The subway from Boston to Harvard Square had been completed in March 1912 and consolidated Central Square’s position as the civic and business center of the city. The historic image shows a commercial thoroughfare busy with pedestrians, trolleys, and delivery wagons. In addition to the subway, trolley lines crisscrossed the city from the late 19th through the early 20th century, bringing people from all over to shop and amuse themselves. To this day, work crews resurfacing the streets will occasionally uncover old trolley tracks.

Historic image: Postcard Collection, Cambridge Historical Commission, ca. 1922

Photograph: Phyllis Bretholtz, 2010

“Central Square: Then and Now” portrays the history and vibrancy of Central Square over the past century. The project is a collaboration of the Clear Conscience Café, the Cambridge Historical Society, the Cambridge Historical Commission, and Phyllis Bretholtz.