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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for MA250
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TZID:America/New_York
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TZOFFSETFROM:-0500
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DTSTART:20260308T070000
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DTSTART:20261101T060000
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260624T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260624T193000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260316T161138Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260316T161138Z
UID:10007247-1782324000-1782329400@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:Author Talk: When the Declarations Was News
DESCRIPTION:Publishing for the 250th anniversary of the United States\, When the Declaration of Independence Was News focuses on the nation’s founding document at the moment of its creation in 1776\, before anyone knew what the legacy of the Declaration would be or if the United States would win the war against Great Britain. It explores how the Declaration was communicated to people in the new nation and around the Atlantic world and reveals the stories of the many people involved in the process of declaring independence\, from printers to soldiers to diplomats to translators. About the Speaker: Dr. Emily Sneff is an early American historian and leading expert on the Declaration of Independence. She earned her Ph.D. in History from William & Mary. She is a consulting curator for exhibitions marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration at the Museum of the American Revolution and Historic Trappe.
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/author-talk-when-the-declarations-was-news/
LOCATION:Boston Public Library: Copley Square Branch\, Boylston Street 700\, Boston\, Massachusetts\, 02116\, United States
CATEGORIES:Event,Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://massachusetts250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Author-Talk-Emily-Sneff-event-image.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Boston Public Library":MAILTO:ask@bpl.org
GEO:42.349653;-71.0779348
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Boston Public Library: Copley Square Branch Boylston Street 700 Boston Massachusetts 02116 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=Boylston Street 700:geo:-71.0779348,42.349653
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260624T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260624T200000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260421T154055Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260421T154055Z
UID:10008356-1782327600-1782331200@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:America's Food at 250!
DESCRIPTION:America’s Food at 250: \nWhat is the state of American food on its 250th birthday? In this talk we’ll look at all the flavors\, dishes and cooks that got us here\, from the Indigenous ingredients that shape regional American cuisine\, to the influence of the African kitchen\, to the fast food revolution. \nAbout the Speaker: \nSarah Lohman is originally from Hinckley\, Ohio where she began working in a museum at the age of 16\, cooking historical food over a wood-burning stove. She graduated with a BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art in 2005. For her undergraduate thesis\, she opened a temporary restaurant/installation that reinterpreted food of the Colonial era for a modern audience. Lohman moved to New York City in 2006 and worked as Video Producer for New York magazine’s food blog\, Grub Street. She chronicled her personal explorations in culinary history on her blog\, Four Pounds Flour\, from 2008-2018.  \nLohman’s most recent book Endangered Eating: America’s Vanishing Foods\, was released by W.W. Norton & Co. in October  2023. The book is a New York Times Editors’ Choice and was named one of the Best Books of 2023 by Amazon\, Food & Wine\, and Adam Gopnik on the Milk Street podcast. Lohman’s first book\, Eight Flavors: The Untold Story of American Cuisine\, was released by Simon & Schuster in December 2016. An Amazon bestseller\, the Atlantic called it “Richly researched\, intriguing\, and cleverly written.” Eight Flavors  is currently taught in undergraduate classes at Purdue and Pennsylvania State University. Her third book\, Ice Cream Land\, will be released Summer 2027.  \nOver her career\, Lohman’s work has been featured in The New York Times\, The Wall Street Journal\, The Washington Post\, as well as on All Things Considered\, CNN\, Gimlet Media\, and NHK Japan. She has appeared in PBS’s American Experience\, The Cooking Channel’s Food: Fact or Fiction\, and developed a historical food service for Taylor Mac’s a 24-Decade History of Popular Music.  \nLohman works with institutions around the country to create public programs focused on food. She has lectured at diverse institutions including the Lower East Side Tenement Museum\, Museum of Science (Boston)\, the Smithsonian Museum of American History\, and the Culinary Historians of Southern California. Lohman is based in Las Vegas. \n*Please note: This is a virtual program. Please click this link to register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/R_1cVn-wTlqFlNKY_xqY_Q
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/americas-food-at-250/
LOCATION:Topsfield Town Library Zoom\, South Common St 1\, Topsfield\, Massachusetts\, 01983\, United States
CATEGORIES:Culinary,Event,Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://massachusetts250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/sarah_lohman_headshots_final_by_krystal_ramirez-5-1024x684-1.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Topsfield Town Library":MAILTO:ask@topsfieldlibrary.org
GEO:42.6408731;-70.9497109
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Topsfield Town Library Zoom South Common St 1 Topsfield Massachusetts 01983 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=South Common St 1:geo:-70.9497109,42.6408731
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260624T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260624T200000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260619T163753Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260619T163753Z
UID:10014093-1782327600-1782331200@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:History Uncorked: A Summer Lecture Series at the Nickerson Mansion
DESCRIPTION:Visit Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club this summer for History Uncorked — a series of four evening lectures held inside the historic Nickerson Mansion in Brewster\, Cape Cod\, in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. \nLed by Ocean Edge’s resident historian Renee Dee and Cape Cod historian David Martin\, Ph.D.\, each talk explores a different chapter of American and local Revolutionary history — from the Nickerson family’s ties to George Washington\, to the role of what is now Brewster (then the North Parish of Harwich) during the Revolution\, to the Treaty of Paris and the path to the US Constitution. \nLECTURE SCHEDULE\nAll lectures begin at 7PM in the La Salette Room\, The Nickerson Mansion at Ocean Edge Resort. \nJune 24 — The (Brewster) Nickerson’s & America\nLed by Renee Dee\nTracing the Nickerson family lineage and its connections to Revolutionary-era figures\, including George Washington. \nJuly 15 — The American Revolution on Cape Cod & the Islands\nLed by David Martin\, Ph.D.\nA look at the Revolution across Cape Cod and the Islands\, including newly uncovered connections to residents of what is now Brewster — then the North Parish of Harwich. Drawn from the new 27-author volume on the American Revolution on Cape Cod and the Islands. \nAugust 12 — The Nickerson Legacy on Cape Cod\nLed by Renee Dee\nThe Nickerson family’s lasting impact on the region and the evolution of the property from private Gilded Age estate to the Ocean Edge of today. \nSeptember 9 — From Independence to Constitution\nLed by David Martin\, Ph.D.\nFrom the Declaration of Independence to the Treaty of Paris and the drafting of the US Constitution — the story of how a revolution becomes a republic. \nABOUT THE HISTORIANS \nRenee Dee is Ocean Edge’s Resident Historian\, researching the Nickerson family\, Fieldstone Hall\, and the property’s storied past since 2016. Through archival research and storytelling\, she continues to uncover new details about the estate and its former owners. \nDavid Martin\, Ph.D.\, is Professor/Dean Emeritus from Gallaudet University. Since retiring to Cape Cod\, he has served as past president of the Cape Cod Genealogical Society and currently serves as president of the Marstons Mills Historical Society. He chaired the committee behind a new 27-author book on the American Revolution on Cape Cod and the Islands. \nEach lecture is complimentary and open to resort guests. Seating is limited — reservations recommended.
