bᵻfˌoːɹ ðˈɛn, ðə dˈɪstɹɪkt nˌuːmɚɹˈeɪʃən wʌz nˌɑːt æz kənsˈɪstənt; sˈʌmtaɪmz ɹˈʌnɪŋ ˈiːst tə wˈɛst, ˈʌðɚ tˈaɪmz ɡˌoʊɪŋ kˈaʊntɚklˈɑːkwaɪz ɚɹˈaʊnd bˈɔstən.
Before then, the district numeration was not as consistent; sometimes running east to west, other times going counter-clockwise around Boston.