Lechmere Square
Encyclopedia
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...
. It was originally named for the Colonial-era landowner Richard Lechmere, a Loyalist
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
who returned to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
at the beginning of the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. His lands were later seized by the new American government. The shoreline is shown as "Lechmere's Point" on Revolutionary War maps, and was the landing point for British troops en route to the Battles of Lexington and Concord
Battles of Lexington and Concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War. They were fought on April 19, 1775, in Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay, within the towns of Lexington, Concord, Lincoln, Menotomy , and Cambridge, near Boston...
.
The area was developed by land speculator Andrew Craigie in the early 19th century. Later, a store (Lechmere
Lechmere
Lechmere was a retail store chain in New England, which closed in 1997.-History:Lechmere Inc. was a retailer of electronics, appliances, and other goods, with 24 stores located throughout New England and New York. The company was founded in the early twentieth century and expanded during the...
) was founded in the area and named for it. The store expanded into a regional chain, which was purchased by Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward is an online retailer that carries the same name as the former American department store chain, founded as the world's #1 mail order business in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward, and which went out of business in 2001...
in 1994 and closed in 1997 as Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward
Montgomery Ward is an online retailer that carries the same name as the former American department store chain, founded as the world's #1 mail order business in 1872 by Aaron Montgomery Ward, and which went out of business in 2001...
filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
.
The area is now best known for the CambridgeSide Galleria
CambridgeSide Galleria
The CambridgeSide Galleria is a mall located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that opened in 1990. The original anchor stores were Sears, Filene's and Lechmere. Lechmere closed in 1997 and it was divided into what is now Best Buy and Borders, with a portion later used by Filene's for their housewares...
, one of the few full-fledged interior shopping malls within the city limits of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and Cambridge, which is on the site of the original Lechmere store (and, when built, incorporated a newly-built Lechmere Sales store as one of its anchor tenants). In years past, Lechmere Square was a manufacturing center producing candy, furniture, and caskets.
Lechmere Square and the surrounding East Cambridge
East Cambridge, Massachusetts
East Cambridge is a neighborhood of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Referred to as Area 1, East Cambridge is bounded by the Charles River on the East, the Somerville border on the North, Broadway and Main Street on the South, and the railroad tracks on the West...
are currently undergoing a revival of sorts. The area's factories have been or are being converted into office buildings and condominiums. Several large-scale development projects were begun in 2004 and 2005. The results of these projects are yet to be seen. It does appear, however, that East Cambridge
East Cambridge, Massachusetts
East Cambridge is a neighborhood of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Referred to as Area 1, East Cambridge is bounded by the Charles River on the East, the Somerville border on the North, Broadway and Main Street on the South, and the railroad tracks on the West...
and Lechmere Square are undergoing a gentrification
Gentrification
Gentrification and urban gentrification refer to the changes that result when wealthier people acquire or rent property in low income and working class communities. Urban gentrification is associated with movement. Consequent to gentrification, the average income increases and average family size...
process similar to what has been seen in other areas of Cambridge.
Lechmere Square is served by the MBTA's Lechmere
Lechmere (MBTA station)
Lechmere is the northern terminus of the MBTA Green Line. It is located in Lechmere Square in East Cambridge, Massachusetts, near the intersection of Cambridge Street and Monsignor O'Brien Highway . The tracks make a loop at Lechmere, with a small yard...
station. Many MBTA bus lines also stop here. Lechmere is the northern terminus of the Green Line
Green Line (MBTA)
The Green Line is a streetcar system run by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in the Boston, Massachusetts area of the United States. It is the oldest line of Boston's subway, which is known locally as the 'T'. The Green Line runs underground downtown and on the surface in outlying...
and is an at-grade stop. Service to Lechmere and nearby Science Park was interrupted from June 2004 until November 12, 2005 for replacement of the Causeway Street Elevated
Causeway Street Elevated
The Causeway Street Elevated was a part of the MBTA's Green Line in Boston, Massachusetts that ran roughly northwards from Haymarket, then ran westwards for a short distance around the Boston Garden indoor sports venue's exterior through the Green Line's North Station stop, and resumed a...
with a tunnel under North Station. The historic concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
Lechmere Viaduct
Lechmere Viaduct
The Lechmere Viaduct is the last remaining elevated portion of the MBTA's Green Line in Boston, Massachusetts. Opened June 1, 1912, the Viaduct connects the Lechmere stop to the Science Park Station at Leverett Circle. Currently, the Green Line descends into a tunnel just east of Science Park...
across the Charles River
Charles River
The Charles River is an long river that flows in an overall northeasterly direction in eastern Massachusetts, USA. From its source in Hopkinton, the river travels through 22 cities and towns until reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Boston...
remains. Further renovations of the Science Park
Science Park (MBTA station)
Science Park, signed as Science Park/West End, is a station on the MBTA Green Line and is located at the Boston end of the Old Charles River Dam at Leverett Circle, near the intersection of Nashua Street and Charles Street . The station is located on the elevated Lechmere Viaduct, which connects...
have caused the MBTA to close the station from April 30th, 2011 until November 2011 and replace the service with a shuttle bus to North Station. Planning is ongoing to move Lechmere station across Monsignor O'Brien Highway, where it will serve the new North Point
North Point development
NorthPoint is a mixed-use redevelopment of an old railroad yard in the East Cambridge section of Cambridge, Massachusetts.Situated on a rail yard originally built by the Boston and Maine Railroad, Pan Am Systems decided to turn the now-unused rail yard into a large development, containing...
development and facilitate a Green Line extension to the north.
The Charles River
Charles River
The Charles River is an long river that flows in an overall northeasterly direction in eastern Massachusetts, USA. From its source in Hopkinton, the river travels through 22 cities and towns until reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Boston...
, Lechmere Canal
Lechmere Canal
Lechmere Canal is a short canal in East Cambridge, Massachusetts. It opens onto the Charles River and used to be an active port for Boston Harbor and the Atlantic Ocean....
, and Memorial Drive
Memorial Drive
Memorial Drive may refer to:Streets* Memorial Drive , Georgia* Memorial Drive , Alberta* Memorial Drive , Massachusetts* Memorial Drive * Memorial Drive...
are nearby. Lechmere is also located close to the Museum of Science
Museum of Science, Boston
The Museum of Science is a Boston, Massachusetts landmark, located in Science Park, a plot of land spanning the Charles River. Along with over 500 interactive exhibits, the Museum features a number of live presentations throughout the building every day, along with shows at the Charles Hayden...
.