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#10 – Social Issues in Central Square

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In recent years, Central Square has been in the spotlight for rising rates of crime, drug use, and a rise in the unhoused population. While many news outlets report on these issues together, the police released a report that indicates the primary victims of crime are the unhoused people themselves. City councilor Quinton Zondervan, the chair of the council’s public safety committee, reported that a lot of these crimes are committed by unhoused people onto other unhoused people. He highlighted the impact of inflation and the pandemic, stating that as more people become unemployed and unhoused, the crime rate increases.  Many local business owners have raised concerns about these trends. Recently, both Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks have closed their Central Square locations. A local business owner reported that although the square has never been cleaner, “things feel worse” since the pandemic. Cambridge police are reportedly investing more resources into the safety and wellness of Central
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# 9 – Harvard Square Walking Tour: Entertainment and Performing Arts

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  Loeb Drama Center The Loeb Drama Center opened in 1960, and it houses the ART, as well as the Harvard Radcliffe Dramatic Club (HRDC). The building is mid-century modern, with glass walls and industrial materials. There is a large main theater, as well as a black box experimental theater, between which there are four hundred shows per year. The Loeb is an important center for all dramatic arts at Harvard.  Brattle Theater The Brattle Theater opened in 1890 and originally served as a live performance space, home to the Cambridge Social Dramatic Club. The club was known for performing a wide variety of shows, and the theater even hosted dances and lectures. The theater became a beloved haven for artists. In the 1950s, the theater was rebranded as an art film house, screening independent and foreign films. It still runs today as an independent, repertory cinema operated by the non-profit Brattle Film Foundation.  The Sinclair The Sinclair is a live music venue and restaurant that opened
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#8 – Landmarking Leavitt & Pierce

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  For my historic building, I am focusing on 1316 Massachusetts Avenue, which contains the beloved Leavitt & Pierce tobacco and gift shop. The shop has been open since 1883, and it still sits in its original location. In fact, it is the oldest store in its original location in Harvard Square today. As many other historic local businesses, such as Dickson Bros, are closing, it is important to landmark those that remain. The shop sits just across the street from Harvard Yard, and as such, it has been a staple to Harvard students since its inception. The shop was a space for students to socialize, with a “smoky atmosphere” and a set of billiard tables in the back. The store was also ranked #8 in Forces list of the top independent retail experiences in the US for 2019. This is likely due to the fact that walking into the building feels like walking back in time. The retail space is covered in counters filled with tobacco products, classic games, and miscellaneous old fashioned products
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#7 – The Old Burial Ground and Mount Auburn Cemetery

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  The Old Burial Ground was established around 1635, and it continued to be in use for new burials until the early 1800s. Many notable people were buried there, including Presidents of Harvard College, soldiers in the Revolutionary War, and members of prominent colonial families, such as the Vassalls and Olivers. The Old Burial ground sits just across from Harvard Yard and adjacent to the First Parish Church. When visiting the Burial Ground, one can certainly feel the historic age of the site. The weathered headstones are seemingly haphazardly scattered around the plot, with very little grandeur or decoration. The aesthetics of the Burial Ground reflect the Puritan values of the original Cambridge settlement. Many of the headstones contain images of death, intended to remind the living of their own mortality and to instill in the Puritan settlers a fear of death itself. The cemetery has a somewhat sterile feeling, with relatively flat land and simplistic landscaping.  Among those burie
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#6 – William Brattle House

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For my Cambridge Revolutionary War site, I have chosen to focus on the William Brattle House. Today, the house is the Cambridge Center for Adult Education; however, it used to be the home of one of the wealthiest men in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. William Brattle attended Harvard College, and in 1727, just several years after his graduation, he constructed his mansion on the  then Watertown road. Militia general Brattle was criticized for appeasing patriots while supporting the British as a loyalist.  In J.L. Bell’s George Washington’s HQ in the Longfellow House, he first mentions William Brattle as contributing to the transformation of Watertown road, alongside the Vassall and Oliver families. Bell writes: “A Congregationalist, Brattle was far more active in government than his neighbors along the Watertown road: at various times a Cambridge selectman, town representative to the Massachusetts General Court, attorney general, member of the Council, and militia general.” (5) Both Vass
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#5 – Harvard University Over Time + Local Issues

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  Since its founding in 1636, Harvard University’s growth has greatly impacted Harvard Square. The school’s property has expanded immensely over time, reducing the available space to other businesses and institutions, as well as causing the real estate prices to increase. In addition, however, the college serves to bring great business to the Square, with both students and visiting tourists frequenting the local businesses. The college was originally centered around the yard, with only a few college buildings designated for classrooms, offices, and housing. For centuries, the college’s developments were still relatively contained in this area.  This map from 1877 shows the College structures on the yard, as well as the businesses centered around the square that were supported by the college’s proximity. It also indicates the amount of undeveloped natural land surrounding the square’s center.  In the early 1900s, the Radcliffe Quadrangle was developed for housing the female students. In
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#4 – Final Project Ideas

  For my final project, I want to focus on one of the new developments in Harvard Square. There are many small businesses that I am saddened to see close, and I am hopeful about the new developments coming to the square. There are a few buildings and complexes that I am eager to learn more about, and I hope that through my research project, I will be able to present some new ideas for one of these developments.  The first possibility is the Abbot, or 20 Brattle Street. When I first stepped into the square, one of the first things that caught my eye was the charming Curious George store. To me, the shop was a testament to the character and charm of the historic square. Since its closure, I have been very curious about the development of the building. The building sits at the heart of the square, and its contents has an immense impact on the pedestrian culture of the area. Today, both Jefes and Starbucks have moved into the building. Much of the remaining space, however, seems to be unoc
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