Harvardevens

Harvardevens Village was established by Harvard University in 1946 at Fort Devens near Ayer, Massachusetts as housing for married World War II veterans attending Harvard. In June 1946, the Federal Public Housing Authority authorized the development of 386 apartments in the Lovell General Hospital buildings at Fort Devens. Opening for occupancy in October 1946, Harvardevens operated until June 1949, when the property was relinquished back to the Army’s control. Though managed and funded by Harvard, the Village functioned as a self-contained community providing housing, social activities, and support to the young families of Harvard students.

After World War II, Harvard faced a housing shortage with the influx of married students with families. To answer this need, Harvard opened the Harvard Housing Office on January 7, 1946 and later established the Office of the Advisor for Veterans Wives and a Medical Service for the Children of Harvard Veterans. The Harvard Housing office established housing at Harvardevens Village and the Brunswick hotel and erected Federal housing units in Cambridge.

Harvardevens Village, converted from military hospital buildings, consisted of administrative and community buildings and apartments surrounded by Perimeter Road. Each apartment had a living room, bathroom, kitchen and up to three bedrooms, and included central heating, hot water and electricity. Community buildings included a club house, infirmary/out-patient clinic, library, stores and a gymnasium. A beauty parlor, barber shop, nursery school and kindergarten, launderette facilities, swimming pool, and grocery store opened later as Harvardevens developed. The community was managed by Fletcher Wood Taft (Harvard Class of 1907) who represented the University and attended to the residents’ needs. Residents held their own social events and hosted events from the greater Harvard community such as a performance of “St. Joan” by the Veterans Theater Workshop of Harvard in March 1947.

Harvardevens was slow to fill at first due to the long and costly 32 mile commute by train to Cambridge. Due to vacancies in early 1947, Harvardevens was opened to veteran students from the University of Massachusetts (Fort Devens). By September 1947, the village was full to capacity. In 1948, the United States Army decided to reactivate the Harvardevens Village property of Fort Devens for draftee training and required that Harvard return the buildings by June 30, 1949. Families were allowed to remain in their Harvardevens apartments until they found other housing or until the June deadline.