Spring Hill, Somerville, Massachusetts

Spring Hill is the name of a ridge in the central part of the city of Somerville, Massachusetts, and the neighborhood that sits atop it. It runs northwest to southeast, roughly bounded by Somerville Avenue, Elm Street, Willow Avenue, Highland Avenue, and School Street. Summer Street runs along the hill's crest.

Spring Hill is a drumlin, one of many such hills in the Boston area composed of material deposited as glaciers of the Pleistocene epoch receded. [http://erp-web.er.usgs.gov/reports/abstract/2002/cu/02hqgr0036.pdf]

Historically agricultural in character, Spring Hill was sparsely developed until the mid-19th century. Present-day Central, Lowell, and Cedar Streets trace their origins to the mid-1600s, but few other roads broke the open space.

In 1843, real-estate speculator George Brastow platted one of Somerville's first residential subdivisions, on the hill's south side between Central and Belmont Streets. Several original houses from this development remain on Atherton Street and off Harvard Street.

In 1889, a water standpipe (tower) was erected on the hill between Belmont and Lowell Streets, north of Summer Street, to provide adequate water pressure to the growing city.

By the end of the 19th century, the street grid had reached its present form, and the neighborhood filled with predominantly multi-family homes. Growth was fueled by the extension of streetcar lines from Lechmere Square and industrialization along Somerville Avenue and the Fitchburg Railroad.

Spring Hill is home to Somerville Hospital, opened in 1891 on Highland Avenue, and the Round House, located on Atherton Street.

At one time this neighborhood was home to both journalist Howie Carr and Winter Hill Gang leader Howie Winter. They lived one street apart, on Madison Street and Montrose Street, respectively. This was revealed in Carr's book about Irish mobster James "Whitey" Bulger, "The Brothers Bulger".

References

* Baise, Laurie G. and Brankman, Charles M., with William Lettis & Associates, Inc., and Tufts University. "Liquefaction Hazard Mapping in Boston, Massachusetts." U.S. Geological Survey National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program, July 1, 2004. Pp. 11-15.
* Zellie, Carol (1982, rev. 1990). "Beyond the Neck: The Architecture and Development of Somerville, MA". Somerville: Landscape Research for City of Somerville. ISBN 1-151-21105-2.

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