Editing Lechmere Square (section)

{{Short description|Major intersection in Cambridge, Massachusetts}}
{{coord|42|22|15|N|71|4|36|W|type:landmark|display=title}}
[[File:Aerial view of Lechmere Square, September 2021.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.2|Aerial view of Lechmere Square in 2021, with the new [[Lechmere station]] under construction]]
'''Lechmere Square''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|l|iː|tʃ|m|ɪr}} {{respell|LEECH|meer}}) is located at the intersection of Cambridge Street and First Street in [[East Cambridge, Cambridge, Massachusetts|East Cambridge]][[Cambridge, Massachusetts|, Massachusetts]]. It was originally named for the Colonial-era landowner Richard Lechmere, a [[Loyalist (American Revolution)|Loyalist]] who returned to [[England]] at the beginning of the [[American Revolution]]. His lands were later seized by the new American government. The shoreline is shown as '''"Lechmere's Point"''' on Revolutionary War maps, and was the landing point for British troops en route to the [[Battles of Lexington and Concord]].<ref>[https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/patriotsday/maps/ American Experience | Patriots Day | Maps | PBS]</ref>

The area was developed by land speculator [[Andrew Craigie]] in the early 19th century. Later, a store was founded in the area and named for it. The [[Lechmere]] store expanded into a regional chain, which was closed in 1997 as then-parent company [[Montgomery Ward]] filed for [[Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 11]] [[bankruptcy]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/52058301/all-27-lechmere-stores-close/ |title=All 27 Lechmere stores close; Montgomery Ward Struggling |agency=[[Associated Press]] |newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]] |page=F1 |date=November 8, 1997 |accessdate=May 24, 2020 |quote=Consumer electronics giant Lechmere disappeared yesterday.}}</ref>

The area is now best known for the [[CambridgeSide]] mall, one of the few full-fledged interior shopping malls within the city limits of [[Boston]] and Cambridge, which is on the site of the original Lechmere store (and, when built, incorporated a newly built Lechmere Sales store as one of its anchor tenants). In years past, Lechmere Square was a manufacturing center producing candy, furniture, and caskets.

Lechmere Square and the surrounding [[East Cambridge, Massachusetts|East Cambridge]] are currently undergoing a revival of sorts. The area's factories have been or are being converted into office buildings and condominiums. Several large-scale development projects were begun in 2004 and 2005, and as a result [[East Cambridge, Massachusetts|East Cambridge]] and Lechmere Square have undergone a [[gentrification]] process similar to what has been seen in other areas of Cambridge.

Lechmere Square is served by [[Lechmere station]] of the [[Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority]] (MBTA). The former surface-level station closed in May 2020 for construction of the [[Green Line Extension]]; a replacement elevated station opened on March 21, 2022.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://mbta.com/news/2020-04-15/glx-update-mbta-announced-dedicated-bus-lanes-slated-charles-river-dam-road |title=GLX Update: MBTA Announced Dedicated Bus Lanes Slated for Charles River Dam Road |date=April 15, 2020 |publisher=Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Lisinski |first=Chris |date=February 24, 2022 |title=Green Line Extension service to begin March 21 |url=https://www.wbur.org/news/2022/02/24/mbta-somerville-green-line-open |access-date=February 25, 2022 |website=WBUR}}</ref>

The [[Charles River]], [[Lechmere Canal]], and [[Memorial Drive (Cambridge)|Memorial Drive]] are nearby. Lechmere is also located close to the [[Museum of Science, Boston|Museum of Science]].