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South Medford, Massachusetts

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81-789: South Medford is the southern neighborhood of Medford, Massachusetts . Medford was founded in 1630 by English settlers as part of Charlestown . The area remained predominantly rural and mostly White Anglo-Saxon Protestant ("WASP") in character for over two hundred years, during which the South Medford Baptist church and other institutions were founded. Paul Revere 's famous midnight ride traveled along Main Street in South Medford, continuing onto High Street in Medford Square. An annual re-enactment takes place honoring

162-674: A Puritan English city during the Colonial era, Charlestown proper was founded in 1628 and settled July 4, 1629, by Thomas Graves , Increase Nowell , Simon Hoyt, the Rev. Francis Bright, and the Spragues (Ralph, Richard, & William Sprague) , among some 100 others who preceded the Great Migration . John Winthrop 's company stopped here for some time in 1630, before deciding to accept the invitation of William Blaxton to settle across

243-662: A Boston designer who later designed the stained glass for the Connecticut State Capitol. The Warren Tavern first opened in 1780. It is located at 2 Pleasant Street. The building was one of the first built after the Battle of Bunker Hill . The Tavern took its name from Joseph Warren , American Patriot who played a key role in the American Revolution and was killed in the Battle of Bunker Hill. It

324-572: A facility of Massachusetts General Hospital. Many commercial ventures line the Mystic River along Medford Street and Terminal Street. The Navy Yard, home to USS  Constitution , is now part of the Boston National Historical Park , which marks the southern edge of the neighborhood. The waterfront has two marinas, Constitution Marina and Shipyard Quarters Marina. Charlestown is located north of downtown Boston on

405-476: A household in the city was $ 52,476, and the median income for a family was $ 62,409. Males had a median income of $ 41,704 versus $ 34,948 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 24,707. About 4.1% of families and 6.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over. Medford has three Public, educational, and government access (PEG) cable TV channels. The Public-access television channel

486-414: A particular neighborhood. Irish Americans have a strong presence in the city and live in all areas. South Medford is a traditionally Italian neighborhood. West Medford, the most affluent of Medford's many neighborhoods, was once the bastion of some of Boston's elite families—including Peter Chardon Brooks , one of the wealthiest men in post-colonial America and father-in-law to Charles Francis Adams —and

567-775: A peninsula extending southeastward between the Charles River and the Mystic River . City Square in the southern part of Charlestown was the location of the city hall before annexation by Boston. It is also the terminus of the Charlestown Bridge and the former Warren Bridge , and was formerly a stop on the Charlestown Elevated . The Central Artery was built between 1951 and 1954, routing elevated ramps through City Square. The Central Artery North Area (CANA) project moved these underground, into

648-441: A population of 22,132, making its population density 9,442 people per square mile, which is denser than Medford generally. The range of house values is between $ 400,000 and $ 700,000. Three-quarters of residents are of the "white" race. It's said that South Medford is closer to Downtown Boston than most of Boston. Its southern borders stretch to Winter Hill, Somerville, Massachusetts , and its northern and eastern borders lie on

729-630: A representative to the legislature was chosen. The town got its religious meeting room in 1690 and a secular meeting house in 1696. In 1692, the town engaged its first ordained preacher, Rev. John Hancock Sr. . During his time of service, Rev. Hancock lived in Medford, serving until November 1693. One of his grandsons was John Hancock , who was a later notable figure of the American Revolutionary War and later elected as first and third governor of Massachusetts. The land south of

810-896: A social worker in 1925. Elizabeth Short , the victim of an infamous Hollywood murder and who became known as The Black Dahlia , was born in Hyde Park (the southernmost neighborhood of the city of Boston , Massachusetts) but raised in Medford before going to the West Coast looking for fame. Medford has sent more than its share of athletes to the National Hockey League ; Shawn Bates , though born in Melrose , grew up in Medford, as did Keith Tkachuk , Mike Morrison , David Sacco and Joe Sacco . Former Red Sox pitcher Bill Monbouquette grew up in Medford, as did former Major League Baseball infielder Mike Pagliarulo . Medford

