Massachusetts

Massachusetts has played a central role in the American story, from the arrival of the Pilgrims at Plymouth and the growth of the Massachusetts Bay Colony to the opening battles of the American Revolution at Lexington and Concord. Its towns also preserve the history of maritime trade, immigration, industry, abolition, education, literature, and the changing life of New England.

Massachusetts is also my home. Its cities, villages, historic houses, town commons, museums, cemeteries, monuments, and landscapes have shaped my life and provided many of my Hometown Stories. These are places I have visited throughout the years, often with my family, discovering that history is not confined to famous landmarks. It remains present in the communities and ordinary places all around us.