History Quester

Discovering History Everywhere

Category: Massachusetts (Page 2 of 3)

Maple Sugaring

April 8, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Mmm, the sweet, sticky taste of real maple syrup on pancakes is delicious. Syrup is one of those foods where I wonder how people first thought to make it. An ever-so-slightly sweet water drips out of a nearby tree, and somebody thought to boil it.

[I have now learned that maple syrup and sugar was first created by natives in the Americas, and shown to Europeans in the 17th century.]

The last weekend of March heralds the beginning of the end for sugaring season, so we headed up to New Hampshire to tour Ben’s Sugar Shack. Already, the day was in the upper 50’s, dangerously high for the sugar business.

  • 40 gallons of sap yield 1 gallon of syrup
  • Buckets on trees are unfeasible for large producers
  • Maple sap production requires freezing nights, and cool days
The Sugar Shack

When we arrived, there was steam billowing out of a small wooden building where the sap was boiling. Further on, a tent was erected, filled with various maple concoctions. Maple nuts, barbecue sauce, fudge, syrup, and creamees (with lots of samples).

Every 15 minutes, a tour of their sugaring operation would begin, so we hopped onto the next one. Our tour guide was great! Informative, funny, and answered any and all questions.

We started by a tree that had a bucket tapped into its side. This is the traditional method of collecting sap. Each year, a tap is bored into the tree, and a steady drip fills the bucket.

However, when the scale of production gets too big, this system would require full-time bucket-checkers to make sure they didn’t overflow. At Ben’s, less than 300 trees are tapped with buckets. That may sound like a lot until you realize that they own thousands of trees, found in a few different locations. Where we were, there were over 2,000 trees.

To keep up with the immense amount of intake, tubing is strung from tap to tap, tree to tree, ending up in large tanks. About 30 trees are hooked up right next to the road, where you can see the bubbles of sap dripping into the line.

The tubes are attached to a vacuum pump, but the pump does not pull the sap out of the tree itself. Sap exits the tree at the same rate it would if dripping into a bucket, sliding down a thin tube. Once it reaches the main line below, the vacuum system takes effect, compensating for a landscape that doesn’t always run downhill.

Collecting in a small shed, the sap joins with the sap from the large tubes running in from the 2,000-odd trees farther in the woods. The liquid poured into a glass-ended cylinder. When it reached half-full, the vacuum emptied the sap into the 1550 gallon tank nearby.

On a good day, each tree can produce one gallon of sap. With more than 2,000 trees on this line, the tank must be emptied before it overflows, spurting sap out the top.

  • The Vacuum System Shed
  • The Sap Truck (left), and RO Machine (right)

A sap truck is brought over, and the sap is pumped out and over into the truck’s ample storage. When the sap is brought to the sugar shack, it’s first run through an RO (reverse osmosis) machine. This tech is part of the reason sugaring business can produce so much more syrup with more efficiency.

Osmosis is the process by which substances redistribute themselves until there is equal distribution throughout the substance. You know what, this short video does a much better job of it:

So Ben’s uses reverse osmosis to extract about 36 gallons of water out of every 40 gallons of sap. 40 gallons of sap is the approximate amount required to produce 1 gallon of syrup. Pretty amazing. Then the remaining 4 gallons are sent on through the evaporator, to boil off 3 more gallons of water.

Inside the sugar shack, the air smells of maple and oil, as they no longer burn wood to heat the evaporator. Before they switched to an oil-burning system, the business went through 60 cords of wood per year, which would likely fill a six-car garage. Keep in mind, the sugaring season is only 4-7 weeks long, so they’re burning wood rapidly.

We were offered maple syrup candy, which was a delicious surprise. I had actually read about this in Laura Ingalls’ Little House in the Big Woods. I had tried making it in the past, but didn’t realize that the key is bringing the syrup above its boiling point, to 232˚F. Then you pour the liquid over snow or ice, and it hardens into a soft taffy. A total sugar bomb, but absolutely scrumptious.

A row of bottles containing varying shades of syrup was on display. With the gradation system changing, they are now all considered Grade A, but with different titles, such as Grade A Dark, Robust Taste. Warmer days produce darker syrups with stronger flavors, and colder days yield golden syrups.

Because of weather, this year Ben’s has only made about half of their annual goal so far. Fortunately, many businesses put away extra syrup when demand was low last year.

And interesting factoid is that Canada has stockpiled hundreds of gallons of syrup to aid the market with if stock gets too low. This way, the price of syrup doesn’t skyrocket during a particularly bad season.

After the tour, we trouped into the tent to sample some delectable treats. We shared a maple creemee, and boy, was it tasty!

We then filed into the car and drove further up the road to check out the dairy farm that was advertised at the bottom of the street. I’m so glad we took the time to stop at Connolly Brothers Dairy Farm and Sugar House.

Three brothers run the farm together. Their main business is the cows, and then their farm store, with lots of side projects off of that. We were told that they don’t buy much, and if they wanted to eat their own bacon and eggs for breakfast all year, they could. All their houses were built by them, and now they’re milling boards to build a new farm store.

One brother makes ice cream from their milk. I tried the maple bacon flavor (with bacon from their farm), and it was great! Someone makes cheese for them, and they sell raw milk, maple soap, beef, bacon, eggs, and various homemade products.

In contrast to the huge operation taking place down the street, the farm has a small, wood-burning sugar shack that they run on the side. The family has to gather all the wood for the evaporator, which is in addition to the firewood for their own homes. The room smells better, and the smaller machine is made of cast iron metal, more akin to traditional methods.

After chatting with the family, petting a calf, and smacking on ice cream, we drove 15 minutes away to the adorable town of Petersborough, New Hampshire. As we were running out of daylight, we didn’t get out of the car, but enjoyed gazing at the cute window fronts and business names.

