Arlington, MA

Arlington, Massachusetts

Introduction to Arlington, Massachusetts

Arlington, Massachusetts, in Middlesex county, is 2 miles W of Medford, Massachusetts (center to center) and 6 miles NW of Boston, Massachusetts. The city is bordered by the Mystic River and the Mystic Lakes. Arlington has a large number of sites included in the List of Registered Historic Places. The modern community has kept its historic small town appeal. Residents have easy access to Boston and Cambridge. The commuter rail and Red Line subway are popular with commuters.

Arlington History

The colonists acquired land from the Indian tribal leader Nanepashemt's widow. They paid ten pounds with the agreement that the Indians would be able to stay on a portion of the land situated near the Mystic Lakes and be allowed to keep farming and hunting. Arlington was originally established as Menotomy by Europeans in 1635, inside the borders of Cambridge Massachusetts. Paul Revere's renowned ride took him through Menotomy. In 1867 it was renamed Arlington in tribute to those buried at the Arlington National Cemetery.

Captain George Cook constructed the area's first mill in 1637. A battle between the Colonists and the British occurred in Menotomy. In the early days, Arlington was a flourishing farming community. During the middle of the 1800's the ice industry was thriving. A large portion of the ice was transported to the Caribbean and to India by Frederic Tudor. In 1979 the first spreadsheet software program known as VisiCalc was created in Arlington.

Arlington Attractions

• The Old Schwamb Mill is a notable historic location.
• The Jason Russell House is a colonial home that has been converted into a museum.
• Kensington Park Historic District.
• Prince Hall Mystic Cemetery is the only black Freemason Cemetery in the nation.
• The water tower located at Park Circle is a replica of the ancient Greek Arsinoeon of Samothrace.
• Pierce Farm Historic District.
• The Uncle Sam Memorial Statue pays tribute to native son Samuel Wilson who some regard as the original Uncle Sam.
• The Cyrus E. Dallin Museum is named after the notable artist and showcases his artwork and sculpture.
• Arlington Center Historic District.
• There are a large number of Arlington houses included in the List of Registered Historic Places.
• Calvary Methodist Church is an historic structure.
• Locke School is a notable old building.
• Orvis Road Historic District.

Arlington Activities

Menotomy Rocks Park includes Hills Pond and features trails which traverse through the forest. The Great Meadow includes a swamp area and forest acreage. Spy Pond Park features a scenic trail and the pond is popular for kayaking and canoeing. The Magnolia Field is a popular destination for families. The Minuteman Bikeway is a rail-trail and runs through numerous Arlington neighborhoods.

High Points

Arlington strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Massachusetts):

Category	Trophy
Well-Paid Single Women (vs. Peers)	Top 2%
Public Transportation Use (vs. Peers)	Top 3%
Low Property Crime (vs. Peers)	Top 4%
Well-Paid Single Men (vs. Peers)	Top 5%
College Educated Adults (vs. Peers)	Top 8%
Walking and Biking to Work (vs. State)	Top 11%
Median Family Income (vs. Peers)	Top 12%
Low Violent Crime (vs. Peers)	Top 13%
Low Rate of Poverty (vs. Peers)	Top 15%
People in Middle Class or Better (vs. Peers)	Top 15%

Comparative Profile of Arlington, MA

Comparing Arlington to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Massachusetts (State):

Ratings range from (lowest) to (highest).

The People

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Well-Paid Single Women
Well-Paid Single Men
Female Share of the Population
Age of the Population
Senior Citizens
Children Under 5 Years Old
Racial Diversity
Male Share of the Population

Families

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Portion of People Married
Average Household Size

Wealth

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
College Educated Adults
Median Family Income
People in Middle Class or Better
People Above Poverty

Commute & Sprawl

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Public Transportation Use
Working at Home
Walking and Biking to Work
Short Commute Times

Housing

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
People Living Alone
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals
Seasonal and Vacation Housing
Affordability of Rents
Affordability of Property Taxes
Housing Recently Built

Crime

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Low Property Crime
Low Violent Crime

Arlington Almanac

Arlington Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

• Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
• Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

Arlington Population (2000)

(From 2000 Census, as reported by individuals)

Neighborhood and Nearby Area Names

According to the US Postal Service, Arlington, its neighborhoods, and/or surrounding areas are also referred to as:

Note that not all alternate names are acceptable for use in US Post Office addresses.

Nearby Cities and Towns

Arlington Public Libraries

More Information for Librarians

Starbucks in Arlington

Arlington High Schools (2004)

ARLINGTON HIGH
869 MASS AVENUE
781-316-3593
Serves 1,098 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 13.2

Arlington Colleges

(List of All Massachusetts Colleges)

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