~ Somerville, Massachusetts ~

History

Somerville's Prospect Hill Monument

Somerville - a city in Middlesex County, eastern Massachusetts, bordered by Boston, Cambridge, Arlington and Medford - has a population of 77,478, according to the 2000 US Census. At just over four square miles in size, it is the most densely populated municipality in New England. Many believe the census count to be highly inaccurate and it is likely that the real population of Somerville lies somewhere between 85,000 and 100,000.

Somerville was first settled in 1630 as part of Charlestown, now a Boston neighborhood.

It was established as a town in 1842, when it separated from the urbanizing Charlestown. By 1872, fueled by heavy immigration, Somerville's population had increased dramatically and it was incorporated as a city that year.

Neighborhoods

Today, Somerville is an eclectic mix of blue-collar families, young professionals, college students and recent immigrants from countries as diverse as Ireland, El Salvador, Haiti, India and Brazil. A full one-third of Somerville residents are foreign born, and there are more than 50 spoken languages in Somerville schools.

Somerville is defined by its city squares, which help mark neighborhood boundaries. The city's squares are the centers of businesses and entertainment in the city. Among the most active today are Davis Square, Union Square, Ball Square, Teele Square, and Magoun Square. Each offers a mix of ethnic restaurants, bars and shops and small businesses to fit every taste and occasion. Somerville is well known for its nightlife and people travel from all over metro Boston to sample its fine restaurants, pubs and clubs.

Politics & Government

One of Somerville's many beautiful Victorian homes

Just like our state as a whole, politics is serious business here in Somerville. Politics is a big part of our city and provides endless enjoyment for those of us who follow it closely. The city tends to vote heavily Democratic in federal & state elections. The last Republican elected here was the late State Senator Charlie Shannon, who represented the Second Middlesex district from 1991 until his untimely death in April of 2005. Shannon left the GOP in 1996 and became a Democrat.

These days, Republicans tend not to contest state elections here in Somerville - correctly guessing that they are doomed to a heavy defeat. A recent exception was in 2005, when Alderman-at-Large Bill White contested the special election for Shannon's state senate seat. Though, White polled well here in Somerville, he ultimately lost to State Senator Pat Jehlen. Thankfully, soon after, Bill White changed his registration to Democratic too.

We are proud that our state delegation is entirely Democratic, but here at the Somerville Democratic City Committee, we are committed to increasing the number of registered Democrats here in Somerville.

Somerville provided a huge vote for Governor Deval Patrick and other Democrats running last November and the Somerville Democratic City Committee plans on ensuring that we continue to increase the Democratic vote here in our city.

The Rosebud Diner in Davis Square

Please visit our registration section here to get your friends and neighbors to register as Democrats. Our city elections are (nominally, some would say) non-partisan and take place every odd year. Somerville has a strong mayoral form of government and elects eleven alderman and seven school committee members. Mayoral elections are always exciting, often close and occasionally nasty affairs.

Our current Mayor is Joe Curtatone of Ward 3. Mayor Curtatone previously served as an alderman-at-large for eight years and was elected Mayor in 2003. Joe replaced Mayor Dorothy Kelly Gay, who became Somerville's first female mayor when she won a special election in 1999 to replace Michael Capuano, who served as mayor from 1990 until 1999 when he was elected to Congress, representing the storied 8^th District of Massachusetts.