The Cambridge Historical Commission Blog
Featuring the history of Cambridge, Massachusetts
Come meet the archivists, historians, and organizations preserving Cambridge’s history. Explore collections, discover stories, and chat with the people who help keep our local history alive!
Joan Lorentz Park
September 12, 2026
Free & open to all ages!
See you there!
For more information, see our Open Archives webpage: https://www.cambridgema.gov/historic/researchaids/openarchives
Each year, the Cambridge Historical Commission honors projects that have made outstanding contributions to the preservation of the city’s historic character and built environment. The 2026 Preservation Awards will recognize individuals and organizations for projects completed within the last year. The awards will be announced and presented at a ceremony in late May or early June 2026.
Seven project categories are eligible for Preservation Awards: restoration, rehabilitation, adaptive use, neighborhood conservation, landscape preservation, archaeology, and education. The award-winning projects will be selected based on the following:
To nominate a project, including your own, please submit a completed nomination form and supporting documentation by Noon on Friday, March 13, 2026 to:
Cambridge Historical Commission
831 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
Or electronically to: histcomm@cambridgema.gov
All submitted materials become the property of the Cambridge Historical Commission and will not be returned.
For more information on the Cambridge Preservation Awards, or if you have questions regarding the nomination form, please contact the Commission.
Telephone: 617 349 4683 | Email: histcomm@cambridgema.gov
URL: https://www.cambridgema.gov/historic/aboutchc/preservationawards
The Cambridge Black History Project in collaboration with the Cambridge Public Library invites you to come out and try your hand at editing and creating Wikipedia pages related to Cambridge Black History!
When: Wednesday, February 25th from 5:30pm-8:30pm
Where: Central Square Branch of the Cambridge Public Library (45 Pearl Street).
This event is free but registration is required. Please click HERE for more information and to register for the event. Once at the registration page click the blue “Begin Registration” button.
All levels of experience are welcome! Join in on the fun and excitement of looking up information on Black Cantabrigians and beyond as we move to create Wikipedia pages that will highlight some local individuals. We will be adding to information on existing pages, creating new pages, finding reliable sources for others to use, and copyediting and formatting pages. The Central Square Branch offers resources from its Archives and Special Collections as well as its Black Voices Collections.
We are looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday, February 25 from 5:30pm – 8:30pm.
Access information:
Each year, the Cambridge Historical Commission honors projects that have made outstanding contributions to the preservation of the city’s historic character and built environment. The 2026 Preservation Awards will recognize individuals and organizations for projects completed within the last year. The awards will be announced and presented at a ceremony in late May or early June 2026.
Seven project categories are eligible for Preservation Awards: restoration, rehabilitation, adaptive use, neighborhood conservation, landscape preservation, archaeology, and education. The award-winning projects will be selected based on the following:
To nominate a project, including your own, please submit a completed nomination form and supporting documentation by Noon on Friday, March 13, 2026 to:
Cambridge Historical Commission
831 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02139
Or electronically to: histcomm@cambridgema.gov
All submitted materials become the property of the Cambridge Historical Commission and will not be returned.
For more information on the Cambridge Preservation Awards, or if you have questions regarding the nomination form, please contact the Commission.
Telephone: 617 349 4683 | Email: histcomm@cambridgema.gov
URL: https://www.cambridgema.gov/historic/aboutchc/preservationawards
The Cambridge Museum of History & Culture invites you to join an opening reception including music & light refreshments!
The Cambridge Museum of History & Culture and Office of Mayor E. Denise Simmons invite you to the opening reception of In the Key of Cambridge: A Celebration of Music & Music Venues. This new exhibit traces 100 years of the city’s inspiring musical legacy. From folk coffeehouses and blues clubs to punk venues, jazz stages, and street corners, Cambridge has shaped the soundtrack of generations. Visitors will explore how artists, venues, and communities across Cambridge nurtured groundbreaking movements—from the 1960s folk revival to indie rock—while reflecting larger social currents like civil rights, anti-war protests, and multiculturalism.
Join us for live music, local history, and light refreshments. This event is free, family-friendly and open to all. The venue is ADA accessible. The exhibit will be on display for the month of November, 2025.
Note that the event is currently as capacity, but you are welcome to join the waitlist by clicking here: . The exhibit will also be on view for Folk Music Month from November 3 to November 30 at The Kendall Public Lobby. This exhibit is free and open to all!
Thank you to BXP, Cambridge Redevelopment Authority, Cambridge Arts, Harvard Square Business Association, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Rain date: Saturday, November 15, 2025, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM.
For more details, please email cambridge.history.museum@gmail.com.
The First Church of Christ, Scientist, Cambridge, in partnership with the Harvard Square Business Association, is pleased to announce the restoration of the lighting at the Art Deco building at 23 Church Street.
At 5:30pm on November 7th, witness the restored architectural lights return to their original glory as they originally appeared in 1936. Missing for decades, they have been faithfully reconstructed with modern lighting technology.
Built in 1936 for the Cambridge Gas and Electric Light Company by architect William Lawrence Galvin (1902 – 1983), 23 Church Street is now home to Rodney’s Bookstore and the Christian Science Reading Room.
In 2015, Charles Sullivan, executive director of the Cambridge Historical Commission, revealed that lights previously adorned the façade of 23 Church Street. In 2022, the commission awarded the church a grant to restore the outside of the building, including the installation of new lights. Through the expertise of Poyant, an award-winning signage design and fabrication firm, lighting was installed that is identical in appearance to the original, while utilizing modern technology.
