Cambridge Highlands

Once a swamp now a vibrant blend. That’s Cambridge Highlands. Picture this. Alewife Brook once meandered through marshland. This quiet area eventually became Cambridge Highlands. The Cambridge and Concord Turnpike. That was laid out between 1805 and 1812. It connected West Boston Bridge to Concord. The Fitchburg Railroad arrived in 1843. It added stations on either side of the wetlands. A freight spur was built before the local street grid. This explains the unusual property lines. Abandoned sidings still exist south of the main line. The Watertown Branch Railroad followed in 1847. It skirted Fresh Pond. Passenger service ran until 1938. Freight continued until 2007 or 2009. It was officially abandoned in 2011. Now it’s becoming a rail trail. The Watertown Branch’s curve shapes the Fresh Pond Mall’s rear. It also shapes industrial buildings on New Street. By 1903 development was minimal. Concord Avenue and a few buildings existed. The area industrialized during the 1900s. Today Cambridge Highlands boasts a mix of residential and commercial spaces. The Fresh Pond Mall offers shopping and entertainment. BBN Technologies and E Ink Corporation have offices here. A Best Western hotel provides accommodation. The Olympia Fencing Center caters to sports enthusiasts. There’s even a large electrical substation. North of Concord Avenue light industrial uses prevail. Anderson & McQuaid Millwork is here. Longleaf Lumber’s reclaimed wood warehouse and showroom are also here. The American Repertory Theater’s scene shop is nearby. The C J Mabardy disposal station is also in this area. Since 2010 residential buildings have been steadily encroaching from the east. The Sancta Maria Nursing Facility and Fayerweather Street School are also here. Near the Belmont line residential streets are found. Isolated houses are on Concord Avenue. A senior living center overlooks Fresh Pond. Condominiums stand on Wheeler Street. In 2011 a developer bought 70 Fawcett Street. A 428 unit residential complex was built. Blair Pond on the western edge is part of Alewife Brook Reservation. The reservation continues north of the Fitchburg Line. Cambridge Highlands. A fascinating blend of past and present. A testament to transformation and growth. A neighborhood worth exploring.