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Archival Collections

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To view of any of these collections, or if you have research questions, please contact us by e-mail, phone (617-349-4683) or schedule an appointment.

Finding Aids

Alphabetical Index (by collection name)      
Topical Index (by subject category) 

The Cambridge Historical Commission's collections include architectural survey materials for all present and past Cambridge buildings; a photographic archive of 60,000+ negatives and photographic prints of Cambridge buildings, individuals, and businesses; maps; and a cross-index of Cambridge architects and builders. There are also archival materials covering the history of notable Cambridge residents such as Frederick Hastings Rindge, local architects and entrepreneurs, Cambridge families and immigrant groups, organizations such as the Cambridge Social Union (Cambridge Center for Adult Education), and businesses such as the Peter Gray Corporation.

The Cambridge Historical Commission offers researchers and the general public online access to over 80 archival finding aids pertaining to Cambridge, Mass. subject matters. These subjects, beginning as early as the 18th century and going through the 2000s, paint a vivid picture of the business, celebratory, educational, historic preservation, personal, religious, and social life of a vibrant city. We welcome you to browse through our holdings.

The finding aids are indexed below both alphabetically and topically. Most of the finding aids can be viewed as PDF files. Click on the collection name to open the finding aid .pdf file.

As of December 2020, this webpage is no longer being updated with new or edited PDF finding aids, as we work on migrating all of our finding aids to an open source database, ArchivesSpace. While you can still search the list of existing finding aids below, be sure to check out the growing selection of finding aids - for both new and existing collections - on our new ArchivesSpace page by clicking here.   

Why ArchivesSpace? The finding aids on ArchivesSpace are encoded in EAD-XML format, making them easier for researchers to access and explore. The content in the finding aids remains the same, but the format is much more interactive and interconnected. For example, ArchivesSpace allows us to link within a finding aid to related photographs, audio, and webpages. A user can also click on a subject tag in a finding aid (like "Cambridgeport") and immediately connect to related collections. 

Give it a try! Check out one of the finding aids, Cambridge Manual Training School/ Rindge Manual Training School/ Rindge Technical School Collection here and tell us what you think. Thank you to Alyssa Pacy, archivist at the Cambridge Room, Cambridge Public Library, for hosting and sharing this ArchivesSpace database with us.

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Alphabetical Index:

• 1886 Atlas Box
• Anninger, Thomas Collection (see also Neighborhood Ten Association Collection)
• Bagan, Harry Photographs
• Baker, Louis Photographs Collection 
• Batchelder Family Collection
• Benedict Daniels Photographs
• Boston & Lowell RR Corporation Collection 
• Boston Globe Cambridge Clippings Collection (see also the collection inventory here)
• Bowen, Lois M. Photographs Collection
• Bowker, Edwin Freeman Collection
• Boyce, Gladys G. Photograph Collection
• Cambridge City Hall Exhibit Photographs Collection
• Cambridge City Planning Documents
  • Searchable Inventory of Cambridge City Planning Documents
• Cambridge Commission on the Status of Women Collection (Cambridge Womens Commission)
• Cambridge Committee for Plan E Collection
• Cambridge Engineering Department Collection (stored off site)
  • Cambridge Engineering Department Collection Inventory 
• Cambridge Ephemera Collection (CMS Collection) 
• Cambridge Historical Commission Objects Collection
• Cambridge Militia Records
• Cambridge Municipal Elections 1985 Collection
• Cambridge Public Library Image Collection of Cambridge Prints and Photographs
• Cambridge Public Schools Manuals Inventory
• Cambridge Railroad Company Collection
• Cambridge Recreation Department Collection
• Cambridge Republican City Committee Ledger
• Cambridge Sane / Freeze / Cambridge Peace Action Collection 
• Cambridge Social Union / Cambridge Center for Adult Education Collection
• Cambridge Traffic Department Collection
  • Traffic Proposals and Plans
• Cambridgeport Savings Bank Collection
• Carter's Ink Company Collection
• Chapman Family Photograph Collection
• City of Cambridge Veterans' Graves Registration Cards Inventory
• Clark Street Photograph Collection (see also our album on flickr)
• Clark, Xonnabel Collection
• CMS Collection of Harvard Photographs
• Cogswell Photograph Collection
• Cook, Sheila Collection (stored off site)
• Corcoran's Department Store Collection
• Deeks, Henry Collection
• Doyle Family Photograph Collection
• Electronics Corporation of America Collection
• Eliot, Charles W., 2nd Collection 
  • Charles W. Eliot, 2nd Collection Inventory
• Ellis & Andrews Collection
• Fitzgerald, Maryellen V. Cambridge Bicentennial Collection
• Fitzgerald, Maryellen V. Cambridge 350th Anniversary Collection
• Friends of Alewife Reservation Website Collection (Digital Access)
• Galvin, William Lawrence Collection (stored off site)
  • William Lawrence Galvin Collection Index of Cambridge Plans and Rolled Items
  • William Lawrence Galvin Collection Index of Non-Cambridge Rolled Items
• Godinho Family Photograph Collection   
• Gray, Peter Corp. Collection (stored off site)
• Gray, Ruth Priest Scrap Book Collection
• Hanson, Harry Havelock Collection 
• Harvard Naval Radio School Collection
• Hastings, George H. Civil War Memorabilia
• Hill, J.W.H. Account Books Collection
• Honors and Awards Collection
• Hovey Family Records
• Inner Belt Scrapbook (see also our album on Flickr and Inner Belt history by Stephen Kaiser)
• Latino History and Culture in Cambridge Collection
• Levesque, Claire Collection
• Lewis Family Photographs
• Lindblom, Ruth A. Collection
• Mahoney, Timothy J. and Eva Mae Papers (stored off site)
• McCarthy Family Collection
• McClennen, Alan Collection
• Mellen, Curtis Photograph Collection
• Municipal Ledgers and Books Collection
• Neighborhood Ten Association Collection (see also Anninger, Thomas Collection)
• New England Casualty Company Collection
• Newspapers Collection
• Nylander, Ella Jepson Photograph Collection
• Oversize Photographs and Documents Collection
• Patriquin, Carleton W. Collection
  • Patriquin, Carleton W. Item Inventory
• Plans, Volume II
• Prospect Union/Educational Exchange of Greater Boston, Inc. Collection 
• R.A.R.E. Collection
• Rindge, Frederick Hastings Collection
• Rindge Manual Training School Collection
• Riverside Press Collection
• Russell, Hugh Collection (stored off site)
  • Russell, Hugh Collection: Series 1
  • Russell, Hugh Collection: Series 2
• Sawicz Family Collection
• Schutzberg, Arnold S. Collection (stored off site)
• Second Baptist Church Collection
• Shaw, Daniel W. Collection
• Signet Hosiery Company Collection
• Simplex Pennant Collection
• Smith, Ralph N. Photograph Collection (This is not a finding aid, but description and photo album on Flickr)
• Squirrel Brand Company Collection
• Stafford, James A. Plans
• Sullivan, Charles M. Collection of Harvard Photographs
• Vaughan, Dr. Charles E. Collection
• Vellucci, Alfred E. Snapshot Collection
• Watson Funeral Home Collection
• War Memorials, Boston and Cambridge
• West Family Collection
• Wheeler, Cornelia Collection (This collection was transferred to the Cambridge Public Library. See finding aid here.)
• White, Daniel Charity Fund Cash Book
• White, George "Tubber" Collection
• Wolfe, Albert B. Collection

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Topical Index: Subject Guide to the Archives

Built Environment

• 1886 Atlas Box

• Baker, Louis Photographs Collection 

• Batchelder Family Collection (real estate documents of Samuel Batchelder II)
• Bowen, Lois M. Photographs Collection
• Bowker, Edwin Freeman Collection
• Building and Structure Documentation Collection
• Cambridge City Hall Exhibit Photographs Collection
• Cambridge City Planning Documents
• Cambridge Engineering Department Collection (stored off site)
• Cambridge Ephemera Collection (CMS Collection) 
• Cambridge Public Library Image Collection of Cambridge Prints and Photographs
• Cambridge Traffic Department Collection
• Cambridgeport Savings Bank Collection
• Clark Street Photograph Collection 
• CMS Collection of Harvard Photographs
• Cogswell Photograph Collection
• Cook, Sheila Collection (stored off site)
• Deeks, Henry Collection
• Eliot, Charles W., 2nd Collection
• Ellis & Andrews Collection 
• Galvin, William Lawrence Collection (stored off site)
  • William Lawrence Galvin Collection Index of Cambridge Plans and Rolled Items
  • William Lawrence Galvin Collection Index of Non-Cambridge Rolled Items
• Gray, Ruth Priest Scrap Book Collection
  

