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All About Massachusetts, The Bay State

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. Most of its population of 6.4 million lives in the Boston metropolitan area. The eastern half of the state is made up of urban, suburban, and rural areas, while Western Massachusetts is mostly rural. Massachusetts is the most populous of the six New England states. It ranks third among U.S. states in GDP per capita.

Contents at a Glance

Greater Boston Region
The Literary Trail of Greater Boston
Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard
Journey Around Cape Cod and the Islands...
Northeastern Mass
A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rive...

Greater Boston Region

The Greater Boston region is a unique mix of historic culture and modern change. A vibrant and diverse business sector, prestigious colleges and universities, unrivaled hospitals, world-renowned museums, rich history, and close proximity to the beaches of Cape Cod and the White and Green Mountains, are just some of the characteristics that define Greater Boston.

Ten Great Things to Do in Greater Boston and Cambridge Massachusetts

The Literary Trail of Greater Boston

A Tour of Sites in Boston, Cambridge, and Concord

The Literary Trail of Greater Boston: A Tour of Sites in Boston, Cambridge, and Concord, Revised Edition

by: Susan Wilson, Boston History Collaborative

Amazon Price: $23.99 (as of 05/23/2012)

No city in America can match the literary heritage of Boston. Just as the city has a Freedom Trail connecting its Revolutionary sites, it also has a Literary Trail connecting the homes, workplaces, and final resting places of its great writers. This revised second edition of Susan Wilson's expert guidebook (originally published 2000, ISBN 0-618-05013-2) brings the story up to the minute. Spanning nearly four centuries of literary greatness, from Anne Hutchinson and Cotton Mather to Sylvia Plath and John Updike, The Literary Trail of Greater Boston covers more than just Boston proper, as the title suggests. Winding its way through Cambridge and finding its way to Concord, Wilson's work pays special tribute to literary heroes of the nineteenth century, including Alcott, Thoreau, Longfellow, Emerson, and Hawthorne, while guiding readers to sites related to Kahlil Gibran, Willa Cather, Robert Frost, Eugene O'Neill, E. E. Cummings, and a remarkable number of other modern writers. This unusual guidebook also features lively selections from the writers' own works along with short essays on writers past by well-known contemporary writers. These include Julia Child on Fannie Farmer, David McCullough on Francis Parkman, and Henry Louis Gates, Jr. on W. E. B. DuBois. Novelist Robert B. Parker says, "The Literary Trail of Greater Boston is part tour guide, part literary history, altogether charming." Adds William Martin, author of Back Bay and Harvard Yard, "If you're visiting for the first time, let this great little guidebook show you the treasures of Boston's literary past. If you've lived here all your life, let it remind you of the richness around you."

Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard

Cape Cod and the Islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard offer an amazing opportunity for families, professionals, and business seeking to benefit from the region's exceptional physical beauty and recreational resources. The beaches, historic seaside communities, and unique scenic landscapes are central to its tourism, and provide a significant advantage in attracting and retaining qualified employees. The Cape is a popular internationally-known visitor destination that attracts highly talented professionals seeking a unique lifestyle. The region offers a wide variety of residential options within a short drive to both Boston and Providence, Rhode Island.

Ten Great Things to Do in Cape Cod Massachusetts
Ten Great Things to Do in Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Massachusets

Journey Around Cape Cod and the Islands from A to Z

Journey Around Cape Cod From A to Z (Journeys)

by: Martha Zschock

Amazon Price: $4.85 (as of 05/23/2012)

Martha Zschock is a third-grade teacher from Eastham on Cape Cod. She is also an extraordinary artist.

By taking her students on field trips on the Cape, she discovered what sites and stories excite them most. Drawing on this experience, she created what one Cape Cod bookseller calls "the best Cape book we've ever had."