891-621: A some form of public transportation to get to their jobs and Charlestown is well served by public transportation as it is accessible by several forms of public transportation, including train, bus and ferry. The train transportation is the MBTA Orange Line , the Community College station , located near Bunker Hill Community College and serves the center of the town; and the Sullivan Square station , located on what

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972-622: Is TV3 , The Educational-access television is channel 15, and 16 is the Government-access television (GATV) municipal channel. Medford is home to many schools, public and private. City Council School Committee The City of Medford has several local news and media outlets: Three MBTA subway stations are located in Medford: Wellington on the Orange Line , plus Medford/​Tufts and Ball Square on

1053-605: Is $ 89,017, and the median family income is $ 100,725. The median income for whites is $ 103,652; that for Blacks or African Americans, $ 12,143; for Hispanics or Latinos, $ 30,833; for Asians, $ 61,875; and for others, $ 16,876. Seventeen percent of the population and 37% of the children live below the Federal Poverty Line . Of married couples, 32.4% are living in poverty with families. Of male householders with no wife present, 3.4% live in poverty; and of female householders with no husband, 64.2% live in poverty. According to

1134-649: Is a native burial site from the contact period, which includes the remains of a likely sachem, either Nanepashemet or Wonohaquaham. After the 1633 epidemic, Nanepashemet's widow, known only as the Squaw Sachem of Mistick , led the Naumkeag, and over the next two decades would deed large parts of Naumkeag territory to English settlers. In 1639, the Massachusetts General Court purchased the land that would become present-day Medford, then within

1215-740: Is also accessible via the Charlestown Navy Yard Ferry Terminal where the MBTA operates a ferry between the Navy Yard and Long Wharf (near the New England Aquarium ), making this a popular choice among both commuters and tourists. The Boston Harborwalk and the Freedom Trail pass through the neighborhood. But the jury they found me guilty, And the judge he wrote it down, "For breaking of

1296-670: Is also home to a historic African-American neighborhood that dates to the Civil War. Between 2021 and 2022, the United States Census Bureau ranked Medford as having one of the nation's fastest-growing populations. As of the census of 2010, there were 56,173 people, 22,810 households, and 13,207 families residing in the city. The population density was 6,859.9 inhabitants per square mile (2,648.6/km ). There were 24,046 housing units at an average density of 2,796.0 per square mile (1,079.5/km ). The racial makeup of

1377-534: Is experiencing a wave of Yuppie gentrification common in commuter friendly urban neighborhoods. South Medford is home to several urban parks, including: 42°24′7.6″N 71°6′29.2″W  /  42.402111°N 71.108111°W  / 42.402111; -71.108111 Medford, Massachusetts Medford is a city 6.7 miles (10.8 km) northwest of downtown Boston on the Mystic River in Middlesex County, Massachusetts , United States. At

1458-802: Is known for its supposed tight knit nature. Residents apparently can still be heard speaking Italian in South Medford, as well as remnants from the rich Italian-American past such as a bocce court at the South Medford Fire Station. South Medford has more Italian bakeries than the North End of Boston. Legend has it that Frank Sinatra used to frequent DePasquale's (now Bocceli's) in South Medford, along with "Crazy Guggenheim" Frank Fontaine , and Rocky Marciano . Apparently, City officials have proposed registering South Medford as an Italian-American historical district. As with its neighboring city of Somerville, Massachusetts , South Medford

1539-509: Is land and 0.5 square miles (1.3 km ) (5.79%) is water. A park called the Middlesex Fells Reservation , to the north, lies partly within the city. This 2,060-acre (8 km ) preserve is shared by Medford with the municipalities of Winchester , Stoneham , Melrose , and Malden . The Mystic River flows roughly west to southeast through the middle of the city. People from Medford often identify themselves with

