Magoun Square facts for kids
Magoun Square is a busy neighborhood located right on the border of Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts. It's a place where two main streets, Broadway and Medford Street, meet. You can find Magoun Square between the neighborhoods of Ball Square and Winter Hill.
This area is a mix of different things: you'll see shops and businesses in the main square, and homes all around it. Near Magoun Square, there's a park called Trum Field. It has fields for baseball and courts for basketball. The main office for Somerville's public works department is also close by. A famous writer named John Shea used to live here.
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History of Magoun Square
Magoun Square got its name from the family of John Calvin Magoun (1797–1882). John Magoun was an important person in Somerville's early days. He helped decide how much property taxes people should pay. He also served on the school committee and helped look after people who were poor. John Magoun was even a captain in the local army group called the militia.
His family owned a large farm between Broadway and Vernon Streets. They lived in a historic house called the Adams-Magoun House, which was built around 1783.
Getting Around Magoun Square
Magoun Square is a very important spot for travel because it's where Broadway and Medford Streets cross. This intersection is quite big, with six different ways for cars to go. There are traffic lights for Dexter Street and a city parking lot, as well as the two main streets. Lowell Street also meets Medford Street just south of the square, with its own traffic light.
In 2009, the city received $3 million in special money to make this busy intersection safer. Before this, it had many accidents. The project cost about $3.1 million in total. It added new traffic lights, special raised areas for people to walk safely, and easy-to-use ramps for wheelchairs. They also put in bike racks, better sidewalks, and street benches. The work was mostly finished in 2011, but some parts had to be redone in 2012.
Bus Routes in the Square
Two MBTA bus routes travel directly through Magoun Square:
- 80 This bus goes from Arlington Center to Lechmere station. It passes through Medford Hillside.
- 89 This bus travels from Clarendon Hill or Davis Square to Sullivan Square station. It uses Broadway.
Another bus route runs very close by, about 400 feet (120 meters) to the northeast on Main Street:
- 101 This bus goes from Malden Center station to Sullivan Square station. It travels along Salem Street, Main Street, and Broadway.
Future Green Line Train Service
The Medford Branch of the Green Line Extension is a new train line being built. It will pass near Magoun Square along the old Lowell Line train tracks. Two new train stations are planned to serve this area. The Magoun Square station will be on Lowell Street, about 0.3 miles (0.48 kilometers) south of the main square. The Ball Square station will be in Ball Square, about 0.4 miles (0.64 kilometers) to the west.
