am–5pm Mon–Thu & Sat • later hours some eveningsNew England Historic Genealogical Society • 101 Newbury St • 617 536 5740 • open 9am–5pm Tue–Sat (until 9pm Wed)Society of Arts and Crafts • 1100 Fish Pier St W #200, Boston • 617 266 1810 • open 10am–6pm Tue–SatTrinity Church Rectory • 233 Clarendon St • not open to the public - Buy picnic supplies at Deluca’s Back Bay Market (239 Newbury St).
- View the schedule for Emmanuel Music at www.emmanuelmusic.org
Newbury Street
1.Emmanuel Church
Architect Alexander Estey’s impressive church (1860) was the first building to grace Newbury after the infilling of Back Bay. The adjacent Lindsey Chapel (1924) is home to the renowned Emmanuel Music ensemble.
2.French Cultural Center
Housed in a grand Back Bay mansion, the French Cultural Center hosts everything from lectures in French to concerts and a tasteful Bastille Day celebration. It also runs summer courses in French for all ages.
3.Church of the Covenant
Although far more famous for his Trinity Church in New York, English-born architect Richard Upjohn also left his Neo-Gothic mark on Boston with the Church of the Covenant, erected in 1865.
Church of the Covenant
4.Society of Arts and Crafts
Formed in 1897, the Boston Society of Arts and Crafts was one of the earliest of its kind. Societies such as this helped to elevate the status of traditional arts (for further details see Society of Arts and Crafts).
5.New England Historic Genealogical Society
Members seek to discover more about their New England progenitors in one of the most extensive genealogical libraries in the US.
6.234 Berkeley St
Originally a natural history museum opened in 1864, this landmark building is now a high-end home goods store.
7.Commonwealth Avenue
A mall running along the center of Commonwealth Avenue provides a leafy respite from the Newbury Street throngs. Benches and historical sculptures, line the pedestrian path (for further details see Commonwealth Avenue).
A sculpture in Commonwealth Avenue
8.Gibson House Museum
One of Back Bay’s first private homes, Gibson House was also one of the most modern residences of its day. With its gas lighting, indoor plumbing, and heating, it spurred a building boom in the area (for further details see Gibson House Museum).
Exhibits at Gibson House Museum
9.Boston Architectural College
For more than 120 years, aspiring architects have studied at this college. The McCormick Gallery has architectural plans and designs.
Boston Architectural College
10.Trinity Church Rectory
H. H. Richardson, Trinity Church’s principal architect, was commissioned to build this rectory in 1879. His handiwork echoes the Romanesque style of the church itself on Copley Square (for further details see Trinity Church).
BACK BAY’S ORIGINS
Since its settlement by Europeans, Boston has been reshaped to suit the needs of its inhab-itants. Back Bay derives its name from the tidal swampland on which the neighborhood now stands. During the 19th century, gravel was used to fill the marsh and create the foundations for the grand avenues and picturesque brown-stone buildings that now distinguish this sought-after area.
