Eagle Feathers #262 – City of Squares

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

Squares are hip throughout the world. London has its Trafalgar Square, Rome has its St. Peters Square, Moscow its Red Square, Paris its Place de la Concorde, Beijing its Tiananmen Square, and New York has its Time Square.

In common reference, a square has been described as a major intersection usually with many street approaches. They are often named for a particular person, place, incident or area.

Formally named squares are found in most cities, towns and hamlets. Somerville’s small 4.2 square-mile area is an exception. She has dozens which is many more than most. Interested in old names? The city’s major squares were not always known by today’s names.

Today, some of the city’s most popular squares are:

• Assembly Square – Was the home of Henry Ford’s New England assembly plant which was located there for 30 years.
• Ball Square – Formerly Willow Bridge was named after ex-Alderman John N. Ball.
• Davis Square – Formerly Elm Square and Clarendon Square was named after Alderman Person Davis.
• Gilman Square – Formerly Winter Hill Station was named after Charles E. Gilman who was the Clerk of Somerville for 46 years.
• Magoun Square – Formerly Pollard Square or The Corner was named after Magoun Farm.
• Powder House Square – Formerly Reynolds Circle was named after James Reynolds who was a Tufts College engineer.
• Teele Square – Formerly Russell Square.
• Union Square – Formerly Sand Pit Square and Liberty Pole Square. This was the city’s first square and at the beginning of the Civil War, it was a recruiting center. This is where its present name originated.

In 2015, the city celebrated a week-long Square Flair event for her All-America City status. The theme was everything square shaped. There was music, games and square dancing at the City Hall concourse. Today, you can square off at one of her boxing clubs, square dance at one of her studios, get a square deal across the Mystic at the Encore casino, or get a square meal at one of the city’s great restaurants.