Massachusetts
Massachusetts was one of the original thirteen colonies and became the sixth state to ratify the United States Constitution on February 6, 1788. Known as the Bay State, it has Boston as both its capital and largest city. Its geography extends from the Atlantic coastline, Cape Cod, and the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket to the river valleys and rolling hills of central Massachusetts and the Berkshire Mountains in the west.
The founding of Plymouth Colony in 1620 and the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630 established the region as an important center of colonial life. More than a century later, events in Boston, Lexington, and Concord helped ignite the American Revolution. During the nineteenth century, the state became a leader in manufacturing, education, literature, and social reform, giving Massachusetts an enduring influence on the political and cultural development of the nation.
Recent Articles
Bronson Alcott’s Daily Duties
A child’s education, in Bronson Alcott’s view, extended throughout the day. Lessons mattered, but so did meals, household responsibilities, recreation, rest, and the ways children treated others. His “Order of In-door Duties for Children,” displayed at Orchard House, offers a glimpse into how he attempted to put those beliefs into practice. The schedule divides the […]
Abigail Adams: Wife of a President, Mother of Another
On Boston’s Commonwealth Avenue Mall, Abigail Adams stands beside a granite pedestal, her arms folded and her expression resolute. Part of the Boston Women’s Memorial, her figure honors a woman whose life connected the American Revolution with two generations of presidential leadership. She was the wife of John Adams, the second president of the United […]
The Greenway Carousel
I ride this carousel as often as I can when I visit Boston. Walking through the city often leads us to historical places, but I also enjoy making time for something simply because it brings me joy. The Greenway Carousel has become one of those familiar stops I look forward to. Opened on August 31, […]
Paul Revere Mall and Statue
Walking through Boston’s North End, I stopped at Paul Revere Mall to spend more time with a familiar landmark. The bronze figure of Revere on horseback stands above the brick walkway, surrounded by trees and the buildings of the neighborhood he once called home. His extended arm and the horse’s raised foreleg give the monument […]
Dr. Joseph Warren
Among the memorial plaques along Paul Revere Mall is one honoring Dr. Joseph Warren, a physician whose work placed him at the center of Boston’s growing resistance to British rule. His name may be less familiar than those of Paul Revere or Samuel Adams, but his leadership helped shape the events that brought Massachusetts into […]
Armenian Heritage Park
During our walk around Boston, we stopped at Armenian Heritage Park on the Rose Kennedy Greenway. Its angular sculpture offers a different kind of memorial: one whose form changes while its purpose remains rooted in remembrance. The sculpture honors the lives lost during the Armenian Genocide of 1915–1923 and the genocides that followed. The park […]
John Francis “Honey Fitz” Fitzgerald
Near St. Stephen’s Church in Boston’s North End, a bronze portrait set into a granite memorial honors John Francis Fitzgerald, remembered as “Honey Fitz”. His name connects the neighborhood with Boston’s political history and the Kennedy family, but his own story began here long before his grandson became president. Born in the North End in […]
The French King Bridge
Driving west along Route 2, I stopped at the French King Bridge mainly for the view. Below, the Connecticut River curved between wooded banks, with hills stretching into the distance. The setting was magnificent, but the bridge itself, with its substantial stone approaches and ornamental lamps, gave me another reason to pause. Opened on September […]
Benjamin Franklin Statue
In the courtyard of Boston’s Old City Hall, a bronze statue of Benjamin Franklin stands above a granite pedestal decorated with scenes from his life. Our photograph captures a family visit to this landmark on School Street, where Franklin’s story connects with the history of the city in which he was born. Franklin was born […]
Glacial Potholes
At the base of Salmon Falls in Shelburne Falls, the Deerfield River flows through a landscape of smooth stone ledges and rounded hollows. Known as the Glacial Potholes, these formations reveal how moving water can gradually reshape even hard bedrock. Shelburne Falls is a village shared by the towns of Shelburne and Buckland. More than […]
The Esta Manthos Indian Motorcycle Collection
Marty stood among rows of motorcycles at the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History. Their frames, engines, and handlebars changed from one machine to the next, while old advertisements and photographs filled the walls around them. This gallery was about more than a famous motorcycle name. Indian began in Springfield, and for decades […]
John Brown’s Desk
I stood beside John Brown’s desk at the Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History. It is a large, dark piece of furniture, made for the practical work of keeping accounts and handling correspondence. Brown used it during the years he worked as a wool merchant in Springfield. The museum also identifies it as […]
