U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Historical Commission

Photo of the front steps of City Hall

The Cambridge Historical Commission (CHC) is the city's historic preservation agency and seeks to preserve the integrity and diversity of Cambridge's built environment and to disseminate information about its history. The CHC protects designated properties throughout the city and preserves the integrity of Cambridge's many significant buildings. The CHC advises private and commercial owners, institutions, and public agencies on historic preservation issues, and participates in reviews of state and federal projects that impact historic resources.

The CHC maintains a public archive on the city's history. The collection focuses on the city's architectural and social history and contains information on all 13,000+ Cambridge buildings. It also includes thousands of historic photographs and maps as well as information on many individuals and organizations.


Tips and FAQs

Frequently Asked Cambridge History Questions.

When was Cambridge founded? What is the oldest house in Cambridge? Did George Washington take command of the army under the Washington Elm tree? 

Find out the answers to these questions and more on our FAQ page.

Learn more about historic properties

Cambridge has two Historic Districts and four Neighborhood Conservation Districts (NCDs).

Individual properties can be protected by Preservation Easement or Landmark designation.

All demolition permit applications must be reviewed by staff and may require a hearing with the Historical Commission if the structure is more than 50 years old. Learn more about the Demolition Delay Ordinance.


Learn more about Cambridge's Districts and Historic Properties.

Download an Application to Make Changes to a Designated Historic Property

You can view and download an Application for Certificate for any of our districts. If you are not sure if you need to apply, please can call the Commission office (617/349-4683) to speak with a staff member.

View Project Plans and Staff Reports

View application materials for upcoming or past cases of the Historical Commission on our website. 

Still can't find what you're looking for?  Contact the CHC staff at 617-349-4683 or via our e-mail contact form.

How do I schedule a research appointment?

The Historical Commission's library and archive are open to the public for research on Mondays from 2:00 - 7:00 PM, Tuesdays from 2:00 - 4:00 PM, Wednesday - Thursday from 9:30 - 11:30 AM and 2:00 - 4:00 PM. The office is not open for research on Fridays. 

We strongly recommend that you call ahead to set up an appointment, as our research space and staff are limited. Please call (617)349-4683 or TTY (617)349-6112 to schedule a research appointment.

Get started now with our online research aids.

Contact Us

How can we help?

Please provide as much detail below as possible so City staff can respond to your inquiry:

As a governmental entity, the Massachusetts Public Records Law applies to records made or received by the City. Any information received through use of this site is subject to the same provisions as information provided on paper.

Read our complete privacy statement


Service Requests

Enter a service request via SeeClickFix for things like missed trash pickups, potholes, etc.