Cambridge (USA)

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City in northeastern Massachusetts, USA, on the north bank of the Charles River, just above the river's entry into Boston Harbour; seat (with Lowell) of Middlesex County; population (2000 est) 101,360. Its seaward side is industrial and includes a part of the Boston port area; industries include paper and publishing, electronic equipment and scientific instruments. Cambridge is the seat of several important colleges: Harvard University (1636), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1861), and Radcliffe College (1879). The John F Kennedy School of Government is part of Harvard University. One quarter of the residents are students and one sixth of the workforce is employed in higher education. Although noted for its educational institutions, Cambridge used also to be an industrial town. Some of the old factories have been taken over by high tech facilities.

History
Cambridge was first settled as New Towne in 1630 and renamed Cambridge (after the university town in England) in 1638; it was incorporated as a city in 1846. Harvard University is the oldest educational institution in the USA. It was named after John Harvard (1607–1638), who bequeathed his library to it along with half his estate. Cambridge has over 200 entries on the national register of historic places, including houses, historic districts, milestones, factories, almshouses, churches, and synagogues, Fort Washington, university premises, schools, cemeteries, banks, and a post office. Cambridge has 12 museums and galleries. Harvard University has four museums for cultural and natural history. The first printing press in America was established here in 1639 by Stephen Daye.

The flag's unusual 3:4 proportions are laid down by law. Green represents the forests. Blue symbolizes the Atlantic Ocean. Effective date: 9 August 1960. >>