Reminding him of the town of Roslin, Scotland, John Pierce, a member of the community, suggested the name in the 1860s. The beautiful area soon saw growth in both its population and commercial development after the horse-drawn railway was introduced. The first railway catastrophe in the country occurred in 1887 when 23 people were killed after a Boston & Providence Railroad train plummeted off of a bridge when it collapsed. Along with the 23 deaths, over 100 people were injured and the devastation led to railway bridges across the nation to be inspected for safety.
Until shopping malls became popular in the 1970s, Roslindale was the major shopping center for all of Boston. Although heavily vandalized in the following two decades, the area has been revitalized and is once again seeing success as a shopping center for local residents. Housing comes by way of one, two and three family residences along picturesque suburban streets. It's well worth taking a drive through this lovely neighborhood if you are ever in Boston.