Massachusetts

Boston is home to one of the oldest Chinatowns in the US, when Chinese merchants, workers and stdents populated the area. Explore their history there and their part in creating a strong community and unique culture in the area.

Chinese Americans in Boston trace their historical origins to pioneering settlements of merchants, workers, and students in different parts of New England. After the 1880s, hundreds of Chinese arrived in Boston. Beginning as a bachelor male-dominated society, the Chinese in Boston gradually developed stronger bonds of family and community life. Spared natural disasters that characterized the Chinese immigrant experience in the West, Boston's Chinatown nonetheless faced challenges of urban renewal and environmental degradation. Through their participation in community organizations, merchant activities, educational opportunities, and civic protests, the Chinese in Boston persevered, simultaneously maintaining their Chinese identity and acculturating into America. They formed a close-knit community that distinguished Boston's Chinatown as one of the oldest and most enduring Chinese neighborhoods on the East Coast.

Quaben, the Nipmuc Indian word for ""many waters,"" was the name originally given to the area of central Massachusetts that is now known as the Quabbin Valley.

The abundance of ponds, lakes, and streams in the region made it an obvious target for those seeking new water sources to supply the escalating population of Boston in the late 19th century. However, the little towns of Dana, Enfield, Greenwich, and Prescott that were established in the area stood in the way. Following an act of the legislature in 1926, these towns were disincorporated, and the 2,500 inhabitants were given modest compensation and ordered to leave. By 1938, the former towns were flooded and stood at the floor of the reservoir, which held the potential of 420 billion gallons of water to be outsourced eastward. Never to be forgotten, the story of the lost towns and their former residents are displayed through artifacts housed at the Swift River Valley Historical Society in North New Salem.

This fascinating visual history chronicles the growth of a city that began to rise from the plains of the Merrimack River in 1845.

Conceived, financed, and managed by Yankee capitalists and designed to be a model town, Lawrence was among the earliest planned manufacturing communities in the country and it quickly became the largest wool manufacturing center in the world. From the outset, Lawrence was the gateway to America for thousands of immigrants; here they found work, acquired skills, learned English, educated their children, and eventually became citizens. By 1910, almost 90 thousand people--representing 25 nationalities and speaking 40 languages--had made their home within the seven square miles that constitute Lawrence. Their unique story is told through images cherished in photograph albums and old cardboard boxes, and gathered over the decades from the tenement attics and basements of those who actually lived the lives shown in these photographs. The images vividly portray America's industrial and immigrant past, and show the lives, work, aspirations, pleasures, and sometimes the suffering, of the people who created the city of Lawrence. This collection is the first extensive photographic history of the city in over 75 years, and it offers more than 200 fascinating images from the renowned Immigrant City Archives--many of them rare and previously unpublished.

Founded in 1803, Fall River changed its name the following year to Troy, after a resident visiting Troy, New York, enjoyed the city.

In 1834, the name was officially changed back to Fall River. The city's motto, ""We'll Try,"" originates from the determination of its residents to rebuild the city following a devastating fire in 1843. The fire resulted in 20 acres in the center of the village being destroyed, including 196 buildings, and 1,334 people were displaced from their homes. Once the capital of cotton textile manufacturing in the United States, by 1910, Fall River boasted 43 corporations, 222 mills, and 3.8 million spindles, producing two miles of cloth every minute of every working day in the year. The workforce was comprised of immigrants from Ireland, England, Scotland, Canada, the Azores, and, to a lesser extent, Poland, Italy, Greece, Russia, and Lebanon.

Most of the images used in Dedham have never before been published. They show the homes, businesses, and portraits of some of the most illustrious citizens, as well as the more modest individuals who have made an impact on the town. They include rare photographs related to the military, unusual events, and the unique everyday life of Dedham and its citizens from the earliest days of photography. Also among them are photographs by Fred Holland Day, considered one of the fathers of modern photography.

This delightful and nostalgic pictorial history tells the story of Hull, Massachusetts, as it evolved from a quiet, remote seafaring village into a thriving community and resort.

