Landmark Status for The Brattle Theater

The Brattle Theater (aka Brattle Hall) should receive landmark status.

This building sits on Brattle Street close to Brattle Square and beside the Cambridge Center for adult education. It was built in 1890 as a space for performances after the Civil War. Throughout its history, however, it has served as everything from a space for Harvard Gentlemen to meet Cambridge ladies to one of the first theaters to bring foreign films to America.

It has had a central role in the fight against censorship, winning the rights to show controversial films and put on political theater shows. The Brattle Film Foundation took over the theater in 2001, and they have at times struggled financially to maintain their important place in the square. They now offer a variety of programming such as movies with drinks, poetry, and readings.

Its large brick front stand out on a corner made mostly of large cement and glass structures. Designating this building as a landmark would ensure protection against pressures to drastically change the architecture of this building to better fit the mold of its surroundings, which would be a loss to its charm and the uniqueness of this spot in Harvard Square.

Sources:

https://www.harvardsquare.com/history/historical-sites/the-brattle-theater/