Historic Landmarks and Other Places to Visit in Cambridge, Massachusetts

If you are planning to include Cambridge in your vacation plans, or you will be coming to Cambridge when you bring one of your children to college in the area, you may want to take a day or two to see the sites in the area, including destinations that have been designated National Historic Landmarks.

What exactly is a National Historic Landmark?  This is a logical and valid question because many of us have heard this term, but we are not sure exactly what it means.

National Historic Landmarks are buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects that have been determined by the Secretary of the Interior to be nationally significant in American history and culture.  There are 18 such places in Cambridge, and you'll want to be sure to include these destinations in your tour around the area:

• Maria Baldwin House, 196 Prospect Street
• George D. Birkhoff House, 22 Craigie Street
• Percy W. Bridgman House, 10 Buckingham Place
• Reginald A. Daly House, 23 Hawthorn Street
• William M. Davis House, 17 Francis Street
• Elmwood, 33 Elmwood Avenue
• Margaret Fuller House, 71 Cherry Street
• Asa Gray House,  88 Garden Street
• Oliver Hastings House, 101 Brattle Street
• Longfellow House, 105 Brattle Street
• Theodore W. Richards House, 15 Follen Street
• Mary Fisk Stoughton House, 90 Brattle Street
• Christ Church, 0 Garden Street
• Arthur D. Little Inc Building, 30 Memorial Drive
• Massachusetts Hall, Memorial Hall, Sever Hall, and University Hall ( all at Harvard University)

Many of these are private residences, but others are open to the public for tours.  You could definitely make a day out of touring around Cambridge to these destinations as well as other attractions in the city.

Another feature of Cambridge is its "squares."  Cambridge is often referred to as a "City of Squares."  Most people have heard of Harvard Square, but there are also five other squares in Cambridge, each with their own personality.  Here is some information about where the squares are located:

Central Square.  This is an area in Cambridge centered around the junction of Massachusetts Avenue, Prospect Street and Western Avenue. Lafayette Square, formed by the junction of Massachusetts Avenue, Columbia Street, Sidney Street and Main Street, is also considered a part of the Central Square area.

Inman Square.  This is a neighborhood in Cambridge. It lies north of Central Square, at the junction of Cambridge, Hampshire, and Inman Streets near the Cambridge–Somerville border.

Kendall Square.  This is a neighborhood in Cambridge, with the "square" itself at the intersection of Main Street, Broadway, Wadsworth Street, and Third Street. It may also refer to the broad business district that is east of Portland Street, northwest of the Charles River, north of MIT and south of Binney Street.

Harvard Square. This is a large triangular area in the center of  Cambridge, at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue, Brattle Street, and John F. Kennedy Street. Adjacent to the historic heart of Harvard University, Harvard Yard, and the Square (as it is called locally) functions as a commercial center for Harvard students, as well as residents of western Cambridge and the inner western and northern suburbs of Boston.

Porter Square. This is a neighborhood of Cambridge located around the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Somerville Avenue, between Harvard and Davis Squares. The Porter Square Station serves both the MBTA Red Line and the Commuter Rail. The station is approximately 200 yards from the border with Somerville, so "Porter Square" inhabitants include residents of both cities.

Lechmere Square. (pronounced "leech-meer") This square is located at the intersection of Cambridge St. and First St. in East Cambridge. It was originally named for the Colonial-era landowner Richard Lechmere, a Loyalist who returned to England at the beginning of the American Revolution. His lands were later seized by the new American government. The shoreline is shown as "Lechmere's Point" on Revolutionary War maps, and was the landing point for British troops en route to the Battles of Lexington and Concord.

These are only some of the interesting places that Cambridge has to offer.  As you walk around, you will see so many interesting people and places.  Take your time, have fun and enjoy this beautiful and interesting city!