Strawberry Hill Real Estate
Strawberry Hill is a small enclave of 2,500 residents, that is acknowledged by city planners as the smallest neighborhood in Cambridge. Despite its urban location, the area maintains a suburban character with single and multi-family homes, condos, and a few apartment buildings. A small commercial strip along Mount Auburn Street that extends into Belmont and Watertown serves as the main thoroughfare for the neighborhood. True to its name, Strawberry Hill's natural hilly landscape is distinct from the flat areas that typify the rest of Cambridge. The Fresh Pond Reservation and part of the Thomas P. O’Neill, Jr., Municipal Golf Course are located in Strawberry Hill, providing recreation opportunities for all ages. While Strawberry Hill is somewhat isolated from other parts of Cambridge, its walkability score is high and its quiet, tree-lined streets are ideal for the mix of young families, retirees, and young professionals who call the neighborhood home. Read more about Strawberry Hill real estate.
Strawberry Hill Homes & Condos For Sale
More About Strawberry Hill Real Estate
Strawberry Hill Location
Also known as “Area 13,” Strawberry Hill is bounded by Fresh Pond on the north; Watertown on the south; Aberdeen Avenue on the east; and the town of Belmont on the west. At 114 feet above sea level, the neighborhood claims the highest natural altitude in Cambridge. Multiple MBTA bus routes serve Strawberry Hill with connections to the Red Line at Harvard Square as well as the bus terminal in Watertown Square.
Strawberry Hill History
The Strawberry Hill neighborhood was laid out as a residential subdivision in 1847 along Holworth Street with a small oval park intended to take advantage of views of Fresh Pond. A second subdivision named “Auburn” was created a year later near Fresh Pond with a circular drive overlooking the Pond. Neither subdivision ever caught on with 19th century middle-class Boston families because of the distance from established churches and schools. Working class craftsmen and laborers ended up settling the area and developing more modest single and two-family homes. As with several other Cambridge neighborhoods bordering Fresh Pond, the Pond helped drive a flourishing ice industry which lasted until the late 1890s. At one point ice houses proliferated in the Strawberry Hill area along present day Glacken Field. Today, Strawberry Hill is one of the quietest neighborhoods in Cambridge maintaining a strong “suburb-in-a-city” vibe.
