Boston History

Interested in Freemasonry due to its ideals of liberty, equality and peace, former slave Prince Hall and 15 other Black men from Boston were initiated into Masonry by members of the Grand Lodge of Ireland in 1775, after having been turned down for admittance to the all-white Boston Saint John’s Lodge.

A political cartoon in the Boston Gazette in March of 1812 illustrated the appearance of a “new species of monster” — the Gerrymander.

For Bostonians, December brings more than just one anniversary.

In 1960, a contest to decide the name of the new Boston NFL team resulted in the world-famous New England Patriots.

You’ve heard this nickname a thousand times. But where is it from? 

Believe it or not, this isn’t the first time Boston has faced citywide closure and disturbance to public life.

In 1990, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum lacked a single interior camera to surveil its priceless collection. According to the board, such modern security would be too expensive.

Elon Musk thinks flying cars are silly, and that to counter skyrocketing traffic, we should tunnel underground instead. Does the Big Dig support his theory?

In 1901, baseball was a notoriously rowdy sport. Seeing an opportunity, sports entrepreneur Ban Johnson founded the American League with umpires to keep the peace and higher player salaries to attract talent.

If you were a Harvard Medical student in the late 1700s, passing required access to three supplies: ink, parchment and cadavers.

After being purchased in 1634 by the Puritans, the next three centuries were unkind to Boston Common.

Happy hour and Boston seemingly go hand-in-hand. We love our beer, so why not award trivia victors or post-work patrons with a little discount?

In 986, legendary Viking explorer Leif Erikson stumbled upon a new world he called Vineland for its abundance of grapes. Historians were unsure of Vineland’s location until 1680, when colonial Bostonians discovered mysterious, Viking-like markings in Dighton, Massachusetts.

In 1716, America built its first lighthouse, Boston Light, on Little Brewster Island. Along with illuminating the way, the lighthouse helped Boston collect a tax from all vessels: one penny per ton.

Boston Latin School has lots to boast about. Not only is it the oldest school in the U.S., but five signers of the Declaration of Independence attended the school.

Follow the historic streets of Boston to some of the oldest taverns in the city.

What began as a fundraiser for a local track team has grown into a national treasure. The Falmouth Road Race is a picturesque, 7.3-mile bar-to-bar race that takes place every August.

Last week carried a very important day for the American-Israeli relationship, as America officially moved its embassy to Jerusalem. No matter how you feel about this news, it was a historic day and appropriately took place in May, which is also Jewish American Heritage Month.

Fifty years ago, one Bostonian was involved in a scandal that rocked the Kentucky Derby. Peter Fuller, a local boxer turned horse owner, made history as the only winner to be stripped of the first place title when it was discovered that his horse, Dancer’s Image, had illegal drugs in his system.

Mary Mahoney was born in Boston, MA, and she became the first black registered nurse to be professionally trained in the United States in 1879. The program was so difficult that Mary was one of only three students to graduate out of a class of 40.

February is Black History Month and a good time to head into Boston to learn something new and see some of the great historical landmarks our city offers. The Black Heritage Trail is a great place to start.

https://vimeo.com/228111655

With the Old Breed is a firsthand account of the fighting in the Pacific during WWII, written by E.B. Sledge, a U.S. Marine, during the battles on Peleliu and Okinawa. He has passed away but his recollection of events he and his fellow servicemen endured are harrowing. The detail he portrays puts you in his shoes as he takes you through the war, step by step.

Established in 1634, Boston Common is America’s oldest public park. Now a popular place for public gatherings, relaxation and fun activities, the Common has been used for many purposes throughout its unique history.

Boston’s rich history touches every corner of the city, and Faneuil Hall is no exception. Built in 1741 by a wealthy merchant named Peter Faneuil, this building hosted America’s first town meeting and remains an open forum space almost 300 years later.

The Massachusetts State House was built in 1798 by Charles Bulfinch on the site of John Hancock’s cow pasture. One hundred years later, a second grander wing was added by Charles Brigham. The House is the oldest building on Beacon Hill.

Plymouth Quarries was incorporated in 1915 in Hingham, Massachusetts, when multiple companies merged. They had been quarrying on the property since 1811 and remain one of the few quarries left in Massachusetts.

I wish it wasn’t necessary to set the record straight about Black History Month. For years, our history was buried or distorted because black people were brought here as slaves and their contributions were never fully acknowledged – this month creates an awareness of our history.