1620-547: Is thought to be the oldest all-brick building in New England. Another important site is the "Slave Wall" on Grove Street, built by "Pomp", an enslaved person owned by the prominent Brooks family. The Royall House and Slave Quarters , which once belonged to one of Harvard Law School 's founders, Isaac Royall, Jr. , is a National Historic Landmark and a local history museum. The house was used by Continental Army troops, including George Washington and John Stark , during

1701-479: The 54th and 55th Massachusetts regiments and the 5th cavalry. Medford was home to Fannie Farmer , author of one of the world's most famous cookbooks—as well as James Plimpton, the man credited with the 1863 invention of the first practical four-wheeled roller skate , which set off a roller craze that quickly spread across the United States and Europe. Amelia Earhart lived in Medford while working as

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1782-503: The American Revolutionary War . George Luther Stearns , an American industrialist and one of John Brown's Secret Six . His passion for the abolitionist cause shaped his life, bringing him into contact with the likes of Abraham Lincoln and Ralph Waldo Emerson and starting The Nation magazine. He was given the rank of major by Massachusetts Governor John Andrew and spent most of the Civil War recruiting for

1863-464: The Battles of Lexington and Concord . A restaurant opened in 1780 and still in operation, Warren Tavern , claims to have been one of Revere's favorite taverns. Of Charlestown's churches, St. Mary's (1887–1893) is considered one of the masterpieces of Patrick Keely . In St. John's Episcopal Church, on Devens Street, the central stained glass above the altar is a notable work of William James McPherson,

1944-484: The Charles River with him on the Shawmut peninsula . This was the first act in the foundation of the city of Boston . The territory of Charlestown was initially quite large. From it, Woburn was separated in 1642, Malden in 1649 (including what is now Melrose and Everett ) and Stoneham in 1725. South Medford , the land south of the Mystic River (now surrounded by Somerville), was known as "Mistick Field" and

2025-458: The Green Line . The MBTA Commuter Rail Lowell Line stops at West Medford . Medford is served by MBTA bus local routes 80, 94, 95, 96, 99, 100, 101, 108, 134, and 710, plus express routes 325 and 326. Interstate 93 travels roughly north–south through the city. State routes passing through Medford include 16 , 28 , 38 , and 60 . Charlestown, Massachusetts Charlestown is

2106-587: The Irish Mob Wars of the 1960s. In the late 1980s, however, Charlestown underwent a massive Yuppie gentrification process similar to that of the South End . Drawn to its proximity to downtown and its colonial, red-brick, row-house housing stock, similar to that of Beacon Hill , many yuppie and upper-middle-class professionals moved to the neighborhood. In the late 1990s, additional gentrification took place, similar to that in neighboring Somerville. Today

2187-565: The Mystic River . Naumkeag sachem Nanepashemet was killed and buried at his fortification in present-day Medford during a war with the Tarrantines in 1619. The contact period introduced several European infectious diseases which would decimate native populations in virgin soil epidemics , including a smallpox epidemic which in 1633 killed Nanepashemet's sons, sachems Montowompate and Wonohaquaham . Sagamore Park in West Medford

2268-643: The Tobin Bridge to the City of Chelsea across the Mystic River . State routes passing through Charlestown include 38 to the City of Somerville and 99 to the City of Everett . The sole city-owned road linking the neighborhood Charleston with Downtown Boston is North Washington Street to the Southwest. According to the Census from 2010 to 2014, 53.7% of the population will drive to work and 30.0% will take

2349-573: The ford " in the Mystic River, or from two locations in England that Cradock may have known: the hamlet of Mayford or Metford in Staffordshire near Caverswall , or from the parish of Maidford or Medford (now Towcester , Northamptonshire). In 1634, the land north of the Mystic River was developed as the private plantation of Matthew Cradock , a former governor. Across the river was Ten Hills Farm , which belonged to John Winthrop , Governor of

2430-413: The 17th century, a handful of major public roads (High Street, Main Street, Salem Street, "the road to Stoneham", and South Street) served the population, but the road network started a long-term expansion in the 18th century. The Medford Turnpike Company was incorporated in 1803 and (as was reasonably common at the time) turned what is now Mystic Avenue over to the city in 1866. The Andover Turnpike Company

2511-450: The 1840s. Since the late 1980s, the neighborhood has changed dramatically because of its proximity to downtown and its colonial architecture. A mix of yuppie and upper-middle-class gentrification has influenced much of the area, as it has in many of Boston's neighborhoods, but Charlestown still maintains a strong Irish-American population. In the 21st century, Charlestown's diversity has expanded dramatically, along with growing rates of

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2592-634: The 2012–2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, the largest ancestry groups in ZIP Code 02129 are: The Massachusetts Department of Correction operated the Charlestown State Prison from 1805 until its closure in 1955. The former prison site is occupied by Bunker Hill Community College. The Boston Navy Yard was located in Charlestown from 1801 until it was closed in 1974. The United States Postal Service operates

2673-470: The 20th century. Interstate 93 was constructed between 1956 and 1963. South Medford is located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, approximately 2 miles from Boston . The area that is now known as "South Medford" was originally known as "Mistick Field". It was transferred from Charlestown to Medford in 1754. The neighborhood of South Medford has an area of 2.344 square miles (6.07 km), and

2754-546: The Boston and Lowell Railroad in West Medford in the 1830s, and the Boston and Maine Railroad to Medford Center in 1847. The historic Stearns House was built in 1845 in the village, near a canal that closed in 1852. George Luther Stearns was an American industrialist and one of John Brown's Secret Six . His passion for the abolitionist cause shaped his life, bringing him into contact with the likes of Abraham Lincoln and Ralph Waldo Emerson and starting The Nation magazine. He

2835-710: The Charlestown Post Office. Boston's Charlestown neighborhood is served by the Boston Public Schools system. There are also private educational institutions within the neighborhood. Boston Public Library operates the Charlestown Branch. The library first opened in the Warren Institution for Savings building on January 7, 1862. The library moved to a larger space in the new Charlestown City Hall in 1869. In 1913

2916-538: The City Square Tunnel, making way for a revitalized surface park. The .17-acre (0.069 ha) Thompson Square is located at the confluence of Main Street, Dexter Row, Green Street, and Austin Street. Thompson Square station was formerly a stop on the Charlestown Elevated . A small portion of Charlestown is north of the Mystic River, containing the northern approach to the Malden Bridge and now

2997-493: The Massachusett Indians, negotiated with the local sachem Wonohaquaham for Endicott and his people to settle there. Although Walford had a virtual monopoly on the region's available furs , he welcomed the newcomers and helped them in any way he could, unaware that his Episcopalian religious beliefs would cause him to be banished from Massachusetts to Portsmouth , New Hampshire within three years. Originally

3078-599: The Massachusetts Bay colony. In 1637, the first bridge (a toll bridge ) across the Mystic River was built at the site of the present-day Cradock Bridge, which carries Main Street into Medford Square. It would be the only bridge across the Mystic until 1787, and as such became a major route for traffic coming into Boston from the north (though ferries and fords were also used). The bridge would be rebuilt in 1880, 1909, and 2018. Until 1656, all of northern Medford

3159-507: The Mystic River, present-day South Medford , was originally known as "Mistick Field". It was transferred from Charlestown to Medford in 1754. This grant also included the "Charlestown woodlots" (the Medford part of the Middlesex Fells), and part of what was at the time Woburn (now Winchester ). Other parts of Medford were transferred from Charlestown in 1811, Winchester in 1850 ("Upper Medford"), and Malden in 1879. Additional land

3240-608: The Sullivan Square area. The Interstate act as a boundary of Charlestown neighborhood with points heading west with only two roads heading westward: Cambridge Street in the north and Austin Street/Gilmore Bridge to the south. US 1 diverges with Interstate 93 at the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge where US 1 becomes a toll road and passes below Paul Revere Park and City Square before becoming

3321-563: The United States is located in Medford, built by Biocell Center , a biotechnology company led by Giuseppe Simoni . Medford was the location of some infamous crimes: Medford is located at 42°25′12″N 71°6′29″W  /  42.42000°N 71.10806°W  / 42.42000; -71.10806 (42.419996, −71.107942). According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 8.6 square miles (22 km ), of which 8.1 square miles (21 km )

South Medford, Massachusetts - Misplaced Pages Continue

3402-432: The areas just outside the center of Boston. South Medford soon became an enclave for Italian-Americans who brought with them the rich cultural heritage of "the old country" which they had previously bestowed so deeply upon Boston's North End neighborhood. Since this wave of emigration the neighborhood has traditionally been largely Italian-American , with a sizable Irish-American population present as well. The community

3483-469: The banks of the Mystic River along historic Medford Square. It borders the Medford Hillside neighborhood to the west. The Prudential Tower can be seen in the background looking south from Main Street. Charlestown, Boston is 1.6 miles (3.29  km) away from its southernmost border. In the early parts of the 20th century, large waves of Italian and Irish immigrants began to settle into

3564-609: The boundaries of Charlestown , from the Squaw Sachem. Medford was settled in 1630 by English colonists as part of Charlestown , of the Massachusetts Bay Colony . The settlement was originally called "Mistick" by Thomas Dudley , based on the Massachusett name for the area's river . Thomas Dudley's party renamed the settlement "Meadford". The name may have come from a description of the " meadow by

3645-640: The branch moved to the intersection of Monument Avenue and Monument Square, in proximity to the Bunker Hill Monument . The branch moved to its current location in 1970. The Bunker Hill Public Housing has divided Bunker Hill Street into two Charlestowns. The housing development company Corcoran-SunCal plans to make changes and replace the 1,100 affordable units. "While preserving the affordable units, Corcoran-SunCal will also create approximately 1,700 additional market and moderate-rate units". This company will allow all current residents to move back into

3726-402: The building served other purposes, and then was saved in the 1970s. The Tavern was reopened in 1972. The Constitution Yacht Charter is located on Boston Harbor. According to the U.S. Census Bureau in its 2007–2011 report, the population of Charlestown is 16,685, comprising 7,843 males and 8,842 females. The largest age group is 25 to 29 years (14.6%), the second-largest is 30 to 34 (12.3%), and

3807-547: The city was 78.6% White , 8.80% African American , 0.2% Native American , 6.9% Asian , 0.01% Pacific Islander , 2.8% from other races , and 2.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.4% of the population. There were 22,810 households, of which 22.3% had children under 18 living with them, 42.5% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.1% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.1% had someone living alone who

3888-482: The community's Training Field. The city developed a water supply from the Mystic Lakes and, on October 7, 1873, a vote was held to determine whether Charlestown should leave Middlesex County and join Boston as part of Suffolk County. Out of its 32,040 residents, 2240 voted in support of the merger and 1947 opposed. Boston residents also approved the question, 5,960–1,868. Charlestown's separate city government

3969-509: The entrance to Encore Boston Harbor (which made jurisdiction over the casino a matter of dispute). This land was formerly a peninsula, but landfill has more completely connected it to the mainland of Everett. This boundary was part of the original 1649 separation of Malden from Charlestown, where the Penny Ferry operated at the time; the first bridge opened on the site in 1787. Two small hills mostly covered in residential buildings fill

4050-901: The extent that the informal demonym " Townie " continues to imply the working-class Irish, as opposed to newer immigrants. During the Civil War , over 26,000 men joined the Union Army and Navy at the Navy Yard , which was also responsible for constructing some of the most famous vessels of the conflict: the Merrimack , the Hartford , and the Monadnock . Following the war, the city commissioned Martin Milmore to construct its civil war memorial , dedicated in 1872 and still standing in

4131-693: The famous Battle of Bunker Hill , an early major battle in the American Revolutionary War . Launched in 1797, the USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned vessel in the US Navy and the oldest warship in the world still afloat. Today it is docked in the Charlestown Navy Yard , today part of the National Park Service. Charlestown was also the location from which Paul Revere began his famous "midnight ride" before

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4212-461: The hands of various private companies and went electric in the late 1890s when trolleys to Everett and downtown Boston were available. Streetcars were converted to buses in the 20th century. Interstate 93 was constructed between 1956 and 1963. In 1868, a French astronomer and naturalist, Leopold Trouvelot , was attempting to breed a better silkworm using spongy moths . Several moths escaped from his home at 27 Myrtle Street. Within ten years,

4293-482: The harbor from about 400 yards off the southern end of the peninsula. Charlestown, including its wharves and dockyards, was almost completely torched during the battle by British forces. The town was not appreciably rebuilt until the end of hostilities but, in 1786, the first bridge across the Charles River connected Boston with Charlestown. An 87-acre (35 ha) Navy Yard was established in 1800; Charlestown State Prison opened in 1805. The Bunker Hill Monument

4374-498: The historic event. The Isaac Royall House , located on Main Street, once belonged to one of Harvard Law School 's founders, Isaac Royall, Jr. It is a National Historic Landmark and local history museum. The house was used by Continental Army troops, including George Washington and John Stark , during the American Revolutionary War . During the 17th century, a handful of major public roads (High Street, Main Street, Salem Street, "the road to Stoneham", and South Street) served

4455-416: The housing complex. According to Project Manager Sarah Barnet, "by creating both affordable and market rate housing at the site the area will become a more thriving section of the neighborhood, a destination area for residents from all over a Charlestown and a high quality place for people to live". The Interstate 93 as the "Northern Expressway viaduct" travels roughly northwest–southeast and passes through

4536-516: The insect had denuded the vegetation in the neighborhood. It spread over North America. In Simpson's Tavern, a tavern and boarding house on High Street, in the late 19th century, resident James Pierpont is rumored to have written " Jingle Bells " after watching a sleigh race from Medford to Malden . There is also a claim that Pierpont wrote it while he was the music director at Unitarian Universalist Church in Savannah, Georgia . He copyrighted

4617-438: The interior of the neighborhood: Bunker Hill, which is more northerly, and Breed's Hill, which is the site of the Bunker Hill Monument . Bunker Hill was named after George Bunker, who had owned it during early settlement in the 1600s. Charlestown has many places of historical interest, some of which are included along the northern end of Boston's Freedom Trail . The Freedom Trail ends at the Bunker Hill Monument commemorating

4698-561: The narrow Charlestown Neck that connected the northwest end of the Charlestown Peninsula to the mainland at Sullivan Square . On June 17, 1775, the Charlestown Peninsula was the site of the Battle of Bunker Hill , named for a hill at the northwest end of the peninsula near Charlestown Neck . British troops unloaded at Moulton's Point and much of the battle took place on Breed's Hill , which overlooked

4779-511: The neighborhood is a mix of yuppies, upper-middle-class and middle-class residents, housing projects, and a large working-class Irish-American demographic and culture that is still predominant. One of the oldest neighborhoods of Boston, Charlestown is home to the Bunker Hill Monument and historic Charlestown Navy Yard. Charlestown today is a mainly residential neighborhood with an institutional presence. Major institutions include Bunker Hill Community College , Spaulding Rehabilitation Center, and

4860-418: The oldest neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts , in the United States. Also called Mishawum by the Massachusett , it is located on a peninsula north of the Charles River , across from downtown Boston, and also adjoins the Mystic River and Boston Harbor waterways. Charlestown was laid out in 1629 by engineer Thomas Graves , one of its earliest settlers, during the reign of Charles I of England . It

4941-412: The peninsula between the Charles and the Mystic . They were given a grant by Sir Robert Gorges, with whom they had settled at Wessagusset ( Weymouth ) in September 1623 and arrived at what they called Mishawaum in 1624. John Endicott , first governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony , sent William, Richard and Ralph Sprague to Mishawaum to lay out a settlement. Thomas Walford, acting as an interpreter with

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5022-406: The plan by an overwhelming majority. By 1965, the plan had been reduced to tearing down only eleven percent of the neighborhood, as well as the removal of the elevated rail tracks. Throughout the 1960s until the mid-1990s, Charlestown was infamous for its Irish Mob presence. Charlestown's McLaughlin Brothers were involved in a gang war with neighboring Somerville 's Winter Hill Gang , during

5103-427: The population, but the road network started a long-term expansion in the 18th century. The Medford Turnpike Company was incorporated in 1803, but turned what is now Mystic Avenue over to the city in 1866. The Andover Turnpike Company was incorporated in 1805, but turned what is now Forest Street and Fellsway West over to Medford in 1830. Other major commercial transportation projects included the Middlesex Canal by 1803,

5184-413: The song while there. Another resident, Lydia Maria Child (1802–1880), made a poem out of the trip across town to her grandparents' house , now the song " Over the River and Through the Wood ". Paul Revere 's famous midnight ride traveled along Main Street and continued onto High Street in Medford Square. An annual re-enactment honors the historic event. The Peter Tufts House (350 Riverside Ave.)

5265-542: The third-largest is 35 to 39 (9.7%). The majority of the population is white at 12,587 (75.4%). Minorities include Black or African at 1,227 (7.4%), Asian at 1,253 (7.5%), Hispanic or Latino at 1,227 (7.4%), and those of two or more races at 371 (2.2%). In recent years, the percentage of minorities living in Charlestown has increased from 4.9% of the population in 1990 to 23.5% in 2010. The population consists of 15.9% who are foreign born, 48.5% of whom are naturalized citizens , and 51.5% who are not. The median household income

5346-485: The time of the 2020 U.S. Census , Medford's population was 59,659. It is home to Tufts University , which has its campus on both sides of the Medford and Somerville border. Native Americans inhabited the area that would become Medford for thousands of years prior to European colonization of the Americas . At the time of European contact and exploration, Medford was the winter home of the Naumkeag people, who farmed corn and created fishing weirs at multiple sites along

5427-399: The very poor and very wealthy. Today Charlestown is a largely residential neighborhood, with much housing near the waterfront, overlooking the Boston skyline. Charlestown is home to many historic sites, hospitals and organizations, with access from the Orange Line Sullivan Square or Community College stops or the I-93 expressway. Thomas and Jane Walford were the original English settlers of

5508-439: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 3.00. The population was spread out in the city, with 13.8% under the age of 15, 14.3% from 15 to 24, 31.7% from 25 to 44, 24.9% from 45 to 64, and 15.2% who were 65 or older. The median age was 37.7 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males. The median income for

5589-407: Was Warren who directed Paul Revere and William Dawes to send the message to Samuel Adams and John Hancock that the British were setting out to raid the town of Concord. Warren's friend Captain Eliphelet Newell decided to build a tavern named after his friend. George Washington visited the tavern when he came to Massachusetts to visit his friend Benjamin Frothingham. After the Tavern was closed in 1813,

5670-454: Was chartered in 1852 and the Crane Theological School at Tufts opened in 1869. In 1865, the Lawrence Rifles volunteer militia company was formed in Medford during the Civil War . Medford was incorporated as a city in 1892, and was a center of industry, including the manufacture of tiles and crackers , bricks, rum , and clipper ships, such as the White Swallow and the Kingfisher , both built by Hayden & Cudworth. During

5751-428: Was described as "an ancient and charming suburban town" with its own railway line, the Medford branch , although South Medford was then so rural as not to rate either its own rail station or its own post office. The street railway network expanded in the hands of various private companies, and went electric in the late 1890s, when trolleys to Everett and downtown Boston were available. Streetcars were converted to buses in

