Brookline

Though it sits practically in the shadow of the great metropolis that is Boston, Brookline still shines as a jewel of a Community. Brookline isn't just another city suburb or an extension of the big city, but a unique, pleasant mixture of fast-paced streets and foot traffic, with views of rolling countryside and lovely nature. Upscale shops and village pubs give you plenty of reasons to slow down and enjoy the people-watching, while gracious, beautifully appointed apartment buildings and large estates will make you want to stay nestled in Brookline for life.

Home to a bevy of academic and scientific professionals, many of whom work at the nearby medical centers in Boston, Brookline maintains its friendly aura of Community, but still offers all the dining, shopping, and diversions you'd want your home to have. Through the years, Brookline has maintained its individuality and has staunchly refused to be absorbed by Boston, which surrounds this fair Community on almost all sides - rather like a horseshoe.

A Community of 6.6 square miles, Brookline is home to more than fifty-seven thousand people (2000 U.S. Census), with a population density of more than eight thousand per square mile. Sound crowded? Then you've never enjoyed the sprawling loveliness of Brookline, which boasts many Community areas the whole family can enjoy. Since 1705, Brookline has maintained the same form of government, making its legislature even older than the rest of the United States.

Before American was independent, Brookline was a thriving place for homes and families of all types. The rich, dark, "Muddy River" farmland of Boston became incorporated as Brookline three centuries ago, named "Brookline" for the brooks that formed its boundaries – like a line separating this hamlet from the city. Brookline, once territory of the Algonquian Indians, was home to European settlers in the early 1600s, and became its own thriving city (and not part of Boston) in 1705. This age-old history has given Brookline an interesting and varied past – this town was even a prime destination on the famed Underground Railroad, boasting two stops right inside Brookline's boundaries.

The numerous neighborhood parks and playgrounds scattered throughout Brookline offer the best of nature's diversions. The birthplace of John F. Kennedy, JFK birthplace, whom many consider to be the greatest President ever to serve the United States, is open for tours from May to September. A young John and Bobby both lived in this home, and the seasonal tours provide a unique look back at this fascinating chapter of American history. But these famous politicians were not the only celebrities to call Brookline home.

Want a taste of the lavish lifestyle celebs enjoy? Barbara Walters, a name and face that everyone knows, was also a Brookline resident, as well as late night personality Conan O'Brien.

Visit the exquisite Larz Anderson Park, where a sixty-four acre estate reigns supreme. On the grounds, visitors can enjoy the Larz Anderson Auto Museum (which boasts the oldest automobile museum in the entire country), and take a look inside the historic Putterham School, a one-room schoolhouse that taught children way back in early colonial days.

Major retail centers, like Coolidge Corner and Brookline Village, are bustling, booming, pedestrian-oriented shopping areas with a variety of boutiques - antique stores, coffee shops, bookstores, fresh fruit and vegetable markets, clothing shops, toy shops, delicatessens, and restaurants. Brookline gives you small-town charm, big-city attractions, and fine living at its very best.

Brookline's features and history have contributed to a diversified mix of people who call Brookline home. The student body at the nationally-renown Brookline High School includes kids from more than 50 different countries worldwide. Eight quality public elementary schools give parents a list of options, while an array of primary and secondary private schools (such as the British School of Boston and The Park School) add more variety to the town's mix. Pine Manor College and the Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis provide high education.

Brookline is booming, and it's a great time to move in.