Lucius R. Paige, History of Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1630-1877, with a genealogical register

[203] of the turnpike was also laid out as a public highway in May, 1829, and it is now known as Broadway. Hampshire Street was the easterly end of the Middlesex Turnpike, whose charter was granted June 15, 1805;¹ so much of that turnpike as was situated in Cambridge became a public highway in September, 1842. All these, as well as Webster Avenue (which was opened before 1809, and was until 1860 called Medford Street), were constructed as avenues to West Boston Bridge, without material aid or opposition from the town. The turnpikes were made at the expense of their stockholders and others interested in West Boston Bridge and Cambridgeport lands; and Webster Avenue, by the parties specially interested, and at their own expense.

But when Andrew Craigie had completed his purchase of the Lechmere or Phips estate, and was ready to bring it into the market by building Canal Bridge to connect it with Boston, a sharp rivalry between him and his associates on the one hand, and the proprietors of West Boston Bridge and the Cambridgeport residents and land-owners on the other, for several years kept the town in constant excitement and turmoil. Whenever either party desired to open a new avenue to its bridge, it was resolutely opposed by the other party, as adverse to its own interest. The majority of voters sometimes favored one party, sometimes the other. All, or nearly all, the desired avenues were at last obtained, but through much tribulation.

The severest contest between the two parties was in regard to Mount Auburn Street and Cambridge Street. It has already been stated that the road from Cambridge to Watertown for many years substantially coincided with the present Brattle Street, Elmwood Avenue, and Mount Auburn Street. To shorten the distance between Watertown and West Boston Bridge, the Town appointed a committee, Dec. 26, 1805, to present a petition to the Court of Sessions “to establish the road as now laid out from the garden of the Hon. Elbridge Gerry to the garden of the late Thomas Brattle, Esq.” ² At a subsequent meeting, Feb. 17, 1806, the other party triumphed, and the committee was discharged. The subject was again discussed, Nov. 17, 1806, Mr. Craigie having offered to give the land and make the road so far as it crossed his farm, if the town would establish a new road from Gerry's corner to a point on Brattle Street, nearly opposite to his house;³ the town voted in favor of establishing such a road,