All-in-all, the day was very enjoyable. I encourage you to get out and explore sugaring next March. Apparently, it’s better to visit on the second or last weekends of Maple Month, since the third is rather insane with people.

Real Maple Syrup | New Hampshire Maple Syrup – Ben’s Sugar Shack

Shop the official online store of Ben’s Sugar Shack, your premier source for Real New Hampshire Maple Syrup.

Connolly Brothers Dairy Farm

Connolly Brothers Dairy Farm, Temple, NH. 1,988 likes · 163 talking about this · 634 were here. We are a family owned and operated Dairy Farm in Temple NH. We have a small farm store with great products

The Willard House and Clock Museum

March 26, 2019 / / 0 Comments
The Museum Entrance, Note the Original Saltbox on Left

Time is something I often take for granted. I think of it frequently, mostly in the context of how much I’ve spent and how much I have left. Whenever I’m curious, I have time at my fingertips: my watch, or my phone, the wall clock, oven, microwave or even toaster. Everywhere we look, there are items listing the time, but like many things, it wasn’t always that easy.

  • Thomas Jefferson signed Simon Willard’s clock patent
  • Clockmaking spanned 3 generations and 104 years of Willards
  • About 22 people worked to complete one clock
  • A Lighthouse Clock

Sundials, water clocks, and hourglasses have all been utilized for their ability to measure time. When mechanical, tall, clocks were invented, they held the place of honor for hundreds of years. However, a man named Simon Willard completely changed that.

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The West Cemetery, Est. 1822

March 21, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Hi everyone! Have you ever spent time in an old graveyard? Perhaps you’ve gone on a tour where you were instructed to notice the famous historical figures buried there. Or maybe you’ve played a game of hide and seek between the stones? (I was little, okay?) Or have you tactfully given the graveyard a wide berth when passing by on a dark night?

Whatever your feelings on the subject, I find myself to be fascinated with graveyards. A morbid interest, yes. However, picturing all the stories of the people whose names cover the headstones is humbling in a way.

Here are all these people, who lived lives just like you and me, and now they are gone. I read a name, and start wondering about what life was like for them. Sometimes you see that they lived to the ripe old age of 83, while others died before the age of 2.

In this particular graveyard, I trod for hours, snapping pictures and jotting down notes. The purpose of this finger-numbing exercise was to allow anyone to access the headstones online. For those who are researching their family history, sites such a findagrave.com and billiongraves.com offer thousands of graveyard files as resources. Volunteers input the information.

Sometimes the stones are well-worn, and require a lot of painstaking deciphering. Others look as if they were hewn yesterday, even though they’ve stood there for almost 200 years.

I realized that when you spend a lot of time in one graveyard, the names become familiar. Stories would come up at the Bolton Historical Society, mentioning one of the occupants, and I began to feel like I knew these people in a way. So let me tell you about a few of them.

  • The Nourse family left Salem because of a hanging
  • Be on the lookout for poems
  • Not all headstones are made of stone

The Nourse Family

  • They couldn’t decide on a name: Nurse, Nurss, Nourse?
  • Rebecca Towne Nurse was hung for witchcraft
  • After the Salem Witch Trials, the family left town

Most everyone has heard of the Salem Witch Trials, but have you ever thought about the aftermath? Even though her family believed Rebecca Nurse to be wrongly executed, the association with someone hung for witchcraft still followed them. Wishing for a fresh start, they moved to Bolton, Massachusetts, and tried changing their name. After several variations, they finally settled on Nourse.

In the West Cemetery, there are headstones with relatives bearing both the name Nurse, and Nourse.

  • Sarah Nourse
  • A Row of Nourse and Nurse Graves
  • David Nourse

The Grassie Monument

I love when poetry is inscribed on a gravestone. On this tall, brownstone monument is a lengthy poem describing George Grassie’s life. Born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Grassie immigrated to Nova Scotia in 1813. There, he married his wife, Elizabeth. When his father died, he moved back to Scotland for a few years, then came back to North America in 1843. He lived the rest of his life in Bolton, dying at the age of 87.

Grassie’s distinctive commemoration stands out, towering above all but a few other stones. The poetry’s artful rhythm lends emotion to the dead man’s life.

All That’s Grey isn’t Stone

If you scan the headstones of the West Cemetery, you might notice that one memorial differs from all the others in its color. The pale grey is marvelously legible, and appears as though it has stood there only a few years. Look closely: what sort of stone could it be made of? The answer is – none! Metal (zinc carbonate) was a novel gravestone material, produced from about the 1870’s to the 1910’s.

The durability of the metal through time is impressive. Also, the center panel containing the names is removable. That way, if more family members wished to be added upon their passing, the metal plate could be updated and replaced.

Family genealogy is increasingly popular these days, and there are many resources to aid you in your search. Take a look at these two below, they’re free, and it doesn’t take long to type in a name or two. If you want to check out more of the headstones I talked about, just type in Nourse, in Bolton, Massachusetts. The West Cemetery will pop right up.

BillionGraves

BillionGraves is the world′s largest resource for cemetery data. Our goal is to document every burial in every cemetery throughout the world before these precious records disappear.

Find A Grave – Millions of Cemetery Records

Find A Grave is a free resource for finding the final resting places of famous folks, friends and family members. With millions of names, it is an invaluable tool for genealogist and history buffs.

The Russian Icon Museum

February 11, 2019 / / 0 Comments

The Russian Icon Museum

Possibly the least likely spot for a Russian Icon museum is the tiny town of Clinton, Massachusetts. This unassuming town actually boasts the largest collection of Russian icons outside of Russia! Perhaps unsurprisingly, the museum is also the only one in the United States dedicated completely to icons.

