William Brattle House

The William Brattle House at 42 Brattle Street displays Georgian architecture with symmetrical windows, a central entrance, and decorative cornices. The facade preserves the characteristic appearance from the 18th century that was typical of wealthy colonial dwellings.

The house was built in 1727 for William Brattle, one of the wealthiest men in Massachusetts Bay Colony, who remained loyal to the Crown and fled to Halifax during the Revolution. Its history shows the tensions between loyalty to the king and the growing push for independence.

The residence attracted leading figures of the early American Republic and reflects the social standing it once held in colonial society. Visitors can see today the spaces where important conversations took place.

The building sits in the Harvard Square Historic District, where you can explore multiple historical structures in one area. The Cambridge Center for Adult Education maintains the property and keeps it open for visitors.

Writer Margaret Fuller lived here from 1831 to 1833 and described the house in her personal writings as a gilded cage. Her time there shows how even privileged people sometimes felt confined.