Brookline was first settled by European in the early 17th century. The area was an outlying part of the colonial settlement of Boston and known as the hamlet of Muddy River. In 1705, it was incorporated as the independent town of Brookline. The northern and southern borders of the town were marked by two small rivers or brooks, hence the name. The northern border with Brighton was Smelt Brook. The southern boundary, abutting Boston, was the Muddy River.
The Town of Brighton merged with Boston in 1874, and the Boston-Brookline border was redrawn to connect the new Back Bay neighborhood with Allston-Brighton. This created a narrow strip of land along the Charles River belonging to Boston, cutting Brookline off from the shoreline. When the Emerald Necklace of parks and parkways was designed for Boston by Brookline resident Frederick Law Olmsted in the 1890s, the Muddy River was integrated into the Riverway and Olmsted Park, creating parkland accessible by both Boston and Brookline residents.
Despite its urban character, Brookline has an expansive system of parks and open space ranging from small playgrounds to large historic landscapes, including a portion of the Emerald Necklace, one of Olmsted's finest achievements.
Throughout the year, Town Staff, along with representatives from a variety of historic, cultural groups organize a series of walking tours providing opportunities to learn more about many of Brookline's most notable residents, landmarks and architecture.
Brookline is a very walk-able community; and walking the streets is perhaps the best way to discover all the Town has to offer. You can start your day by strolling the charming streets of Brookline Village and then head up Harvard St. to Coolidge Corner to do some shopping and to grab some lunch. Spend the afternoon observing the historic architecture along Beacon Street before treating yourself to a world-class dinner at one of the many popular restaurants in Washington Square.
Brookline is home to two National Park Sites including the JFK Birthplace and the of home of Frederick Law Olmsted, who is considered to be the father of American Landscape Architecture and the nation's foremost park maker. The Larz Anderson Auto Museum houses America's oldest car collection and features a variety of educational programs, exhibits and events throughout the year.
Source: Wikipedia and Town of Brookline website