Some fast facts:

  • Icons are not Objects of Worship
  • The Museum has icons from the 15th Century to the 21st Century
  • Writing icons is a detailed process, requiring a lot of skill

In the Orthodox church, icons are not viewed as idols, or as something to be worshipped. They are depictions of people and meaningful events. They serve as reminders of those who have gone before, and as a glimpse into heaven. Different people will have varying answers, but the base line is clear: they are not idols. This is part of the issue that divided the Eastern and Western Churches in 1054 AD.

  • Inset from Adjacent Photo

The Collection

Ranging from the 1400’s to the present day, the museum’s collection is impressive. To think that you are standing before a piece of art created in a remote monastery in the 17th century is incredible. On some of the icons, you can see the painting falling away, revealing the thick layer of canvas and gesso beneath. Some contain hundreds of detailed figures; magnifying glasses hang nearby so you can view the tiny faces.

For those who wish to earn a small prize, there are scavenger hunt pages. Items on the list include a unicorn, dragon, and other oddities within the icons.

Downstairs, an exhibit filled with modern Russian art shows the disparity and similarities between the eras.

Also downstairs is the tea room, where you can purchase Russian tea packets and sweets. There is a machine to brew the tea there, along with small tables.

Throughout the museum, there are many video stations with audio handsets nearby. Topics include traditional embroidery, a trip across Russia, icon writing, and matryoshka dolls (the last is a temporary exhibit).

Writing an Icon

The process of creating an icon is mesmerizing. Typically, the artist starts with a block of wood that is carved out in the middle to provide a raised frame. The wood is then covered with canvas and gesso. Outlines for the image are cut into the board. Many layers of color are daubed onto the surface, going from dark to light.

You may have noticed that the proper term for making an icon is writing, not painting. In brief, it is to distinguish the art of iconography from others.

The Different Stages of an Icon

The video below is a perfect example of icon writing!

SKINIYA. CREATING AN ICON. ANTON & EKATERINA DAINEKO

short but very informative film about creating an icon We are happy to invite you to our class in Charleston SC January 2018 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/anton-and-ekaterina-daineko-icon-painting-master-class-charleston-sc-tickets-36964835819 in Texas February 2018 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/master-iconography-class-of-anton-and-ekaterina-daineko-in-texas-tickets-35463562470 10 days icon-painting workshop in Michigan June 2018 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/antonekaterina-daineko-master-class-icon-painting-and-gilding-michigan-tickets-36474927490 all information you can get on our website WWW.IKONA-SKINIYA.COM or by email PTAHMINSK@gmail.com

The Russian Icon Museum is a surprising gem inside Clinton. High-quality galleries, lighting, and displays present the artifacts in an appealing, engaging way. For anyone interested in Russia or art this is a must-see!

VISIT

WELCOME! The Museum of Russian Icons inspires the appreciation and study of Russian culture by collecting and exhibiting one of the world’s largest collections of Russian icons – sacred paintings used for veneration in the Orthodox tradition.

Hidden Industries of Bolton

February 11, 2019 / / 1 Comment

Sometimes history is right around the corner, just under your nose. You can travel to big museums, and be amazed and immersed. However, there’s a certain thrill to unearthing something special nearby that frequently goes unnoticed. And that’s just what happened to me.

At the Bolton Historical Society, I had been told that there was an old pump log mill, lime quarry, and kiln off of one of the local trails. The kiln had been partially rebuilt, there were a few remains of the mill, they said, and don’t go one way or you might get lost.

So I finally decided to go see for myself what was left. I made sure to take the more straightforward route to avoid getting lost.

I drove past it the first time. There is a small, dirt parking lot off the side of the road with a sign behind it. Fortunately, Bolton Spring Farms is nearby, and I was able to turn around with minimal time lost. A board stands at the trailhead, with a map that you’re welcome to borrow. I recommend snapping a photo of the metal sign: numbered posts that are along the trail are labeled there.

The Pump Log Mill

  • Pump logs were wooden pipes
  • Hollowing out a log was a hard, tedious process
  • Black locust wood was the best choice for durability

Just down the Bob Horton Memorial trail is a slightly precarious-looking bridge. You can go straight at this point for a longer walk, but I crossed the bridge -which held firm- to get to the kiln and quarry faster.

The bridge is actually built over the remains of the dam used for the pump mill. In the information booklet, it says to look closely for floor boards near the stream. I think I found one! I also really appreciated the booklets found by each landmark, which gave pictures, diagrams, and descriptions of the historical significance of the sites.

These pump logs, wooden pipes, were actually buried underground when finished. Holes were bored through the center using extremely long augers. Often, the wood shavings would build up, and the auger would have to be removed, cleaned, and reinserted.

The Lime Kiln and Quarry

  • Limestone is superheated to be used for plaster and other things
  • The limestone deposit in Bolton was the second one found in New England
  • In the 1800’s, the Whitcomb Quarry filled with water so quickly that the oxen were drowned

Tucked away in one of Bolton’s conservation lands, there are the remnants of a once-bustling industry. Large, uneven craters filled with water pock the forest. Trees enclose the rocky faces of the quarries, and grass and dirt are built up around the kiln.

The History

Partial view of the large Whitcomb Quarry

The two smaller quarries are the original ones. John Whitcomb, the third generation to own the land, was the first to mine the stone. Colonists used the limestone derivatives to plaster their homes. As only the second lime quarry in New England, Whitcomb’s products were in high demand for use by the burgeoning population.

At his death in 1785, Whitcomb bequeathed the business to two of his sons. One son died at the age of 40, and his share was divided among the family. When the surviving son died, the company was sold off. Shortly afterwards, an underground water source was struck by mistake.

