Allston was formerly a part of the town of
Brighton. In 1868, a new railroad depot and post office in Brighton's eastern portion were given the name "Allston" after Washington Allston, a painter and patron of the city of
Cambridge. Only a few other locales in the U.S. are named for artists, such as
Copley Square, which was named for famous American portraitist, John Singleton Copley, in central Boston.
In October of 1873, the city of
Brighton, including Allston, voted to annex itself to the city of Boston and the decision became official in January of 1874.
This community thrived off of its railroad system and livestock. The Boston and Albany Railroad, which was originally called the Boston and Worcester Railroad, extended its service in 1866 to Allston. Currently, the tracks are still in use by the MBTA and Amtrak.
Midnight on December 21, 1888, the
Green Line made its birth as the first cable car in Boston rode from Allston Railroad Depot to Park Square.
In 1903,
Harvard Stadium was built in Allston and its biggest claim to fame came in 1970, when the Boston Patriots (currently the New England Patriots) played one season here.
