From Town to City: Population
Figure 1: The Old Feather Store. Colonial Boston.
By the 1850s, Boston’s population reached about 137,000, while only ten years before, the city had less than 100,000.[1] Through this massive jump in population, the city quickly became overcrowded. This sharp increase in population also caused many residents that who had been previously living in the city to begin witnessing significant urban changes. However, a significant number of new residents during this period were the Irish immigrants. Unfortunately, many previous residents felt that the Irish were the main contributors to the growing poverty rates and the number of slums within the city and constantly pushed them into the most undesirable neighborhoods. With a lack of quality housing and poor Irish neighborhoods consuming much of the inner city, many of Boston’s professionals and higher-income individuals began looking for housing in the nearby suburbs.[1] With a lack of housing for elite families, many began moving into neighborhoods such as Beacon Hill and the South End.
References:
[1] Puleo, Stephen. A City So Grand: The Rise of an American Metropolis, Boston 1850-1900. Boston: Beacon, 2010. Print. 88.
References:
[1] Puleo, Stephen. A City So Grand: The Rise of an American Metropolis, Boston 1850-1900. Boston: Beacon, 2010. Print. 88.