Acorn Street
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Acorn Street is a narrow, sloping lane in the heart of Beacon Hill. It runs between Willow Street and West Cedar Street. People say it's one of the most photographed streets in America.
A neighborhood born with the dome
The neighborhood grew after 1798, when the new government building was finished at the top of the hill. In those same years a group of investors bought the land west of the building. There they built brick houses for wealthy families.
The service cottages
Acorn Street was laid out in the 1820s, behind the elegant houses. Its small, narrow houses were home to the people who worked for the families on the nearby streets. Later, many stables and carriage houses in the neighborhood became homes.
A commission for the facades
Since 1955 a commission has reviewed every change to the facades that can be seen from the street. It looks at colors, doors, windows, signs and even doorbells. The view from the Public Garden or from the river counts too. The protected historic area has been enlarged several times. That's why the streets look as if they came straight out of the 1800s.
A private street
Acorn Street is a private way: the residents look after it, not the city. Look at it from the Willow Street sidewalk, without going in. Speak softly and leave the doorsteps free.
