Cambridge Revolutionary War Existing Sites
Celebrating 250 years of America's independence, this story map pays homage to Cambridge's tumultuous involvement in the Revolutionary War.
The Revolutionary War’s origins in Massachusetts are well-known to anyone who has studied U.S. history. Events like the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, and the Battle of Lexington and Concord are etched into the national narrative. But the early days of the Revolution also unfolded in significant ways right here in Cambridge.
This map invites you to explore Cambridge's lesser-known Revolutionary War landmarks that still stand today. Discover stories of intrigue and resistance, such as the Powder Alarm of 1774 and the dramatic history of Tory Row, as you uncover the city’s pivotal role in shaping America’s fight for independence.
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1
159 Brattle Street
The house at 159 Brattle St., built in 1685, is the second oldest house in Cambridge. During the pre-Revolutionary era, Judge Joseph Lee was the owner of the property. Appointed by the English Crown, Judge Lee was a member of the Mandamus Council, a royal governing body that infringed upon the power of the colonial government.
On September 1, 1774, after rumors began to circulate that British troops were seizing gunpowder stores near Boston, 4,000 colonial militiamen gathered on the Cambridge Common in protest in an event known as the Powder Alarm of 1774. The angry mob marched down Brattle Street, demanding the resignation of members of the Mandamus Council who lived along the Cambridge corridor, including Joseph Lee. Lee gave into the demands of the mob and fled Cambridge with the other residents of Tory Row, which was the colloquial name for the slew of loyalist-owned mansions on Brattle Street.
After the Siege of Boston had ended in March of 1776 and the Continental Army no longer occupied Cambridge, Joseph Lee returned to the city demanding the return of his property, eventually resuming ownership of the estate in 1777.
2
33 Elmwood Avenue
The property at 33 Elmwood Ave, also known as Elmwood or the Oliver-Gerry-Lowell House, was originally owned by Lieutenant Governor Thomas Oliver during the pre-Revolutionary era. Oliver was another member of the Mandamus Council and was one of three of these Councilors who were forced into resignation by the frustrated mob of protesting colonists during the Powder Alarm of 1774. Elmwood was one of the seven Tory Row estates that were seized by patriots during the Revolution. During the Siege of Boston, Elmwood was converted into a hospital to treat sick and/or wounded soldiers.
3
145 Brattle Street
During the pre-Revolutionary era, the property at 145 Brattle St. was owned by Jonathan Sewall, the last Attorney General under Royal British leadership. During the Powder Alarm of 1774, General Sewall's mansion was one of the Tory Row properties targeted by the mob of angry colonials. Gen. Sewall fled, and patriot leaders seized his mansion and its grounds.
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105 Brattle Street
Built in 1759 by loyalist John Vassall Jr., the grand estate was abandoned by the Vassall family in 1774 as tensions with colonial revolutionaries grew. The mansion was later seized and became future first president General George Washington's headquarters during the Siege of Boston, serving as both his residence and a center of military strategy from July 8, 1775, to April 1776. This historic home also gained cultural prominence in the 19th century when it became the residence of poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who celebrated Revolutionary heroes in his work, most famously in "Paul Revere’s Ride."
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94 Brattle Street
Built in 1746, 94 Brattle St. was initially home to Henry and Penelope Royall Vassall, wealthy loyalists known for their extravagant lifestyle. The Henry Vassall House exemplified colonial luxury, with its two enslaved people, five servants, formal orchards and gardens, spacious courtyards, horse stables, and a coach house filled with top-quality carriages. The estate was abandoned in 1775 as tensions with Britain escalated. Seized by the local Committee of Correspondence, it became the Continental Army's central hospital during the Siege of Boston. Of all the mansions on Tory Row, the transition of the Henry Vassall House exceptionally highlights the turbulent shift from colonial opulence to revolutionary urgency that engrossed Cambridge during the American Revolution.
6
42 Brattle Street
Son of William Brattle and nephew of Thomas Brattle (founder of the Brattle Street Church), General-Major William Brattle Jr. was the owner of the mansion at 42 Brattle St. during the pre-Revolutionary era. After the Powder Alarm of September 1774, in which Brattle played an instigating role in alliance with General Gage, Brattle fled to Boston alongside other residents of Tory Row estates, thus leaving the Brattle House abandoned and eventually seized by patriots. The property at 42 Brattle St., built in 1727, is now home to the Cambridge Center for Adult Education.
7
64 John F. Kennedy Street
The John Hicks House, located at 64 JFK Street, was built in 1762. John Hicks, one of only two known Cantabrigians to participate in the Boston Tea Party on December 14, 1773, played an active role in the early resistance against British rule. On April 19, 1775, following the Battle of Lexington and Concord, Hicks and other seasoned patriots devised a plan to ambush retreating British troops. While hiding behind barrels at Watson’s Corner—now part of North Cambridge—he was said to be fatally shot through the heart by a British soldier when the skirmish began.
