We use history to catalyze the connections that make Cambridge, Massachusetts more vibrant and cohesive.
Sept 12: Open Archives
Saturday, September 12, 2026Joan Lorentz Park (Outside Main Branch Library, 449 Broadway) 1– 3 PMFree; no registration required Join us for Open Archives 2026: Evolving Landscapes! We’re excited to participate in this free annual event hosted by the Cambridge Historical Commission. Stop by Joan Lorentz Park on Saturday, September 12, to connect with local archivists…
Sept 28: Dialogue Dinner
Dialogue Dinner: A Different Kind of Dinner Party Monday, September 28, 20266-7:45 pmCitywide Senior Center806 Massachusetts AveFree; registration requiredAll ages welcome Limited space available! Join us for a unique and memorable evening where we foster deeper connections and build a sense of community around a shared theme. WHAT TO EXPECT This is not your typical…
Sept 29 + Oct 3: Guided Tour: East Cambridge in the Revolution
Details Two tours:Tuesday, September 29 at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, October 3 at 10:00 a.m. Registration required$15 East Cambridge is a neighborhood whose role in the Revolutionary War is largely unknown, but the area played a critical role in the Revolutionary story, from the construction of Fort Putnam and other earthworks to the landing of British…
2026 Block Party Season
Gathering with your neighbors? In planning your annual (or first!) neighborhood block party, consider inviting History Cambridge. We’ll set up our History Kit, complete with historical information about your street and the wider Cambridge community. This free service goes quickly, so be sure to get on our calendar early. What is a History Kit? Since…
For 50 years that home economics was treated as a science, Harvard Square hosted a center for housewives
By Beth Folsom, 2026 By the winter of 1919, as the nation was emerging from its brief but formative participation in World War I, Cambridge was already looking ahead to what the next decade would bring its residents. Included in that group were housewives, many of whom had been affected by the economic challenges of the…
‘Cambridge is a Tiny Cuba’: Harvard and the Cuban teachers’ expedition of 1900
By Beth Folsom, 2026 In the winter of 1900, the United States was only a year and a half removed from its successful attempt to oust Spain from the small but geographically and logistically important island of Cuba. The Spanish-American War was in many ways America’s first global war, as its imperial clashes with Spain played…
For a summer staycation, Cantabrigians flocked to Mount Auburn Cemetery
By Beth Folsom, 2026 Peruse the summer issues of a Cambridge newspaper in the late 19th century and you would learn that the Peabodys were off to their cottage in Bar Harbor and the Longfellows were summering in Nahant. The local papers printed dozens of notices each summer detailing where Cantabrigians vacationed and when they would…
West Cambridge History Hub
2026 is our year of West Cambridge! Check out our upcoming events A Brief History of West Cambridge 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…
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
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 as from Boston. The rich oyster beds contained there served as an important…
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.
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