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Ladder District



  
Ladder District is the name given to the area of Boston that runs along Washington and Tremont Streets from School Street to Beach Street. This area looks like the rungs of a ladder when viewed on a map or from above and therefore was deemed the Ladder District in the early 1900s and into the early 2000s. Ladder District is also known as Downtown Crossing which is a shopping district in Boston that is located east of the Boston Common and west of the Financial District.

Ladder District now features many large department stores and restaurants as well as souvenir sellers, retail stores and various street vendors. Some areas of the Ladder District or Downtown Crossing are closed to vehicular traffic and allow pedestrians to walk freely along the streets and shop. The most notable areas that are closed to vehicular traffic include Washington Street just between Temple Street and Bromfield Street as well as parts of Winter Street and Summer Street.

Over the years, the Ladder District has changed quite significantly. In the early 19th century the area of Summer Street was comprised mostly of upscale townhouses that had been designed by Charles Bulfinch and other developers. When the Great Boston Fire of 1872 destroyed the neighborhood along Summer Street, Washington Street and Milk Street many changes were seen with the new development that resulted.

Downtown Crossing was the hub of department stores in Boston in the early 1900s. The stores attracted many middle class visitors and also resulted in more restaurants and retail stores being opened in response to the new hustle and bustle of the area. Since then, offices, additional retail stores and many other restaurants have come into the Ladder District.

The MBTAs Downtown Crossing subway station services the Downtown Crossing and Ladder District area. Within a short walking distance there is also the State Street station and the Park Street station which offer services into and out of downtown. The Silver Lane is also available to provide transportation into and out of the Ladder District.