History

In the earliest days of America's founding, Vermont stands out: a consitution that banned slavery outright and allowed those without land the right to vote, created a fertile ground for those cast aside in neighboring states--women, native american and african american people--to thrive and to to lead.

Vermont's constitution, drafted in 1777, was one of the most enlightened documents of its time, but in contrast, the history of Vermont has largely been told through the stories of influential white men. This book takes a fresh look at Vermont's history, uncovering hidden stories, from the earliest inhabitants to present-day citizens striving to overcome adversity and be advocates for change. Native Americans struggled to maintain an identity in the state while their land and rights were disappearing. Lucy Terry Prince was the first female African American poet who rose above racism to argue her case before Vermont's governor and won. Educator and historian Cynthia Bittinger unearths these and other inspirational stories of the contributions of women, Native Americans and African Americans to Vermont's history.

Paddle from Enfield Rapids to Long Island Sound and travel down one of America's most famous waterways, the Connecticut River.

Its calm waters conceal an unruly past, where native tribes lost ground to Dutch and English colonists who vied for the river's immense economic power. The skyline of Hartford looms on the western shore, with the gold dome of the capitol as a remnant of this robust economy centered on world trade. Many have found a deep inspiration along the river, including Lady Fenwick, a local legend; David Bushnell, creator of the first American submarine; and even Albert Einstein, who contemplated the cosmos while relaxing on the riverbanks. Author Wick Griswold takes readers on a provocative journey as he traces the history of the Connecticut River.

Bristol: Montaup to Poppasquash takes readers on a unique journey through the community's past, beginning with the voyages of early Norse explorers and detailing major events that shaped the town's history, including the King Philip's War, the Revolutionary War, and a variety of other military conflicts that took local men and women away from their homes. Not only evoking memories of yesteryear, this compelling illustrated history explores the evolving personality of Bristol over the passing decades, from its days as a small fishing village and a haven for privateers to its present status as a premier boat-building center.

This book about Westford describes the effect of the mills‚' demise in the 1950s, and chronicles the town‚s recent development into a very appealing bedroom community for workers in Boston.

From its incorporation in 1729 through the late nineteenth century, Westford, Massachusetts, was a farming community sparsely populated by families of English ancestry. But in the first years of the twentieth century, a significant change occurred in Westford when mills that had opened in the town‚'s Forge Village and Graniteville sections began to recruit workers from Russia, Poland, England, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Canada. Westford depicts what the arrival of the mills and the mill workers meant to the town and its evolution in the twentieth century.

In the early 1900s, George Weiss, later the general manager of the New York Yankees, helped establish New Haven as a baseball town by drawing stars such as Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb for exhibition games. The semiprofessional West Haven Sailors kept that tradition alive in the 1930s and 1940s. That same era was a heyday for Yale, as Yale Field saw legends such as Lou Gehrig and Ted Williams take on the Elis. Ruth returned in 1948 to present a copy of his biography to the Bulldog captain, future president George H.W. Bush. Baseball in New Haven details the return of professional baseball in 1972 with the Eastern League's West Haven Yankees and finishes with the New Haven Ravens, an Eastern League expansion team in 1994.

Paul St. Germain has been a Rockport resident for 20 years and  has developed a revealing record of the men, the quarries, the tools, and the final uses of Cape Ann granite around the nation.

The granite industry began on Cape Ann with the first sale of a piece of Rockport granite, for use as a millstone, to a farmer in Newburyport in 1800. The industry would grow to include more than 60 quarries and operations around the cape, becoming the second-largest economic force in the area behind fishing. Hundreds were employed as quarrymen, stonecutters, paving cutters, and finishers. Cape Ann was particularly well fitted for the pursuit of granite as its rocky hills and shores afforded a comparatively inexhaustible source of supply, and its splendid shipping facilities gave the advantage of quick and economical transportation to market by sea and land. The industry eventually declined, and by 1930, most quarries had gone out of business because of labor strikes and low demand. Today, most of these quarries are filled with rainwater and springwater, and many are used as reservoirs for the surrounding communities.

