Roxbury, Boston

Roxbury was one of the six original villages founded by the Massachusetts Bay Company settlers around 1630. It was originally a separate town from Boston until the latter annexed it in 1868. The area was originally used as farmland but in the 18th and 19th centuries, wealthy Bostonians began to build suburban mansions here. Until the early 20th century the area was mostly populated by Irish, English and German immigrants. However, around the turn of the century a Jewish community was established and many African Americans started arriving from the South in the 1940's and 50's. The neighborhood experienced a serious period of decline in the 60's and 70's but recently has been the target of investment plans and grassroots community projects.