The water poured in with such force that men were running for their lives. Some even said that the oxen who powered the machine used to lift limestone were drowned. However, the story remained untested until the quarry was pumped dry in 1937 and metal ox shoes were discovered.

The reason the pit was pumped out was to allow another company to take a stab at excavation. A business from Somerville leased the land, hoping to glean limestone to produce agricultural lime. Constant pumping was required to keep the quarry dry. When equipment was soon damaged by the Bolton limestone’s uncommon hardness, the company left.

No commercial purpose has rallied people to the quarry since.

The Process

View from the top of the Lime Kiln

In order to convert limestone into the much desired quicklime, the rock must be fired. Kilns were constructed out of the very rock that was excavated from the site. But this stone didn’t burn, as the soaring temperatures formed a protective glaze around them. This effectively sealed in all heat.

When loading the cylindrical kiln, larger pieces of limestone were placed in an arch at the bottom. Smaller pieces were filled in above. The arch allowed space for a fire to be built beneath. Once the fire was lit, and the entire kiln was hot, the heat was maintained for three to four days.

Along with the sinking of the kiln’s contents, the amount of effort used to pass a metal rod through the lime determined whether the process was complete or not.

Once the firing was finished, the new, caustic substance of quicklime was removed. With the addition of water and sand, the quicklime would eventually convert back to limestone when exposed to carbon dioxide. Now the colonists had a sturdy resource to use for mortar and plaster in their homes.

Surprisingly, only one or two firings per year could provide the annual lime required for a small community.

Every place has history; but it’s not always obvious. Knowing the stories behind our cities, states, and countries gives us special connections to our home. Explore your surroundings! You might just discover something exciting and new.

The Sawyer House

January 24, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Now this place has become near and dear to me. Used as the headquarters of the Bolton Historical Society, I’ve been spending some time here each week. Handling 200 year-old documents, discussing how cookies could add to a fundraiser, and discovering a new link in Bolton’s history are all activities that I’ve participated in. So much happens inside the building, sometimes I forget about the story of the building itself. So it was a great experience to go on a tour given to my family and friend when they came to visit.

Ushered in by a chilling breeze, we stepped through the house’s old green door. Inside the entryway, a steep, wood staircase leads to the second floor, and several doorways sprout from the narrow hall. Turning into the room known as the ballroom, we made our introductions. Then our tour began.

To start, they began with Bolton’s earliest origins. Incorporated on its own in 1738, the tiny town of Bolton was originally part of Lancaster, Massachusetts. Though now you can zip from one small town to another in minutes, many people walked in those days. When Sunday meetings were held on the opposite side of town than where they lived, inhabitants soon tired of their arduous hike. So they applied to become their own town.

As I mentioned, we were standing in the ballroom. This room actually used to be a part of a different building! Serving as the ballroom for the Holman Tavern for many years, it was later brought down the street and reattached, as people were fond of doing back then. Though the space is not very large when it comes to ballrooms, we were told that it would hold the amount of passengers who came in on the coach and were looking for an activity to pass the night with before they slept.

When the ballroom was restored, picture molding was installed so that the walls would not be damaged if they needed to hang anything. Several portraits now lie against the walls, brief sights of the people who used to call Bolton home. Some of the figures are from the Nourse family. Back in 17th century Salem, one of the ‘witches’ that was hung was Rebekah Towne Nurse. After the Witch Trials, her family moved to Bolton and changed their name, trying to be rid of the association. Now her descendants have left their mark out here.

Across the hallway is another room used for exhibits. A working victrola stands in one corner, and we listened to its cheerful soundtrack for a few minutes. Hanging on an old, metal dress form is a World War II nurses’ uniform. Next to it, there are pictures of the woman who originally wore it, now very old!

At the end of the hallway is the kitchen where one of the house’s residents, Florence Sawyer, spent a lot of her time. Florence was the town’s 4H leader for several decades and taught many boys and girls how to sew and cook. Boltonites who are old enough to have spent time with her remember fondly stopping by her home on the way back from school for a freshly baked cookie.

Behind the kitchen, a less-finished room is tacked onto the main house. Called the Summer Kitchen, its purpose was to allow the hot activity of cooking to take place just outside of the main house during the year’s warmer months. That way, the house could stay a little cooler. An interesting feature of this room to note is the small space portioned off in one corner. Peek inside and you’ll see a two-holer privy. Let that sink in for a moment.

Next, we headed upstairs. The second level is where most of the work at the historical society happens. While the downstairs is set up with exhibits and such, the upstairs is filled with donations and collections that are not on display. Two rooms are filled to bursting with boxes containing various items, from 19th century underwear to an old key belonging to the powder house on the hill. (The powder house was where the town’s ammunition would be stored.)

Another room is walled with bookshelves: there are books about Bolton, newspaper clippings, over 2,000 photographs, and more. A work table is in the center, and a computer sits on the side. On the computer is stored a digitized version of Bolton’s first town book, in which is included all the town’s responses to the American Revolution!

The fourth room is where I spend a lot of time. Spread across the table are stacks of old documents and recent donations that are waiting to be catalogued. Yellowing folds of paper from the 1700’s are carefully recorded and put away in their designated spots. Sometimes the handwriting can be impossibly difficult to read, but it’s always a triumph when it can be deciphered. I’ve been trying to make sure my own writing’s in tip-top shape now. Just in case it’s important to someone one hundred years from now.

Up a final flight of stairs is the attic. It also holds mounds of historic artifacts. Two huge spinning wheels sit in the center, and there’s even a bust of Napoleon Bonaparte in one corner. Did you know that Napolean almost visited Bolton? He mentioned it in one of his writings, and was invited there after the war, but the offer didn’t come to fruition.

Outside, there are two other buildings on the property. One is a barn, where each year the society holds their annual wreath sale. The original barn was actually much smaller, but a subsequent resident added on.

