East Somerville Real Estate
East Somerville is one of the oldest and most densely populated areas of Somerville. The area is known for its diversity, focus on the arts, and abundance of great restaurants and eateries. East Somerville is an architect’s dream with a collection of Greek Revival and Italianate-style homes lining the streets of upper Mt. Vernon, Mt. Pleasant and Perkins — all vestiges of an urban model in the 1850s that called for narrow streets and small residential lots. In contrast, Pearl Street was specifically designed in the 1880s as a grand boulevard with elegant, spacious homes perched on a ridge to overlook Boston. Today, Pearl Street offers a number of large, single-family homes that have been subdivided into newly renovated condos.
Green living is key to residing in East Somerville with an ongoing program to increase solar access. “This is East” is a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts which is funding a number of projects around the neighborhood to protect its identity from the rapid changes ensuing as demand for Greater Boston housing accelerates. One project encompasses a collection of murals located around the neighborhood to beautify blank walls while celebrating the area’s history and unique culture. Read more about East Somerville real estate.
East Somerville Homes & Condos For Sale
More About East Somerville Real Estate
East Somerville Location
Originally part of Boston’s Charlestown neighborhood, East Somerville stretches east along Broadway from Massachusetts Route 28 to Sullivan Square and Interstate 93, bordering the Boston city line. The area is centrally located near the Assembly Square neighborhood as well as the MBTA Stop Sullivan Square for several bus routes on the Orange Line into Boston.
East Somerville History
East Somerville claims much of Paul Revere’s famous “Midnight Ride” in 1775 transpired along its streets. While Revere started his journey in Charlestown, he rode down Washington Street and up Crescent Street near the present day site of the Holiday Inn. Every year on Patriot’s Day, Somerville residents celebrate the historic ride through town.
East Somerville also maintains a touch of the mystic — a long oval mound of clay called a drumlin formed in the 19th century as a result of a glacial movement and was called “Mt. Benedict.” The natural formation attracted a group of nuns who founded a convent and school there overlooking the Mystic River. Some locals still refer to the area north of Broadway as the “Nunnery Grounds."
