History of Cambridge, MA. Master Plumber licensed, 5-star rated on Google, 24/7 emergency response. Call (781) 242-2386 to book an appointment.
Founding and Newtowne
The settlement that would become Cambridge was originally called Newtowne, founded in 1630 as a fortified town to be the capital of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The colony’s leadership decided in 1636 to establish a college ‘to advance learning and perpetuate it to posterity’ — and that college, located in Newtowne, would become Harvard. In 1638, the town was officially renamed Cambridge in honor of the English university where many of the colony’s founders had been educated.
The Press, the Press, and the Press
The first printing press in British North America was set up in Cambridge in 1638, in the home of Jose Glover (who died on the voyage over). The press began producing almanacs, the laws of the colony, and eventually the Bay Psalm Book — the first book printed in North America. Cambridge’s identity as a place of words and ideas dates to this moment.
Industry and Cambridgeport
Through the 19th century, Cambridge developed substantial industrial neighborhoods alongside its academic center. East Cambridge became a major manufacturing district — particularly for furniture, soap, and biscuits. Cambridgeport supported glass works, ironworks, and breweries. The triple-decker housing that fills these neighborhoods today was largely built between 1880 and 1925 to house the immigrant workforce.
MIT and the 20th Century
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology relocated from Boston to Cambridge in 1916, taking a sprawling campus along Memorial Drive that filled in former industrial waterfront. Through the 20th century, MIT and Harvard fundamentally reshaped Cambridge — first by drawing world-class researchers, then by spawning the biotech, software, and venture capital ecosystems that turned Kendall Square into ‘the most innovative square mile in the world.’
Modern Cambridge
Today Cambridge balances its old neighborhoods (Old Cambridge, Mid-Cambridge, Cambridgeport, North Cambridge, East Cambridge) with the corporate density of Kendall Square. The city is one of the most rent-burdened in the United States — but also one of the most culturally and economically vital. Harvard Square’s bookstores, Inman Square’s restaurants, and Central Square’s bohemian holdouts all coexist with Kendall’s biotech towers.
Plumbing & Heating in Cambridge
Cambridge’s housing runs the full century — pre-1900 row houses with shared-wall stack venting, East Cambridge factory conversions with industrial-grade plumbing, Mid-Cambridge Victorians with original soldered copper, and modern condos with PEX. Code in Cambridge is strict and the city inspectors are sharp; every job we do here is permitted and signed off.
Need a plumber in Cambridge? Sedona Plumbing and Heating is licensed, insured, and dispatches same-day from our Winchester shop. See our Cambridge services hub, our Cambridge plumber page, or our Cambridge HVAC services. Call (781) 242-2386.
Local Resources & Things to Do in Cambridge
For ideas on what to see and do locally, see our Things to Do in Cambridge guide.