Journey Around Cape Cod and the Islands From A to Z is an alphabet book, but one that is equally enjoyable and interesting for children of all ages and for adults, as well. From Aptucxet to Zooplankton, it offers fascinating information about the Cape and its history - all of it illustrated with Zschock's breathtaking watercolor work.

In 1999, the year Journey Around Cape Cod and the Islands From A to Z was first published, it outsold the Harry Potter books in stores from Falmouth to Provincetown. Today, it remains a family favorite.

Northeastern Mass

Northeast Massachusetts has two distinct areas, the Merrimack Valley and the North Shore. Located in Northeast Massachusetts, just 25 miles north of Boston and Cambridge, the Merrimack Valley enjoys easy access to the entire metropolitan Boston area.
Located in Northeast Massachusetts, just 25 miles north of Boston and Cambridge, the Merrimack Valley enjoys easy access to the entire metropolitan Boston area. Three major highways radiate northward from Boston (Routes 3, 93, and 95), creating a strong transportation link research and development centers and institutions. Interstate Route 495 is the outer beltway around metro Boston highways and in turn connects each of the 24 communities in the region to these arterial highways.
The North Shore of Boston is a well-balanced region of sandy beaches, large tracts of woods and farm land, attractive office and industrial parks, all nestled in amongst over thirty historical medium sized cities and picturesque towns making for a population of nearly 400,000. Excellent public and private schools, seven colleges, four major hospitals, cultural activities and abundant history help make the North Shore a pleasing region in which to live and work.

Ten Great Things to Do in North of Boston/Salem/Cape Ann Massachusetts

A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers

A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers (Princeton Classic Editions)

by: Henry David Thoreau

Amazon Price: $9.15 (as of 05/23/2012)

Based on an 1839 boat trip Thoreau took with his brother from Concord, Massachusetts, to Concord, New Hampshire, and back, this classic of American literature is not only a vivid narrative of that journey, it is also a collection of thought-provoking observations on such diverse topics as poetry, literature and philosophy, Native American and Puritan histories of New England, friendship, sacred Eastern writings, traditional Christianity, and much more. Written, like Walden, while Thoreau lived at Walden Pond, and published in 1849, A Week (his first book) shares many themes with Walden, published in 1854. Both dramatize the process of self-renewal in nature and resolutely rail against the official culture and politics of the "trivial Nineteenth Century." Blending keen observation with a wealth of perceptive and informed reflections, Thoreau develops a continuous and lyrical dialogue between the past and present, as particular scenes on shore trigger reflections on the region's history and legends. Originally conceived as a travel book, A Week eventually became much more--one of the most intellectually ambitious works of 19th-century America, and a requiem for Thoreau's brother John, who died from a sudden illness in 1842.

Southeastern Mass

The Southeast/South coastal region is rich with history, multiculturalism, the natural beauty of seaports and parks, and a multitude of museums and tourist attractions that make the region a great place to live and work. The region is encompassed by four older but attractive cities from Attleboro in the north, Taunton in the center and New Bedford and Fall River in the Southeastern quadrant. The regional economy has the country's leading fishing port in value of catch, marine science research facilities, a growing medical instruments/medical devices manufacturing sector and a strong, multi-faceted service industry that is growing at a consistent rate. Higher educational opportunities have opened up over the past couple of decades that have increased the region's viability to compete and offer a well trained workforce for the future.

Ten Great Things to Do in South of Boston/Plymouth Massachusetts

Harbor & Home: Furniture of Southeastern Massachusetts

1710-1850

Harbor & Home: Furniture of Southeastern Massachusetts, 1710-1850

by: Brock Jobe, Gary R. Sullivan, Jack O'Brien

Amazon Price: $49.87 (as of 05/23/2012)

Presented for the first time, the richly illustrated findings of the Southeastern Massachusetts Furniture project at Winterthur Museum

Through furniture, this exhibition catalogue will explore the cultural identity of a little-studied region of 18th and 19th century New England: southeastern Massachusetts, an area that stretches from just south of Boston to Providence, east to the tip of Cap Cod, and includes the islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. The era between 1710 and 1850 was marked by enormous changes in the landscape, population, and economy of this area, as well as in the activities of furniture craftsmen and the purchasing patterns of local residents.

