Bradstreet Gate, University gate at Harvard Yard, Cambridge, US.

Bradstreet Gate is a wrought-iron gate at the corner of Cambridge and Quincy Streets, forming one of the formal entrances to Harvard Yard. It stands on the edge of the campus where the university grounds meet the surrounding city streets.

Harvard dedicated this gate in 1997 to Anne Bradstreet, a poet who lived in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 17th century and was the first woman to publish a poetry collection in the American colonies. The dedication came 25 years after women were first admitted to live in university dormitories as regular students.

The gate carries the name of the first published American poet, and a plaque displays lines from her writing. Visitors walking through it encounter her words as part of an ordinary crossing between the city and the campus.

The gate sits at a busy street corner and is easy to reach on foot from downtown Cambridge. Foot traffic can be heavy during peak hours since this is an active entry point used by students and visitors throughout the day.

The gate was installed without a name and stood for years before it was formally dedicated to Anne Bradstreet. This means the physical structure is older than its connection to the poet it now honors.

• GPS coordinates: 42.37558,-71.11637
• Latest update: March 3, 2026 13:59