Sign In

Boston and Harvard in 1875

These four 19th-century photographs capture iconic historical buildings and institutions in Boston and Cambridge, including architectural landmarks on the Harvard campus. The handwritten captions, in a neat contemporary hand, provide details of each image.

The photographs are as follows, clockwise from upper left:

1. Washington Street and Old South Church: This view shows the Old South Church, built in 1729, standing prominently along Washington Street. The church played a vital role in Boston's colonial history and was a gathering place during the American Revolution.

2. Park Street Church: Located on Tremont Street at the corner of Boston Common, this church is a notable landmark, famous for its prominent spire. Established in 1809, Park Street Church was historically significant for abolitionist meetings and speeches.

3. Memorial Hall, 1874: This photograph shows the then freshly-built Memorial Hall at Harvard University, built to honor Harvard alumni who died in the Civil War. The hall's High Victorian Gothic style and towering structure reflect changing tastes in architecture and the deep ties between Harvard and national history.

4. Harvard College, Cambridge, 1636: This photograph focuses on University Hall, a building at Harvard College, America's oldest institution of higher education, founded in 1636. A white granite building, University Hall was designed by the noted early American architect Charles Bulfinch, and built by the early engineer Loammi Baldwin, Jr. The tree-lined grounds emphasize the tranquil and scholarly atmosphere of Harvard Yard, located just a few miles from Boston across the Charles River.

These images reflect Boston’s and Cambridge's rich historical legacy. Washington and Tremont Streets are depicted as central arteries of Boston’s urban landscape, where historic churches played pivotal roles in both religious and civic life. The Harvard scenes provide a look at the development of American higher education, emphasizing the institution’s continuity since the 17th century. The inclusion of Memorial Hall underscores the lasting impact of the Civil War on educational institutions like Harvard.