Laid out in 1826 by Mt. Vernon proprietors on pasture land purchased from John Singleton Copley, Louisburg Square stands as the epitome of the posh Beacon Hill district - a residential area in Boston, Massachusetts. It connects Mt. Vernon with Pinckney Street. The square is acknowledged as one of the only two private London-style garden squares in the nation, the other being Gramercy Park in New York City. A historic piece of real estate, Louisburg Square is named after the battle of Louisburg, during which the Massachusetts Militiamen sacked the French Fortress in 1745. The square is surrounded by homes once resided in by the famous personalities such as the author and critic William Dean Howells and Louisa May Alcott. Presently, Louisburg Square is home to the city's most expensive property and includes townhouses valued at more than $1 million. The Greek Revival-style houses found in the area reflect the privilege enjoyed by the 19th-century upper class in Beacon Hill. Further, the square is noted for its Federal-style houses built by Charles Bulfinch in the 1790s. These elegant buildings, with its red-brick facades, are adorned by classical details. The whole square is actually oblong in shape, and its central area has an oval park with a tall iron fence. Found at the either end of the square are the Italian marble statues of Aristides and Columbus. The narrow, cobblestone streets; brownstones; and gas-lit streetlamps, add to the old charm of the area.