In addition to The Cambridge Historical Commission, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, Cambridge, thanks Marcos Almada of Almada Restoration, Rodrigo Almeida of RB Farina Roofing, Jason Fredette and the skilled designers and craftspeople at Poyant Lighting, and Tom Kuik at Kuik Electrical, the master electrician who designed and installed the circuitry that powers the lights.
Click here for a comprehensive history of 23 Church Street and how this project came to fruition: https://www.harvardsquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/The-Restoration-of-23-Church-Street-FINAL.pdf.
We look forward to seeing you tomorrow at 5:30pm – rain or shine. Light refreshments will be served.
Join the Cambridge Black History Project as they celebrate their oral history narrators. Gather for an afternoon of refreshments and conversation as we pay tribute to our rich storytelling tradition. Connect with your community during an afternoon of conversation and refreshments!
Cost per person: Free
Date: November 8, 2025
Time: 1:00pm – 3:30pm
Location: Cambridge Public Library Main Branch, 449 Broadway, Cambridge, Mass
We hope to see you on this special occasion celebrating Cambridge oral histories. Lift Every Voice is a great opportunity to connect with the Cambridge Black History Project and the community. Please RSVP here: https://cambridgepl.libcal.com/event/15516112.
The Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA) and the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum will host a public event to honor Dr. Vera Rubin on June 26th, 2025. The event, titled “Historic Change: Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Dr. Vera Rubin,” will discuss impact both within and beyond the scientific community, and unveil a new quarter from the United States Mint featuring Rubin.
The public program will include discussions from a distinguished group including CfA Director Lisa Kewley, Vera Rubin’s granddaughter, representatives from the Smithsonian, the designer of the new U.S. Mint coin, renowned astrophysicists, an astronaut, and others. This exciting event is free but requires tickets through the Harvard Box Office.
Following the panel discussion, there will be a free public festival (no tickets necessary) with booths from a variety of organizations, such as research institutions, historical groups, and community groups working within the fields of astronomy, women’s history, and STEM, among others.
Event details:
Thursday, June 26th,
Free Ticketed event:
3:00 pm: Welcome remarks
3:30 pm: Panel Discussion
Location: Sanders Theater, Cambridge, MA
Open to the public:
4:30-7:30 pm: Public Festival
Harvard Science Center Plaza, Cambridge, MA
Live streaming of the event will be available at: https://harvard.zoom.us/j/92548813031
The United States Mint Vera Rubin quarter will become available on June 3, 2025: https://www.usmint.gov/american-women-quarters-2025-rolls-and-bags-dr-vera-rubin-MASTER_AWQVR.html
Gather for Juneteenth to honor those who endured slavery and seized freedom on Brattle Street 250 years ago, their descendants, and the long history of Black freedom activism in Cambridge and beyond.
This free, all-ages event is marking its fourth year in 2025! Denise Washington (#Pop-Up Poetry Series), a descendant of Darby Vassall, has curated the Juneteenth Gathering at Longfellow House-Washington’s Headquarters NHS each year. Join us for the Juneteenth Gathering, A Denise Plays Hard Event, featuring speeches, poetry, music, historical displays, family activities, and refreshments. All are welcome!
🎤12:30-1:00 PM DJ Steve Gousby
👋1:00-1:15 PM Welcome
🎶1:15-2:30 PM Juneteenth # Pop-Up Poetry, A Denise Plays Hard Event, including:
2:30-3:30 PM
🎛️DJ Steve Gousby
👥Interactive history and family activities
🥤Catered refreshments
📋Partner/resource tables by the Enslaved Legacy History Coalition, Christ Church Cambridge, First Church in Cambridge, and History Cambridge
StoryWalk: Juneteenth for Mazie by Floyd Cooper
Due to weather, this event has been postponed to Sunday February 23, 2025 | 2-4pm
The Cambridge Museum of History & Culture invites you to experience Grace: The History of Black Churches in Cambridge, an exhibition honoring Black History Month that shall be on display throughout February at the Kendall Public Lobby. Throughout this nation’s history, Black Churches have been a cornerstone of community, culture, and resilience, and this has certainly been the case in Cambridge. Black Churches have played an essential role not only in the spiritual lives of their congregants, but also serving as incubators for social justice, education, and community building. Grace strives to illuminate part of the rich history and contributions by highlighting just some of these enduring institutions, focusing on their collective, enduring legacy in our community. By showcasing the history of these important institutions, Grace aims to foster a deeper understanding of their significance in Cambridge’s past, present, and future.
Reception date and time: Sunday February 16, 2025 | 2-4pm
Location: The Kendall Public Lobby, 325-355 Main St, Cambridge
Music and light refreshments
This event is free and open to the public. Find more information and reserve a spot here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/opening-reception-for-grace-the-history-of-black-churches-in-cambridge-tickets-1214829791609.
The Grace Exhibit is made possible by the generous work of community curators: Chandra Salvi Harrington, Deacon Cheryl Maynard, Dr. Cheryl Townsend Gilkes, Dr. Janie Ward, Dr. Kris Manjapra, Lynette Riley-Belle, Patricia Weems, Reverend Dr. Ellis I. Washington, Reverend Lorraine Thornhill, Sister Danita Callender, and Valerie Beaudrault, in fellowship with church congregations across the city. We would like to thank our generous sponsors for the tremendous support and incredible platform to connect, share, and learn: BXP, Cambridge Arts, The Cambridge Historical Commission, The Cambridge Redevelopment Authority, The Office of Mayor E. Denise Simmons, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
For more information about The Cambridge Museum of History & Culture, please their website at www.cambridgehistorymuseum.com or connect with them by phone at (617) 349-4327.
Location is ADA accessible.