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The New Wollaston
The Wollaston area, known by locals as "Wolly Beach," is as steeped in history as the rest of Quincy. This neighborhood traces its roots back to 1624, when its founders Richard Wollaston and Thomas Morton left Plymouth with 30 others to settle on the banks of Merrymount. Since then, the area grew and developed, becoming a fine residential neighborhood by the 1870s. It still maintains that distinction today, continuing to be a popular choice among people looking for a great place to live and work in Quincy.
Since the first railroads were laid, Wollaston grew famous for its proximity to the Old Colony Railroad station, making it easy to commute into Boston.
Today, Wollaston draws the same type of crowd, and the modern MBTA station occupies the same space as the Old Colony Railroad station, offering easy Red Line access to Boston and the rest of Quincy. Bus stops help to provide additional mass transit options for people in the neighborhood.
Like Quincy Center, Wollaston is undergoing renovations to provide more residential spaces to the neighborhood as well as stimulate the economy by attracting new jobs and office spaces. Much of Wollaston is comprised of densely packed residential neighborhoods, including New England cottages converted into multi-family town homes. High rise apartments and condominiums are an increasingly common site in the area as well and will continue to grow as city renovations are completed.
What to Do in Wollaston
The neighborhood of Wollaston is actually divided into two distinctive areas, divided down the center by Hancock Street. On one side of the divide is the area of Wollaston Park, which is home to Wollaston Beach and all of its associated waterfront shops and restaurants. Across the street is the hilly Wollaston Heights, which is home to more residential areas and local shops. No matter which side of Wollaston you call home, there is plenty to do in this historic neighborhood.
The beach is one of Wollaston's greatest attractions. Wollaston Beach is the largest stretch of beach on Boston Harbor, offering 2.3 miles of uninterrupted shoreline. From Wollaston Beach, you can get an amazing view of Boston as well as parts of Quincy, including Houghs Neck and Squantum. The beach is also home to a number of seasonal seafood places, including the well-known Tony's Clam Shop, which locals describe as having the best fried shrimp in the city.
Aside from the beach, Wollaston offers a few historical attractions that are worth taking in if you're interested in the history of Quincy. On Muirhead Street, you can catch a glimpse of the Josiah Quincy mansion. You can also visit the home of William and Anne Hutchinson, which dates back to the 1600s.
Although the beach draws a lot of visitors during the summer months, Wollaston is a popular place to live and work year-round. The proximity to the Red Line to Boston and recent city renovations means that living without a car in Wollaston is possible and increasingly popular. It certainly helps that Wollaston Beach has some of the best walking and biking trails in the city.
Whether you're moving into one of the New England cottages and townhomes or opting for a more modern high-rise apartment, there are plenty of housing options to choose from.
History of Wollaston
The neighborhood of Wollaston in Quincy, Massachusetts, traces its roots back to 1624. It was founded as a small cluster of log cabins by about 30 people who were tired of the strict Pilgrim lifestyle at Plymouth. The leaders of this group were Thomas Morton and his ship's captain, Richard Wollaston, after whom the area gets its name.
Despite these inauspicious beginnings, Wollaston grew to be considered one of the more high-class neighborhoods surrounding Boston by the 1800s. In the 1880s, when the first commuter railroads were built, Wollaston was home to a major station for the Old Colony Railroad, which connected the neighborhood to Boston. This rail line made it easy to commute to the city, making Wollaston one of the first commuter towns in the country.
Since then, Wollaston has always been a popular choice for those wanting to work in Boston but enjoy the somewhat quieter and more upscale atmosphere of the suburbs. Today, Wollaston is much more urban, but you can still find plenty of neighborhoods filled with quaint New England cottages. If you'd prefer, you could opt for one of the newer condominiums or high-rise apartments that have been built to meet the demand of those moving to the area.
In addition to its easy access to the Red Line subway train to Boston, Wollaston boasts plenty of great attractions for locals and visitors alike. By far the most famous of these is Wollaston Beach, which offers 2.3 miles of uninterrupted shoreline on the coast of Boston Harbor. This area suffered from severe pollution in the 1980s thanks to waste being dumped by the Nut Island plant, but a thorough renovation project helped to clean it up and make it safe once more for fishing, swimming and recreation.
Aside from splashing in the waves, Wollaston Beach also provides lots of local color, including several seafood restaurants offering great clams, shrimp and other delicacies from the bay. Many of these eateries are only open during the summer when the food is at its peak of freshness, so be sure to visit while you can.
Wollaston Renovations
Quincy is a city with a long history, and many of its older neighborhoods have been undergoing renovations to better suit the needs of the residents. The best-known renovation project is of course the revitalization of Quincy Center, but Wollaston is getting made over as well.
Wollaston sits along Boston Harbor, bordered by a beach on one side and hills on the other. The neighborhood is bisected by Hancock Street, which leads into the heart of Quincy Center, and it's home to a MBTA station to make access to Boston easy. This great location is what makes Wollaston particularly attractive to commuters, and it's been known as a commuter neighborhood since the 1880s. In fact, in the 19th and early 20th Centuries, Wollaston was home to upscale housing developments that housed many of Boston's white-collar workers.
Today, Wollaston still has a reputation as a commuter neighborhood, but the recent renovations are intended to grow the local economy and bring more jobs to the neighborhood. From additional office and retail spaces to significantly more housing, these renovations should breathe new life into this historic neighborhood.
To complete the changes, Wollaston received a $4 million government grant. That money will go toward updating the neighborhood, with a focus on bringing in new jobs. It will also fund the creation of new housing close to the mass transit stations, making it easier than ever to live, work and play in Wollaston without needing a car or battling traffic.