With some two hundred stunning images, Bristol Firefighting relives the fire department's proud history over the past one hundred fifty years, as the old hand pump gave way to an 1881 Amoskeag steamer drawn by horses, which in turn moved aside in the early 1900s for a Pope-Hartford, a motorized auto chemical truck, which changed firefighting forever. Years later, Bristol was recognized throughout the country for owning the first American La France foam pumper, appropriately known as the Bristol Model. Bristol Firefighting recalls firsthand accounts of many infamous fires, told through the eyes of the local people who witnessed them. Most dramatically, it relates the stories of heroism, sacrifice, and bravery displayed by firefighters in their unending desire to serve and protect their community.

This fascinating collection of photographs brings to life the history of the community of Dexter—in its bounty and its bad times

Author Frank Spizuoco has collected over two hundred unforgettable images from the archives of the Dexter Historical Society which together paint a vivid picture of the community and its environs from the 1840s to the 1990s.

Referred to as ""one of the prettiest and pleasantest places of all New England towns,"" Georgetown grew rapidly, and by the mid-nineteenth century the population had risen dramatically.

This town, ""a pleasant and flourishing place,"" saw the Boston & Maine Railroad laid out in 1854, with depots at Pentucket Square and at Baldpate, and two street railways in 1896-the Haverhill, Georgetown & Danvers Line and the Georgetown, Rowley & Ipswich Line, both of which greatly facilitated the ease of transportation. Join the author in Georgetown as he takes you on a tour through the town's early years. Visit the schools and churches, the Old Home Week in 1909, the Georgetown Peabody Library, and the Baldpate Inn and Hospital. Experience the natural features, including Pentucket and Rock Ponds, and Bald Pate Hill, the highest elevation in Essex County. See the local tanneries during the pre-Civil War years, which produced enough leather for 32,300 pairs of boots and over 300,000 pairs of shoes.

For many, the sea is a temperamental and dangerous mistress, and Marion's affair with her is no different, for this town has experienced both great gain in wealth and horrific loss of life and property by her hands over the centuries. In Maritime Marion, Massachusetts, readers take a remarkable journey across four centuries of struggle and prosperity as a simple coastal hamlet evolves into a celebrated nautical center for shipbuilding, fishing, and racing. This unique volume, containing over 100 black-and-white illustrations, chronicles the many aspects of maritime life, from trade to recreation, including the once-prominent whaling industry, the various local saltworks, the traditions of Tabor Academy, the influence of the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company, and the prestige of the Beverly Yacht Club. However, one of the greatest pleasures and customs of any seacoast community is its storytelling, and Maritime Marion recounts several of the town's most interesting and puzzling tales, such as the mystery of the Mary Celeste's lost crew, the tragedies of numerous hurricanes, the fate of the British warship HMS Nimrod, and the experiences of the first lighthouse keepers on Bird Island.

In Peabody, vivid postcards offer a contrasting view of what it was like to live and work in a community having two distinct characters: the town center, with its bustling tanning industries, which soon earned Peabody the sobriquet of "Leather Capital of the World," and the pastoral farming villages of Brookdale, Locustdale, Brooksby, and West Peabody, which portray a sense of life in rural America during this same era.

European explorers were captivated by the seemingly endless bounty of natural resources on Cape Cod Bay. One Englishman declared that the codfish were so thick one could walk on their backs. Early settlers quickly learned how to harness the bay's resources and excelled at shore whaling, shipping and salt making. But as these new industries flourished, the native Wampanoag, who helped the fledgling colony to take root, nearly vanished. Author Theresa Mitchell Barbo's skillful narrative weaves together the natural and cultural histories of the bay, highlighting some of the region's diverse milestones- from the drafting of the Mayflower Compact in 1620 to the establishment of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant 350 years later. Cape Cod Bay: A History of Salt & Sea inspires new appreciation for this storied and stunning seascape, and underscores the importance of new efforts to preserve the bay's unique ecosystem.

Local journalist and historian Frank Juliano takes us through the incredible stories of his town, including a series of vignettes about famous Milford residents.