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/history-uncorked-a-summer-lecture-series-at-the-nickerson-mansion/2026-06-24/
LOCATION:The Mansion at Ocean Edge\, Main Street 2907\, Brewster\, MA\, 02631\, United States
CATEGORIES:Event,Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://massachusetts250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/AMERICAS-250th.png
GEO:41.77465;-70.052547
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=The Mansion at Ocean Edge Main Street 2907 Brewster MA 02631 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=Main Street 2907:geo:-70.052547,41.77465
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260625T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260625T200000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260505T145232Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260505T145232Z
UID:10010297-1782414000-1782417600@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:From Concord and Lexington: New Perspective on the Revolution
DESCRIPTION:The Concord Museum\, in partnership with Lexington History Museums\, presents an engaging program highlighting new research and evolving interpretations from the communities at the center of the start of the American Revolution. This conversation brings together Curator David F. Wood\, whose work Eyewitness to Revolution draws from the Concord Museum’s renowned collection; Paul O’Shaughnessy\, President of Lexington History Museums whose institution recently published Revolutionary Stories; and historian and archaeologist Joel Bohy.  \nAs part of the evening\, the Concord Museum will present the Robert A. Gross Award for Advancing Concord’s History to Joel Bohy in recognition of his lifetime of work of researching April 19\, 1775\, that has deepened understanding and ability to accurately interpret this event for institutions like the Concord Museum and Lexington History Museum\, and\, in turn\, the thousands of visitors and students we all serve.  \nIn partnership with Lexington History Museums.  \nMembers Free | $10 Non-Members | Free Virtual
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/from-concord-and-lexington-new-perspective-on-the-revolution/
LOCATION:Concord Museum\, 53 Cambridge Turnpike\, Concord\, MA\, 01742\, United States
CATEGORIES:Event,Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://massachusetts250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/1c07ea74-d401-4b13-bd9b-db1b3e5d1fe1.png
GEO:42.457529;-71.3417985
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Concord Museum 53 Cambridge Turnpike Concord MA 01742 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=53 Cambridge Turnpike:geo:-71.3417985,42.457529
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260625T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260625T203000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260611T125048Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260611T125048Z
UID:10013606-1782414000-1782419400@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:Join the Acton 250 Committee for: " When the Declaration of Independence Was News”  with Emily Sneff. PhD
DESCRIPTION:Join Professor Sneff as she discusses her upcoming book release “When the Declaration of Independence Was News” releasing April 15th 2026. She will discuss why every copy of the Declaration of Independence has a story to tell. \nEmily is a leading expert on the United States Declaration of Independence\, and her forthcoming book traces the dissemination of the Declaration of Independence through the United States and around the Atlantic in the summer and fall of 1776. She received her Ph.D. and M.A. in History from William & Mary. Before graduate school\, she was the Research Manager of the Declaration Resources Project at Harvard University. She is also currently a consulting curator for exhibitions planned for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration at the Museum of the American Revolution and the American Philosophical Society.  See more about Emily at https://www.emilysneff.com/.
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/join-the-acton-250-committee-for-when-the-declaration-of-independence-was-news-with-emily-sneff-phd/
LOCATION:Acton Memorial Library\, Main Street 486\, Acton\, MA\, 01720\, United States
CATEGORIES:Commemoration,Event,July 4th,Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://massachusetts250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Emily-Sneff-Flyer-2026-06-25.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Acton 250 Committee":MAILTO:acton250@acton-ma.gov
GEO:42.4866088;-71.4333687
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Acton Memorial Library Main Street 486 Acton MA 01720 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=Main Street 486:geo:-71.4333687,42.4866088
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260627T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260627T130000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260605T164338Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260605T164338Z
UID:10013581-1782565200-1782565200@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:A Plymouth Community Ceremony for America’s 250th
DESCRIPTION:The Town of Plymouth’s 250th Commemoration Committee invites you to a special ceremony in Town Square commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. \nThe program will feature a reading of the Declaration by a group representing Plymoutheans of 1776 and 2026\, patriotic songs\, a flag raising\, color guard salute\, and remarks by state and town officials. Please join us!
