One of the best places to start is a book called 'Local Attachments: the making of an American urban neighborhood, 1850-1920' by Alexander von Hoffman. A copy is on reserve at the Circulation Desk, but it may also be obtained from the MassArt, Lesley U., and Wheelock College libraries. Another good book is 'Streetcar Suburbs: the process of growth in Boston, 1870-1900' by Sam Bass Warner, which is available as an e-book via the library catalog. The Boston Landmarks Commission contains a report on the Loring-Greenough House (link below).
See also Frederick Law Olmsted's design for the Emerald Necklace, which runs through JP.