Boston is located on a peninsula.
Boston ( pronounced [ ˈbɒstən ] ) is the capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States . One of the oldest cities in the United States , Boston was founded on the Shawmut Peninsula in 1630 by Puritan settlers from England . Through land reclamation and municipal annexation , Boston has expanded beyond the original peninsula . Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area . The area is made up of a collection of islands , together with a former island and a peninsula , many of which are open for public recreation and some of which are very small and best suited for wildlife .