Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
1895 - Cambridge

Cambridge, a city and semi-capital of Middlesex co., Mass, separated from Boston by Charles River, in lat. 42° 22'21" N, Lon, 71° 7'38" W. It comprises "Old Cambridge," the seat of Harvard University, East Cambridge (formerly Lechmere Point), Cambridgeport, about mid way between Old Cambridge and Boston, and the district called North Cambridge. Old Cambridge, or Cambridge proper, 3 miles W. from Boston, is delightfully situated in the midst of a beautiful plain, extending from Charles River. The streets are generally broad and shaded with lofty elms. Many of the dwellings stand at considerable distances from one another, and are surrounded with spacious yards, ornamented with shrubbery and evergreens. The Principal object of interest in the place is Harvard University, the oldest and best-endowed collegiate institution in the United States. It was founded in 1638, and derives its name from the Rev. John Harvard, who bequeathed it a legacy of about 780 pounds. Its funds at the present time amount to about $7,300,000, and the yearly income at present is about $1,000,000. Besides the collegiate department proper, the university embraces a law school, a theological school, a medical school, a dental school, a scientific school, a school of agriculture and horticulture, an astronomical observatory, a botanic garden, herbarium and arboretum. The library, containing about 500,000 volumes, consists of over 30 collections, situated in the main library building and in the departments. The great university museum consists of various departments, including a museum of comparative zoology and a museum of archaeology and ethnology. The buildings occupied by the university are numerous; a few being in Boston. The most prominent are Memorial Hall, containing the dining-hall, the academic theatre, and a monumental hall in honor of the graduates and students of the university who served in the army and navy of the United States during the war of 1861–65; University Hall, containing recitation- and lecture-rooms; Harvard Hall, containing the classical and historical reference libraries; Gore Hall, a fine granite structure, having in it the college library; the Appleton Chapel; the zoölogical museum; and Boylston Hall, containing the chemical laboratory. In addition to these there are Divinity Hall, occupied by the theological students; Austin Hall, occupied by the law school; Lawrence Hall, occupied by the scientific school, and other buildings for the accommodation of students. The institution has a botanical garden of about eight acres, stored with a choice selection of shrubs and plants, both native and exotic; and one of the most powerful telescopes in the country. The lectures to medical students are given at the Medical College in Boston. Besides the Divinity School (professedly unsectarian) noticed above, there is an Episcopalian school of theology in Cambridge, and also one of the New Church (Swedenborgian). In 1890 Harvard had graduated about 17,000, of whom more than half were living, a greater number than those of any other college in the Union. There are within the limits of the city about 40 churches, 8 banks, 2 savings-institutions, a fire-insurance company, and various literary and charitable associations.

Cambridge is one of the oldest towns in New England, having been settled in 1630. It first took the name of New town, which was soon after changed for its present one. The Bay Psalm Book, the first book printed in British America, was issued here by Stephen Day in 1640; and printing is still one of the principal industries of the place. During the Revolutionary War the American army was encamped in Cambridge while the British had possession of Boston. The British troops that surrendered under Burgoyne at Saratoga were quartered here in 1777 as prisoners of war. Pop. in 1830, 6072; 1840, 8409; in 1850, 15,215; # 1860, 26,060; in 1870, 39,634; in 1880, 52,669; in 1890, 70,028.

Lippincott's Gazetteer of the World: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World Containing Notices of Over One Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Places ... Joseph Thomas January 1, 1895 J.B. Lippincott

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