National Register of Historic Places

Powder House Park

Somerville, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Listed
April 20, 1975
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
75000287

About this property

Powder House Square is a neighborhood and landmark rotary in Somerville, Massachusetts, United States. It is also known locally as Powder House Circle. It is the six-way intersection of College Avenue, Broadway, Warner Street, and Powder House Boulevard. Powder House Square stands at the southern tip of Tufts University's main Somerville/Medford campus, and borders the northern edge of Nathan Tufts Park. The square takes its name from the 18th century Powder House, which overlooks the rotary from Nathan Tufts Park. Powder House Square was home to one of the first hostile acts of the American Revolution. The removal of colonial gunpowder by British soldiers, and the massive popular reaction known as Powder Alarm that ensued, are considered to be a turning point in the events leading up to war.

Location

Somerville, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
42.40040, -71.11662

Categories

MILITARYARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Powder House Park

This page lists Powder House Park. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
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Nearby Historic Sites

Cliff, Z. E., House
Industrial
0 mi
Nichols, John F., House
Industrial
0.2 mi
Lockhardt, Charles H., House
Industrial
0.2 mi
House at 197 Morrison Avenue
Modern
0.2 mi
West Somerville Branch Library
Industrial
0.3 mi

Nearby Battles

Siege of Boston – Cambridge Lines
1775Revolutionary War
1.9 mi
Skirmish at Menotomy (Arlington)
1775Revolutionary War
2.2 mi
Battle of Menotomy
1775Revolutionary War
2.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Powder House Park listed on the National Register?

Powder House Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 20, 1975.

What type of historic resource is Powder House Park?

Powder House Park is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Powder House Park?

The period of significance for Powder House Park is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Powder House Park?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Powder House Park will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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