Purchased for six coats, twelve iron axes, ten blankets, twelve hatchets, twelve hoes, two dozen knives, six mirrors and a kettle, the town of Milford has blossomed into one of Connecticut's most treasured places. . From the American Revolution, when seventy-three men from Milford marched to Boston to fight in the famous Battle of Lexington and Concord, to the backyard pit of a local farmhouse that was surely a stop on the Underground Railroad, Milford has its roots firmly grounded in the bedrock of American history.

The Monadnock Region has been referred to as New Hampshire’s “forgotten corner.” It is a quiet region known for its historic New England villages and beautiful natural landscape. Overlooked tales from the past prove that this has not always been a quiet place, however.

Mark Twain, Amelia Earhart, robber baron Jubilee Jim Fisk, infamous actress May Yohe, and miser Hetty Green, the richest woman in the United States, all spent time in the quiet corner.  Noteworthy inventors, outspoken women, military heroes, nationally prominent businessmen, and dastardly criminals all called the region home.

Local historian and author Alan F. Rumrill has compiled stories that reveal a region defined by its Yankee character – and filled with Yankee characters.

Union victory in the Civil War was far from guaranteed. The Northern war effort depended upon local communities to raise the troops and supplies needed for the battlefield.

The history of Litchfield County highlights the challenges Northern communities faced. Armed confrontation erupted over the flying of secession flags. Supporting the war effort provided women with skills and experiences that would aid in the suffrage movement. Scandal swirled around the local army medical examiner. Family and friends actively supported their loved ones as they transformed from civilians to soldiers.

 Author Peter C. Vermilyea uses first-hand accounts-many never published before-to investigate these events and show how the process of preparing for war created a lasting bond between a community and its soldiers.

Bethel brings to life the people, places, industries, and institutions of this independent town from the 1860s through the 1950s through vintage photographs.

Separated from Danbury in 1855, Bethel was settled as early as 1700. Studies of the town's unique and colorful past have been somewhat neglected until recently, however, as many assumed that existing histories of Danbury were all that was needed to document the area's beginnings. With Bethel, town historian Patrick Wild brings to life the people, places, industries, and institutions of the independent town from the 1860s through the 1950s for the first time through a remarkable series of vintage photographs. The hat-making industry was critical to the Bethel economy, and the arrival of the Danbury-Norwalk Railroad in 1852 allowed commerce in this field to blossom. Hatting remained Bethel's primary enterprise until the end of the 1960s, and the town is often associated with this successful venture. Bethel is also known as the birthplace of an American legend, the great showman P. T. Barnum. The fountain that Barnum donated to his hometown is showcased in this work in a series of outstanding photographs taken before the tragic destruction of the landmark in 1923. Patrick Wild is a member of the Bethel Historical

This volume includes more than 200 vivid and accurate pictures depicting heroic battles scenes, maps, camp life, and more than 40 portraits of the men who served New Hampshire in battle. These chapters contain accounts of battles from the first bombardment of Fort Sumter to the sinking of the Alabama. Also included are glimpses of camp life, with its frying pan meals of "slosh" and the illnesses accompanied by "cold clammy sweat," and of the famous Libby Prison.

Creating an Island Community

Vineyard men and women, Islanders, off-islanders and immigrants contributed their energy and enthusiasm to create the Martha’s Vineyard community.  Generations of businessmen and women catered to locals and tourists, welcoming newcomers to this Island paradise.

Native Americans of the Wampanoag tribe have lived on the Island for thousands of years. Their leaders helped bring the Indians together with the white men, led by Thomas Mayhew, to a peaceful relationship. The founders of Oak Bluffs created a town for both Methodist gingerbread cottages and vacation homes. Whaling captains built the county seat of Edgartown. It was sea captains and shipyard workers who developed the commercial harbor of Vineyard Haven, for centuries a refuge for sailors. 

Presidents Clinton and Obama visited the Vineyard, granting the Island national prominence. The Vineyard is a mix of old businesses and new, of Blacks and whites, of immigrants and Natives, working for a tranquil resort community.

Historian David McCulloch called the Vineyard home. Local John Alley was a leader of the secession movement and Craig Kingsbury’s head made a startling cameo in Jaws.  

Thomas Dresser describes how dozens of Islanders have contributed to the unique atmosphere of Martha’s Vineyard.

