Massachusetts
Recent Articles
Pine Tree Flag
While enjoying dinner in Sturbridge, my attention was drawn to a large Pine Tree Flag displayed on the wall. It was an unexpected reminder that history has a way of appearing in ordinary places. One of the most recognizable symbols of New England’s role in the American Revolution is the Pine Tree Flag. Although it is […]
The Russian Sniper
During a visit to the American Heritage Museum in Hudson, Massachusetts, I stopped at this display highlighting one of the most specialized and demanding roles of the Second World War: the Soviet sniper. While the museum is known for its extraordinary collection of tanks and military vehicles, it also tells the human stories behind the equipment through […]
William Diamond’s Drum
Among the treasures preserved in Lexington is this beautifully decorated drum that once belonged to William Diamond, the young drummer of Captain John Parker’s Lexington militia. According to tradition, Diamond beat this very drum to summon the townspeople on the night of April 18, 1775, after Paul Revere and other riders brought word that British troops […]
A Piece of the Old North Bridge
While visiting the Wayland Historical Society, I was surprised to find a small fragment of wood displayed in a simple case. At first glance, it appeared to be little more than an old, weathered timber. Yet this was no ordinary piece of wood. It was a remnant of the original Old North Bridge, the bridge […]
Jack Kerouac Memorial
Born in Lowell in 1922, Jean-Louis Lebris de Kérouac was the son of French-Canadian immigrants and grew up speaking French before learning English. His working-class upbringing and the close-knit ethnic neighborhoods of Lowell would later appear throughout his writings. Although he became famous for his travels across America, he never lost his During a visit to […]
Caleb Harrington’s Tobacco Box
Among the artifacts preserved in Lexington is this small tobacco box, an ordinary object made extraordinary by the events of April 19, 1775. This box belonged to Caleb Harrington, one of the eight militiamen killed by British troops on Lexington Common during the opening moments of the American Revolution. The box was found in his pocket […]
Fire Buckets
Among the interesting artifacts preserved in the Lancaster Library is a collection of leather fire buckets, reminders of a time when communities relied on cooperation rather than machinery to combat one of their greatest threats. Before organized fire departments and modern fire engines towns maintained leather buckets that were kept in homes, businesses, churches, and […]
Perfection Ballot Box
One of the more intriguing artifacts we encountered in the Historical Museum at the Thayer Memorial Library was a beautifully crafted wooden voting machine known as the “Perfection” Ballot Box. Marked “Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Ballot Box No. 1483, Boston 1905,” the device offered a fascinating glimpse into the mechanics of democracy in the early twentieth […]
Clay Pipe Warmer
Resting on the hearth of a colonial tavern was this simple iron frame and without a pipe set across it, I would never have recognized it as a clay pipe warmer. As with every object, there is a history, and it is that curiosity that draws me in to learn more. Before matches were common and […]
Make Way for the Ducklings
Walking through the Boston Public Gardens, there is a familiar and beloved sight: a line of small bronze ducks following closely behind their mother. Most locals recognize them as characters from the classic children’s book “Make Way for Ducklings” by Robert McCloskey. These statues were created by sculptor Nancy Schon and installed in 1987 as a […]
William Billings Plaque
Walking along the Boston Common, there are a number of plaques that quietly mark the lives of people who helped shape the early character of the city. One of them is for Willian Billings, listed as one of America’s earliest native-borncomposers. Billings was born and lived in Boston at a time when the country was just beginning to define its […]
Death Mask
In the Dedham History Museum, is this death mask. An intimate impression of a person’s face taken shortly after death. The practice of creating death masks has a long history. In ancient Egypt, masks were place with the dead, though they were often idealized. In ancient Rome, families preserved wax masks of ancestors as a way to honor lineage […]
