Yes, the postcard does say Roxbury. But nobody from Boston would have made that mistake. Nobody who did a 10-second Google search on "Stony Brook Reservation" would have made that mistake. Hence, the need for caution regarding the facts on that site.

Roxbury and West Roxbury are entirely different parts of town and don't even border each other in present-day Boston. Re West Roxbury: there's nothing there for tourists to see, but it's at least safe to walk around.

Bostonscapes--that's a great website. I just looked at two sections. Will return to look at more later.

I am so thankful for all the information about Roxbury. I'm not sure we're going to get there soon,but it's definitely a MUST DO trip. Sounds like it's workable as long as we treat it like any other big city. We've been in many countries around the world and always try to be cautious in our behavior and places we visit. We've never had any major problems.

Thanks again to all who contributed.
Marylin

CW: Thank you! I'm glad you liked it. :)

Bachslunch: I have to disagree. There's lots to see in West Roxbury, for tourists and Bostonians alike (I know many Bostonians who have never been to Westie!). It's a gorgeous neighborhood.

Go to http://bostonneighborhoods.blogspot.com/ and see for yourself or, better yet, visit West Roxbury one of these days and really explore it. Then reward yourself with a lovely treat at Sugar Bakery. :)

Bostonscapes--

I have visited West Roxbury on more than a couple occasions. I'll happily admit the Theodore Parker Church might be interesting -- haven't been there. West Roxbury is certainly a pleasing and safe area to walk around. And I'd also bet that Sugar Bakery is worth a try if you're in the area as well.

But given the number of worthy things for tourists to see just in Boston and Cambridge (all the Freedom Trail stuff, Trinity Church, Museum of Fine Arts, Gardner Museum, Boston Public Library main branch, Harvard Square, Harvard and its museums, MIT, Aquarium, Museum of Science, Boston Common, Public Garden, JFK Library and Museum, Gibson and Otis and Nichols and Longfellow Houses, Christian Science Center and Mapparium, Massachusetts State House, Fenway Park tours, Newbury Street, Chinatown, Charles Street antique shops, etc.), all easily reached via subway, I'd have to put West Roxbury relatively low on any priority list I'd be willing to suggest to an out of town tourist. One can stump aggressively for any number of potentially worthy off-the-beaten-track possibilities, such as the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in the South End or the Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge or Castle Island in Southie, or neighborhoods such as the Centre Street strip in Jamaica Plain. The fact that West Roxbury is not accessible via subway and time consuming to get to by bus or commuter rail in conjunction with the subway makes it harder to recommend as well. And there are several fine bakeries in the Boston/Cambridge/Brookline area, including but not limited to the Mike's/Modern/Maria's threesome in the North End, Flour and South End Buttery in the South End, and Party Favors in Brookline, all easily reached via subway or Silver Line.

I'd think it depends on how much time you have to explore Boston. For me, my priorities would lie elsewhere if I had two weeks or less time to spend in Boston. A lifetime? That may be a different story. But alas, tourists don't have that luxury.

I've lived near West Roxbury; my kids' nursery school, martial arts and swimming lessons were on Centre Street. I think it's safe to say that the bakery would be the highlight of your visit.

Bachslunch: You said "Re West Roxbury: there's nothing there for tourists to see," to which I replied that "There's lots to see in West Roxbury, for tourists and Bostonians alike."

Now you say: ""I'd have to put West Roxbury relatively low on any priority list I'd be willing to suggest to an out of town tourist." And I have to ask: "When were we discussing priority lists? Also, what sense does it make to compare "Boston attractions" to "West Roxbury's"?

Sorry Bostonscapes, but I don't see what the problem is.

There's nothing in West Roxbury that I'd recommend to a tourist who wants to spend a week or two in Boston (the Theodore Parker Church may or may not merit a visit depending on one's priorities, but I'm not keen to recommend something I've never seen). And the week-or-two transient fits the profile of many Boston tourists -- and I'm assuming many who use this forum. There are lots of other things elsewhere in the general Boston area I'd consider more worthy of their time. WR does have a pleasing and safe-to-walk commercial area, but that doesn't make it a tourist must any more than Roslindale's or Southie's or Dedham's or Arlington Center's do for their neighborhoods.

You may not agree. Different people have different ideas on these things. One might perhaps believe their living room to be a tourist attraction as well. But if one actually considers WR a tourist destination (I don't), I'd think it prudent to weigh the relative merits of other local possibilities against it -- and for me, WR would be very far down on any such list. And while I'd sooner go to WR than Mattapan, I wouldn't make either any sort of priority by this way of thinking. Whether you want to discuss priority lists as part of such a discussion or not isn't my concern. I see no reason not to.

However, if you live in the Boston area and just want to find a new place to take a stroll, I see no reason not to choose WR from among many such options.

And if you just want to play semantic gotcha games, sorry -- not interested.