Moving Companies Cambridge, MA

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Cambridge is a beautiful city situated in Massachusetts, in the Greater Boston area. The city is home to two internationally prominent universities, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. With a population around 108,000, Cambridge is the fourth most populous city in the state, behind Boston, Worcester and Springfield.

History:
Cambridge became a city in 1846, uniting three rival villages: Old Cambridge, Cambridgeport and East Cambridge. Before the opening of the West Boston Bridge in 1793, only three families lived east of Quincy Street. The bridge offered the first direct route from Cambridge to Boston. East Cambridge was opened for development in 1809, when the Canal Bridge, adjacent to the present Museum of Science, was completed. The devastating potato blight that struck Ireland in 1845 caused many of that country's rural population to flee. Thousands landed in Boston and Cambridge, destitute and without resources. Many Irish immigrants worked in the clay pits and brickyards of North Cambridge, housed in crowded workers' cottages. The majority of the city's Irish lived in East Cambridge, laboring at unskilled jobs in the glass works and furniture factories. They developed a close-knit community, centered on and supported by the Catholic church. By 1855, twenty-two percent of the adults in East Cambridge were Irish-born. Around the turn of the 20th century, immigrants from Italy, Poland, and Portugal began to arrive in the city, settling primarily in Cambridgeport and East Cambridge. Today, Cambridge is home to a culturally diverse population. College students from around the world study at Harvard, Radcliffe, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Lesley College. The heavy industries of the 19th and early 20th centuries have been replaced by technology-based enterprises, including electronics, self-developing film and cameras, software and biotechnology research.

Economy:
While manufacturing in the area has lost some ground, it remains an important sector of the economy and is joined by several other traditional industries and some new ones. Major industries include finance, high-technology research and development, tourism, medicine, education, commercial fishing, food processing, printing and publishing and government.
The area's economy is more specialized in the financial, business and professional services and educational and medical sectors than the suburban economy, which is more specialized in high technology and the defense industry. The area’s financial district includes major banks such as Fleet Bank, purchased in 2004 by Bank of America, and investment firms like Fidelity Investments. Insurance firms such as John Hancock Financial Services are also a significant presence. More than two million pounds of fish are caught in the waters in and around the Cambridge area each year, making fishing, food processing and food storage prime industries. As the home of world-renowned colleges and universities, Cambridge boasts a highly educated work force. Educational institutions are an important source of new, highly skilled professionals for the city's labor force. Wages in the area tend to be high, as are taxes and office lease rates. Entrepreneurial software and biotechnology companies attracted to the assets of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have tended to locate in East Cambridge.

Tourism:
Those moving to Cambridge should visit the area first - starting with the Harvard Museum of Natural History. This public museum offers three natural history institutions: the Botanical Museum, the Museum of Comparative Zoology and the Mineralogical and Geological Museum. Spend the day enjoying them all or pick a favorite to spend the afternoon. Next, head over to Harvard University. The countries first college, Harvard is a must-see while in Cambridge. Walk to campus and feel the energy of some of the worlds most brilliant minds. Then, check out Longfellow National Historic Site. For almost half a century, this site was the home of one of the world's foremost poets, scholars and educators, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It was also a favorite gathering place for historical figures such as George Washington, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Nathaniel Hawthorne. The site is open for public touring Wednesday through Sunday. The Harvard Art Museums is among the world’s leading art institutions. It is comprised of three museums and four research centers. Finally, the Peabody Museum is the region's principle world cultures museum. Changing exhibits explore human societies and culture from prehistory to the present. Experience the vast collections from North America, ancient Mesoamerica, Africa and Oceania.

Colleges/Universities:
• Cambridge College
• Lesley University
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Harvard University
 
Interesting Facts:
• Cambridge has been called the "City of Squares."
• The city was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England.

Helpful Links:
• Cambridge Real Estate
• Cambridge Storage Facility
• Cambridge Insurance
• Cambridge Dental Offices
• Cambridge Moving Companies