# Why is Boston called "Beantown"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [March 23, 2016, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-boston-called-beantown/749953 "2016-03-23T15:25:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Maeganspop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@Maeganspop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeganspop)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-boston-called-beantown/749953/1 "2016-03-23T15:25:39Z")
I read the column, but I don’t get it. It answered why a town in New England would be called “Beantown”, but why specifically Boston? Can someone enlighten me? ---
**Author:** ![Emiliana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@Emiliana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emiliana)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-boston-called-beantown/749953/2 "2016-03-23T16:30:50Z")
Boston baked beans. A local delicacy. ETA: I just realized I wasn’t in GQ. There’s a column? ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-boston-called-beantown/749953/3 "2016-03-23T16:37:52Z")
See also John Collins Bossidy’s toast: “And this is good old Boston, **The home of the bean and the cod,** Where the Lowells talk to the Cabots And the Cabots talk only to God.” Also link to the column [Why is Boston called “Beantown”? - The Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1778/why-is-boston-called-beantown) ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-boston-called-beantown/749953/4 "2016-03-23T16:46:45Z")
> [@Maeganspop](#): > > but why specifically Boston? Because Boston was the commercial center of New England, a stop on the Triangle trade, and therefore had a plentiful supply of molasses with which to make Boston Baked Beans. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-boston-called-beantown/749953/5 "2016-03-23T16:48:52Z")
Wicked awesome fahts. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-boston-called-beantown/749953/6 "2016-03-23T17:38:37Z")
> [@picker](#): > > Wicked awesome fahts. Gedahdahyere. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-boston-called-beantown/749953/7 "2016-03-23T17:41:26Z")
Duplicate post. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-boston-called-beantown/749953/8 "2016-03-23T17:44:11Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Because Boston was the commercial center of New England, a stop on the Triangle trade, and therefore had a plentiful supply of molasses with which to make Boston Baked Beans. Boston even had a [Great Molasses Flood](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Molasses_Flood) in 1919. Which disproves the old adage about molasses being slow in January. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-boston-called-beantown/749953/9 "2016-03-23T19:53:28Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > See also John Collins Bossidy’s toast: > > “And this is good old Boston, > **The home of the bean and the cod,** > Where the Lowells talk to the Cabots > And the Cabots talk only to God.” In my family, I always heard it thus: Here’s to the city of Boston, Home of the bean and the cod, Where the streets are notably narrow, And the minds not very broad. ---
**Author:** ![Maeganspop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@Maeganspop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeganspop)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-boston-called-beantown/749953/10 "2016-03-23T20:31:26Z")
Thanks everyone! ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-boston-called-beantown/749953/11 "2016-03-23T20:39:47Z")
As a result of the request by Harry H. Kabotchnik to change his name to Cabot, and the resulting lawsuits by offended blue blood Cabots, the poem was updated: _And this is good old Boston, The home of the bean and the cod, Where the Lowells have no one to talk to Since the Cabots speak Yiddish, by God._ ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-boston-called-beantown/749953/12 "2016-03-23T20:55:41Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > In my family, I always heard it thus: > > Here’s to the city of Boston, > Home of the bean and the cod, > Where the streets are notably narrow, > And the minds not very broad. For the last line, how about “And the minds not overly broad.” (I think it scans better). ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2016, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-boston-called-beantown/749953/13 "2016-03-30T05:12:58Z")
I don’t know if this is the right thread for this. But it involves Boston Baked Beans (alluded to already, here). Can _ **any** _ baked beans (made in the USA, of course), qualify as Boston Baked Beans? Or does that require a special recipe? A while back, I was interested in finding the recipe (I was a foodie, before the term was even coined;)). But all I could find was this recipe in an old cooking magazine. It basically called for taking baked beans, and adding stuff to it, like catsup and spices. I finally concluded any American baked beans would do. Was I right? BTW, I already knew for some time that Boston was called Beantown because of Boston Baked Beans. Where have the rest of you been all this time:)? ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2016, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-boston-called-beantown/749953/14 "2016-03-30T12:26:43Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > For the last line, how about “And the minds not overly broad.” (I think it scans better). But, that changes the meaning: “not very broad” more or less equals “narrow”, while “not overly broad” could mean “narrow”, but could also mean “appropriately broad”, or “as broad as needs be”. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2016, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-boston-called-beantown/749953/15 "2016-03-30T17:23:32Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > Can _ **any** _ baked beans (made in the USA, of course), qualify as Boston Baked Beans? Or does that require a special recipe? Boston style baked beans are sweetened with molasses (or maple syrup) and made with salt port (or similar) and stewed for 6+ hours. Other styles of beans use other ingredients (mustard, tomatoes, ground beef). ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2016, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-boston-called-beantown/749953/16 "2016-03-30T18:12:11Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > A while back, I was interested in finding the recipe (I was a foodie, before the term was even coined;)). But all I could find was this recipe in an old cooking magazine. It basically called for taking baked beans, and adding stuff to it, like catsup and spices. I finally concluded any American baked beans would do. Was I right? You started with… canned baked beans? To make authentic Boston baked beans, you usually start with dry navy beans and soak them at least overnight to soften them. Then you cook them with molasses, pork or bacon, and other spices. [This looks like a decent recipe](http://www.chowhound.com/recipes/boston-baked-beans-12831). Each New England family recipe is likely to be slightly different. ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2016, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-boston-called-beantown/749953/17 "2016-04-02T15:06:44Z")
Who calls it beantown? I lived in Boston for a few years, nobody in the city calls it that. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2016, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-boston-called-beantown/749953/18 "2016-04-02T16:22:33Z")
> [@](#): > > Another part of the answer is the Coriolis Effect. What’s that, you slept through physics, too? Big systems on a spinning sphere, like prevailing winds, tend to form clockwise patterns in the northern half of the sphere, counterclockwise ones in the southern half. Uh oh … something smells like the end of the Spring salmon run here. 1] Systems on a spinning sphere tend to form _counter-clockwise_ patterns in the Northern Hemisphere, _clockwise_ in the Southern; and the bigger the system, the more this tendency is apparent. In the atmosphere-as-a-fluid, we really don’t have any barriers to the free motions of the air. Mountains ranges are fairly far and few and in general the air can go up and over or flow around. Oceans-as-a-fluid aren’t so lucky, the barriers to the free flow are hard and fast, water can’t simple flow up and over land masses like the air can. Besides spinning the wrong direction, surface ocean circulation is partially determined by the frictional force applied by the shorelines. The oceans are “in a container”, whereas the atmosphere is not. 2] From NOAA’s set of articles about the oceans, we have from the sub-page [“Ocean Circulations”](http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/ocean/circulation.htm): > [@](#): > > The ultimate reason for the world’s surface ocean currents is the sun. The heating of the earth by the sun has produced semi-permanent pressure centers near the surface. When wind blows over the ocean around these pressure centers, surface waves are generated by transferring some of the wind’s energy, in the form of momentum, from the air to the water. This constant push on the surface of the ocean is the force that forms the surface currents. In the tropics, the prevailing Trade Winds blow from the East, propelling our sailboat to the West. The ocean current helps some but the causes are the same, the wind. In the temperate regions, the prevailing Westerlies drive our boat to the East along with the current. The wind can just rise a little and flow over the land. The ocean can’t and must flow somewhere, basically directed by the shorelines involved. C] Do we want to ascribe “Coriolis effect” to the formation of these prevailing winds? It depends on what we mean by “Coriolis effect”, and we should probably use it correctly whatever meaning we give it. The surface flow of air is dominated by the convective cells, the prevailing winds develop from this motion and it’s own need to change momentum. It is these winds that sailboats follow, the ocean currents are just a cool bonus. Coriolis force wasn’t taught in Physics back in the day, I was told in no uncertain terms to ignore it at all times and in all circumstances. If it shows up, you’ve made a serious error, most likely you’re looking at it from the wrong place. The universe works perfectly fine without the Coriolis force, if you look at it the right way. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2016, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-boston-called-beantown/749953/19 "2016-04-02T19:20:40Z")
> [@boffking](#): > > Who calls it beantown? I lived in Boston for a few years, nobody in the city calls it that. [http://www.cambridgebeantowntaqueria.com/](http://www.cambridgebeantowntaqueria.com/) - Beantown Taqueria [http://beantownclassic.com/](http://beantownclassic.com/) - Beantown Hockey Classic [http://beantownswing.com/index.html](http://beantownswing.com/index.html) - Beantown Swing Orchestra [http://www.beantownpub.com/index.html](http://www.beantownpub.com/index.html) - Beantown Pub [http://beantownrugby.com/](http://beantownrugby.com/) - Beantown Rugby [http://www.beantownbootcamp.com/](http://www.beantownbootcamp.com/) - Beantown Bootcamp [https://www.berklee.edu/news/beantown-jazz-festival-announces-2015-lineup](https://www.berklee.edu/news/beantown-jazz-festival-announces-2015-lineup) - Beantown Jazz Festival [http://www.bostontours.us/?event=offer.detail&offerId=838](http://www.bostontours.us/?event=offer.detail&offerId=838) - Beantown Trolley Tours [http://www.beantownjewishgardens.org/](http://www.beantownjewishgardens.org/) - Beantown Jewish Gardens [http://www.beantowntapfest.com/](http://www.beantowntapfest.com/) - Beantown Tapfest [http://www.beantownbaker.com/](http://www.beantownbaker.com/) - Beantown Baker [http://www.beantownpastrami.com/](http://www.beantownpastrami.com/) Beantown Pastrami [http://www.beantownvapor.com/](http://www.beantownvapor.com/) - Beantown Vapor [http://www.beantowndiner.com/](http://www.beantowndiner.com/) - Beantown Diner There are plenty more, I just got tired of typing. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2016, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-boston-called-beantown/749953/20 "2016-04-02T21:08:29Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > … “not overly broad” could mean “narrow”, but could also mean “appropriately broad”, or “as broad as needs be”. It’s understatement. Describing someone as “not overly bright” is a polite way of saying “dumb as a post.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-boston-called-beantown/749953.md?page=2)