Harvard Square History Quiz

Think you know Harvard Square? Take our quiz—and submit your answers to be enrolled in a contest to win a copy of Harvard Square: An Illustrated History Since 1950 by Mo Lotman.

Think you know Harvard Square? Take our quiz--and submit your answers to be enrolled in a contest to win a copy of Harvard Square: An Illustrated History Since 1950 by Mo Lotman. For the accompanying article, see "Pictures in the Square," November-December 2009.

Note: The contest has ended. The answers, along with the winner and runner-up, are posted here.

 

1. What is the maximum number of gas stations that operated in Harvard Square at any one time since 1950? (Today, there are none.)
 

2. In what Harvard Square club did Joan Baez give her first concert, and how old was she at the time?



Photo courtesy of Boston Public Library, The Boston Herald

3. What is this man's name and what business did he own?

 

 



Photograph by Lynn Millar/Radcliffe Archives (https://www.radcliffe.edu/schles/)

4. What was the name of this bookstore and what was its motto?

 

 

 


Photograph by David Hunsberger

5. What is the name of this café?

 

 


Photograph by Hugh Blackmer

6. What is this man’s name and what kind of business did he run?

 

7. What international soap chain began in the equipment room of the Brattle Theatre?

 

 

Photograph by Elsa Dorfman

8. What bookstore did the man on the right found in 1927, and what is his name?

 

9. What now stands on the site of the original Design Research?

 

 

Photograph by Harvard Magazine/VL

10. What function did this building serve before it became a shopping mall, The Garage?

 

 


Photograph by Eric Antoniou

11. What is the name of this bar and restaurant?

 

12. What record album did Van Morrison write while living on Green Street in 1968?

 


Photograph by Harvard Magazine/VL

13. What year did Leavitt & Peirce open?

Related topics

You might also like

250 Years Ago, Harvard Was Home to a Revolution

A look at the sights, sounds, and characters that put the University on the frontlines of history

The Costly Choice Native Americans Faced

How the Revolution reshaped indigenous New England

The Harvard-Trained Doctor Who Urged a Revolution

Before his heroic death, General Joseph Warren was dubbed “the greatest incendiary in all of America.”

Most popular

Martin Nowak Placed on Leave a Second Time

Further links to Jeffrey Epstein surface in newly released files.

Harvard study: termite mounds circulate air, sneezing once a day

Physicists look into the function of towering termite mounds.

Harvard Law Professor Explains the AI Battle Between Tech and Government

Jonathan Zittrain compares today’s conflicts to tensions surrounding the early internet.

Explore More From Current Issue

Historical scene depicting a parade with soldiers and a town square in the background.

When the Revolution Hit Cambridge, Harvard Moved to Concord

College students broke hearts and windows during their year in exile.

Woman in historical dress standing in front of green foliage, smiling brightly.

This Harvard Graduate Brings Women of the Revolution to Life

Historical reenactor Lauren Shear reveals tricks of the trade for playing Tory loyalists, Revolutionary poets, and more.

Katie Benzan stands on a basketball court holding a ball, with a hoop in the background.

How Women Are Changing the NBA

From coaching staffs to front offices, female leaders are bringing new strategies to men’s basketball.