Central Mass

Central Massachusetts offers outstanding opportunities for business, families and young professionals seeking a diverse and energetic environment. Within 50 minutes of downtown Boston and anchored by the City of Worcester, the regional economy focuses on healthcare and the life sciences, professional services, manufacturing and education. Strong cultural and retail experiences engage the growing residential and student populations.

Ten Great Things to Do in Central Massachusetts/Sturbridge Massachusetts

Metro Worcester Central Mass Street Atlas

Metro Worcester Central Massachusetts (Official Arrow Street Atlas)

by: Inc Arrow Map

Amazon Price: $1.95 (as of 05/23/2012)

Metro Worcester, Central Massachusetts Street Atlas. Third Edition. 85 communities, one map per community, full color, Central MA road map, shopping centers, places of interest, community statistics.

Pioneer Valley Region

In Western Massachusetts and the Pioneer Valley, businesses are at the center of the Northeast's major markets while operating at lower costs, accessing one of the nation's leading skilled workforces and enjoying an affordable, high standard of living within urban, suburban, rural or college town settings. Nationally famous tourist destinations, vast natural resources and world-class healthcare also add to the region's attractiveness, particularly for families.

Ten Great Things to Do in the Berkshires/Pioneer Valley/Mohawk Valley Massachusetts

Hiking the Pioneer Valley

by: Bruce Scofield

Amazon Price: $8.89 (as of 05/23/2012)

This popular guide, now in its 3rd edition, describes 30 of the best areas to hike in one of the most beautiful regions of Western Massachusetts. Since its first publication in 1991 (over 18,000 copies in print), Hiking the Pioneer Valley has been relied upon by both long-time residents and visitors alike as the best guidebook available for exploring the beauty and natural resources of this region. Together, the 30 hikes represent the best selections from the wide variety of scenery, terrain, and hiking challenges that the 'Valley' has to offer. Each hike described here includes detailed maps and trail directions, along with local history and geological facts that provide the background necessary for a better appreciation of the hiking experience. Also included is common sense advice on equipment, safety, and weather, plus a detailed list of local hiking organizations, land trusts, and where to obtain additional maps.

Berkshires Region

The Berkshires is the western-most county in Massachusetts, stretching north to the Vermont border and south to Connecticut. To the west is New York State, and to the east a ridge of hills over which runs the Appalachian Trail.
Berkshire County is 945 square miles of which 28% is protected from development. The region is equidistant from Boston - about 120 miles east - and New York City - about 150 miles southwest, or a two to two-and-a-half-hour drive. The Berkshires are able to boast the best aspects of both town and country living - nowhere will one find the natural beauty of the Berkshire landscape coupled with our world-class offerings of business, culture, recreation, and art.

Ten Great Things to Do in the Berkshires/Pioneer Valley/Mohawk Valley Massachusetts

Inside The Berkshires

Sixteen Journeys of Discovery (Pathways to the Past)

Inside The Berkshires: Sixteen Journeys of Discovery (Pathways to the Past)

by: David J. McLaughlin

Amazon Price: $11.00 (as of 05/23/2012)

Inside the Berkshires is a unique full color guide to this historically rich and naturally beautiful region of Massachusetts. The book presents 16 journeys of discovery with over 500 full-color photographs. These journeys highlight historic, cultural, scenic and outdoor attractions in and around the region's 32 towns. They transport you into the heart and soul of the Berkshires.

Massachusetts in the News

Brookline Celebrates 25 Years with Sister City: Mayor of Quezalguaque Hugo Ruiz, Health Center Director Sadya Hernandez, and Director of Education Jose Murillo are visiting Massachusetts to celebrate the partnership, but also met with the Town's department heads to share wisdom from both countries.