This is floating on the web — I don’t know who came up with it:

The geographical center of Boston is in Roxbury. Due north of the center is the South End. This is not to be confused with South Boston, which lies directly east from the South End. North of the South End is East Boston, and southwest of East Boston is the North End.

“We say the cows laid out Boston,” wrote Emerson. “Well, there are worse surveyors.”