Cambridge City Planning Documents
Collection
Identifier: CHC038
Abstract
This collection contains reports, booklets, correspondence, ephemera, and other documents pertaining to city planning and development in Cambridge. The documents cover topics such as zoning, urban renewal, post-war Cambridge and the “City Plan” of 1958 and 1966 (never fully published), population and housing, planning and district studies for various Cambridge neighborhoods including Central Square, East Cambridge, and Harvard Square, transportation – roads and the MBTA, Fresh Pond Master Plan, parks, adaptive reuse of areas including the former City Dump (now Danehy Park), social characteristics of Cambridge, environmental plans, and other city planning projects and reports. Most of the documents cover the period between 1970 and 1990.
Dates
- Majority of material found within 1945-2003
Language of Materials
Material is in English.
Access
Collection is available for research under the CHC rules of use.
Copyright Notice
Copyright for materials resides with the creators of the items in question, unless otherwise designated.
It is the responsibility of the researcher to understand and observe copyright law and to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyright. Questions concerning copyright and permission to publish should be directed to the Cambridge Historical Commission Archives.
It is the responsibility of the researcher to understand and observe copyright law and to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyright. Questions concerning copyright and permission to publish should be directed to the Cambridge Historical Commission Archives.
Extent
7 Hollinger boxes (1 carton)
Scope and Contents
This collection contains reports, booklets, correspondence, ephemera, and other documents pertaining to city planning and development in Cambridge. Most of the documents were created by City of Cambridge departments such as Cambridge Community Development (CDD) and the Cambridge Planning Board (including when it was the Planning Department), though other departments and city organizations like the Cambridge Housing Authority or Water Board may appear as creators as well. Some documents related to planning and development, such as RFPs or plans, may have been created by outside private agencies for CDD, or were created entirely by or for other city governments.
The documents cover topics such as zoning, urban renewal, post-war Cambridge and the “City Plan” of 1958 and 1966 (never fully published), population and housing, planning and district studies for various Cambridge neighborhoods including Central Square, East Cambridge, and Harvard Square, transportation – roads and the MBTA, Fresh Pond Master Plan, parks, adaptive reuse of areas including the former City Dump (now Danehy Park), social characteristics of Cambridge, environmental plans, and other city planning projects and reports. The collection also contains a few project folders created by CDD Staff in the 1980s. Most of the documents cover the period between 1970 and 1990.
The documents cover topics such as zoning, urban renewal, post-war Cambridge and the “City Plan” of 1958 and 1966 (never fully published), population and housing, planning and district studies for various Cambridge neighborhoods including Central Square, East Cambridge, and Harvard Square, transportation – roads and the MBTA, Fresh Pond Master Plan, parks, adaptive reuse of areas including the former City Dump (now Danehy Park), social characteristics of Cambridge, environmental plans, and other city planning projects and reports. The collection also contains a few project folders created by CDD Staff in the 1980s. Most of the documents cover the period between 1970 and 1990.
Arrangement
The materials were organized by topic and date within the 7 boxes, and several duplicates were removed. See accompanying inventory. The inventory lists the documents by box number.link
Physical Location
Collection is stored on-site.
Provenance
Multiple sources, mainly from the Cambridge Community Development Department, Cambridge Planning Board, and the Office of the Mayor of Cambridge.
Inventory
For a more in-depth view, see accompanying inventory. The inventory lists the documents by box number.link
Processing Information
Processed and inventoried by Steve Kaiser under the supervision of Emily Gonzalez, CHC Archivist, Summer-Winter 2018. Finding aid by Emily Gonzalez, February 2019. Finding aid and inventory updated by Brittany Fox, September 2020, March 2021.
Records from the Cambridge Room (CPL) were added into this collection in 2019-2020 by volunteer Stephen Kaiser, under the supervision of Alyssa Pacy, Cambridge Room Archivist. Pacy and CHC Archivist Emily Gonzalez made the decision to transfer these records from the Cambridge Room to CHC after it was determined that they more properly fit the CHC’s collections scope. Many of these items retain their original Cambridge Room collection identifier (050) on their folders to differentiate this newer addition.
Records from the Cambridge Room (CPL) were added into this collection in 2019-2020 by volunteer Stephen Kaiser, under the supervision of Alyssa Pacy, Cambridge Room Archivist. Pacy and CHC Archivist Emily Gonzalez made the decision to transfer these records from the Cambridge Room to CHC after it was determined that they more properly fit the CHC’s collections scope. Many of these items retain their original Cambridge Room collection identifier (050) on their folders to differentiate this newer addition.
- Title
- Inventory of the Cambridge City Planning Documents, 1945-2003
- Author
- Processed and inventoried by Steve Kaiser under the supervision of Emily Gonzalez, CHC Archivist, Summer-Winter 2018. Finding aid by Emily Gonzalez, February 2019. Finding aid and inventory updated by Brittany Fox, September 2020, March 2021.
- Description rules
- Finding Aid Was Prepared Using Dacs
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Description is in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Cambridge Historical Commission Archives Repository
Contact:
831 Massachusetts Avenue
2nd Floor
Cambridge Massachusetts 02139 US
617-349-4683
histcomm@cambridgema.gov
831 Massachusetts Avenue
2nd Floor
Cambridge Massachusetts 02139 US
617-349-4683
histcomm@cambridgema.gov