B-N 2 - Brookline, Norfolk Co. - Newton, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts - U.S. Historic Survey Stones and Monuments on Waymarking.com

Along the boundary along Brookline, Norfolk County and Newton, Middlesex County, is a post between two houses that face Middlesex Road.

The monument is located about 50 ft from the public sidewalk and between two houses on Middlesex Road in Brookline on the northwest side of the road. The house to the northeast of the marker is currently colored yellow and the driveway and garage is on the southwest end of the house, nearest the marker. The house to the southwest is painted dark and has the driveway and garage on the southwest side of the house, away from the marker.

The marker is about 4 ft tall and is made of roughly hewn stone. There is a 'B' on the side facing the road. Since the marker is between the houses on private property, I did not find out what the other side looks like. Though the marker is on private property, it is visible from the public sidewalk on either side of the hedge.

The marker is plotted on the Massachusetts Cities and Towns Corner Monuments viewer, link below, as B-N 2. This marker does not show up on the historical atlas that is linked to the viewer. What is marked as B-N 2 in the historical atlas (published in 1904), is now B-N 15 in the current town corner viewer, which is where the border takes a 90 degree turn toward the southeast. At the time the atlas was published, the border was a straight line from the sharp corner at B-N-1 to the corner, now known as B-N 15. Since the atlas was published, the line has been altered around MA Route 9. More research in state legislature acts may uncover the date when this change was approved.

Both Newton and Brookline are very old municipalities. Newton was split from Cambridge around 1698. Brookline was established in 1705. I'm not sure when this marker was added, so I'm putting the year of publication of the atlas as the monumentation date. Also, Brookline, as part of Norfolk County, is isolated from the rest of the county. The communities of West Roxbury and Hyde Park were once part of Norfolk County until they were annexed to Boston. Brookline considered annexation, but eventually rejected it, staying in Norfolk County as an island between Middlesex and Suffolk.

The monument appears to be in good shape.

I would suggest that, if you take a picture, that you be discrete about it. I would understand if you don't take a picture in this situation-in that case, describe what you see and note any changes.

Monumentation Type: Stone post Monument Category: County/Municipal boundary marker Accessible to general public: no Explain Non-Public access: The post is between two private lots but is currently visible from the sidewalk. Historical significance: This is the boundary between the cities of Brookline and Newton, and the counties of Norfolk and Middlesex. Monument Website: [Web Link] County: Brookline, Norfolk County and Newton, Middlesex County USGS Quad: Newton, Mass. Approximate date of monument: 01/01/1705 Monumentation Type (if other): Not listed Monument Category (if other): Not listed NGS PID: Not listed Other Coordinates: Not Listed Other Coordinates details: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
1. A closeup photo of the monument is required.
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2. A 'distant' photo including the monument in the view is highly recommended. Include the compass direction you faced when you took the picture.

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