In my backyard...

[kristinhaze.livejournal.com]

So, I'm still relatively new to Davis Square and I'm a busy bee and hardly have the time to stop in the park area behind my street and find out what's going on there but I pass by it sometimes and am very curious...
the park area that is across from Powderhouse Circle (I believe its "back" is on Liberty Ave. and "side" is on Broadway)contains a tower-like structure...can someone tell me what this was/is used for?

Thank you!
Kristin

Comments

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

A powderhouse--it contained munitions around the time of the Revolutionary war. You can walk right up to it, and I think, inside it. I think it's called Nathan Tufts Park but I am sure I never call it that.

[kristinhaze.livejournal.com]

Wow! You guys are QUICK to respond! A powderhouse right there in Powderhouse Square...who would have thought? :)

Thank you!

[hauntmeister.livejournal.com]

That would be the eponymous powderhouse.
http://www.ci.somerville.ma.us/CoS_Content/documents/NathanParks%20Brochure_10_23.pdf

[dancingdeer.livejournal.com]

darnit, Andy. Your response wasn't there when I typed mine!
:)

[kristinhaze.livejournal.com]

Thank you thank you

[dancingdeer.livejournal.com]

http://www.ci.somerville.ma.us/CoS_Content/documents/NathanParks%20Brochure_10_23.pdf
(this is the city's brochure about that park. It might be easier if you use a pdf viewer that can rotate images, since the top half of the first page is upside down.)

[kristinhaze.livejournal.com]

Thank you -that's a great brochure

[hauntmeister.livejournal.com]

I just turned my laptop over. ;-)

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

If the image disappeared, you're using an Etch-a-Sketch. :-)

[dreamgirly19.livejournal.com]

i swear i see people getting married there eveyr weekend !

[kristinhaze.livejournal.com]

Really?

[dreamgirly19.livejournal.com]

yes. my bf laughs and i always wonder why they are getting married there. now we at least know theres some sort of historical piece there!

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

Now THAT is an idea...thanks!

[nonnihil.livejournal.com]

The Powderhouse is also the centerpiece of the City Seal: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Somervillelogo.jpg

The powderhouse was seized by the British seven months before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, causing massive disturbances and setting the stage for the later, more prompt response to British attempts to seize powderhouses further inland at Lexington and Concord.

[liamstliam.livejournal.com]

I just feel the need to point out that the rotary in Powderhouse Square is the only one I know of with traffic lights in it!!!!

What's that all about?

[nonnihil.livejournal.com]

It's supposed to be safer, what with all the pedestrian-heavy stuff around (shops, housing, university, park, ill-conceived decorative center-of-rotary thing, etc.). In reality it just seems to be a horrible mess, and no great advantage for the pedestrians, but in theory it's all terribly safe.

The conversion of rotaries to more orthodox traffic patterns by means of traffic lights is a persistant irritation in this area -- the ex-rotary at the confluence of Rts. 2 and 16 being the other really awful example.

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

That one's messed up because the ramp from the parking garage to Rt 2 westbound ended up in the wrong place. The ramp was supposed to enter Rt 2 west somewhere between the ex-rotary and Lake St. Arlington, fearful that the ramp would ruin the peaceful rural nature of East Arlington, refused to allow construction of the ramp and so traffic exiting the garage for westbound Rt 2 exits in the middle of the intersection in the current ugly configuration.

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

Visit DC sometime--they call them circles and they SUCK.

rotaries are divine

[an-art-worker.livejournal.com]

It's a NE thing I guess - it's a test of the social contract (at high speeds): who has the right-of-way: yield if you don't know.

The Rt 2/Rt 16 traffic light - in - place - of rotary is a horror.

[dreamgirly19.livejournal.com]

its awful. you go thru one red then the next turns red. ugh i hate it. it makes me late EVERY morning.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Go stroll through it sometime -- it's very nice. It gets used less than it ought to, in my opinion. Its a great place to go read or have a little picnic.