“Did anyone ever sigh for dear old East Cambridge?” That’s a question I often ponder while standing here before East Court. This unassuming building holds centuries of Cambridge history. It’s a far cry from the salt marshes and mudflats that once characterized this area.
East Cambridge’s story began long before the elegant buildings of Emmanuel College arose. For centuries it was largely inaccessible. Salt marshes and mudflats at low tide almost isolated it. Rich oyster beds provided sustenance for indigenous people and early colonists. However the geography made it unsuitable for permanent settlement.
Thomas Graves the first European settler arrived in the 1630s. He surveyed the land for potential use. The area became known as Graves’ Neck. It was bordered by Gibbon’s Creek Oyster Bank Bay and the Great Marsh. For over a century several families controlled the land. They farmed the land passing it down through generations.
Later Richard Lechmere a wealthy landowner acquired most of Graves’ Neck. He and his family made their main home on Brattle Street. They rented out their Graves’ Neck farm known as Lechmere Point. During the Revolutionary War they fled to England. Their property was confiscated.
East Cambridge became strategically important during the Siege of Boston. The Continental Army built fortifications. Fort Putnam was constructed at Lechmere Point. Its close proximity to Boston allowed easy access for cannon fire. British troops landed at Lechmere Point in 1775 marching to Lexington and Concord. Colonial militia later waited there effectively responding to the British.
Andrew Craigie a wealthy man after the war secretly acquired land at Lechmere Point. He had a vision. He petitioned to build a bridge to Boston. This led to the formation of the Lechmere Point Corporation. He sold shares to investors. Surveyor Peter Tufts laid out lots for sale. The resulting grid pattern remains today. Land was leveled to maximize sale-able land.
Craigie’s plan was to attract businesses and residents. In 1813 he offered land and money for a new courthouse. The old one in Harvard Square was too small and run-down. The new courthouse designed by Charles Bullfinch boosted development. Craigie is credited with shaping East Cambridge.
The 19th century saw the rise of industries. Glass manufacturing was the first major industry. Meat processing and sugar refining followed. Housing for workers sprang up. Modest cottages and tenements housed many. A middle class of managers and courthouse employees lived in upscale dwellings. Some wealthy individuals lived on Millionaire’s Row.
The neighborhood’s population shifted over time. Early glass workers were skilled laborers many from Britain and Germany. Then came Irish immigrants escaping the Potato Famine followed by Italians Poles and Portuguese. They established churches and businesses enriching the area’s culture. East Cambridge retains much of its character as a mixed-use community.
So stand here before East Court. Let its history wash over you. This small building represents a vibrant and evolving community. Its story is one of resilience and transformation. Its legacy lives on in the very streets we walk on today.