Winthrop Park Trust

The Winthrop Park Trust is a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting Winthrop Park, a historic public park in the heart of Harvard Square. The park sits on the site of Cambridge’s first marketplace, which served as a focal point for Newtowne, the original name of the settlement that would eventually be called Cambridge. The trust’s work centers on preserving this piece of the city’s early history.

The marketplace’s history traces back to 1635, when this spot served as the commercial and civic center of the young settlement. The space was later dedicated as a public park in 1834. Its name likely honors Professor John Winthrop, an eminent mathematician and astronomer who lived nearby during the eighteenth century, and the trust works to protect both the green space and the history attached to it.

What to Know

• Winthrop Park is considered one of the oldest parks of its kind in the country.
• The original Newtowne marketplace predates the founding of Harvard University.
• The park is listed by the Harvard Square Business Association among the area’s attractions.