• Honors and Awards Collection

• Inner Belt Scrapbook (see also our album on flickr and Inner Belt history by Stephen Kaiser)
• Mellen, Curtis Photograph Collection
• Rindge, Frederick Hastings Collection
• Rindge Manual Training School Collection
• Schutzberg, Arnold S. Collection (stored off site)
• Smith, Ralph N. Photograph Collection (Flickr album and description)

• Stafford, James A. Plans (engineer)

• Vaughan, Dr. Charles E. Collection
• War Memorials, Boston and Cambridge
• Wheeler, Cornelia Collection (This collection was transferred to the Cambridge Public Library. See finding aid here.)

Celebrations

• Cambridge City Hall Exhibit Photographs Collection

• Fitzgerald, Maryellen V. Cambridge Bicentennial Collection

• Fitzgerald, Maryellen V. Cambridge 350th Anniversary Collection

Commercial Enterprises

• Baker, Louis Photographs Collection
• Boston & Lowell RR Corporation Collection
• Bowen, Lois M. Photographs Collection
• Cambridge Railroad Company Collection
• Cambridge Ephemera Collection (CMS Collection)
• Cambridgeport Savings Bank Collection
• Carter's Ink Company Collection
• Coleman Cutting Family Photograph Collection
• Corcoran's Department Store Collection
• Electronics Corporation of America Collection
• Ellis & Andrews Collection
• Galvin, William Lawrence Collection (stored off site)
  • William Lawrence Galvin Collection Index of Cambridge Plans and Rolled Items
  • William Lawrence Galvin Collection Index of Non-Cambridge Rolled Items
• Gray, Peter Corp. Collection (stored off site)
• Hanson, Harry Havelock Collection
• Hill, J.W.H. Account Books Collection
• New England Casualty Company Collection
• Newspapers Collection
• Schutzberg, Arnold S. Collection (stored off site)
• Shaw, Daniel W. Collection
• West Family Collection 

Historic Preservation

• Anninger, Thomas Collection (see also Neighborhood Ten Association Collection)

• Bowen, Lois M. Photographs Collection

• Cambridge City Planning Documents

• Cook, Sheila Collection (stored off site)

• Inner Belt Scrapbook (see also our album on flickr and Inner Belt history by Stephen Kaiser)
• Neighborhood Ten Association Collection
• R.A.R.E. Collection
• Wolfe, Albert B. Collection 

Immigrants

• Godinho Family Photograph Collection  

• Lindblom, Ruth A. Collection

• McCarthy Family Collection 
• Nylander, Ella Jepson Photograph Collection
• Sawicz Family Collection
• Schutzberg, Arnold S. Collection
   (stored off site)
• West Family Collection 

Individuals

• Abelson, Olivia Israel:
  
