Boston
cityReal-world: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
The Massachusetts city named at the head of the account as home of the late Francis Wayland Thurston and the place to which Professor Angell's files and boxes were moved for study; it was also where Dr. Henry Armitage consulted students of archaic lore while investigating the Dunwich horror, and the city to which the traveler who uncovered the truth of the blasted heath returned to resign his position.
Boston stands at the very head of the record: the account itself was found among the papers of the late Francis Wayland Thurston, of Boston.
It was also the working seat of the investigation. As his grand-uncle's heir and executor, the narrator was expected to go over Professor Angell's papers with some thoroughness, and for that purpose moved the professor's entire set of files and boxes to his quarters in Boston.
Decades later, while piecing together the meaning of Wilbur Whateley's diary and the Dunwich terrors, Dr. Henry Armitage of Miskatonic University held talks with several students of archaic lore in Boston, an inquiry that left him with a growing and unpleasant amazement.
Still later, the surveyor who had gone west to Arkham on business and learned the true history of the blasted heath from Ammi Pierce returned to Boston the very next day, resigning his position rather than remain near the accursed valley.
Characters
Sources
Every fact above traces back to the text.
“Found among the papers of the late Francis Wayland Thurston, of Boston.”
The Call of Cthulhu (1928)
“As my granduncle's heir and executor, for he died a childless widower, I was expected to go over his papers with some thoroughness; and for that purpose moved his entire set of files and boxes to my quarters in Boston.”
The Call of Cthulhu (1928) — Chapter 1, The Horror in Clay
“Talks with several students of archaic lore in Boston, and letters to many others elsewhere, gave him a growing amazement”
The Dunwich Horror (1929) — Chapter 5
“and the next day returned to Boston to give up my position”
The Colour Out of Space (1927)