Explore the hidden history of Portsmouth and uncover the city’s enduring spirit

One of New Hampshire’s oldest towns, Portsmouth has always been known for its historical sites. These encompass a rich heritage that has often been well documented. And yet, there is more to this seaside city than meets the eye. A closer look reveals some colonial-era advertising on historic headstones, while the remnants of the old statehouse are now in a shipping container. The houses on The Hill only hint at the historic neighborhood that once existed in the northern part of town, and the Portsmouth African Burying Ground Memorial points to an extensive history that dates back more than 375 years. Of course, maritime and naval history abound here, while St. John’s and North Church are representative of a religious history that stretches far back in time. Join historian and author Glenn Knoblock as he uncovers some hidden gems of Portsmouth history.

How Powerful Storms Shaped Martha’s Vineyard and Its Resilient Spirit

Martha’s Vineyard is no stranger to storms. Its location puts it in the direct path of any weather system moving up the Atlantic coast. In 1635, the Great Colonial Hurricane devastated the island, and the 1898 Portland Gale is well remembered to this day for its fury and death toll. In 1944, Gay Head was isolated when the access bridge was washed away. Other storms included the famous 1938 Hurricane, Carol and Edna in 1954, and the Perfect Storm in October 1991. Each storm was unique in its creation, impact, and resulting changes in the landscape of the island. Tom Dresser reveals how each of these devastating events affected life on the island, as well as the future dangers posed by an ever-warming climate.

How Powerful Storms Shaped Martha’s Vineyard and Its Resilient Spirit

Martha’s Vineyard is no stranger to storms. Its location puts it in the direct path of any weather system moving up the Atlantic coast. In 1635, the Great Colonial Hurricane devastated the island, and the 1898 Portland Gale is well remembered to this day for its fury and death toll. In 1944, Gay Head was isolated when the access bridge was washed away. Other storms included the famous 1938 Hurricane, Carol and Edna in 1954, and the Perfect Storm in October of 1991. Each storm was unique in its creation, impact, and resulting changes in the landscape of the island. Tom Dresser reveals how each of these devastating events affected life on island, and the future dangers posed by an ever-warming climate. 

Relying heavily on resources from Worcester-based research archives and libraries, Schindler and Slatkin have curated a rich collection of historical images that vividly illustrate Robert Goddard’s visionary life and his enduring connection to Massachusetts.

Robert Goddard, PhD, is widely considered the father of the space age. Born in 1882 in Worcester, Massachusetts, he spent much of his early life in the Boston suburb of Roxbury before returning to Worcester as a teenager. A pivotal moment came during his youth when, while climbing a cherry tree near his home, he envisioned the possibility of space travel—a vision that would shape the course of his life. Driven by this dream, Goddard dedicated himself to making spaceflight a reality. In 1926, he launched the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket in Auburn, Massachusetts, a groundbreaking achievement that laid the foundation for modern rocketry and space exploration. Among his many innovations, Goddard demonstrated that rockets could produce thrust in a vacuum, pioneered the use of scientific instruments aboard rockets, developed the concept of rocket-based weaponry (such as the bazooka), and introduced early methods for rocket stabilization.

Kevin Schindler, historian at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, has authored eight books on science and history. Charles Slatkin, founder and executive director of The Wonder Mission’s Goddard Project initiative, is leading efforts to promote Goddard’s legacy and establish a National Space

Trail. Astronaut Jim Lovell flew to the moon on Apollo missions 8 and 13.

Without reservation, she opened the door. Without hesitation, she hopped into the car, adjusting the skirt of her summer-weight navy blue suit to keep it unwrinkled as she sat down.

And just like that, 19-year-old Frances Cochran jumped into the void. 

On July 17, 1941, in Lynn, Massachusetts, attractive nineteen-year-old Frances Cochran stepped off a commuter bus and into a mysterious black automobile. Three days later, police discovered her mutilated body in a Salem lovers' lane.

Her murder made national headlines on the eve of World War II. Investigators checked twelve thousand cars and interviewed almost two thousand witnesses. They scrutinized a “Peeping Tom” men’s club. Despite leads that spanned the continent, decades passed and the killer was never caught. Like a poisonous vine, the death of Frances Cochran is tangled with other unsolved murders, including the 1947 Los Angeles Black Dahlia case.

