What if I told you Forest Hills has seen centuries of transformation? This complex area of Jamaica Plain challenges the very definition of neighborhood. Forest Hills sits in a valley. Two streams meet here. The Arnold Arboretum and Forest Hills Cemetery flank the streams. These Boston landmarks shape Forest Hills.
Transportation shaped Forest Hills over two centuries. The hills channeled streams and transportation routes. In 1806, the Norfolk and Bristol Turnpike began it all. Today, that’s Washington Street. Forest Hills continues to evolve in the 21st century.
Forest Hills is not an officially designated area. Its borders remain undefined. Generally, “Forest Hills” refers to the area around the train station. It also includes residential areas east of Hyde Park Avenue. This extends perhaps to Cummins Highway or Walk Hill Street. More often, Forest Hills is a triangle. It lies between Hyde Park Avenue, American Legion Highway, and Morton Street. Cemeteries separate some areas. Walk Hill Street bisects this triangle.
South of Walk Hill Street was once the White City area. Now, it is the Woodbourne area. In 1914, light stucco apartment buildings appeared on Hyde Park Avenue. This complex was named “White City”. It emulated the World’s Columbian Exposition. The White City Food Store and Cleansers borrowed the name. White City became a section of Forest Hills. Its borders were Walk Hill Street, Hyde Park Ave, and St. Michael’s Cemetery. Woodbourne was contained within.
The Woodbourne Historic District is a residential area in Forest Hills. It covers 30 acres southwest of Forest Hills Cemetery. The area is roughly bounded by Walk Hill Street, Goodway Road, and Wachusett Street. Financier Robert Winsor developed it between 1890 and 1933. He aimed to create a utopian community. Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. designed some of its layout.
Streets like Southbourne and Bournedale derive from Bourne Street. Bourne Street dates back to around 1820. It begins at Walk Hill Street near Forest Hills Cemetery. It meanders through a residential area and St. Michael’s Cemetery. Then it ends at Canterbury Street and Mt. Hope Cemetery. The homes resemble gabled English cottages. They surround a common courtyard. Developers retained the uneven landscape. This preserved a country-like feel.
Since 1999, homeowners advertise homes as in “Woodbourne”. They avoid saying “Forest Hills”. Yet, Woodbourne was designed with the train station in mind. It was part of St. Andrew the Apostle parish. Residents considered it part of Forest Hills.
Forest Hills is surrounded by the Emerald Necklace park system. Frederick Law Olmsted designed it in the 19th century. The links are Arnold Arboretum, Arborway, and Franklin Park. Ralph Waldo Emerson stayed on Morton Street near Forest Hills Station. He boarded in the same house used by Margaret Fuller.
Forest Hills Station is a transportation hub. The station created the impetus for development. The Boston & Providence Railroad opened in 1834. The area was named after Forest Hills Cemetery in 1848. The original Forest Hills Station was a large red brick structure. It was built in the 19th century. The elevated railway replaced tracks to the North. The elevated track and original station were torn down in the late 1980s. The current station was completed in 1987.
Before the trains, the area was known as Toll Gate. The Norfolk and Bristol Turnpike was created in 1803. It provided a route between Boston and Providence. Carts and wagons were weighed and charged a toll. The turnpike became a public road in 1857. In 1874, it was renamed Washington Street.
The Toll Gate Bridge was a footbridge. It crossed the railroad tracks to Washington Street. It stood where Walk Hill Street meets Hyde Park Avenue. The stairs were removed in the 1990s. The bridge span was torn down in 2012.
Forest Hills continues to evolve. Its rich history and unique geography make it a fascinating place.