Cambridge Common Historic District (Boundary Increase and Decrease)

Cambridge Common is a flat, triangular park enclosed by a granite post and rail fence, surrounded by churches, university buildings, houses and early twentieth century apartment houses. It is what remains of common land set aside for public use in 1631, once reaching north to Linnaean Street. George Washington's continental army made its headquarters there in 1775-76. The fence and tree planting date from 1830, an early example of enclosing and improving a public park, and monuments were added later, including a Civil War monument, the Sumner statue by Anne Whitney, and Flagstaff Park. Nearby are Christ Church (1760), the city's oldest surviving religious structure, the Old Burying Ground (1635), and First Church, Unitarian (1833). The boundary change added Farwell Place, a dead-end street of six houses including the c. 1772 James Read House and the 1827 John Nichols House, and removed areas already covered by neighboring districts. The district is significant for settlement, the American Revolution, landscape, religion and architectural variety.