Arlington

Arlington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, located six miles northwest of Boston. Residential neighborhoods with single-family homes alternate with commercial streets, while parks and green spaces are scattered between the blocks.

The settlement began in 1630 as Menotomy, a village within Cambridge boundaries, before separating as an independent town in 1807. The current name was chosen in 1867 to honor Civil War dead.

The name recalls the national cemetery near Washington, which the town adopted after the Civil War. Today families live in wooden houses and small shops line Massachusetts Avenue, where restaurants and stores mix with local customers.

Pedestrians move along main streets where sidewalks and crosswalks regulate traffic, while bike paths are available on some stretches. Public schools and sports facilities open outside class hours for community activities.

The Old Schwamb Mill has worked without interruption since 1650 and still produces wooden picture frames today. This workshop is considered the oldest continuously operating mill in the country.

Location: Middlesex County

Inception: 1630

Elevation above the sea: 14 m

Part of: Greater Boston

Website: http://arlingtonma.gov

GPS coordinates: 42.41537,-71.15644

Latest update: December 13, 2025 19:49