Out of the nine historic districts in Boston, Beacon Hill is the first. In 1955, this brick- and-cobblestone-covered neighborhood, containing the Massachusetts State House, a passageway from the Underground Railroad, and now a variety of expensive shops, became the first city-designated historic district.According to Boston City Hall, Beacon Hill got its name from a beacon that at one point sat up on the hill to warn people about foreign invasion. Development began on the hill in 1795 with the construction of the State House, and then residential development subsequently followed. In 1795, the Mount Vernon Proprietors, made up of six wealthy citizens, was created. The organization is considered to be one of the first land development operations in the country. Charles Bulfinch completed the State House in 1797, and major residential development began in 1800.
