Opposite the main entrance to Harvard Yard, Cambridge Common is the village green where General Washington took command of the Continental Army on July 3, 1775. The traffic island at the south end, known as Dawes Island, pays tribute to the 'other rider,' William Dawes, who rode through here on April 18, 1775, to warn that the British were coming (look for the bronze hoofprints embedded in the sidewalk).
Parents take note: the excellent playground at the northern end features a Viking ship, a climbing web and plenty of water play.
