National Register of Historic Places

Porcellian Club

Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Listed
June 29, 1983
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
83000824

About this property

The Porcellian Club is an all-male final club at Harvard University, colloquially known as the Porc or the P.C. Its founding is traditionally dated to either 1791, when a group began meeting under the name "the Argonauts," or 1794, the year of a roast pig dinner that formally established the club under its initial name, the "Pig Club." The club's Epicurean motto, Dum vivimus vivamus ("While we live, let us live"), and its emblem—a pig—reflect its origins. Members often wear golden pig motifs on watch chains or neckties adorned with pig-head symbols. Regarded as Harvard’s "oldest and most prestigious" social club, the Porcellian has been described as the iconic "hotsy-totsy final club" and is frequently cited by the university as "the most final of them all."

Location

1320-24 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
42.37300, -71.11776

Categories

ARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Porcellian Club

This page lists Porcellian Club. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Porcellian Club report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Hasty Pudding Club
Colonial
0 mi
Harvard Square Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Listed
0.1 mi
Harvard Square Subway Kiosk
Industrial
0.1 mi
Harvard Square Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi
Harvard Yard Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Siege of Boston – Cambridge Lines
1775Revolutionary War
0.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Porcellian Club listed on the National Register?

Porcellian Club was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 29, 1983.

What type of historic resource is Porcellian Club?

Porcellian Club is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Porcellian Club?

The period of significance for Porcellian Club is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Porcellian Club?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Porcellian Club will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Middlesex County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Middlesex County.

Explore MiddlesexCounty ›

More historic places in Massachusetts

Browse all historic places in Massachusetts.

View Massachusettshistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Massachusetts history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Massachusettshistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Porcellian Club will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report