City of Cambridge Common

Cambridge Common is a 16-acre public park just outside Harvard Square, bounded by Massachusetts Avenue, Garden Street and Waterhouse Street. The City of Cambridge describes it as both an important local resource and a tourist attraction, and it sits within easy reach of the square’s shops and of Harvard’s campus across Massachusetts Avenue. It is one of the oldest public spaces in Cambridge.

The Common has a long and colorful history. Set aside in the town’s earliest years as common land for grazing, it later served as a militia training ground and, in 1775, as an encampment for Continental Army troops. Tradition holds that George Washington took command of the army there that July. Monuments around the park, including a Civil War memorial, recall that past for visitors today.

What to Know

• The Common includes a playground.
• The Harvard MBTA Red Line station is a short walk from the park.
• The park is listed under recreation by the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce.