Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Massachusetts > Boston
 [Register]
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
 
Old 03-23-2009, 02:20 PM
 
Location: Newton, Mass.
2,954 posts, read 12,264,090 times
Reputation: 1511

Advertisements

http://massmarrier.blogspot.com/2006/07/subway-suburb.html

I stumbled upon this interesting blog post about Woodbourne in JP but toward the bottom, in the comments, it says something that struck me as off. Someone asked the blogger, "If someone sends a letter to you, how should it be addressed? Jamaica Plain, Roslindale, West Roxbury, or Boston?" and the blogger responded:

"LOL. I asked about that when we moved there and the old post office still had JP chiseled into its facade. Of course, we live in Boston. As far as the USPS is concerned that, and the Zip Code are all you need.

When I asked that the JP PO, the old guy behind the counter shuffled and did his routine. Jamaica Plain is an unofficial post office name, he said. We should use "Boston," but would have better luck with "Jamaica Plain."


Formally, all correspondence should go to Boston, MA 02130 (ideally with the Plus-4 numbers). I get mail with "JP" only from Massachusetts mailers. I get mail to "Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA" to "Jamaica Plain, MA" and to "Boston, MA".

If you ask United Parcel, they deliver to me in Jamaica Plain. Many other parcel services have Boston and the Zip Code. FedEx prefers Boston."


I have seen this Boston, MA stuff for Dorchester and Brighton on google maps. If you enter a Brighton address it will often come up normally, but I've entered "Dorchester" and been asked if I meant "Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts." Also, if you have a map of the area up and drag the street view to a particular location, it will say "228 Ashmont St, Boston, MA." I always thought this was because Google maps didn't have a clue about Boston.

I guess I'm one of the "Massachusetts mailers" referred to, but I've never sent a letter using the "Boston" address to anyone outside "Boston proper" in my life. In my experience, the "Boston" mailing address is only:

Downtown Boston
Chinatown
Beacon Hill/West End
North End
South End
Back Bay
Kenmore/Fenway
Longwood

I remember watching a Bruins-Rangers game on TV years ago and they were talking about Brian Noonan, of South Boston, and how his family was making fun of him because his Topps hockey card listed "Boston, Mass." as his hometown instead of "South Boston."

I can see how a letter addressed to Boston, MA 02127 (or 02130) would get delivered, but I've never before heard that this is officially correct. The blogger's next point about the fact that the same street names are used separately in almost all of Boston's "streetcar suburbs":

"In places, that can be complicated by the recurring street names. We don't have that issue in Woodbourne, but a little up Washington Street, you can turn onto Boylston Street, which is not the same Boylston as in downtown nor in other neighborhoods. So, xxx Boylston Street, Boston, better have a Zip Code included if you want your letter."

So, how about it, neighborhood people? How often do you get mail addressed to "Boston?" Do you have any opinion on it? Not a big deal but I found it curious.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 03-24-2009, 08:40 AM
 
50 posts, read 238,539 times
Reputation: 35
I live on Boylston Street in JP and there is a large apartment complex downtown with the same Boylston Street address. I get mail intended for Boylston Street downtown at least once a week. I get delivery people with furniture, TVs, etc. at least a few times a year. I also provide my address as Boylston Street, Jamaica Plain, MA and seem to have no problem getting my mail.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 03-24-2009, 03:45 PM
 
Location: Newton, Mass.
2,954 posts, read 12,264,090 times
Reputation: 1511
Thanks. It's interesting that you get stuff intended for downtown. Does it have your zip code on it? I could more easily imagine something intended for you but addressed to Boylston St. in "Boston" being delivered downtown.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Massachusetts > Boston
Similar Threads
View detailed profiles of:

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top