North Cambridge, Massachusetts
Encyclopedia
North Cambridge, also known as "Area 11", is a neighborhood of Cambridge, Massachusetts
bounded by Porter Square
and the Fitchburg Line
railroad tracks on the south, the city of Somerville
on the northeast, Alewife Brook
and the town of Arlington
on the northwest, and the town of Belmont
on the west. In 2005 it had a population of 10,642 residents living in 4,699 households, and the average income was $44,784. In 2010, the racial demographics for the neighborhood were 57.6% White, 20% Black, 15.1% Asian/Pacific Islander, 7.3% Hispanic origin, 0.3% Native American, 2.4% other race.
The main commercial areas of North Cambridge are situated along Alewife Brook Parkway and Massachusetts Avenue
. However, a third area, Davis Square
, in Somerville, exerts considerable influence on the North Cambridge neighborhood.
Four roads span the railroad tracks, connecting the vast majority of North Cambridge with other neighborhoods of Cambridge. From east to west, these are: Mass. Ave.
(route MA-2A), Walden Street, Sherman Street (grade crossing), and Alewife Brook Parkway
(carrying routes MA-2
, MA-16, and US-3).
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
bounded by Porter Square
Porter Square
Porter Square is a neighborhood in Cambridge and Somerville, Massachusetts in the USA, located around the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Somerville Avenue, between Harvard and Davis Squares...
and the Fitchburg Line
Fitchburg Line
The Fitchburg Line is an MBTA line that runs from Boston's North Station to Fitchburg, Massachusetts. The line is along the tracks of the former Fitchburg Railroad, which was a railroad line across northern Massachusetts, United States, leading to and through the Hoosac Tunnel. It is one of the...
railroad tracks on the south, the city of Somerville
Somerville, Massachusetts
Somerville is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located just north of Boston. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 75,754 and was the most densely populated municipality in New England. It is also the 17th most densely populated incorporated place in...
on the northeast, Alewife Brook
Alewife Brook Reservation
Alewife Brook Reservation is a Massachusetts state park located in Cambridge, Arlington, and Somerville. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation.-Description:...
and the town of Arlington
Arlington, Massachusetts
Arlington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, six miles northwest of Boston. The population was 42,844 at the 2010 census.-History:...
on the northwest, and the town of Belmont
Belmont, Massachusetts
Belmont is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. The population was 24,729 at the 2010 census.- History :Belmont was founded on March 18, 1859 by former citizens of, and land from the bordering towns of Watertown, to the south; Waltham, to the west; and Arlington, then...
on the west. In 2005 it had a population of 10,642 residents living in 4,699 households, and the average income was $44,784. In 2010, the racial demographics for the neighborhood were 57.6% White, 20% Black, 15.1% Asian/Pacific Islander, 7.3% Hispanic origin, 0.3% Native American, 2.4% other race.
The main commercial areas of North Cambridge are situated along Alewife Brook Parkway and Massachusetts Avenue
Massachusetts Avenue (Boston)
Massachusetts Avenue, known to locals as Mass Ave, is a major thoroughfare in Boston, Massachusetts, and several cities and towns northwest of Boston...
. However, a third area, Davis Square
Davis Square
Davis Square is a major intersection in the northwestern section of Somerville, Massachusetts where several streets meet: Holland Street, Dover Street, Day Street, Elm Street, Highland Avenue, and College Avenue.- Location :...
, in Somerville, exerts considerable influence on the North Cambridge neighborhood.
Four roads span the railroad tracks, connecting the vast majority of North Cambridge with other neighborhoods of Cambridge. From east to west, these are: Mass. Ave.
Massachusetts Avenue (Boston)
Massachusetts Avenue, known to locals as Mass Ave, is a major thoroughfare in Boston, Massachusetts, and several cities and towns northwest of Boston...
(route MA-2A), Walden Street, Sherman Street (grade crossing), and Alewife Brook Parkway
Alewife Brook Parkway
Alewife Brook Parkway is a short parkway in Cambridge and Somerville, Massachusetts. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It begins at Fresh Pond in Cambridge , and heads north on the east bank of Alewife Brook, crossing into West Somerville and ending at the Mystic River on...
(carrying routes MA-2
Route 2 (Massachusetts)
Route 2 is a major east–west state highway in Massachusetts, parts of which are sometimes known as the Cambridge and Concord Turnpike. Along with Route 9 and U.S. Route 20 to the south, these highways are the main alternatives to the Massachusetts Turnpike/I-90 toll highway...
, MA-16, and US-3).
See also
- Alewife Linear Park
- Lexington and West Cambridge RailroadLexington and West Cambridge RailroadThe Lexington and West Cambridge Railroad was a railroad company chartered in 1845 and opened in 1846, that operated in eastern Massachusetts. It and its successors provided passenger service until 1977 and freight service until 1980 or early 1981....
- St. John's Roman Catholic ChurchSt. John's Roman Catholic ChurchSt. John The Evangelist is an historic Roman Catholic Church at 2270 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The late Speaker of the House, "Tip" O'Neill, was a lifelong parishioner and graduated from St. John's High School in 1931...
- Walden Street Cattle PassWalden Street Cattle PassWalden Street Cattle Pass, also referred to as the cow path, is an historic site adjacent to the MBTA Commuter Rail Fitchburg Line right-of-way, under the Walden Street Bridge in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was added to the National Historic Register in 1994.The site, a tunnel for moving cattle...