The Dana-Palmer House is an historic house in

Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As part of the Boston metropolitan area, the cities population of the 2020 U.S. census was 118,403, making it the fourth most populous city in the state, behind Boston, ...

. The two-story wood-frame house was built in 1822, and is basically Federal in its styling, although it has a Greek Revival porch. The house was built on land belonging to the

Dana family The Dana family is a Boston Brahmin family that arrived in Cambridge, Massachusetts from England during the later end of the Puritan migration to New England (1620–1640). Richard Dana, immigrant The patriarch, Richard Dana (16201690) was said t ...

, and was occupied by

Richard Henry Dana, Sr. Richard Henry Dana Sr. (November 15, 1787 – February 2, 1879) was an American poet, critic and lawyer. His son, Richard Henry Dana Jr., also became a lawyer and author. Biography Richard Henry Dana was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts on Novem ...

among others, before its acquisition by

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

in 1835. From 1839 to 1843 the building was used as Harvard's first astronomical observatory, before being converted for use as a residence for its professors. One of its residents of long tenure was

George Herbert Palmer George Herbert Palmer (March 9, 1842 – May 7, 1933) was an American scholar and author. He was a graduate, and then professor at Harvard University. He is also known for his published works, like the translation of ''The Odyssey'' (1884) and ot ...

, who lived there for nearly forty years. In 1947 the house was moved to its present location, and alterations made for its astronomical uses were reversed. The house was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1986.

References

Houses completed in 1822 Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Cambridge, Massachusetts Harvard University buildings Harvard Square 1822 establishments in Massachusetts {{CambridgeMA-NRHP-stub

See also

References