We use history to catalyze the connections that make Cambridge, Massachusetts more vibrant and cohesive.
Feb 8: Open House
Sunday, February 82-4 PM159 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138Free; donations welcomeLight refreshments will be served Visit the headquarters of History Cambridge! History Cambridge is entering a bold new era. As we prepare to sell our long-time headquarters at the Hooper-Lee-Nichols House, we invite you to join us for an open house to celebrate the history of this…
Feb 8: What Happened to the Black Community in Cambridge?
Sunday, February 84 pm159 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138FreeRegistration required as space is limitedStreet parking only; not handicap accessible What Happened to the Black Community in Cambridge? Black History in Action presents a lively conversation with Alyssa Pacy, Archivist at the Cambridge Public Library, Charles Sullivan, Executive Director of the Cambridge Historical Commission, Dr. Kris Manjapra,…
Feb 10: Community History Workshops
New date! Sharing Our Stories: Cambridge Community History WorkshopsLast class is now Tuesday, February 1010-11:00 a.m.Russell Youth and Community Center, 680 Huron Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138Free, for Cambridge residents ages 60+No registration required Join us for this special workshop! Do you have memories of growing up in Cambridge? Have you seen the city change over…
Feb 10: Love Letter to the Lowell School
Tuesday, Feb 10, 20266:30–8 pmConcert Room, New School of Music25 Lowell St, Cambridge, MA 02138Free; please register Event Details Step into history—and harmony—at 25 Lowell Street, Cambridge’s last remaining wooden schoolhouse. Built in 1883 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Lowell School has been home to the New School of Music…
“Love Letter to Lowell School” is a Valentine to Culture and Community
By Beth Folsom, 2026 This year the New School of Music will celebrate its 50th year providing instrumental and vocal music lessons and performance opportunities to students of all ages in the Cambridge community. For 46 of those years, NSM has been located at the former Lowell School, at 25 Lowell Street in West Cambridge.…
West Cambridge’s Lewisville Neighborhood Highlights Challenges, Resilience of Black Community
By Beth Folsom, 2026 Although there are many in Cambridge who have never heard of Lewisville, this area of West Cambridge has been a vibrant and enduring part of the city’s history for over two centuries. The neighborhood, roughly bounded by Concord Avenue, Garden Street, and Shepard Street, was a community made up largely of…
Revolutionary History Series Continues With a Focus on Indigenous Relations
By Beth Folsom, 2026 In January 1776, General George Washington met with a delegation of diplomats from the Caughnawaga Mohawk Nation at their Cambridge camp, where they had been staying for over a week, awaiting word of a possible commission for their leader, Atiatoharongwen, in the Continental Army. As Dr. Ben Pokross recently explored in…
West Cambridge History Hub
As defined by the City of Cambridge’s Community Development Department, the neighborhood of West Cambridge is bounded on the west by Fresh Pond, on the north by Concord Avenue, on the south by the Charles River and the Mount Auburn and Cambridge Cemeteries, and on the east by John F. Kennedy Street. It is an…
American Revolution in Cambridge
Introduction Cambridge has been part of America’s Revolutionary story from its beginnings, even before the outbreak of the war for independence. On Sept. 1, 1774, Cambridge residents responded to the news that Gen. Thomas Gage, royal governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, had ordered the removal of gunpowder from a magazine (a powder storage…
East Cambridge History Hub
2025 is our year of East Cambridge See what events we’ve got planned! A Brief History of East Cambridge The area that we now know as East Cambridge was for many centuries largely salt marshes and mud flats which, at low tide, virtually cut the area off from other parts of the city, as well…
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
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.
Shed light on untold stories and silenced voices.
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