We use history to catalyze the connections that make Cambridge, Massachusetts more vibrant and cohesive.
Headquarters of a Revolution: The 250th Anniversary of Washington’s Arrival in Cambridge
Saturday, July 5, 2025Longfellow House-Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site105 Brattle Street10 am-3 pmFree Join History Cambridge for this special National Park Service event! We are excited to participate in this special event at one of Cambridge’s most historic spaces. Explore the people, ideas, and questions that shaped General George Washington’s first revolutionary headquarters 250 years…
July 9: Molly Beer at Harvard Book Store
Join us for a discussion with author Molly Beer Wednesday, July 9, 20257:00pmHarvard Book Store1256 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138This event is free; no tickets are required Harvard Book Store and History Cambridge welcome Molly Beer—award-winning nonfiction writer and lecturer at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor—for a discussion of her new book Angelica: For Love…
Block Party Summer
Already dreaming up your summer plans? 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. This is a great…
October 23: Culinary Crossroads: A Fundraiser for History Cambridge
Save the date! Join History Cambridge on Thursday, October 23, from 6-8 pm at the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts (2020 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140) for a unique culinary journey. Celebrate Cambridge’s rich culinary history as we showcase modern interpretations of iconic local foods and ingredients from the city’s past. Inspiration will be drawn…
Honoring Years of Service: Heli Meltsner and Frank Kramer Retire from History Cambridge Board
May 2025 Last week, the board of History Cambridge gathered to acknowledge two long-serving volunteers, Heli Meltsner and Frank Kramer, who retired from our board of directors in 2024. Their dedication and contributions have significantly shaped our organization, and we are incredibly grateful for their many years of service. Heli Meltsner, who joined History Cambridge…
Elias Howe’s 1846 sewing machine is example of creativity in Cambridge
By Beth Folsom, 2025 The Inman Eats & Crafts Makers Market set for Sunday celebrates the many creative people and organizations that call Cambridge home. As part of the festival, History Cambridge offers visitors the opportunity to see the first commercially available sewing machine, invented in Cambridge by Elias Howe Jr. in 1846. Building on the work…
Cambridge Street pop-up and the social history of gardening in East Cambridge
By Beth Folsom, 2025 History Cambridge joins with the Cambridge Plant & Garden Club and East Cambridge Business Association on Saturday for a pop-up event celebrating Cambridge Street, the lifeline of the East Cambridge neighborhood. The event takes place in Cambridge Courtyard, the meeting spot tucked beside the train tracks on Cambridge Street, where History Cambridge will share…
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…
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.
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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