Watertown Square is a neighborhood in Watertown, Massachusetts,[1] centered on the intersection of Main Street[2] and North Beacon Street (both part of U.S. Route 20) and Galen Street and Mount Auburn Street (both part of State Route 16).
Watertown Square | |
|---|---|
Neighborhood and road intersection | |
 Looking southwest across the square from the corner of Mount Auburn Street and North Beacon Street (2019) | |
 Location in Watertown, Massachusetts | |
| Coordinates: 42°21′55″N 71°11′04″W / 42.3652°N 71.1844°W | |
| State | Massachusetts |
| County | Middlesex |
| City | Watertown |
The square stands immediately to the north of the Charles River,[3] which is crossed by the Watertown Bridge on Galen Street. The Armenian Library and Museum of America is located in the square; Watertown Dam is 1,000 feet (300 m) to the west.
MBTA bus routes 59 and 71 terminate in a busway on the west side of the square, while route 70 stops on the north side.
History
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The Watertown Branch Railroad opened through Watertown Square in 1847. Passenger service on the line ended on July 9, 1938, and the second track was removed by early 1940.[4] The middle section of the line from the Waltham/Watertown line through Watertown Square to East Watertown was abandoned in 1960. The former Watertown station was reused as a lumber company by 1968, but later demolished.[5]
In September 2023, a new plan for the square was announced by the City of Watertown.[6] The city plans to reconfigure the square to add public space and support future housing development. Charles River Road and Riverside Street would be rerouted to the east, creating a standard four-way intersection between Main/North Beacon and Galen/Mount Auburn. MBTA routes 59 and 71 would be extended to Watertown Yard, with the Columbus Delta park expanded onto the former busway area.[7]
References
edit- ^ Marcus, Cara (2018). Watertown Square Through Time. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1-63500-063-4.
- ^ "Watertown Square from the Delta". www.digitalcommonwealth.org. Retrieved 2024-04-23.
- ^ Marchione, William P. (2004-04-01). The Charles: A River Transformed. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-3539-5.
- ^ Humphrey, Thomas J.; Clark, Norton D. (1986). Boston's Commuter Rail: Second Section. Boston Street Railway Association. p. 52. ISBN 9780938315025.
- ^ O'Connell, Richard W. (August 18, 1968). "Old railroad depots take on new careers". Boston Globe. p. A-1 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Watertown Square Area Plan". Watertown Square Area Plan. Retrieved 2024-04-23.
- ^ "Watertown Square Area Plan Project Update" (PDF). City of Watertown. April 4, 2024. pp. 88–97.
External links
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Media related to Watertown Square at Wikimedia Commons