We have a couple of sections for those tracing their genealogy.
We created a list of cemeteries that are in the area around Mattapan. Our list includes the location of those cemeteries and we provide an overhead view. See our Cemetery List for Mattapan.
Using the information from an 1895 Atlas, we've created a list of communities that were in the area of Mattapan. Our list includes information such as whether the 1895 community had a post office or railroad service. See our List of 1890's Communities around Mattapan.
We also have a detailed list of newspapers that have been published in the area around Mattapan. See our Newspapers Page for Mattapan.
Adding Mattapan to Our Gazetteer ...
We originally found mention of Mattapan in both the FIPS-55 and the GNIS. For more information, see the FIPS and GNIS Codes sections on our Miscellaneous Page.
From our notes, the earliest published mention we've found for Mattapan was in the document titled List of Post Offices from Cameron Blevins and Richard Helbock.<5>
From that list, the Mattapan post office opened in 1856.
We also found Mattapan in the book titled Business Atlas and Shippers' Guide (1895).
If you're interested in how the shape of Massachusetts' counties, including Suffolk, have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
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The elevation is an estimate for the area around Mattapan - it will be higher in some places and lower in others.
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When there's a risk of an area code running out of phone numbers, an 'Overlay Area Code' is created that has the same geographic boundaries as the existing area code. In this case, the 617 code has been Overlayed with the 857 area code. New phone numbers in the Mattapan area will be assigned with one of these codes: 617 or 857. As a result, placing a call in the Mattapan area will require 10-digit dialing (where you enter both the area code and then the phone number).
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ZIP Codes have been created by the United States Postal Service (USPS) as a way of grouping addresses to make delivery more efficient. The boundaries of the ZIP Code can be changed, re-assigned, eliminated or overlapped with other ZIP Codes. So keep in mind that any given ZIP Code is only 'loosely' associated with a community (such as Mattapan). When looking for a ZIP Code, whether Mattapan or elsewhere, it's always best to check the website of the United States Postal Service (USPS).
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A copy of their list with background information can be found at: