Union Square (Somerville)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Union Square is a neighborhood of Somerville, Massachusetts, located around the intersection of Washington Street and Somerville Avenue, about half a mile from Inman Square in neighboring Cambridge. The name "Union Square" comes from the square having been used as a recruitment and mustering site for the Union Army in the American Civil War. A plaque commemorating the mustering site sits at the southwest corner of the square between Somerville Avenue and Washington Street. Union Square is now the commercial center of a primarily residential neighborhood with many restaurants, bars and neighborhood stores.
As one of the oldest major hubs in the city, Union Square is home to a number of community institutions, including the headquarters of the Somerville police and fire departments. The Prospect Hill Monument and Somerville Community Access Television (SCAT) station are both in Union Square.
Contents |
[edit] Historic significance
Historic Prospect Hill's castle and park viewpoint overlook Union Square and points south and west. It is said by some that George Washington first raised an early version of the U.S. Flag, called as the Grand Union Flag, on Prospect Hill, on January 1, 1776. Others, however, claim evidence the flag was flown earlier, and Somerville is one of several locales claiming to have hosted the flag's first raising.
[edit] Commerce and gentrification
Union Square's location at the juncture of working-class East Somerville and the city's tonier western sections have made it the focal point of changing demographics. While Union Square still offered ten dollar Brazilian haircuts as of 2005, more upscale cafes and restaurants have opened since the 1990s, bringing gentrification deeper into Somerville and nourishing pedestrian street life, though with a highbrow twist.
Union Square is a hub for bars, although this feature, too, is fast changing. Current and former establishments include Tir na nÓg (closed in Spring 2007), P.A.'s Lounge, The Independent, Toast, Choices, Sally O'Briens and Irish Eyes (closed in May 2006). Local restaurants include India Palace, The Neighborhood Restaurant, Great Thai Chef, Taquería la Mexicana, Sherman Cafe, Bloc 11, Macchu Pichu, Jimbo's Famous Roast Beef, and Mama Gina's. The most recent addition, Precinct, opened in May 2008 in the basement of the old police station.
Many markets in the area are run by and cater to the various ethnic groups that live in and around Union Square. International Market is a Salvadorian store, Little India and New Bombay Market are Indian grocery stores, while Reliable Market features Asian, primarily Korean, ingredients.
[edit] Community amenities
 |
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Union Square Main Streets. (Discuss) |
Union Square Main Streets, a local development group, began running a Saturday morning farmer's market in 2005 as one of its first visible efforts in the square. [1][2] A landscaped community garden,[3] with regularly scheduled concerts and artistic events, sits just outside Union Square at the site of an old school, at 22 Vinal Ave.
[edit] Transportation
Several MBTA bus routes, including the 85, 86, 87, 91, and CT2, pass through Union Square, and an extension of the Green Line is planned to serve it.
