Ten Hills, Somerville, Massachusetts facts for kids
Ten Hills is a neighborhood in the northeastern part of Somerville, Massachusetts. It's shaped a bit like a slice of pie and is about 50 acres big. The neighborhood is bordered by the Mystic River to the north, McGrath Highway to the east, and Interstate 93 to the southwest. Ten Hills is right next to Assembly Square and Winter Hill. Even though it's called Ten Hills, there's mostly just one main hill here. The original farm, however, had many more hills!
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History of Ten Hills
Ten Hills gets its name from Ten Hills Farm. This large farm was owned by John Winthrop, who was the very first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He was given this 600-acre estate on September 6, 1631. The farm was located along the southern side of the Mystic River. It covered parts of what are now the cities of Somerville and Medford.
The farm was named by Governor Winthrop because of the ten small hills on the property. It had orchards and open fields where cattle could graze.
Changes in Ownership
In 1649, Governor Winthrop's son, John Winthrop the Younger, inherited Ten Hills Farm. He later became the governor of Connecticut.
In 1677, the farm was given to Elizabeth Lidgett. She was the widow of Peter Lidgett.
In 1732, the Lidgett family sold 504 acres of the property. Most of this land was in Medford, Massachusetts. It was bought by Isaac Royall Sr., who owned plantations. Royall ordered a brick house on the property to be updated. This house was first built in 1692. His son, Isaac Royall Jr., took over the property in 1739 and made it much bigger. This house is still standing today and is known as the Isaac Royall House.
In 1740, the remaining 251 acres of the Lidgett's property, which was in Somerville, was sold to Captain Robert Temple. He owned this land through the American Revolutionary War. Captain Temple built a fancy house at Ten Hills Farm. It overlooked the river and stood until it was taken down in 1877.
The Powder Alarm
On September 1, 1774, General Thomas Gage sent 200 British soldiers up the Mystic River. Their mission was to take away weapons and supplies from the colonists. The British soldiers landed at Ten Hills Farm. They then went to Powder House Square and took 250 barrels of gunpowder. This event caused a big stir and became known as the Powder Alarm. Thousands of colonists thought an attack had happened and marched towards Boston and Cambridge.
Later Developments
In 1832, Colonel Samuel Jaques bought Ten Hills Farm. He was well-known for growing plants and raising animals. He made the farm famous as a place for raising livestock.
In 1877, the farm was destroyed. Much of the high ground was used to fill in the marshy areas nearby.
In 1900, the Metropolitan Park Commission bought land along the Mystic River in Ten Hills. They built Melrose Street, which is now called Shore Drive. In 1908, the City of Somerville built a public bath house on Melrose Street. It became a very popular place for people to swim in the Mystic River. A new bathhouse was built later, between 1925 and 1947.
In 1928, the City of Somerville bought the site to build an elementary school. In 1930, The Charles A. Grimmons Elementary School opened for students.
In 1980, the Grimmons School closed because not enough students were attending. Part of the land was kept to build Grimmons Park.
Fun and Recreation
The Blessings of the Bay Boathouse is located on the Mystic River Reservation at 32 Shore Drive. It's named after a ship built by Governor Winthrop in 1631. The boathouse is currently owned by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. During the summer, you can rent canoes and paddleboats to use on the Mystic River.
The Blessings of the Bay Boathouse is also home to the Gentle Giant Rowing Club. This club helps introduce and support the sport of rowing for everyone. They also work to improve and protect the rivers where they row. The Gentle Giant Rowing Club supports the rowing team for Somerville High School. The rowing team from Wentworth Institute of Technology also uses this boathouse.
Grimmons Park is a small playground on Gov. Winthrop Road. It opened in 1984 on the site of the old Grimmons Elementary School. The park was greatly improved in 2009. Part of the money for the improvements came from a $1,000,000 grant from IKEA. This grant was for improving parks throughout Somerville.