A smaller building sits to the side, with faded wooden sides, locked up tight. A blacksmith shop sign usually sits above the doors, but it’s been brought in for repairs. Inside is a shop capable of being fully functional. A giant leather bellow hangs from the ceiling, and iron tools are hung all around. The tools are sometimes used by family who reconstructed an exact version of a blacksmith shop that used to stand in Bolton. Down to the very last detail of its former build, you might not be able to tell the difference. The story goes that this particular shop might have used to have been a chicken coop.

I really enjoy spending time here, and I would encourage anyone to stop by if they have the chance. And even though all the items here are very interesting, it’s the people who devote their time here, telling their intriguing stories and factoids about the town, that really make up the Bolton Historical Society.

Adventure on Boston’s Freedom Trail

January 9, 2019 / / 0 Comments

Set into the pavement of Boston, a thin brick trail snakes through the city. Follow the path, and you’ll past by over 16 sites of historical importance to U.S. independence. There are many ways to explore the Freedom Trail, from winging it on your own, to taking a guided tour. Our plan was to do some of each.

The Freedom Trail Foundation is the most prevalent agency: you can buy their tickets in a booth on the Boston Common. They offer several different tours in addition to their standard one, such as the African-American Patriots Tour, and Revolutionary Women Tour.

Another site to check is the Boston National Historical Park website. Lots of free programs are listed. There are Walking the Battlefield tours and Faneuil Hall Talks among many others. Make sure you look before you go!

Founded in 1634(!), the Boston Common marks the start of the Freedom Trail. The area was called the Common because it was land held common to all, where anyone and everyone’s animals could graze. Believe it or not, before the digging projects in Boston, one side of the space actually fronted the water! The Common was also a place where public punishments took place. Picture stocks and a gallows. Not exactly where you’d pick to put a playground. XP

Even though the website warned that the early tours were packed, we went on one anyway. We wanted to get an earlier start in the city. Our group was so large we split in two. But you needn’t be worried about hearing the tour guide. He expertly shouted the entire tour; I was impressed.

Our tour guide was Isaiah Thomas, printer of the Massachusetts Spy in the 18th century. Thomas shifted from his 18th century identity to his knowledgable 21st century self seamlessly. Known as Rob Crean, he was trained as a comedian, and you can tell. There were lots of punny jokes related to historic Boston happenings. Crean/Thomas also incorporated great unusual anecdotes into his tour that I really enjoyed.

Across the street from the Common was the next site on the trail. Lying in the shadow of the Park Street Church is the Old Granary burial ground. The name comes from the large granary that used to stand in the church’s place. (Park Street church wasn’t built until later–founded 1809).

John Hancock’s Stone

Many famous revolutionaries were interred here. Names such as James Otis, Paul Revere, John Hancock, and Sam Adams grace the headstones.

An interesting side note: pennies fill the top of Revere’s grave. Jewish traditions of placing stones on graves translated to pennies in honor of the silversmith.

Thomas/Crean rattled off several more diverting tidbits: Paul Revere’s family fled from France–they were Huguenots. Revere’s father’s name was actually Apollos Rivoire, but he Anglicized it when they moved. Also, take a look at the golden dome of the State House. Paul Revere originally plated it in copper! But when the verdigris consumed it, Bostonians decided it wasn’t elegant enough for their seat of government.

I mentioned Sam Adams. Our guide made several jabs at the well-known figure. Apparently, he wasn’t an especially attractive man. Likely you’ve heard of the beer bearing his name. But the picture on the bottle is Paul Revere instead, a noticeably more handsome face.

A little farther down the brick path is site of the Boston Latin school. This was the first public school in the country, started in 1635. Producing famous alumni such as Cotton Mather, John Hancock, and Samuel Adams, the school still operates in a different location. The current structure in residence is the Old City Hall, which was built in 1865. In front of the building’s impressive columns stands a statue of Benjamin Franklin. (Ironically, he was a Boston Latin School dropout.)

We walked just past the Boston Massacre Site to avoid the crowds and traffic surrounding it. Thomas/Crean proceeded to give an amazing retelling of the event – unlike any I’ve heard. His account brought light to an oft forgotten perspective of the event: that of the Regulars.

The actual spot of the massacre is in the middle of the intersection. When installing the memorial, they didn’t want any more deaths caused by incautious gawkers, so they set it off to one side.

If you’re curious to know more about the Boston Massacre, look up John Adams’ part in the trial. The proceedings brought his name to the forefront for the first time, and in a negative light for many.

Our final stop on the Walk Through History tour was Faneuil Hall. As you stand before the building, try to imagine it as it was originally–about half the size, and partially over the water. It’s a bit difficult.

Faneuil Hall Under Restoration

Faneuil Hall was built as one man’s effort to leave a legacy to a world where he left no descendants. Peter Faneuil’s wealthy uncle deeded his riches to Peter under the promise that Peter would marry his business and no one else. He agreed. When he began to age, he decided to build the town of Boston an indoor market bearing his name.

Another aspect of the hall I found fascinating was the time capsule. Upon further studying, the timeline of the capsule seems a bit vague, mixed with some legend. However, standing firmly in fact is the construction of the grasshopper weather vane by Shem Drowne. At some point in the 18th century, the vane began to be used as a time capsule, likely by Drowne’s son. Various coins, papers, and a note were discovered inside.

This was the end of the tour, but the Freedom Trail Foundation also offers a North End tour that continues one hour later. We enjoyed ourselves so much we bought tickets for the second half. After selecting some tasty lunch from inside Quincy Market, we were off.