  • Cambridge Sane / Freeze / Cambridge Peace Action Collection 
• Andelman Family:
  • Arnold S. Schutzberg Collection (stored off site)
• Andrews, Edward and Family:
  • Ellis & Andrews Collection 
• Anninger, Thomas:
  • Thomas Anninger Collection 
  • Neighborhood Ten Association Collection 
• Armstead, Lewis A., Jr.:
  • Cambridge Municipal Elections 1985 Collection 
• Baker, Louis:
  • Louis Baker Photographs Collection 
• Batchelder, Samuel II and Family:
  • Batchelder Family Collection 
• Belkin Family:
  • Arnold S. Schutzberg Collection (stored off site)
• Benedict, Miriam:
  • Benedict Daniels Photographs
• Borden Family:
  • Arnold S. Schutzberg Collection (stored off site)
• Bowen, Lois M. (photographer):
  • Lois M. Bowen Photographs Collection
• Bowker, Edwin Freeman
  • Edwin Freeman Bowker Collection
• Boyce, Gladys G.:
  • Gladys G. Boyce Photograph Collection
• Budryk:
  • Cambridge Municipal Elections 1985 Collection 
• Busnach Family:
  • Arnold S. Schutzberg Collection (stored off site)
• Clark, Xonnabel
• Xonnabel Clark Collection
• Coleman Brothers and Cutting, Charles H.:
  • Coleman Cutting Family Photograph Collection
• Cook, Sheila:
• Sheila Cook Collection (stored off site)
• Dixon, Vincent:
  • Cambridge Municipal Elections 1985 Collection 
• Dorfman Family:
  • Arnold S. Schutzberg Collection (stored off site)
• Downing, Jeremiah:
  • Batchelder Family Collection
• Eliot, Charles W., 2nd:
• Charles W. Eliot, 2nd Collection
• Ellis, Benjamin and Family:
  • Ellis & Andrews Collection 
• Ely, The Rev. Robert Erskine:
• Prospect Union/Educational Exchange of Greater Boston, Inc. Collection

• Fitzgerald, Maryellen V.:
  • Maryellen V. Fitzgerald Cambridge Bicentennial Collection 
  • Maryellen V. Fitzgerald Cambridge 350th Anniversary Collection 
• Fox Family:
  • Arnold S. Schutzberg Collection (stored off site)
• Gaines, Curtis:
  • Cambridge Recreation Department Collection 
• Galvin, William Lawrence
  • William Lawrence Galvin Collection (stored off site)
  • William Lawrence Galvin Collection Index of Cambridge Plans and Rolled Items (stored off site)
  • William Lawrence Galvin Collection Index of Non-Cambridge Rolled Items 
• Garcia, Sara:
  • Cambridge Municipal Elections 1985 Collection 
• Geisinger Family:
  • Arnold S. Schutzberg Collection (stored off site)
• Gifford, Gladys:
  • Neighborhood Ten Association Collection 
  • Thomas Anninger Collection 
• Griffin, Richard:
  • Cambridge Municipal Elections 1985 Collection 
• Gray, Ruth Priest:
  • Ruth Priest Gray Scrap Book Collection 
• Hanson, Harry Havelock:
  • Hanson, Harry Havelock Collection
• Hastings, George H. 
• • Hastings, George H. Civil War Memorabilia
• Johnson, Dean:
  • Neighborhood Ten Association Collection 
• Kennedy, David P.:
  • Cambridge Municipal Elections 1985 Collection 
• Lawrence, Martha:
  • Neighborhood Ten Association Collection
• Lewis Family:

  • Lewis Family Photographs
• Lindblom, Ruth A.:
  • Ruth A. Lindblom Collection 
• Lions, Zelda (Mrs. Jason Solomont):
  • Prospect Union/Educational Exchange of Greater Boston, Inc. Collection 
• Mahoney, Timothy J. and Eva Mae:
  • Timothy J. and Eva Mae Mahoney Papers (stored off site)
• McCarthy, Maurice and Family:
  • McCarthy Family Collection
• McClennen, Alan
  • Alan McClennen Collection
  • Cambridge City Planning Documents
• Melledge, Robert J.:
  • Ellis & Andrews Collection 
• Mellen, Edwin D.
  • Mellen, Curtis Photograph Collection

• Moseley, Eva Steiner:

