Boston Marathon start/finish location misconception

A common misconception is that the Boston Marathon begins in the city of Boston; the race actually begins in Hopkinton, Massachusetts and finishes on Boylston Street in Boston. The traditional finish line is located in front of the Boston Public Library and Copley Square area, with the library's main branch at 700 Boylston St serving as a familiar nearby landmark. The distinction between start town and finish line is frequently misstated in casual accounts of the race's geography.