Introducing When and Where in Boston: A New Way to Explore the City’s History
Thursday, July 17, 2025
At Boston By Foot, our mission has always been to help people discover Boston’s remarkable stories—on foot, on the streets, in real time. That’s why we’re proud to support the launch of When and Where in Boston, an exciting new public history project that brings Boston’s past to life in a whole new way.
Spearheaded by historian and author Jim Vrabel, with support from Boston By Foot volunteer Dennis McCarthy, When and Where in Boston is an ambitious effort to collect short, illustrated descriptions of nearly everything that’s ever happened, been built, made, said, or done in the city of Boston. From protests and parades to public art and architecture, this project aims to capture the big and small moments that have shaped the city.
Boston By Foot has supported the project with administrative assistance and fiscal sponsorship services, helping it take root and grow. This partnership reflects our deep commitment to expanding access to Boston’s history and empowering our community to explore and share what they know.
A Living Resource for Everyone
More than a historical archive, When and Where in Boston is a public platform and ongoing invitation. It welcomes contributions from anyone—residents, researchers, teachers, students, and visitors. If you know something about Boston, the project encourages you to share it. If you're curious about the city’s past, you’ll find thousands of bite-sized entries waiting to be explored.
Every entry is tagged with a date and a location—making it easy to explore what happened when and where. Want to know what took place on your block 100 years ago? Curious about the evolution of a local landmark? Wondering about what happened right near where you are standing? Would you like to know when your school was built or who it was named for? Start here!
A Natural Fit with Boston By Foot
As an organization rooted in sharing local history through storytelling and exploration, When and Where in Boston aligns beautifully with Boston By Foot’s mission. For nearly 50 years, we’ve empowered volunteers to learn deeply and guide others through Boston’s layered past. This project extends that mission online, giving a new voice to untold stories and inviting broader participation from the community.
We’re especially proud that this project grew out of the dedication of our volunteers and is now open to contributions from the entire Boston history-loving public. Explore the growing collection—and maybe contribute an entry of your own—at:
