East Broadway

Coming from the major transit hub at Charlestown's Sullivan Square, East Broadway is the first jewel on Somerville's string of jewels -- unique, pedestrian-scale, neighborhood business districts along the city's major three mile business boulevard of Broadway.  

 

East Broadway offers a multi-ethnic array of dining & nightlife, convenient retail shops, specialty shops, and small food markets along with a grocery superstore and all sorts of personal, business, financial and professional services. This important business district is gaining attention and momentum through a city/business/resident initiative known as East Broadway Main Streets and is scheduled for new street furniture and pedestrian amenities.  

 

The old Charlestown Neck area was the vicinity where the Puritans landed and set up a temporary camp in 1630 before founding Boston.  Highfield, later known as Ploughed Hill, Mt. Benedict and the Nunnery Grounds was the 1634 homestead of the Bunker family.  In his famous ride, Paul Revere raced up this road to warn the Redcoats were coming.  In the early 19th Century, the East Broadway area was home to many rising Boston merchants (check out the side streets for residential architecture).   One of the most famous entrepreneurs was Charles Williams who had the first telephone line from his Boston electrical shop to his Somerville home.  Williams provided incubator workshop space for the likes of Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison.  © 2006-2008

 

Helping to make all of Somerville a great place to visit, live, work, study, play and shop, the members of the Chamber's Broadway Business Interest Group in this district are...