To Be Continued…

Boston National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service)

Boston National Historical Park Massachusetts Discover how one city could be the Cradle of Liberty, site of the first major battle of American Revolution, and home to many who espoused that freedom can be extended to all. Plan your visit to a city with over three centuries of revolution.

| The Freedom Trail

The Freedom Trail is a unique collection of museums, churches, meeting houses, burying grounds, parks, a ship, and historic markers that tell the story of the American Revolution and beyond. Freedom Trail Sites The Freedom Trail Foundation’s most popular tour highlights the revolutionary history that took place at 11 of the 16 official Freedom Trail historic sites.

Old City Hall

For more than 120 years, Boston’s leaders have met in this historic area of the city. It was home to Boston’s first public school attended by Ben Franklin, John Hancock, and Samuel Adams, and it served as City Hall for 38 mayors, including John Fitzgerald and James Curley.

The Old North Church

Founded in 1722, Christ Church in the City of Boston, known as the Old North Church, is Boston’s oldest surviving church and most visited historical site.

Home – USS Constitution Museum

The USS Constitution Museum has a suggested admission of: USS Constitution (the Ship) is free to visit and requires a photo I.D. for those 18 or older. Set sail for adventure and discover the history of “Old Ironsides” – the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world – with interactive exhibits, hands-on programs, and a vast collection of artifacts that is fun for all ages.

Part 2: Adams National Historical Park

November 12, 2018 / / 0 Comments
The Library at Peace Field

Your cliffhanger resolution has arrived! Sorry everyone for the long absence! I got a little overwhelmed with the holiday and National Novel Writing Month. Last time I left off with me on the trolley to visit John and Abigail Adams’ much more lavish residence, the Old House at Peace field. We arrived just as a rainstorm ended. The driver pulled up outside the stone wall and we walked down to the gate, where another park ranger was waiting for us. Something I forgot to mention before, is that in its entirety, the tour is about 3 hours long. Though I certainly enjoyed it, the tour might be a little long for younger kids. Fortunately, there are the trolley rides as well, so you’re not just in one location for 3 hours.

As we gathered on the porch, a different group filed out which was much larger than ours; I suppose we lucked out! Before we entered the house, the ranger answered any questions we might have starting out. Someone asked about the stone wall in front, which turned out to have been added by a later relation as the town of Quincy grew busier.

When we headed in, we were instructed to look into the room on our left, before entering the dining room on our right. The left room was a mahogany paneled parlor, and was partitioned off. Similarly, the room we were now in was mostly roped off, so that the aging artifacts could be protected.

Something that is unique about the Peace field house is that none of the rooms are arranged for a particular time period. Everything is a conglomeration of the different generations’ possessions. So in this first room, the ranger pointed out to us that the dining room table and chairs set had belonged to John and Abigail. The chairs on either end and the chest standing against one wall were each from successive descendants.

The second room we entered was a parlor that Abigail had requested to be added later on. With higher ceilings and more expensive furniture, this was a room for only adults, modeled after the popular fashions of Europe. Included in the decor were multiple portraits of various Adams family members. Two of them are from the 17th century and are believed to be the earliest surviving portraits painted in the colonies! The set of white, upholstered furniture in the room John had purchased in Europe for one of the U.S. embassies. But he ended up shipping it back for his own use at a later time. Dating from the 1830s, the wallpaper in the parlor is the oldest in the house.

From there, we went upstairs, where we peered over a rope at the study. The room was large, spanning the width of the house. One of the objects inside was a chair covered in floral fabric. We were told that this was the chair John Adams died in on July 4th, 1826, exactly 50 years after the Declaration of Independence was announced. 

The next space we entered was the Presidential Walkway, so named because one of the presidents caused its construction. Before this hallway was built, in order to get from the master bedroom to the study, you either had to go downstairs, cross to the other side of the house, and take another staircase back up, or you had to walk through the guest bedroom. Now John Quincy Adams was in the habit of visiting his study during the night, and he preferred taking the latter route, regardless of whether guests occupied it or not. His wife, Louisa Catherine, disapproved, and suggested the hallway as a means for John Quincy to reach his study with speed. The walkway was built and is filled with bookshelves, which are covered with books.

As we strolled down the passage, we peeked into the various bedrooms. The master was first used by John and Abigail, but when Abigail died, John slept in a different bedroom instead. But the master was utilized again by John Quincy and Louisa. 

At the end of the hallway, we passed through a door. A staircase spiraled up to a third floor where the servants would have lived. John and Abigail were not overly wealthy, but there grandson Charles Francis Adams was. He achieved his riches the old-fashioned way: by marrying into it. He and his wife added on to the house, including the servants quarters for their and their guests’ servants.

Back downstairs, by a different stairway, we emerged in the kitchen. A hodgepodge of appliances and cooking accoutrements from various eras were placed around the room. Along one wall was a row of bells for many rooms that alerted servants to their masters’ needs.

Then we proceeded through a butler’s pantry of sorts that houses many different plates, bowls and serving ware from the Adams family. We then came out into the main hall, where the ranger told us a story of Louisa Catherine. Louisa was disapproved of by her mother-in-law, Abigail. Since Louisa was from England, and was used to high society there, Abigail felt that she was weak and unsuited for the New England life.

Louisa got her chance to prove Abigail wrong. She had been living with her husband John Quincy in Russia while he was a delegate there. However, John was asked to go to France. John believed his stay would be temporary, and left Louisa and their son in Russia. When it became apparent that John would be staying, he asked Louisa to sell their house, pack up their belongings and come to him on the other side of Europe.

But John didn’t consider that the journey would be through a wintry, currently war-torn Europe. Louisa made the trip nonetheless, using her french to get them through a sticky situation with opposing military forces. After that, she always had Abigail’s respect.

After John Adams time, a library was constructed on the estate. The building was made with stone to ensure that the books would be safe from the threat of fire. The construction is beautiful, and is filled with tomes from top to bottom. There are books in many languages including the 5 different ones that John Quincy could read!

