Inspired by our 2020 theme, “Who are Cambridge Women?” Society member Philip M. Cronin wrote this essay about his remarkable mother, Elizabeth Sullivan. Elizabeth Ann Sullivan was born in Winchendon, Massachusetts, in 1892. She attended local schools. The day after she graduated from high school, she boarded a train to Boston and enrolled at Tufts Medical School. At the … Read More
Our Year Asking “Who Are Cambridge Women?”
By Marieke Van Damme Read at the Opening Conversation and Annual Meeting on February 25, 2020 Hello everyone and welcome to the Cambridge Historical Society’s annual Opening Conversation. I’m Marieke Van Damme, executive director. Before we begin, I would like to say thank you to our friends at the Cambridge Public Library for hosting us tonight, and for CCTV for … Read More
2020 Opening Conversation Recap
On February 25, we hosted our 2020 Opening Conversation: “Who Are Cambridge Women?” at the Cambridge Public Library. Eva Martin-Blythe, Executive Director of the Cambridge YWCA, was joined by the Society’s Doing History Curator, Diana Lempel, for a discussion of the history, mission, and legacy of the YWCA. This event marked the beginning of a year of programs exploring the … Read More
An Intrepid Lady of Brattle Street: Sara Chapman Bull
By Ted Hansen Beginning in 1879, until her death in 1911, Sara Chapman Bull lived in Cambridge, first at “Elmwood” (the Oliver-Gerry-Lowell House), and from 1889 until her death at 186 Brattle Street. A number of facts about her should pique our interest: At age 20, she was married in a semi-secret ceremony in Norway to a 60-year-old renowned Norwegian … Read More
Introducing the 2020 theme “Who Are Cambridge Women?”
The Cambridge Historical Society engages with our city to explore how the past influences the present in order to shape a better future. This year, we are asking “Who Are Cambridge Women?” Our 2020 theme is important now more than ever in this year of national celebration of the centennial of the 19th Amendment granting women suffrage. While the Society … Read More
Annual Member Holiday Party, Wednesday, Dec 4, 2019
Thank you to all who joined us to celebrate another successful year. See you in 2020!
Recap of 11/13/2019 Fall Conversation
On November 13, 2019, Cambridge Historical Society hosted Fall Conversation 2019: How Can We Make Change Here? at University Lutheran Church. Speakers Cheyenne Wyzzard-Jones and Dr. Charlotte Ryan joined moderator Mary McNeil to discuss activism and how they use education as a tool to engage others. This event concluded the Society’s 2019 programs centered on the question “How Does Cambridge … Read More
Serjeant Family Letters Transcribed
Thanks to generous funding from the Massachusetts Society of the Cincinnati, the Serjeant Family Letters (1769-1840) have now been digitized and transcribed. This collection offers insight into the life of a Loyalist family in the years leading up to and following the Revolutionary War. The letters, transcribed below, illuminate the connections between family and religion and shed light on colonial … Read More
Renew your membership
Join hundreds of others curious about the rich history of Cambridge. Renew your membership today! We welcome all donors as members. In recognition of your support, you will receive: A subscription to our quarterly e-newsletter Invitations to the Opening Conversation & Annual Meeting, History Café series, Fall Conversation, Holiday Party, and other signature events throughout the year Discounted event registration … Read More
CHS Executive Director Marieke Van Damme Invites Your Stories of Engagement
Click here to share your story! The question posed by this year’s theme at the Cambridge Historical Society, “How Does Cambridge Engage?” has brought to mind the many ways that we have taken part in political and cultural movements, starting with the American Revolution. Ever since our founding as Newe Towne in 1636, the citizens of Cambridge have come together … Read More