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. Dawes Island at the south end pays tribute to William Dawes, the 'other rider', who on April 18, 1775 warned 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.