A Walking Tour of the Boston's Financial District

There is no better way to see America than on foot. And there is no better way to appreciate what you are looking at than with a walking tour. Whether you are preparing for a road trip or just out to look at your own town in a new way, a downloadable walking tour from walkthetown.com is ready to explore when you are.

Each walking tour describes historical and architectural landmarks and provides pictures to help out when those pesky street addresses are missing. Every tour also includes a quick primer on identifying architectural styles seen on American streets.

Like most areas within Boston, the Financial District has no official definition. It is roughly bounded by Atlantic Avenue, State Street, and Devonshire Street. For most of the 17th and 18th centuries this part of Boston was part of the Atlantic Ocean. As the land was filled in a complex pattern of streets emerged that created a number of squares that were usually triangular in shape. Odd-shaped buildings evolved to fill the unusual spaces.

During the 1800s banks came to dominate State Street. The Financial District came to house the headquarters of mutual fund companies, the Boston Stock Exchange, accounting firms, law offices and brokerages. This walking tour will begin at the center of commerce in Boston as far back as 1740, Faneuil Hall...