Boston History

Acorn Street

Boston’s oldest surviving cobblestone street

Acorn Street

Here is the view looking down Acorn Street toward West Cedar Street. The cobblestone paving has a crowned center flanked by lower gutters to drain rainwater. Ben’s third-great-grandfather, Joseph B. Edwards, was a paver in Boston from 1826-1845 and worked with cobblestones just like the ones you see in this photo. In 1826 he lived on West Centre Street (now Anderson Street), a short walk from Acorn Street. Photo by Ben Edwards.