History, Photos, Facts and What Life is Like in Cambridge, Massachusetts

If you've heard of Harvard University, M.I.T, Harvard Square, Julia Childs, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, then you've probably heard of Cambridge, Massachusetts.  Cambridge is a geographically small place with big things going on.  Here is some information about Cambridge:

Cambridge was founded in 1630 and incorporated as a city in 1846.  In 1630, the settlement was called Newtowne, and the name was changed to Cambridge in 1638. A person from Cambridge is called a Cantabrigian.  The oldest house in Cambridge is the Cooper-Frost-Austin house on Linnaean Street, with the wood used to construct it dating back to 1682.

Cambridge is separated from Boston by two bridges, the Longfellow Bridge and the Harvard Bridge.  Cambridge is approximately 6.4 square miles in size and has a population of about 106,000 people.

There are several squares in Cambridge: Harvard Square, Kendall Square, Central Square, Porter Square, Inman Square and Union Square.  Cambridge has been referred to as a "City of Square."  Each of the squares has its own ambience and noteworthy restaurants and entertainment venues that make it unique.  Most people are partial to the one square that best suits their personality.

There is a varied architecture in Cambridge dating from the 1600s right up to the current day.  You can see apartment buildings from every decade, old Victorian homes, modern condominium complexes and brick turrets on homes covered in ivy next to a modern home just completed yesterday-all within a block of each other.  There are many beautiful little side streets paved in brick and lined with the most luscious gardens, and then when you walk five houses away you are on the bustling, modern and very busy Massachusetts Avenue.   Massachusetts Avenue is called Mass Ave. by the locals, and it begins in the Dorchester section of Boston and extends 16 miles through many cities and towns.

It is very easy to navigate around Cambridge by public transportation, which is called the MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority).  The Red Line branch of the transit system has several stops in Cambridge: Kendall, Central, Harvard, Porter and Alewife.  There is also a stop for the Purple Line in Porter Square, and this is a commuter rail train that goes back into Boston or out to the western suburbs of Massachusetts.  Numerous busses can take you anywhere, and they are also a good alternative if you prefer to stay above ground and avoid the subway train.  The area is very good for walking and bicycling, too.

M.I.T and Harvard are the two largest employers in Cambridge, as you can well imagine.  The population also reflects their presence in the community.  There is a large and diverse student population here, as well as a large population of professors and other college staff living throughout the city.  This mix of people makes for an intellectually stimulating and young environment where there is always something exciting going on.

Cultures of all types are alive and well and living in Cambridge.  There are restaurants from just about any country you can think of.  There are theaters, live music venues, street performers, art galleries and many other types of artsy endeavors to suit every taste.

Cambridge is a great place to add to your vacation list, especially if you are planning a visit to Boston; it's only a little over two miles away.  Cambridge is an interesting and very convenient place to live, too.  Maybe someday I will meet you in Cambridge, Massachusetts!