Harvard History

Stories that explore the institution’s rich history, from archival moments to evolving traditions.

A graphic depiction of a stone wall, reimagining the stone wall set in Harvard Square near Winthrop Street

One of Harvard’s Oldest Structures Is Hiding Behind a Beer Garden

A crumbling wall in Harvard Square holds centuries of the city’s story, if you know how to read it.

by Olivia Farrar

The Perils of Prediction

Peering into the future—in print

by John S. Rosenberg

The Cambridge campus as seen from a vantage point above Oxford Street, looking toward the University's future in Allston [<a href="http://harvardmagazine.com/sites/default/files/375_so11_002_web.jpg">VIEW LARGER PHOTOGRAPH</a>]

Building and buying a campus

The recent boom—and the future in Allston

by Jonathan Shaw

Professorial Permutations

Harvard’s evolving faculties

by Jonathan Shaw

Looking south into Harvard Yard

Introduction to a Harvard 375th anniversary issue

Introduction to an anniversary

by John S. Rosenberg

Snapshots of Harvard’s past quarter-century


Snapshots of Harvard’s past quarter-century
, with illustrations by Mark Steele

by John S. Rosenberg

A new organ is being installed in Memorial Church this summer.

Harvard's Memorial Church gets a new organ

The organ, Fisk Opus 139, is being assembled for an Easter Sunday debut.

by Sarah Zhang

Joanne Chang

Joanne Chang of Flour Bakery to create 375th birthday cake for Harvard

Joanne Chang of Flour Bakery will provide a cake for Harvard's 375th birthday celebration.

The U.S. Postal Service on June 16 issued a first-class stamp honoring botanist Asa Gray. A natural history professor, Gray also founded the Harvard Summer School 140 years ago. The stamp shows plants that he studied as well as the words <i>Shortia galacifolia</i> in his own hand. The story of his epic quest for that plant is told at http://arnoldia.arboretum.harvard.edu/pdf/articles/838.pdf.

The Harvard Guerrilla Unit, and more on varsity sports ties

Undercover training during World War II, and more on varsity ties

Marjorie Thomas and Donald F. Brown

Harvard's oldest alumni and alumnae

Marjorie Thomas '42 and Donald F. Brown '30 led the alumni parade on Commencement afternoon.

Headlines from Harvard history

Headlines from Harvard's history