We use history to catalyze the connections that make Cambridge, Massachusetts more vibrant and cohesive.
Community History Workshops
Sharing Our Stories: Cambridge Community History Workshops3-part series: January 13, 20, & 27, 202610-11:00 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 the…
January 22: Washington in American Memory Speaker Series
Washington in American Memory Speaker Series To mark the 250th anniversaries of the American Revolution and the founding of the United States, History Cambridge is proud to partner with a coalition of local non-profits and government agencies to present “Washington in American Memory,” a seven-part speaker series running from November 2025 through April 2026. This…
Jan 1-Feb 28: “The Rebirth of the Forgotten Souls of Tory Row” art installation
The Rebirth of the Forgotten Souls of Tory Row & the Emergence of Echoes in Blue Outdoor Installation on the grounds of History Cambridge, 159 Brattle StreetOpen from dawn to duskFreeJanuary 1- February 28, 2026 The Rebirth of the Forgotten Souls of Tory Row is an outdoor installation co-created by installation artist Gail Bos and interdisciplinary artist Pam Goncalves, presented on…
January 26: Open House at 159 Brattle Street
Monday, January 26 4–6 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…
This carved 1746 corner cupboard has seen a lot, from an enslaver’s ceramics to British prisoners
By Caleigh Lyons, 2023 Tucked in the corner of the east parlor of the Hooper-Lee-Nichols House (built circa 1685) is a tall corner cupboard donated to the Cambridge Historical Society in 1992 by the LeMessurier family. It has served to display objects for the public to see, but what of the cupboard itself? What has…
Catholic churches have long served as East Cambridge’s cornerstones
By Beth Folsom, 2025 For many who settled in East Cambridge, the Catholic Church was an important and enduring institution. Catholicism was largely a faith practiced by newcomers to the neighborhood in the 19th and early 20th centuries, but despite having a religion in common, members of the area’s various ethnic communities preferred to worship…
Event highlights how throughout Cambridge’s history, sharing food has been sharing culture
by Beth Folsom, 2025 Stephen Chen was a child attending Buckingham Browne & Nichols School in Cambridge when a call went out for contributions to the school’s annual bake sale. Chen’s mother, Joyce Chen, baked a batch of cookies to donate and some egg rolls to bring along. To her surprise, the egg rolls were…
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
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…
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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