Pre-Colonial

[Joel S. Berson]

I'm unclear as to the point of this.

Is it intended to question whether anything in Boston could be
"pre-Colonial"?  First, some historians distinguish a "provincial"
period, from first European settlement until the second Massachusetts
charter, circa 1698, from the "colonial" period, then until the
Revolution.  Second, some of "Boston's narrow, winding streets" might
trace back to Indian paths.  I don't know how much this is true of
Boston, but Hawthorne assumes it of Salem in "Main Street".

(Although I don't know whether the "cramped confines" had any effect
-- didn't they simply tear down anything in the way?)

Joel

At 12/26/2007 11:19 PM, JAMES A. LANDAU Netscape. Just the Net You Need. wrote:
>Nation's Priciest Highway Project Ends
>By STEVE LeBLANC, AP
>
>http://news.aol.com/story/_a/nations-priciest-highway-project-
>ends/20071225145009990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001
>
>Those who built the Big Dig would have to undertake the massive
>highway project
>in the cramped confines of Boston's narrow, winding streets, some
>dating to pre-Colonial days.

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