Cambridge Common Historic District
Also known as: See Also:Christ Church; Old Harvard Yard; Massachusetts Hall; H
Why it's listed
Cambridge Common is the remnant of common land set aside for grazing in 1631, and the surrounding historic district covers about 33 acres of streets, churches, houses and early Harvard buildings. The Common hosted annual colonial elections, drew crowds to George Whitefield's sermons in 1740, and served as the main camp of Washington's Continental Army in 1775-76. In 1830 it was fenced and planted as a public park, and later gained monuments, cannon and a Washington Elm scion. Nearby landmarks include Christ Church (1760, Peter Harrison), the Old Burying Ground (1635), First Church, Unitarian (1833, Isaiah Rogers), the Federal house at 1 Garden Street, the Waterhouse house at 7 Waterhouse Street, and Harvard's Massachusetts, Harvard and Stoughton Halls. Together they show roughly 340 years of change from open field to enclosed park in a dense setting, and the area has been a local historic district since 1963.
Significance in brief: The Common has been the focus of Cambridge's political, religious and social life for over 300 years, including serving as George Washington's Continental Army camp in 1775-76. In 1830 it became an early example of a dedicated, enclosed and improved public park. The surrounding buildings represent Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival, Gothic Revival and Queen Anne styles, and the district itself was protected locally in 1963.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 73000281, listed April 13, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Garden, Waterhouse, Cambridge, and Peabody Sts., and Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge |
|---|---|
| County | Middlesex County |
| Listed | April 13, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73000281 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | Isaiah Rogers (First Church, Unitarian); Peter Harrison (Christ Church); William Saunders (1 Garden Street); Abel C. Martin (First Church, Congregational); A. P. Cutting (Harvard-Epworth Methodist Church); Charles Bulfinch and Thomas Dawes (Stoughton Hall); Governor Francis Bernard and Thomas Dawes (Harvard Hall) |
| Architectural style | Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Richardsonian and Queen Anne buildings around a historic common |
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Military, Politics/Government, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition rated fair and altered; the Common was described as needing renovation of landscaping and paths, with work proposed for completion in 1975. Uses include park, commercial, educational, religious, residential and government. |
| Acreage | 33 |
| Within district | Cambridge Common Historic District (Boundary Increase and Decrease) |
| Coordinates | 42.37671, -71.12058 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 73000281.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5025393
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.