Mattahunt
Mattahunt, a sub neighborhood of Mattapan, is one of the most rural areas within the city limits of Boston. The Native American Mattahunt Tribe once inhabited Mattapan in the early 1600's. A large section on Mattahunt is owned by the city of Boston and is the largest undeveloped plot of land in the city. Mattahunt can be characterized as having an almost rural feeling and covered in forest. A number of hypothetical streets through the forest appear on local maps but do not exist in reality. These include Hebron Street, Kennebec Street, and sections of Alabama and Messenger Streets. This is a look and feel that residents of this area fight hard to maintain. Flooded streets and deep potholes inhibit travel, but the rural character of the streets is distinctive and charming. A large population of Mattahunt's residents, namely the Colorado Street Neighborhood Association, are vehemently fighting to have that area remain undeveloped as opposed to having The Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO) build Nehemiah Homes, affordable housing on a large scale for economically challenged families.
