The Wayside Inn – A Revolutionary Gathering Place
Nestled in Sudbury along the old Boston Post Road, the Wayside Inn holds a special place in Massachusetts history. Known today as one of the oldest continually operating inns in […]
Liberty Poles and Local Uprisings: Massachusetts’ First Acts of Revolution
Before the first shots rang out at Lexington and Concord, the spirit of rebellion was already rising across Massachusetts, sometimes quite literally. In the years leading up to the American […]
Martha’s Vineyard in the American Revolution: A Quiet Island, A Heavy Burden
During the American Revolution, Martha’s Vineyard found itself in a difficult position: geographically exposed, economically vulnerable, and politically caught between patriot ideals and British power. While the island didn’t see […]
The Hannah: The Birth of the American Navy in Massachusetts Waters
Image credit: National Museum of the United States Navy Before there was a United States Navy, there was the Hannah, a modest fishing schooner turned warship that helped launch America’s […]
W.E.B. Du Bois – Revolutionary Scholar of Racial Justice
Image credit: The Kennedy Center Born in 1868 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, W.E.B. Du Bois was one of the most visionary thinkers and global activists of the 20th century. A […]
Katharine Lee Bates: The Massachusetts Poet Behind “America the Beautiful”
Lloyd Lillie created this statue of Katharine Lee Bates, which sits on the front lawn of the Falmouth Public Library. Photo credit: Salley Mavor Katharine Lee Bates was born in […]
Nantucket’s Revolutionary Balancing Act – Neutrality, Whaling, and Survival
While Massachusetts was a hotbed of revolutionary fervor, the island of Nantucket charted a very different course, one guided not by pacifism, diplomacy, and economic survival. During the American Revolution, […]
Housing History: Massachusetts Revolutionary War-Era Homes Open to the Public
“Massachusetts is the birthplace of the American Revolution, and pieces of that history can be found in many places – sometimes unexpected places – across the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Housing […]
The First to Celebrate: Massachusetts and the Origins of July 4th
Massachusetts has always played a special role in America’s story, both for the pivotal events that happened here, and for how its people chose to honor and remember them. In […]
Madeira Wine: The Colonial Drink That Toasted a Revolution
Long before champagne corks popped in celebration of American independence, the Founding Fathers were raising glasses filled with something else entirely: Madeira wine. Rich, resilient, and deeply woven into the […]