• Cambridge Sane / Freeze / Cambridge Peace Action Collection
• O'Neill, T.P.
  • Municipal Ledgers and Books Collection
• Paine, Walter:
  • Second Baptist Church Collection
• Peabody, Prof. Francis Greenwood:
  • Prospect Union/Educational Exchange of Greater Boston, Inc. Collection
• Reed, Enos:
  • Second Baptist Church Collection
• Reeves, Kenneth:
  • Cambridge Municipal Elections 1985 Collection 
• Rindge, Frederick Hastings:
  • Frederick Hastings Rindge Collection 
• Roseman Family:
  • Arnold S. Schutzberg Collection (stored off site)
• Rosenthal Family:
  • Arnold S. Schutzberg Collection (stored off site)
• Russell, Hugh:
  • Cambridge Municipal Elections 1985 Collection 
  • Russell, Hugh Collection (stored off site)
    • Russell, Hugh Collection: Series 1
    • Russell, Hugh Collection: Series 2
• Sawicz, Andrew and Family:
  • Sawicz Family Collection
• Schutzberg Family
  • Arnold S. Schutzberg Collection (stored off site)
• Scott, Renae:
  • Cambridge Municipal Elections 1985 Collection
• Shaw, Daniel W.:
  • Daniel W. Shaw Collection
• Smith, Ralph N. and family:
  • Ralph N. Smith Photograph Collection (Flickr album and description)
• Stafford, James A. (engineer)
  • Stafford, James A. Plans
• Stern Family:
  • Arnold S. Schutzberg Collection (stored off site)
• Sullivan, David:
  • Cambridge Municipal Elections 1985 Collection
• Swain, Karen:
  • Cambridge Municipal Elections 1985 Collection
• Turk, Mike:
  • Cambridge Municipal Elections 1985 Collection
• Vaughan, Dr. Charles E.:
  • Vaughan, Dr. Charles E. Collection
• Vaughan, William W.:
  • Cambridge Social Union / Cambridge Center for Adult Education Collection
• Vellucci, Alfred E.
• Alfred E. Vellucci Snapshot Collection
• Washburn, Marianne
  • Batchelder Family Collection
• Weare, Lydia:
  • Cambridge Social Union / Cambridge Center for Adult Education Collection
• Webb, Roger S.:
  • R.A.R.E. Collection
• Weinstein, Larry:
  • Cambridge Municipal Elections 1985 Collection
• West, Rev. John E.:
  • Second Baptist Church Collection
• West Family:
  • West Family Collection
• Wheeler, Cornelia
  • Wheeler, Cornelia Collection (This collection was transferred to the Cambridge Public Library. See finding aid here.)
• White, George "Tubber"
  • George "Tubber" White Collection
• Wolfe, Albert B.:
  • Albert B. Wolfe Collection

Politics & Government

• Cambridge City Hall Exhibit Photographs Collection
• Cambridge City Planning Documents
• Cambridge Commission on the Status of Women Collection

• Cambridge Committee for Plan E Collection

• Cambridge Militia Records

• Cambridge Municipal Elections 1985 Collection 
• Cambridge Republican City Committee Ledger 
• Cambridge Sane / Freeze / Cambridge Peace Action Collection

• City of Cambridge Veterans' Graves Registration Cards Inventory

• Cook, Sheila Collection (stored off site)
• Galvin, William Lawrence Collection (stored off site)

• McClennen, Alan Collection

• Municipal Ledgers and Books Collection

• Neighborhood Ten Association Collection
  
• Newspapers Collection
• Rindge, Frederick Hastings Collection
• Stafford, James A. Plans
• Vellucci, Alfred E. Snapshot Collection
• Wheeler, Cornelia Collection (This collection was transferred to the Cambridge Public Library. See finding aid here.)
• Wolfe, Albert B. Collection 

Public Philanthropy

• Rindge, Frederick Hastings Collection 
• Rindge Manual Training School Collection
• White, Daniel Charity Fund Cash Book

Social, Educational, & Religious Subjects

• Baker, Louis Photographs Collection 
• Cambridge Recreation Department Collection 
• Cambridge Social Union / Cambridge Center for Adult Education Collection 
• Clark Street Photograph Collection

• Clark, Xonnabel Collection

• Harvard Naval Radio School Collection

• Hastings, George H. Civil War Memorabilia
• Latino History and Culture in Cambridge Collection
• Lewis Family Photographs
• Lindblom, Ruth A. Collection 
• Mahoney, Timothy J. and Eva Mae Papers (stored off site)
• McCarthy Family Collection 

• Newspapers Collection

• Prospect Union/Educational Exchange of Greater Boston, Inc. Collection 
• Rindge, Frederick Hastings Collection
• Rindge Manual Training School Collection
• Sawicz Family Collection 
• Schutzberg, Arnold S. Collection (stored off site)
• Second Baptist Church Collection 
• Shaw, Daniel W. Collection
• War Memorials, Boston and Cambridge
• White, George "Tubber" Collection 

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