Harvard University

Harvard University

Guide

In front of the University Hall stands a bronze statue with three lines inscribed on its base: “John Harvard, Founder, 1638.” In fact, none of these three lines are accurate. First, John Harvard was not the founder—he was merely an important benefactor. Second, the university was not founded in 1638 but two years earlier, in 1636. Third, when the statue was created in the early 20th century, no photograph of Harvard could be found, so a handsome recent graduate was chosen as the model. As a result, the statue is not actually of Harvard himself. These are the three well-known “Harvard Myths” often cited with amusement. Highlights

Many visitors take photos in front of the John Harvard statue, and the toe of the left shoe has been polished to a shine by countless admirers over the years. It’s said that touching the toe can bring good luck in getting admitted to Harvard, prompting parents from all over the world who hope for their children’s success to encourage them to give it a rub.

Harvard University was founded in 1636, making it the oldest university in the United States—nearly a century and a half older than the country itself. At that time, British Puritans who had migrated to America established this first institution of higher learning in U.S. history along the Charles River in Massachusetts, modeling it after the University of Cambridge in England. Originally called “Cambridge College,” it later became Harvard. Of the 43 U.S. presidents throughout history, six graduated from Harvard, including John Adams, the second president during the nation’s founding era; Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was elected to four terms during World War II; and President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. Transportation: Take the Red Line subway to Harvard Square Station. Address: Located in Cambridge, on the west bank of the Charles River.

Boston, USA