Arlington (Massachusetts)

Arlington is a town of 46,000 people (2020) in Massachusetts. It is a largely residential town; many of its residents are employed in Cambridge, Boston and surrounding towns. It has several historical sites that reflect its history that dates back to the early 17th century.

Belmont is a town with a population of 27,000 (2020).

Understand
The town was settled by European colonists in 1635 as a village within the boundaries of Cambridge, Massachusetts, named Menotomy, an Algonquian word meaning "swift running water". A somewhat larger area, including surrounding land, was incorporated on February 27, 1807 as West Cambridge. In 1867, the name "Arlington" was chosen in honor of those buried in Arlington National Cemetery; the name change took effect that April 30. Mill Brook, which historically figured largely into Arlington's economy, flows through the town. In 1637 Captain George Cooke built the first mill on the brook. Subsequently, seven mills were built along the stream, including the Old Schwamb Mill, which survives to this day.

Paul Revere's famous midnight ride to alert colonists took him through Menotomy. Later on that first day of the American Revolution, more blood was shed in Menotomy than in the battles of Lexington and Concord combined. Minutemen from surrounding towns converged on Menotomy to ambush the British on their retreat from Concord and Lexington. All in all, 25 colonials were killed in Menotomy (half of all Americans killed in the day's battles), as well as 40 British troops (more than half their fatalities). The colonial soldiers are buried in Arlington's Old Burying Ground/

The Jason Russell House, a yellow colonial, is today a museum which remembers those twelve Americans, including Russell himself, who were killed in and around the house on April 19, 1775. Bullet holes are visible in the interior walls to this day.

In its early years, Arlington was a thriving farming community and had its own lettuce that was quite popular. Arlington had a large ice industry on Spy Pond from the mid-19th century until the advent of refrigeration. The farms were subdivided in the mid-to-late twentieth century. In 1979, the first spreadsheet software program, VisiCalc, was developed by Bob Frankston and Dan Bricklin in the attic of the Arlington apartment rented by Frankston.

By car
Arlington is bounded on the south by Route 2, a major transportation route allowing access to Boston and the western part of Massachusetts. Arlington is also a short distance from Interstate 93 and 95. Other major routes that go through the town are Routes 2A and 3.

By public transit
The MBTA Red Line stops at Alewife station on the Arlington border. From there, you can take the 67 bus which runs to Arlington Center. The Commuter rail Fitchburg Line has two commuter rail stations in Belmont.

The popular 77 Bus runs though Arlington on Massachusetts Avenue. Other, less frequent bus routes in Arlington include the 62, 67, 78, 80, 87, and 350 buses. Belmont is served by MBTA bus 73, 74, 75, and 78.

Get around
The Minuteman Bikeway is a well-used bicycle and pedestrian path built on a former railroad right-of-way. It connects Bedford and Lexington to the west, runs through Arlington Heights, crosses Massachusetts Avenue at Arlington Center, and leads to Alewife Station on the MBTA, making it very popular with commuters.

Drink
Arlington's liquor laws allow alcohol to be served only with a meal. In practice this means that all bars are part of a restaurant and that after your second drink, even sitting at the bar, you'll be asked to order some food.