Developers · API v1

The public civic record

This API publishes only records that pass the same review, provenance, confidence, and editorial-quality gate as the websites. The larger working graph remains private until each record is defensible under review.

reviewed public records

maximum records per response

CC BY

graph structure license

CORS

read access from any origin

Endpoints

GET /api/v1/entity/{id}One reviewed record with provenance and public relationships.

GET /api/v1/search?q={query}&type={type}&page=1&limit=20Paginated search across the publication-gated corpus.

GET /api/graph/related/{id}?page=1&limit=20Bounded, typed relationships between public records.

Try it

These requests return the current public edition. The count grows only after editorial review.

/api/v1/entity/harvard-square /api/v1/entity/east-cambridge /api/v1/search?q=cambridge&page=1&limit=20

Example response shape abbreviated for readability

{
  "id": "harvard-square",
  "name": "Harvard Square",
  "type": "neighborhood",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://cambridge400.com/e/harvard-square",
  "summary": "At the meeting of town and university, Harvard Square has long combined transportation, commerce, civic institutions, and Harvard Yard around a mixed-use center.",
  "location": {
    "coordinates": {
      "lat": 42.3732,
      "lng": -71.1189
    },
    "address": "Massachusetts Ave & Brattle St, Cambridge, MA 02138"
  },
  "provenance": {
    "sources": [
      {
        "name": "Harvard Square Development Guidelines",
        "url": "https://www.cambridgema.gov/-/media/Files/CDD/Planning/guidelines_harvardsq_2002.pdf",
        "kind": "primary",
        "publisher": "City of Cambridge",
        "accessedAt": "2026-08-09",
        "note": "Supports the Square's town-gown setting, mixed uses, and transportation history."
      },
      {
        "name": "Cambridge Historical Commission",
        "url": "https://www.cambridgema.gov/historic",
        "kind": "primary",
        "legacyLabel": "Cambridge Historical Commission"
      },
      {
        "name": "Original published record",
        "url": "https://guidetocambridge.com/neighborhoods/harvard-square",
        "kind": "legacy",
        "legacyLabel": "Migrated from GuideToCambridge.com source repository"
      },
      {
        "name": "OpenStreetMap node/2448023622",
        "url": "https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/2448023622",
        "kind": "reference",
        "publisher": "OpenStreetMap contributors",
        "legacyLabel": "OpenStreetMap node/2448023622"
      },
      {
        "name": "Wikidata Q1587858",
        "url": "https://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1587858",
        "kind": "reference",
        "publisher": "Wikimedia Foundation",
        "legacyLabel": "Wikidata Q1587858"
      },
      {
        "name": "Wikipedia",
        "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/?curid=593247",
        "kind": "reference",
        "publisher": "Wikimedia Foundation",
        "legacyLabel": "Wikipedia page 593247 (English)"
      }
    ]
  }
}

Use and attribution

Attribute graph structure to The Civic Graph and retain the provenance attached to each record. Underlying source text and images keep their own rights. For institutional use, data collaboration, or a larger reviewed edition, see partnerships.