This richly illustrated volume conducts a tour along the streets and into the homes of Beacon Hill, the Boston neighborhood that has captured the affection of successive generations of residents and visitors. Its name evokes visions of wealth and aristocracy. Perhaps, say the authors . . . but Beacon Hill has always been both more and less than its popular image. This is a strikingly varied quarter whose real appeal lies in its diversity.An illustrated history traces the district from a rocky range of hills, so wild it was largely uninhabited for the first 150 years of Boston's history, through its development in the 1800s, and its vital struggle for preservation in the twentieth century. The book explores the ways and byways of the Beacon Hill Historic District, distilling the essence of each — the historical, the architectural, the picturesque, and the curious. Finally, the authors provide a rare glimpse into dozens of Beacon Hill houses, most of them private residences.With 247 illustrations, including 193 color photographs