Cambridge

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Harvard Square, now bustling with students, professors, commuters, and tourists, was once simply open land on the fringe of New Towne, later called Cambridge. Several years after its settlement in 1631, the area became the site of the nation’s first college, Harvard, from which the square derives its current name.

History abounds along the roads and intersections of Harvard Square. Just as Paul Revere made his famous horse ride through the streets of Boston, William Dawes once rode through Harvard Square to alarm area colonists about encroaching Redcoats.

Famous patriots such as Samuel Adams, John Adams, and John Hancock all graduated from the Harvard institution. George Washington established his headquarters at two locations near Harvard Square during the Revolution and both still exist today -- the Wadsworth House and the Henry Longfellow House. The latter building is open to the public and is located just a short walk down Brattle Street, also called "Tory Row" for its many residents who were loyalists to King George before the Revolution.

Distinguished writers such as Dickens, Hawthorne, Holmes, Longfellow and Lowell also walked these streets and took advantage of all that Harvard Square had to offer.

Touring the many historical sites and cultural spots around the square is easy by foot. When visiting the area, make sure to stop at the Cambridge Discovery Inc.’s information booth, located in the heart of Harvard Square at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue, John F. Kennedy Street, and Brattle Street. They offer many brochures on the area’s museums, restaurants, theaters and other points of interest, as well as, guided tours during the summer months.

Harvard Square is a mélange of sightseers, professionals, and countless students from Harvard University, Cambridge and Leslie Colleges, the Cambridge Center for Adult Education, and the Longy School of Music. Only a mile away is the Massachusetts Institute Of Technology (MIT). Given the educational institutions found here, it's not surprising to find such a concentration of bookstores - more than 20 - which cater both to residents and tourists. In fact, Harvard Square has been appropriately dubbed the "Book Mecca of the World."

The many bookstores, however, pale in number to the eateries found at Harvard Square. More than 100 restaurants offer a variety cuisine with distinctive dining experiences. American, Chinese, Indian, Italian, Greek, Japanese, Mexican, and Thai are just some of the ethnic foods available. There is a wide range of prices and dining choices from sidewalk cafes and pub fair to formal dining- offering something to meet any budget!

Several movie houses and performing arts theatres are also located at Harvard Square, including the popular American Repertory Theatre at Loeb Drama Center on Brattle Street. The area boasts nine museums including Harvard University’s three art museums, The Fogg Art Museum, The Busch-Reisinger Museum and the Arthur Sackler Museum. The entrance fee covers admission to all three museums and their rotating exhibits of more than 150,000 artifacts. The Botanical Museum – part of the Harvard University Museum of Cultural and Natural History- is celebrated for its collection of glass flowers.

Whether it’s shopping, dining, lodging or a cultural experience you desire, historical Harvard Square provides it all and more.