For today’s column, I performed what I am calling a “Green Line Extension World Tour” on my way to visit Union Square station. In my travels, I passed through all six GLX stations plus Lechmere. For those interested in visiting Union Square, you can take the Green Line from the Medford/Tufts station to Lechmere and then transfer to an outbound Green Line D. You can also take the Route 80 bus, which departs at the bottom of Memorial Steps to get to Union Square. Both options yield a travel time of roughly 25 minutes.
Like the Medford/Tufts Station, Union Square Station is part of the GLX project, which extended the Green Line service into Somerville. After being approved in November 2017, the project took five years to construct, despite already having right-of-way since the entirety of the GLX is located on MBTA commuter rail tracks. The Green Line began service to Union Square in March 2022, while the rest of the GLX, including the Medford/Tufts Station, opened for service in December 2022.
Fun fact: I woke up at 4:30 a.m. to board the very first train to operate out of the Medford/Tufts Station!
Unfortunately, the GLX continues to be plagued with issues — the MBTA revealed this past fall that well over half of all GLX tracks are too narrow and must be reconstructed to be widened. While the future of the GLX remains in question, I was glad to be able to use it today.
Upon exiting the Union Square Station, I immediately spotted a castle on a hill in the distance and decided I needed to check it out. After meandering my way through the hilly streets surrounding Union Square, I finally reached the castle. The castle, as I learned, is called the Citadel, and the hill I walked up is called Prospect Hill. The top of Prospect Hill, where the Citadel stands, has significance in both the American Revolutionary War and the American Civil War. The Citadel was crucial during the Battle of Bunker Hill, providing backup troops to reinforce American lines. Decades later during the Civil War, Union soldiers were trained at the top of Prospect Hill. The “Union” in Union Square pays homage to Prospect Hill’s significance in supporting the Union army. Today, the area around the Citadel is a beautiful park with gorgeous views of Union Square and the Boston skyline.
I found the rest of Union Square quite pleasant as well. With wide sidewalks, separated bike lanes and tons of parks and green spaces, Union Square is an urban environmentalist’s dream. Walking through the area, I felt like there was a restaurant for every single cuisine on the planet. I also loved walking through the residential areas around Union Square as well. The houses had unique architecture and a variety of vibrant colors, which gave the neighborhood a great sense of character. For those interested in Boston history, good food or simply a nice walk, Union Square is a perfect place to visit.
