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

[204] and appointed a Committee to procure the discontinuance of the road from Gerry's corner to Brattle's garden. On the 27th of May, 1807, the Selectmen laid out the road, as desired by Mr. Craigie; but it does not appear that the town accepted it. A year later, May 2, 1808, the West Boston Bridge interest was again in the ascendant, and the town voted (104 against 65) to lay out Mount Auburn Street (west of Brattle Square), appropriated $3,000 to defray the expense, and directed the Selectmen to construct the road immediately. On the 16th of May, Andrew Craigie and thirty-five others protested against the making of the road; and it would seem that violent measures were adopted to prevent it, for on the 7th of June following, the town, by a majority of 116 against 71, approved what the Selectmen had done, directed them to complete the work, and appointed them as a committee “for the purpose of prosecuting Andrew Craigie and others, for trespasses committed, or which may hereafter be committed by him or others upon the road” before described. In continuation of this road, and to complete a nearly straight avenue from the Watertown line to West Boston Bridge, the town voted, Sept. 6, 1808, to lay out Mount Auburn Street, from Holyoke Street to Main Street. Meanwhile, Mr. Craigie made several efforts to have Brattle Street laid out from Fayerweather Street to “Wyeth's sign-post,” which stood near the present junction of Brattle and Mount Auburn streets, to counteract the effect of opening the new Mount Auburn Street; this object was not accomplished until September, 1812, when that portion of Brattle Street was very properly laid out,—not by the town, however, but by the county, as a county road.

What is now known as Cambridge Street was constructed in the interest of Mr. Craigie and his associates, the owners of Canal Bridge, almost the whole of East Cambridge, and a portion of Cambridgeport. In connection with William Winthrop and the heirs of Francis Foxcroft, they opened and graded the road from Canal Bridge to the Common, except about an eighth of a mile next eastward from Elm Street, where the land was owned by parties having an adverse interest.¹ After other ineffectual efforts to have the road completed and established as a public highway, a petition was presented by Thomas H. Perkins and