All in all, the Adams family were a unique and interesting group who were formative in the establishment and development of the early United States. I would definitely recommend visiting, though make sure your directions are correct! While you’re impatiently waiting for the historic homes to reopen this spring, check out the link below, where you can peek into a few rooms on your own. Till next week!

Adams National Historical Park - Google Arts & Culture

ADAMS NHP provides "an extraordinary window into the personal lives of two presidential families; early American literature, education and intellectual lif...

Adams National Historical Park

November 6, 2018 / / 0 Comments

This site is actually situated in three different locations around the historic town of Quincy, Mass. With its aging saltbox houses, this park is one that I’ve been interested in for years. In 7th grade, I preformed a monologue based from one of Abigail Adams’ letters to John Adams. I was intrigued by the letters’ truthful descriptions of everyday 18th century life, including smallpox inoculations, to significant events, such as accounts of the Declaration of Independence being announced. How cool to be able to see where these intriguing people lived!

Throughout his life, John Adams wished to be back home with his family at his humble, peaceful farm. Now the public can visit that place as well. My dad and I drove over to see it before the historic houses closed for the season on November 11th. The visitor center does remain open during the winter, but I would recommend going when the houses are open, as they are the main attraction.

We followed our GPS to the John Adams and John Quincy Adams Birthplaces. However, when we stepped inside, a park ranger informed us that we were welcome to join this tour, but the experience is better if you start at the visitor center. A trolley will take you from there to the birthplaces, and then the second stop at Peacefield estate. 

We decided to drive to the visitor center so that everything would be in order. Getting there proved a little frustrating, even though it is close by. I would make sure that you are getting directions for the Adams National Historical Park Visitor Center, not the Presidential Birthplaces.

Once there, we arrived about 20 minutes before the 1:15pm tour. For some reason, the fee was waived that day, but according to the website, it’s usually $15 per person over the age of 16. A video was playing, giving an overview of the four generations of Adams that lived in these houses. Unfortunately, we weren’t quite able to finish it before the trolley arrived.

Taking the trolley, we were back at the birthplaces in less than 10 minutes. A park ranger met us outside the buildings, introduced himself, and gave a brief intro to the houses. In short, most of the houses’ original structure has been replaced over the years. They still stand on their original, 17th century foundations.

The John Quincy Adams house does have two 17th century floorboards and the John Adams house has one 17th century ceiling beam. The most recent major restoration was in the 1980s when the properties were transferred to the Park Service. Shingles were replaced in 2013, and are the newest repair to the houses.

Once the ranger answered our questions, we trooped into the John Adams Birthplace, whose outside slats are stained dark brown. Inside, there isn’t a lot of furniture. When it was used by the Adams, there would have been a few more tables and chairs, but not too much more.

John Adams’ father, Deacon John Adams, was a farmer, but followed his family’s tradition of educating the eldest son. Beginning at the age of 10, the Deacon attempted to start John’s education, but John wasn’t interested. The Deacon let it slide until John turned 14, at which time he insisted that his son take studying seriously. John bargained that he would obey as long as he could have a new teacher, which he was allowed. 

John’s love for learning exploded after that. He attended Harvard starting at the age of 16, as he was able to pass the entrance exam and pay for tuition. Once he graduated in 1755, he attempting teaching for a year, but discovered that the career was not for him. By the end of the year, he was having students teach the class, and skipping out to attend court sessions. Once his year was completed, he worked under attorney James Putnam and soon passed the 18th century equivalent of the bar exam himself.

Back near Quincy, John was getting to know Abigail Smith. Though it was by no means love at first sight, they began writing letters back and forth discussing philosophy.

John’s father died in 1761, and John inherited one of the houses, along with 10 acres of land. His brothers both inherited significantly more land than John, as their father expected them to make a living from the land and John was to make a living from the education the Deacon gave him. This division was one reason John called his father the most honest man he knew.

John and Abigail were married in October 1764, and moved into the farmhouse where John Quincy Adams would be born. On the tour, we headed over this tan-painted house, perhaps 30 feet away.

This house was similar inside. One of the rooms was set up as John Adams would have used it as his law office. A replica of his desk stands in one corner. All of the furniture in these buildings are replicas; originals that survive are located at Peacefield.

For much of the time John and Abigail were based here Abigail ran the farm. As John became more and more involved in the colonial government, he was gone for long stretches of time. Later, John was sent to help negotiate a treaty with France. He took his son, John Quincy Adams, with him.

I do have a small correction though. In answer to questions from other visitors, the park ranger confirmed that people were definitely shorter back then, and that is one of the reasons for low doorways, etc. He did state that the other reason would be for heat conservation. However, I just recently heard it reiterated that it is not necessarily true that people of the past were shorter. For starters, George Washington was 6’4″! Height depends on how well multiple generations have been fed. In the American colonies, food was readily available and had been, in Britain, for years, so height would have been very similar to ours now.

After a rapid tour of the two homes in half an hour, the trolley arrived to bring us to our next stop. We hopped on, and were whisked past the visitor center to Peacefield. Peacefield is the house and property that John and Abigail purchased when they returned from living in Europe’s opulence. When they were planning on coming back, their quaint farmhouse no longer seemed to meet their needs.

Next week I’ll finish the visit by detailing our tour through Peacefield, which is definitely the property that the Park Service focuses on.

Lexington’s Hancock-Clarke House and Buckman Tavern

October 29, 2018 / / 0 Comments
The Hancock-Clarke House

I’m sure you’ve heard of Paul Revere’s midnight ride, “One if by land, two if by sea,” and the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World”. But how many of us have really gotten into the nitty-gritty of what happened on that 19th of April, 1775? That day was pivotal in the American Revolution: blood was shed on both sides. After that, nothing was the same and war was imminent.

