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Coordinates: 42°22′47″N 71°05′47″W / 42.3797, -71.0964

The Prospect Hill Monument in Union Square, Somerville, MA

Union Square is a neighborhood of Somerville, Massachusetts, located around the intersection of Washington Street and Somerville Avenue, not far from Inman Square in neighboring Cambridge. It is the commercial center of a primarily residential neighborhood with many restaurants, bars and neighborhood stores.

As one of the oldest major hubs in the city, Union Square is home to a number of community institutions, including the headquarters of the Somerville police and fire departments. The Prospect Hill Monument and Somerville Community Access Television (SCAT) station are both in Union Square.

Historic Prospect Hill's castle and park viewpoint overlook Union Square and points south/west. It is said by some that George Washington first raised an early version of the US Flag on Prospect Hill on January 1, 1776. However others claim evidence the flag was flown earlier, and Somerville is one of several locales claiming to have hosted the flag's first raising.

Union Square's location at the juncture of working-class East Somerville and the city's tonier western sections have made it the focal point of changing demographics. While Union Square still offered ten-dollar Brazilian haircuts as of 2005, more upscale cafes and restaurants have opened since the 1990s, bringing gentrification deeper into Somerville, nourishing pedestrian street life, though with a highbrow twist.

Union Square is a hub for bars, although this feature, too, is fast changing. Current and former establishments include Tir na nÓg (closed in Spring 2007), P.A.'s Lounge, The Independent, Toast, Choices, Sally O'Briens and Irish Eyes (closed in May 2006). International Market and New Bombay Market are Indian grocery stores, while Reliable Market features Asian ingredients. Local restaurants include India Palace, The Neighborhood Restaurant, Great Thai Chef, Taquería la Mexicana, Sherman Cafe, Bloc 11, and Mama Ginas.

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Union Square Main Streets. (Discuss)

Union Square Main Streets, a local development group, began running a Saturday morning farmer's market in 2005 as one of its first visible efforts in the square. ^[1][2] A landscaped community garden ^[3], with regularly scheduled concerts and artistic events, sits just outside Union Square at the site of an old school, at 22 Vinal Ave. Through traffic in Union Square is increasing at an alarming rate, placing the potential attractiveness of the area in serious doubt.

Several MBTA bus routes, including the 85, 86, 87, 91, and CT2, pass through Union Square, and an extension of the Green Line is planned to serve it.

1. ^ http://www.massfarmersmarkets.org/markets/managedmarkets/union.htm
2. ^ http://www.ci.somerville.ma.us/newsDetail.cfm?instance_id=682
3. ^ http://thegrowingcenter.org

• Union Square Main Streets
• Citysquares.com - Your Neighborhood, Online...
• Prospect Hill History & Photos
• Union Sq Historic Photos & Maps