As local author Rob Fitzgibbon reveals, it is also a story shrouded in the "Salem Factor,” the odd and inexplicable coincidences that occur in an area notorious for witchcraft and hauntings.

Your Guide to American Revolutionary History in Today's Vibrant Boston

From its founding in 1630, the "City on the Hill" has been home to those who seek freedom. Without the Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, and the midnight ride of Paul Revere, there would have been no American Revolution.

Sam Adams, John Hancock, and John Adams put Boston in the forefront on the path to Independence and the creation of the United States. Later reformers and trailblazers included Dorothea Dix, who advocated on behalf of the mentally ill, and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, who created the city’s “Emerald Necklace” of parks.

From the Old North Church to the Freedom Trail and the Irish Famine Memorial, follow historian Alison Fortier as she reveals how the history of this city tells the story of our country.

Millions visit Faneuil Hall and Quincy Market each year—drawn by the food, the shops, and the rich sense of history. But behind the brick and granite walls are stories that most visitors (and even many locals) have never heard.

Faneuil Hall, opened in 1742 as a gift from wealthy merchant Peter Faneuil, was a marketplace and meetinghouse. While vendors sold meat, fish, and produce from first-floor stalls, the upstairs Great Hall hosted fiery debates and spirited gatherings on the issues that helped shape Boston and the nation—from the fight for independence to the struggle for civil rights. By the 1820s, Faneuil Hall could not keep pace with the needs of a booming Boston. Enter Quincy Market, three grand market houses that brought new life to the waterfront. Yet the market was nearly lost in the mid-20th century—until a bold reinvention in the 1970s turned the historic buildings into a national model for urban revival. Packed with colorful characters and forgotten chapters of Boston’s history, this book is perfect for everyone who wants to see the city with fresh eyes.

Maine gravestones from the 1800s were decorated with snapped flower buds, broken tree branches, and cracked columns to reveal that those buried below died before their time. From lightning strikes to shipwrecks, accidents to disease—and even a sensational murder—there were many causes for these untimely deaths. Bessie Oliver came home to South Portland to die, bringing secrets she’d kept from her family that wouldn’t be revealed for one hundred years. In Biddeford in 1878, Rose Vincent became a victim of a sensational murder perpetrated by her jealous boyfriend. Priscilla Burnham was a pauper in Scarborough who lived most of her life under town care and was buried twice without a gravestone. Award-winning cemetery historian and guide Ron Romano uncovers how mysterious symbols, epitaphs, monument forms, and cemetery landscapes tell the stories of those whose lives were cut short.

The Era of Grand Hotels and Resorts, and the Efforts to Preserve Vermont's Past.

Northern Vermont was bustling with resorts and grand hotels in the nineteenth century.

New Englanders came to take in the country air. Patients from across the country drank from the mineral springs and tried to improve their health. People from around the world visited and experienced the unmatched beauty, the quiet calm, and the small-town atmosphere. French Revolutionary War hero General Lafayette, Henry David Thoreau, and famous speakers like Henry Ward Beecher all came to this part of the country to write and reflect.

From Burlington to Sheldon, from Highgate to the Lake Champlain Islands, some of the buildings have faded from memory, while others have been lovingly restored to their former glory.

Award-winning teacher and author Jason Barney uncovers slice-of-life stories, humorous moments, and the history behind some of the state’s most beautiful hotels.

The Complex History of One of Our Great State Parks.

Middlesex Fells, located north of Boston, is one of the most storied state parks in the United States.

Home to Indigenous Peoples for thousands of years, this land became part of Charlestown, the first capital of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Puritans transformed the landscape, marked woodlots with stone walls, and gave the largest lots to wealthy men. They harvested timber and quarried stone from the Fells to build houses, ships, and walls and to fuel brickmaking and rum distilling. Enslaved labor, acquired through the transatlantic trade, supported these markets.

Today the Fells is preserved, but beyond its trails and wooded vistas lie deeper stories of Indigenous communities and colonial transformation. Alison C. Simcox and Douglas L. Heath trace this history with new research published for the first time.