Roslindale, sometimes referred to as "Rosinopoulos" by residents for its large Greek population, began as a classic street car suburb.  Today, one of the most unique characteristics of the area is the sheer number of people from all races, backgrounds and countries who call Roslindale home.  Roslindale Square, the heart of the neighborhood, is the subject of a National Trust for Historic Preservation Main Street award.  It is considered to be an example of the value of historic and aesthetic preservation in economic revitalization.

Roslindale became part of Boston as part of the 1873 annexation of West Roxbury.  While its boundaries are a subject of dispute, its heart is distinct - Roslindale Square.  Until the late 1800s extension of mass transit to Roslindale Square, this area was a rural community.  The railroad and streetcar made it a garden suburb.  Washington Street, running through Roslindale Square, is the commercial spine of Roslindale.  Today, the housing stock in Roslindale runs the gamut from an abundance of single-family and two-family homes to condominiums and suburban style triple deckers.

Roslindale has the advantage of being bordered by the VFW Parkway, a major thoroughfare, and the Arnold Arboretum, a beautiful and spacious preservation land area filled with an amazing variety of flowers and trees to the north, the Forest Hills Cemetery and Mt. Hope Cemetery to the east, the Stony Brook Reservation to the south, and the West Roxbury Parkway to the west.  It is easily accessible via public transportation and the commuter rail, and universities, museums, and other rich cultural offerings are a quick subway ride away, only 10 minutes from downtown Boston.