Jayne Morley Harvard Square

 Mount Auburn Cemetery, although originally a farm, was established  in 1831 and consists of 174 acres of open, natural land. This cemetery is known in history as being the first official public park and started a movement for other gardens and parks throughout the colonies. More importantly, it is known for its stark contrast against older burial sites such as the Old Burial Ground. This is because Mount Auburn marks the beginning of a more post-colonistic burial style and a deeper change in priorities and mindset within the colonies.    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Auburn_Cemetery https://cemeterytravel.com/2012/10/24/cemetery-of-the-week-81-the-old-burying-ground/ The Old Burial Ground (depicted on the right) is a small, private, grounds in which bodies are buried under or around the churches. This style of burial limited the amount of people and type of people who could be buried and was thought to have potential health ramifications. Mount Auburn is a bea...

    The story of the Washington Elm is merely one of legend. It is rumored that in 1775, on the cross section of Mason and Garden streets, George Washington took command of the Continental Army and thus was one of the turning points in American history. For years to follow poets, musicians and journalists would write picturesque and dramatic psalms and stories about the events on that day. Although there is no merit to these accounts, they created a hero-like quality for George Washington that has persisted until today.  The elm tree became a symbol of Cambridge when it was added to the city seal in 1846 by Edward Everette, a politician of the time. Unfortunately, the original tree was struck down in a lightning storm in 1923 but sections of the tree were preserved and shipped to museums and government buildings all around the country. We love to memorialize things in the United States, even stories with questionable truth! Now a granite stone is placed where the original...

  The history of the First Parish in Cambridge strongly reflects the development of the University and its effects on Harvard Square.  The First Parish in Cambridge was originally established in 1632 but it wasn’t until 1652 when the location next to Harvard College was established due to the fact that Harvard had not migrated to, what was then, Newtowne until 1637. It took many years after that until the fifth location was built in 1833; located across from, what were, the main gates to Harvard Yard.  This church stood as a pivotal part in the development of Harvard College and Harvard Square not only being known for its academia but also for its deep relationship with religion. In letters and documents saved from 1698-1700’s some argue that the reason the Majesty did not approve of Harvard College was due to this affiliation with religious ideals, particularly Puritanism and Calvinism.  The fifth church location, across from Havard Yard gates, served as the home of...

 Idea 1: Transform Palmer Street into a space for creative expression; music, street art, sculpture,etc. My idea for this alley way is to have it be a creative space for artists in the square an on campus to express themselves. I think it would be great for these creative pieces to reflect Harvard’s mission for the year in order to connect the institution to the square. My idea would be similar to the Modica Way, pictured below. Idea 2: Adding features to JFK park to make it more eco-friendly, upgraded and more visitor friendly. By adding grassy mounds for seating, clover fields, native plant/flower species, and fixing the water fountain we can physically improve the space. Also adding historical signage that reflects the history of the land and sustainable ways to take care of it would add an educational aspect.