Somerville

Somerville is a city located directly northwest of Boston, in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, situated approximately two miles from downtown Boston and bordered by Cambridge, Arlington, Medford, and the Charlestown neighborhood of Boston. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a total population of 81,045 people, and with an area of 4.12 square miles, it holds a density of 19,671 people per square mile — making it the most densely populated municipality in New England and the 19th most densely populated incorporated municipality in the country. Despite its compact size, Somerville has played an outsized role in the region's story, from its strategic importance during the American Revolution to its transformation into one of Greater Boston's most culturally dynamic communities. In 2006, the Boston Globe named Somerville the "best-run city in Massachusetts," thanks to its innovative use of new technology to improve constituent service and government efficiency. The National Civic League gave Somerville All-America City Awards in 1972, 2009, and 2015.

History

Early Settlement and Colonial Era

Somerville was first settled as a part of Boston's Charlestown in 1630. It was originally known as the Cow Commons and was entirely fenced in until 1685. The land served primarily as pasture and farmland for Charlestown residents, and during the 1700s and early 1800s, Somerville Avenue was known as "Milk Row," a route favored by Middlesex County dairy farmers as the best way to get to the markets of Charlestown and Boston.

Somerville was home to one of the first hostile acts of the American Revolutionary War. The removal of gunpowder by British soldiers from a powder magazine in 1774, and the massive popular reaction that ensued, are considered to be a turning point in the events leading up to war. First built by settlers for use as a windmill in the early 1700s, the Old Powder House was sold to the colonial government of Massachusetts for use as a gunpowder magazine in 1747. Located at the intersection of Broadway and College Avenue in present-day Powder House Square, the Old Powder House held the largest supply of gunpowder in all of Massachusetts. The city's Revolutionary significance extended beyond the Powder House incident: Paul Revere's famous midnight ride from Boston to Lexington and Concord after the British invaded in 1775 passed through Somerville, and on January 1, 1776, General George Washington ordered the Grand Union Flag to be raised over Prospect Hill for the first time.

Incorporation and Industrial Growth

Somerville, which was rural at the time, separated from the rapidly urbanizing Charlestown and became a town in 1842. By 1872, Somerville was incorporated as a city to better serve its own rapid urbanization and population growth. The original choice for the city's new name, after breaking away from Charlestown, was Walford, after the first settler of Charlestown, Thomas Walford. However, this name was not adopted by the separation committee. Charles Miller, a member of this committee, proposed the name "Somerville," which was ultimately chosen. A report commissioned by the Somerville Historical Society found that Somerville was a "purely fanciful name," not derived from any one person.

Transportation improvements in the early to mid-1800s factored significantly in Somerville's growth. These improvements included the opening of the Middlesex Canal through Somerville in 1803, various turnpikes such as Medford and Beacon streets built during the 1810s and 1820s, and especially the introduction of rail lines. By 1835, the town was a regular stop on the new Boston and Lowell Railroad.

The industrial era brought extraordinary growth. The population of Somerville increased six-fold between the years of 1842 and 1870 to 14,685. With the sharp influx of immigrants to the area, industry boomed and brick manufacturing became the predominant trade. Before mechanical presses were invented, Somerville produced 1.3 million bricks a year, and thereafter production increased rapidly to 5.5 million bricks a year. In 1851, American Tube Works opened, followed by meat processing and packaging plants. Other Somerville factories came to produce steam engines, boilers, household appliances, glass, and iron. The city's most rapid growth in population and industrial activity occurred after 1900, when slaughtering and meatpacking developed as the principal economic activities. During World War II its population exceeded 100,000, owing to the demand for workers in the automobile and meatpacking industries.

Twentieth-Century Decline and Revival

The Ford Motor Plant in Assembly Square, which had been one of the region's largest employers, closed its doors in 1958 with severe consequences for the local economy. By 1976, Assembly Square was becoming a ghost town: Finast Stores, the Boston and Maine Railroad, and Ford Motor Company, which had each paid the city over $1 million in annual taxes, were gone. By the late 1970s, Somerville was losing population, revenue, and jobs.

In subsequent decades, the city staged a sustained comeback, attracting new residents, businesses, and investment. With its ethnic diversity, thriving arts and entertainment scene, proximity to Boston, and new mixed-use development, Somerville has seen its appeal grow considerably in recent years.

Neighborhoods and Character

Somerville is known for its more than 20 city squares, each of which defines neighborhood boundaries and offers its own unique mix of housing and businesses — from the historic Somerville Theater anchoring Davis Square to neighborhood eateries in Ball and Magoun Squares to Union Square's Bow Market.

The city's population is an eclectic mix of blue-collar families, young professionals, college students, and recent immigrants from El Salvador, Haiti, and Brazil. The city is one of the most ethnically diverse in the United States, with more than 50 languages spoken in Somerville Public Schools.

Assembly Row represents one of Somerville's most notable recent developments. A new neighborhood — which is not square at all — Assembly Row features a six-acre riverfront park filled with designer and name-brand outlets, restaurants and cafes, a LEGO® Discovery Center Boston, a Paintbar, and a theater complex.

Somerville also holds a quirky place in American culinary history: the city is the birthplace of Fluff, the marshmallow spread that has become an American favorite when paired with peanut butter. The annual What the Fluff? Festival in Union Square celebrates this local invention each fall.

Arts and Culture

Somerville has cultivated a reputation as one of the most arts-rich cities in the United States. After New York City, Somerville has more artists per capita than any other U.S. city. The highlight of the annual arts calendar is the weekend-long ArtBeat Festival in Davis Square, hosted by the Somerville Arts Council.

There are many opportunities to engage with a wide range of art, from the ArtBeat Festival in Davis Square to the historic Somerville Theatre. The Somerville Theatre, which anchors Davis Square, hosts live music, independent films, and theatrical performances throughout the year. For a uniquely offbeat experience, visitors can also explore the Museum of Bad Art, which boasts the world's largest collection of "bad art" and offers a humorous take on the creative process.

Somerville has eighty-four sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including various houses, libraries, parkways, and churches that have been declared landmarks within the city. The Somerville Museum preserves memorabilia chronicling the city's roots, with historical and artistic exhibits, located at 1 Westwood Road on the corner of Central Street.

Education

Somerville is home to Tufts University, which has its campus along the Somerville and Medford border. Founded in 1852, Tufts is a major private research university and one of the city's largest employers. The public school system is a multicultural community with 50-plus languages spoken. Around 5,000 students are served in the district, which includes one high school and seven elementary/middle schools, as well as the Prospect Hill Academy Charter School and the private St. Theresa of the Child Jesus School.

Transportation

Somerville is well connected to the broader MBTA transit network. The Green Line stations in Somerville opened in 2022 as part of the Green Line Extension, which the state was legally obligated to build since 1990. Most commuters take the Red Line out of Davis Square, but the Green Line, which has five stops in Somerville, can get riders into the city in less than 30 minutes.

Both Porter Square station on the Red Line and the Commuter Rail's Fitchburg Line in Cambridge, and Sullivan Square station on the Orange Line in Boston's Charlestown neighborhood, are located adjacent to Somerville along the border. The Somerville Community Path is a tree-lined rail trail that runs from Lowell Street to the Cambridge border near Davis Square.

Somerville was the first Massachusetts community to use 311, a customer-service helpline, and the first city in the United States to use both 311 and Connect-CTY, the reverse 911 program for important messages. This spirit of civic innovation has helped Somerville maintain its standing as one of the most effectively governed small cities in New England.