Dana-Palmer House

The Dana-Palmer House sits at 16 Quincy Street and displays Federal architecture with a Greek Revival porch and traditional New England design details. The two-story structure retains these design features in its current form.

Built in 1823 for Richard Henry Dana, the house served as Harvard College's first astronomical observatory from 1839 to 1843 under William Cranch Bond's leadership. This conversion shows how the building adapted to the university's changing needs.

The house became home to important thinkers such as philosopher William James and George Herbert Palmer, who lived here within Harvard University's academic circles. This connection to scholarly life remains part of the building's identity.

The building currently houses the Department of Comparative Literature and was moved across Quincy Street in 1947 to accommodate campus expansion. Visitors should keep in mind this remains an active academic building.

The house was actually physically moved from one side of Quincy Street to the other in 1947, a rare construction project that shows how Cambridge adapted to university expansion needs. This relocation remains a striking example of how historic structures can be relocated.

Location: Massachusetts

GPS coordinates: 42.37306,-71.11500

Latest update: December 14, 2025 13:07