Posts Tagged ‘architecture’
St. Botolph’s Island: Reimagining Municipal Spaces in Cambridge
By Kaliyah Macaraig, 2026 In 1907, the Boston Society of Architects proposed the construction of an island in the middle of the Charles River. Named St. Botolph’s Island, invoking Boston’s historical namesake, the artificial landmass was designed as the site for commercial uses, new transportation and government functions. As written in the 1907 Report, the…
Read MoreOct 10: Cambridge Modern House Tour with Docomomo New England
Saturday, October 109 Ash Street, Cambridge, MA1:30 PM – 4 PMFree; please register Join Docomomo and co-hosts Cambridge Historical Commission and History Cambridge for a walking tour of Modern houses in Cambridge. This tour will include entrance to Philip Johnson’s 9 Ash Street and a house by Eleanor Raymond, as well as 8 exterior stops…
Read MoreOct 22: Un/built Harvard Square: A Fundraiser for History Cambridge
Thursday, October 22Offices of CambridgeSeven20 University Rd, Cambridge, MA 021384:30 pm Optional guided tour of Harvard Square (limited space available)6-8 pmTickets required Un/built Harvard Square: Fall 2026 Fundraiser Every street, plaza, and facade in Harvard Square tells two stories: one about what was built, and another about what was discarded, protested, or left on the…
Read MoreJuly 8: Cambridge Through Time Course
July 8, 15, and 223-5 pmCambridge Center for Adult Ed 42 Brattle StreetRegistration required Join us for a summer course! Cambridge is a collection of rich and diverse neighborhoods, each with its own distinct history and flavor. Over the course of three Wednesday this July we will explore three of these neighborhoods – North Cambridge,…
Read MoreWest 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…
Read MoreHistory of poorhouses reflects changing attitudes toward those on the margins of society
By Heli Meltsner, 2024 This year, as part of its exploration of North Cambridge, History Cambridge highlights the ways in which the neighborhood has historically been home to industries and institutions Cantabrigians needed but wanted to push to the edges of the city’s boundaries. Slaughterhouses, tanneries and brickyards were all necessary industries, but those in the…
Read MoreSat, August 19 Guided Tour: Community Resiliency and Activism in Cambridgeport Option 2
On August 15 and 19, History Cambridge intern Miranda Santiago led two sessions of a tour she created on Community Resiliency and Activism in Cambridgeport. Born and raised in Cambridge, Miranda is now a student at New York University, but her experiences growing up in Cambridge – in particular the time she has spent in…
Read MoreTues, August 15 Guided Tour: Community Resiliency and Activism in Cambridgeport Option 1
Join History Cambridge and Miranda Santiago for a tour of Cambridgeport on August 15th or 19th.
Read MoreCambridge Historical Commission
The Cambridge Historical Commission is the city’s historic preservation agency. In their research library you’ll find books on the history of Cambridge and surrounding towns, local community groups, historic preservation, biographies and memoirs of Cambridge people, and more. They have records of all 13,000+ Cambridge buildings, thousands of photographs, and occasionally offer guided tours for…
Read MoreA Brief History of “Ten Ten”
By Elizabeth af Jochnick Before Ten Ten was Ten Ten, it was an in-patient infirmary for Harvard students, located next to Mount Auburn Hospital, known as the Stillman Infirmatory. When the University moved its student health facilities to Harvard Square, they put the Infirmary up for sale. Harvard offered to sell the building and the…
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