We use history to catalyze the connections that make Cambridge, Massachusetts more vibrant and cohesive.
POSTPONED TO SATURDAY, JULY 20: The Pit That Wants to be a Pond: An Industrial and Environmental Tour of North Cambridge
Embark on a captivating exploration of North Cambridge’s rich history on this guided tour. Through the fascinating lens of its claypits and brickyards, unveil the narrative of this dynamic neighborhood. Immerse yourself in the stories of the residents who toiled there, shaping the very foundation of this community. This event was originally schedule for July…
Block Party Summer
Turn Up the History at Your Block Party This Summer! Looking for some historical context to your summer gathering? Get in touch and we will bring our History Kit—a trove of interactive fun that will engage all the senses. This is history you can touch, see, smell, taste, and most importantly, enjoy together. This is…
America 250 Survey
The year 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. History Cambridge wants to know what you think about this anniversary. We’re conducting a survey to learn more about Cambridge’s knowledge of this time in American history, and what it means for our lives today. Information will be used to…
June 20: Solstice Silent Walk
About the event Thursday, June 205-7 pmFree, all ages welcomeNo registration required; just show up!Meet at 17 South Street in Harvard Square Diana Ruta Limbach Lempel is a history curator and nonfiction writer, who has been working and living along the banks of the Charles River in Cambridge for over ten years. She developed this…
Setting up a Neighborhood History Center provided a physical connection with the past
By Beth Folsom, 2024 History Cambridge embarked on a new model of programming in January 2023 centered on the deeper exploration of one city neighborhood each year. Beginning with Cambridgeport and continuing in 2024 with North Cambridge, the Neighborhood History Center model has enabled us to delve more deeply into the people, places and events…
Watershed: An Excursion in Four Parts
by Emily HiestandFirst published by The Georgia Review and Beacon Press in 1998. Updated slightly in 2021 for publication in This Impermanent Earth, and in 2024 for History Cambridge. Part One | Street Like travelers who want to keep some favorite place from being overly discovered, the residents of our neighborhood sometimes confide to one another in a near-whisper, “There’s no…
Industrial Age Cambridge supported bicycling, but with the genders and races together? Egads!
It seems there’s always been reasons for bicycling to be controversial in Cambridge, starting in the late 19th century when cycling gained popularity in Cambridge – and the nation as a whole – as a form of exercise and opportunity for social connection.
LGBTQ+ History Hub
This hub is a work in progress. Have some resources to add? Let us know! In This Hub Introduction Cambridge is a well-known leader in LGBTQ+ rights. The city was first in Massachusetts to perform gender-affirming surgery in 1972, and in 2004 it became first in the country to grant same-sex marriage licenses. City government…
North Cambridge History Hub
North Cambridge History Hub
Fort Washington History Hub
Fort Washington Park is the last remaining fortification from the Revolutionary War in Cambridge, but the park and neighborhood hold rich histories beyond the Revolutionary era. This History Hub contains materials that details the eras of the park
Cambridgeport History Hub
History Hub for all things Cambridgeport
Culinary History Hub
Culinary History of Cambridge By Rain Robertson, and revised by Deb Mandel, 2022 Cambridge holds a rich and distinctive culinary history. It gave America ice, the Porterhouse steak, Peking ravioli, its first star chef in Julia Child, and a hankering for Indian food. This is a survey of 20th century markets, delis, cafeterias, and local…
Indigenous Peoples History Hub
Curious about the Indigenous history of this place? Start learning here.
Inner Belt Hub
Cambridge had a major role in battling one highway for decades and eventually sparking a process that created a powerful coalition that led officials to remake transportation policy for the Boston area inside Route 128
Black History in Cambridge: Online Resources Hub
Above Image: Saundra Graham speaks into a megaphone during the occupation of 319th Harvard Commencement June 11, 1970 (Courtesy Cambridge Historical Commission) Delve into these online resources that explore Black history in Cambridge. More programs and events about Cambridge’s Black history are being planned. To be notified, sign up for our monthly enewsletter. Articles Self-Guided…
Early Black Cambridge Resource Hub
Are you interested in learning more about the history of race, slavery, and African American life in the Cambridge area? This guide highlights many of the resources available that touch on these topics, including primary, secondary, and public-facing sources (such as self-guided tours and websites). While this hub is focused on material related to the 1700s, it also offers relevant material from later periods in Cambridge history.
Women’s History Hub
Profiles included: Barbara Ackermann | Maria Baldwin | Ann Bookman | Sara Chapman Bull | Joyce Chen | Helen Lee Franklin | Suzanne R. Green | Lois Lilley Howe | Edith Lesley | Eva Neer | Mercy Scollay | Elizabeth Sullivan | Phyllis Wallace Our 2020 theme was Who Are Cambridge Women? But why spend…
Curious About Forgotten Souls of Tory Row?
In 2022, History Cambridge was awarded an Arts for Social Justice grant from Cambridge Arts. We selected the artist collaborative Black Coral, Inc. for the project and installation began in May 2022, with the art on view from June 1st 2022 through April 7th 2023. “Forgotten Souls of Tory Row: Remembering the Enslaved People of Brattle Street” honors the enslaved adults and children who lived and worked on this land as well as those whose labor on Caribbean plantations helped finance the grand homes of white Tory Row elites.
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Find original research by History Cambridge staff, interns, volunteers, and community members, including articles, oral histories, and online exhibitions. Search results also include our finding aids, which describe archival materials you can make an appointment to view in person.
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