Home of world-famous Nantasket Beach, this 7-mile peninsula is rich with a history that includes maritime traditions, technological advances, and celebrated personalities. Through these fascinating images collected by the Committee for the Preservation of Hull's History, we learn about the unique heritage of this flourishing summer resort town. Visitors view Hull as a wonderful vacation paradise, but it is also a progressive community of firsts. North America's first lighthouse and the first U.S. electric railroad were both built in Hull. The area is also the site of the famous amusement park, Paragon Park, which was opened in 1905 and was considered comparable to the World's Fair. Through the 1950s, steamboats, trains, and famous hotels brought millions of visitors to Hull, making it one of the area's premier tourist destinations. During the later part of the 20th century, Hull has been ardently re-establishing its links to the past while growing and prospering, as more people discover this jewel of the region as a place to visit or reside. In Hull and Nantasket Beach, the authors invite you to join them on an exciting journey through an area rich with historic hotels and beaches, maritime and military history, technological advances, famous visitors, and proud residents.

At the end of the nineteenth century, the U.S. Armory opened in Springfield, spurring rapid growth. With that golden age of progress came iconic buildings and landmarks that are now lost to time.

Railroads brought workers eager to fill Springfield's factories and enterprises like Smith & Wesson, Merriam Webster and Indian Motorcycles. The Massasoit House Hotel, the Church of the Unity and the Daniel B. Wesson mansion once served as symbols of the city's grandeur. Forest Park grew into an upscale residential neighborhood of Victorian mansions. Join local historian Derek Strahan as he returns Springfield to its former glory, examining the people, events and - most importantly - places that helped shape the City of Firsts.

Boston's Red Line: Bridging the Charles from Alewife to Braintree details one of Boston's oldest and busiest subway lines. This nostalgic collection of vintage photographs documents the line's construction and its engineers and leaders, such as Maj. Gen. William A. Bancroft, mayor of Cambridge and president of the Boston Elevated Railway Company. In these pages, watch as crews break ground in Harvard and Andrew Squares and see the 1929 trolleys that replaced Mattapan's commuter train service. Through exciting, historic photographs, Boston's Red Line: Bridging the Charles from Alewife to Braintree tells the fascinating story of how the Crimson City's subway became the modern Red Line, taking passengers beneath the streets of Boston to landmarks such as Harvard Square, Massachusetts General Hospital, historic Park Street, and the Longfellow Bridge.

Incorporated in 1764, Fitchburg began as a farming community nestled among the hills along the Nashua River in north-central Massachusetts.

In 1845, the railroad sparked rapid growth in the city, and by the beginning of the 20th century, nearly 100 trains traveled through Fitchburg daily, the railway linking Albany and Boston. Immigrants from many countries provided a vital workforce, and the city was catapulted into a golden age of industry. Mill owners became prosperous, and their philanthropy became evident throughout the city. Splendid churches, Main Street edifices, and grand residences were built to create a rich architectural heritage, particularly the Victorian style, built at the height of mill town prosperity.

In The Military History of the Cape Cod Canal, the abandoned foundations at Sagamore Hill and throughout most of Buzzards Bay are explored, as well as the weapons, devices, and personnel assigned to ensure the canal's integrity throughout the war. Although the responsibilities of the U.S. Army's Coast Artillery are a focal point, the actions of the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the air arms of all the military services during World War II are also included. The Military History of the Cape Cod Canal documents the mishaps, collisions, and war-damaged ships in and near the canal, as well as the joint military protection forces and plans in effect during World War II.

Revere Beachinvites the reader to take an unsurpassed pictorial journey detailing nine pivotal decades of a premier metropolitan seaside destination.

Revere Beach Reservation, created by the Metropolitan Park Commission in 1895, encompasses a three-mile stretch of a sandy crescent shore only five miles from downtown Boston. While later years witnessed the damage wrought by several devastating storms, including the infamous Blizzard of 1978, much of the 20th century saw a successful amusement industry flourish here, and the book showcases Wonderland Amusement Park, with its famous amusements and attractions that thrilled and entertained generations of visitors. Through archival and private collections, Revere Beachenables the inquisitive to discover the true Revere Beach, which captured the attention of two U.S. presidents and the heart of swimming champion Annette Kellerman, who chose the beach as the perfect venue to introduce the scandalous one-piece bathing suit to North America.

The salty waves and sandy beaches of majestic Cape Cod disguise its fascinating and nearly forgotten history.

From Provincetown to Falmouth, the Cape's fifteen towns offer a plethora of hidden and enchanting tales. Learn why one of the most famous rescues in Coast Guard history spent nearly fifty years in the shadows without public notice. Discover which wild creature went from the nineteenth-century soup pot to enjoying conservation protection under state law. Historian Theresa Mitchell Barbo explores these mysteries and more, from the lost diary of a nineteenth-century schoolteacher to the reason Cape Codders call their lunch "the noontime dinner." Join Barbo as she lifts the lid on the quirky and remarkable character of Cape Cod and its forgotten happenings.