5832-514: Was dissolved the next year. During the early 1960s, the city initiated plans to demolish and redevelop sixty percent of the housing in Charlestown. In 1963, the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) held a town meeting to discuss their development plans with the community. The BRA's dealings with Boston's West End had created an atmosphere of distrust towards urban renewal in Boston, and Charlestown residents opposed

5913-710: Was erected between 1827 and 1843 using Quincy granite brought to the site by a combination of purpose-built railway and barge. Notable businesses included the Bunker Hill Breweries (1821) and Schrafft's candy company (1861). The Charlestown Branch Railroad opened in 1840 to Sweet's Wharf. Tudor Wharf was the departure point for the ships of the Tudor Ice Company . Around the 1860s an influx of Irish immigrants arrived in Charlestown. The area long remained an Irish and Catholic stronghold similar to South Boston , Somerville , and Dorchester , to

5994-424: Was given the rank of major by Massachusetts Governor John Albion Andrew and spent most of the Civil War recruiting for the 54th and 55th Massachusetts regiments and the 5th cavalry. South Medford is home to Tufts University , which was chartered in 1852. The Crane Theological School at Tufts opened in 1869. A horse-powered street railway began running to Somerville and Charlestown in 1860. In 1890, Medford

6075-463: Was home to Michael Bloomberg , American businessman, philanthropist, and the founder of Bloomberg L.P. He was the Mayor of New York City from 2002 to 2013. Mayor Bloomberg attended Medford High School and resided in Medford until after he graduated from college at Johns Hopkins University. His mother remained a resident of Medford until her death in 2011. The only cryobank of amniotic stem cells in

6156-564: Was incorporated in 1805 and turned what is now Forest Street and Fellsway West over to Medford in 1830. Other major commercial transportation projects included the Middlesex Canal by 1803, the Boston and Lowell Railroad in West Medford in the 1830s, and the Boston and Maine Railroad to Medford Center in 1847. A horse-powered street railway began running to Somerville and Charlestown in 1860. The street railway network expanded in

6237-561: Was once a narrow neck of land referred to as the Charlestown Neck . Two bus lines serve Charlestown. Both routes start at Sullivan Square. and travel to the Financial District of downtown Boston. The 93 bus goes from Sullivan Station, downtown via Bunker Hill Street and Haymarket Station. The 92 bus runs from Assembly Square Mall, downtown via Sullivan Square Station, Main Street and Haymarket Station. Charlestown

6318-474: Was originally a separate town and the first capital of the Massachusetts Bay Colony . Charlestown became a city in 1848 and was annexed by Boston on January 5, 1874. With that, it also switched from Middlesex County , to which it had belonged since 1643, to Suffolk County . It has had a substantial Irish-American population since the migration of Irish people during the Great Irish Famine of

6399-451: Was owned by Cradock, his heirs, or Edward Collins. Medford was governed as a "peculiar" or private plantation. As the land began to be divided among several people from different families, the new owners began to meet and make decisions locally and increasingly independently from the Charlestown town meeting. In 1674, a Board of Selectmen was elected; in 1684, the colonial legislature granted the ability to raise money independently; and in 1689,

6480-495: Was transferred from Charlestown to Medford in 1754. This grant also included the "Charlestown Wood Lots" (the Medford part of the Middlesex Fells), and part of what was at the time Woburn (now Winchester). Other parts of Medford were transferred to Charlestown in 1811. Still-rural Somerville was split off in 1842 as Charlestown was urbanizing. Everett , Burlington , Arlington and Cambridge also acquired areas originally allocated to Charlestown. Landfill operations eliminated

6561-527: Was transferred to Medford from Malden (1817), Everett (1875), and Malden (1877) again. The population of Medford rose from 230 in 1700 to 1,114 in 1800. After 1880, the population rapidly expanded, reaching 18,244 by 1900. Farmland was divided into lots and sold to build residential and commercial buildings, starting in the 1840s and 1850s; government services expanded with the population (schools, police, post office) and technological advancement (gas lighting, electricity, telephones, railways). Tufts University

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