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10 Linden Street
In 1760, the house at 10 Linden St. was built for the Reverend East Apthorp, the founder and first rector of Christ Church in Cambridge. Apthorp faced hostility from Puritans who were suspicious that, due to its sheer extravagance, the mansion was associated with the Anglican Church and feared that Apthorp would be appointed the first Anglican bishop in the colonies. After he fled to England in 1764 due to continued religious controversy, the mansion was nicknamed "Bishop's Palace" by Cantabridgians. The house was then sold to another wealthy loyalist, John Borland, who was forced to flee with other Tories in 1775 in the face of persistent threats from anti-Tory mobs.
In June of 1775, the local Committees of Correspondence began to seize the properties of absent Loyalists. Throughout the Siege of Boston, the Apthorp House was used as barracks by Continental soldiers.
Later in the Revolution, British General John Burgoyne and his staff officers were confined in the Apthorp House as a prisoners of war throughout 1777. Although a mansion, the house was unfurnished, and General Burgoyne was forced to buy all his own furniture and pay rent during his stay.
9
1341 Massachusetts Avenue
Built in 1726 for Benjamin Wadsworth and his family. From 1725 until his death in 1737, Wadsworth served as president of Harvard. The Wadsworth House is Harvard's second oldest surviving building and served as General George Washington's first headquarters after his arrival in Cambridge on July 2, 1775. Gen. Washington remained at the Wadsworth House for six days before deeming it unsatisfactory. When Gen. Washington's headquarters was relocated to 105 Brattle St. on July 8, 1775, the Wadsworth House became the headquarters of General Charles Lee.
10
Dawes Island
In April of 1775, rumors of British Army General Thomas Gage's plan to arrest the powerful patriots John Hancock and Samuel Adams began to spread amongst colonists. On the night of April 18, 1775, Paul Revere and William Dawes rode on horseback through Charlestown and Cambridge to Concord and Lexington, warning citizens of the approaching British troops. It was Dawes, a respected patriot who was familiar with many British guards, who rode through Cambridge past the Old Burying Ground on his way to Concord. Dawes Island serves as a tribute to the historic midnight ride undertaken by Dawes on the night before the Revolutionary War’s first battle.
11
Cambridge Common
The Cambridge Common was used frequently throughout the Revolution. In the early 1770s, it was used by local militia for training and drills. During the Powder Alarm of 1774, the angry mob of 4,000 patriots used the Cambridge Common as their gathering space. On April 18, 1775, the patriot William Dawes rode through the Common, warning Cantabridgians of the arrival of British troops on his way to Concord. Perhaps the most famous revolutionary use of the Cambridge Common was on July 3, 1775, when Gen. Washington assumed command of the Continental Army. According to American legend, this occurred under an elm tree on the Common, which was blown down in a 1923 storm, but is commemorated by a plaque at its original location at the intersection of Mason St. and Garden St.
12
Massachusetts Hall, Harvard College
During the Siege of Boston in the winter of 1776, 640 American soldiers were billeted in Massachusetts Hall of Harvard College. Constructed in 1720, Massachusetts Hall is one of four existing Harvard buildings that quartered American soldiers during the Siege, and it is the oldest surviving building at Harvard.
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Hollis Hall, Harvard College
During the Siege of Boston in the winter of 1776, 640 American soldiers were billeted in Hollis Hall of Harvard College. Built in 1763 by Thomas Dawes, Hollis Hall was one of four existing Harvard buildings that quartered American soldiers during the Siege, and it is the third oldest surviving building at Harvard.
14
Holden Chapel, Harvard College
During the Siege of Boston in the winter of 1776, 160 American soldiers bunked in the tiny Holden Chapel of Harvard College. Built in 1744, Holden Chapel is one of four existing Harvard buildings that quartered American soldiers during the Siege, and it is the second oldest surviving building at Harvard.
15
Harvard Hall, Harvard College
Similar to Hollis Hall, Massachusetts Hall, and the Holden Chapel, Harvard Hall quartered some American soldiers during the Siege of Boston in the winter of 1776. The original Harvard Hall, built in 1674, was Harvard College's first brick building before it burned down in a 1764 fire. The present Harvard Hall was built as a replacement of the original structure on the same site, and contained Harvard's buttery, library, and social space during the Revolutionary War era.
16
Fort Washington
Constructed in November 1775, Fort Washington is the oldest remaining fortification in the United States from the Revolutionary War. Following the Battles of Lexington and Concord, General George Washington directed the construction of a series of earthworks around Cambridge to enhance the training and defense of Continental forces, with Fort Washington being the first. This fortification was modest in size, built to accommodate 50 to 60 soldiers.