▁" Y M CA ▁of ▁Gre ater ▁Boston ") ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 1 ▁in ▁Boston , ▁Massachusetts , ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁American ▁chapter ▁of ▁Y M CA . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ ▁Y M CA ▁of ▁Gre ater ▁Boston , ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 1 , ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁Y M CA ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁The ▁organization ▁began ▁as ▁a ▁mod est ▁Evangel ical ▁association ▁and , ▁by ▁the ▁late ▁nin ete enth ▁century , ▁had ▁become ▁a ▁major ▁social ▁service ▁organization ▁dedicated ▁to ▁impro ving ▁the ▁lives ▁of ▁young ▁men . ▁With ▁that ▁aim ▁in ▁mind ▁Y M CA ▁held ▁athlet ic ▁and ▁educational ▁facilities , ▁provided ▁employ ment ▁services , ▁offered ▁accommod ation ▁for ▁young ▁un mar ried ▁men , ▁organized ▁summer ▁cam ps ▁for ▁boys , ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁place ▁for ▁young ▁men ▁to ▁social ize . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 1 ▁construction ▁began ▁on ▁a ▁new ▁complex ▁of ▁buildings ▁for ▁Y M CA ▁designed ▁by ▁prominent ▁Boston ▁architect ural ▁firm ▁She ple y , ▁R ut an , ▁and ▁C ool idge . ▁President ▁William ▁Howard ▁T aft ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁ground ▁breaking ▁ceremony . ▁▁ ▁To ▁meet ▁the ▁diverse ▁needs ▁of ▁the ▁organization , ▁the ▁firm ▁broke ▁the ▁complex ▁into ▁three ▁distinct ▁but ▁inter connected ▁buildings : ▁a ▁seven - story ▁administration ▁building , ▁which ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁heart ▁of ▁the ▁complex ▁and ▁faced ▁Hun ting ton ▁Avenue , ▁and ▁the ▁smaller ▁g ymnasium ▁and ▁educational ▁buildings , ▁both