Now, there are plenty of sites you can visit that each focus on differing parts of the event. You could go to the Old North Church or Paul Revere’s house in the heart of Boston, or you could head over to Minuteman National Park to view the North Bridge, among a host of other sites. However, I decided to drop in on the Lexington Historical Society and explore two of their c.18th century buildings.

After picking up a fellow history lover, my plan was to head to the Buckman Tavern first, which is right off the Lexington Green, then go to see the Hancock-Clarke House second. When we arrived at the tavern, we were asked if we wanted to take a tour of the building.

The price for touring just the tavern is $8.00. However, you can also purchase a $12.00 ticket that admits you to the Buckman Tavern, the Hancock-Clarke House, and the Munroe Tavern. At the moment though, the Munroe Tavern is closed until April 2019, but you can bring back the ticket next year to receive admission then. You don’t have to go to all the buildings on one day anyways.

I decided to buy the combo ticket. It seemed like the best deal, and we had the time for it. The woman at the front recommended walking over to the Hancock-Clarke House first, because its tours start every hour, and the tour gives a good background for learning about the tavern. Walking took less than ten minutes, as the house is just down the street.

Easy to spot with its bright yellow paint, the colonial building’s museum entrance is through a small wooden structure at the back. A historic herb garden surrounds the roadside sign, with different markers next to the carefully selected plants.

When I stepped inside, the path to the information desk seemed a bit awkward with a display narrowing the walkway. We arrived just in time for the 11:00 tour. First, we were instructed to take a seat in the main room where we were shown a 15 minute video giving a condensed history of the events leading up to the skirmish is Concord, focusing on Lexington’s part.

Once it ended, we were asked not to use flash photography, or to touch/lean upon any of the artifacts. Our guide was a man likely in his late 60s, who was wearing colonial garb. He was extremely knowledgeable and earned my stamp of approval by answering all my questions and presenting his information in an engaging -and sometimes funny- way.

So it turns out, the Hancock part of the house’s name originates from theJohn Hancock’s (the signer of the Declaration of Independence) family. His grandfather lived there for fifty odd years while he was the minister at the Lexington meetinghouse. This John Hancock (the first), raised his family there, including three sons.

The first son (John Hancock the second), and the third son both went to Harvard to become ministers. The middle son was trained as a bookbinder, and later transitioned to a bookseller among other things. This son, Thomas Hancock, made a fortune with his books, and became a wealthy landowner in Boston.

John Hancock II died when he was only 42, and left behind his wife and three children. Thomas Hancock and his wife, who hadn’t been able to have children themselves, adopted the eldest, John, as their own. After rich Uncle Thomas’ death, his wealth was left to his nephew, John Hancock III, who became the money source for the colonists during the Revolution.

But back to the house. In the 1730’s, Thomas most likely paid for an addition to be made on his parents house. Now, there is no hard evidence pertaining to exactly how all the parts of the present Hancock-Clarke House ended up together, but our tour guide gave us his own theory. Put simply, his idea is that part of this building was moved to its current location from another part of the town, which would explain some of the house’s oddities and the dates that have been gathered from wood samples.

Tiles around one of the fireplaces depicting Biblical scenes

After all these Hancocks, you might be wondering where the Clarkein the house’s name comes from. Clarke came into the picture when John Hancock I died and a new minister was required for Lexington’s meeting house. The Reverend Jonas Clarke was hired, and it was he and his family who were living in the house when the events of April 19th occurred.

So on April 18th and then 19th, Paul Revere, William Dawes, and later Samuel Prescott were riding through the country to warn the townspeople of the impending arrival of the Redcoats. Some of the people they particularly wanted to warn were Samuel Adams and John Hancock (III), who were staying at–guess where–the Hancock-Clarke House. Several warnings throughout the night were required to finally convince the two men to leave. Just in time, because the British Regulars arrived a few hours later.

Back in the 1700’s, this house would have had a clear view to the Lexington Green where the brief battle took place. One account by a survivor mentions hurtling down the road towards the house on a runaway horse during the skirmish. I could easily envision the galloping horse as our tour guide directed us to take a peek at the view from the upper story windows.

Once our tour was completed, we walked back to the Buckman Tavern. The women at the front desk were very friendly, and got us all set with our audio guides for the tour. There is also a nice gift shop in the tavern, with a lot of interesting colonial souvenirs. When we were ready, a guide led us to a room at the back of the building.

Inside this room, there was a display of items that would actually have been found at the Battle of Lexington (or most likely, for a few of them). A large stone marker rested against one wall, and old drawings were hung on another. She gave us an introduction to the tavern and an explanation of how to use the audio guides, which is very straightforward. We might’ve spent longer than usual because another group came in while we were listening to the audio guide. Hearing the audio was made a little more difficult while she gave them an introduction, but it didn’t last long.

Slowly, we walked through the other rooms, pausing in each one to listen to the corresponding number on the guide. The Buckman Tavern is the location where Lexington’s militia gathered after an initial call to arms during the night. When the Regulars didn’t show up, they thought it might’ve been a false alarm. So some went home while others stayed in the tavern right off the green. The militia who remained in the tavern were the ones who made a stand when the Redcoats arrived. A testament to its role in the skirmish, a bullet hole is still visible in the old front door.

Once we finished the main floor, we turned around and headed upstairs. The tavern has a new exhibit there on social media and its 18th century counterparts. There are several interactive displays and you can even send a postcard to a friend to commemorate your visit.

Overall, I found this museum very interesting, though I did prefer the Hancock-Clarke House, mainly because there was a tour guide instead of audio. I would definitely make a stop at the Lexington Historical Society next time you get a chance!

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