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/a-plymouth-community-ceremony-for-americas-250th/
LOCATION:Town Square\, Leyden Street\, Plymouth\, Massachusetts\, 02360\, United States
CATEGORIES:Anniversary,Celebration,Commemoration,Event,Outdoors,Reenactment,Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://massachusetts250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Plymouth-Community-Ceremony-Americas-250th.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Town of Plymouth":MAILTO:info@plymouth-ma.gov
GEO:41.9562769;-70.6629243
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Town Square Leyden Street Plymouth Massachusetts 02360 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=Leyden Street:geo:-70.6629243,41.9562769
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260627T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260627T170000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260522T135133Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260522T135133Z
UID:10010896-1782565200-1782579600@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:American250 Sturbridge\, Mass Festival
DESCRIPTION:Celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence in Sturbridge with a full day of community spirit\, history\, and fun! \nJoin us on Sturbridge’s Town Common for a festive celebration featuring The 215th Army Band\, Senator Fattman\, Rep Smola\, Sturbridge’s Militia reenactors\, Daughter’s of the Revolution\, and local docents providing tours of the Old Burial Grounds.  We will have lots of interactive  family fun available including a DJ playing patriotic music\, bounce houses\, axe throwing\, cherry pie eating contest\, Woosox’s Smiley\, face painting\, balloon animals\, along with plenty of food trucks and libations\, Huzzah! \nTo participate\, email sturbridge250@gmail.com. \nPrior to the festival\, watch our parade which starts at 10:30am at corner of Stallion Hill Road and Route 20\, goes east on Route 20\, up Route 131 and ends at the town common.
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/american250-sturbridge-mass-festival/
LOCATION:Sturbridge Town Common\, Main Street 278\, Sturbridge\, MA\, 01566\, United States
CATEGORIES:Celebration,Event,Outdoors,Reenactment,Speakers,Tours
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://massachusetts250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/MA250-Festival-Post.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Town of Sturbridge":MAILTO:Sturbridge250@gmail.com
GEO:42.1080392;-72.0794182
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Sturbridge Town Common Main Street 278 Sturbridge MA 01566 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=Main Street 278:geo:-72.0794182,42.1080392
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260701T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260701T160000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260622T152550Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260622T152550Z
UID:10014444-1782900000-1782921600@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:Independence 250: Stories of the American Revolution
DESCRIPTION:Learn more about the many stories of the American Revolution through ranger talks and special programs.  \nGet the details on this special program for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence at https://www.nps.gov/adam/planyourvisit/250-anniversary.htm.
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/independence-250-stories-of-the-american-revolution/2026-07-01/
LOCATION:Adams National Historical Park: Old House at Peace field\, 135 Adams St\, Quincy\, 02169\, United States
CATEGORIES:Anniversary,Commemoration,Event,July 4th,Outdoors,Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://massachusetts250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/I250-schedule-3.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Adams National Historical Park":MAILTO:ADAM_Visitor_Center@nps.gov
GEO:42.2561259;-71.0108834
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Adams National Historical Park: Old House at Peace field 135 Adams St Quincy 02169 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=135 Adams St:geo:-71.0108834,42.2561259
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260701T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260701T123000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260616T142749Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260616T142749Z
UID:10014085-1782903600-1782909000@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:American Stories: Rebels and Revolutionaries of the Berkshires
DESCRIPTION:History & Art Series: This summer when America is celebrating its 250th anniversary\, join us for this historical and civic education program to learn how the Berkshires played a pivotal role in the founding of our nation. \n“American Stories: Rebels and Revolutionaries of the Berkshires” examines the history of the American Revolution and its reverberating echoes in the region\, nation\, and world by highlighting the fascinating but complicated biographies of Berkshire County residents who impacted American history and culture from the late 1700s onward. \nSign up for the entire series of five classes held at the Norman Rockwell Museum. Each class will begin in the galleries of Norman Rockwell Museum’s “American Stories: Revolution to Rockwell” with a discussion of a work on view that connects to the theme of that day’s class. \nCourse Instructor: Justin F. Jackson is a lecturer and visiting scholar at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst \nClasses and lectures include: \n1) “Declarations of Independence”: Theodore Sedgwick\, the Sheffield Resolves\, and the Rise of Protest in the Berkshires \n2) “Our America”: Daniel Nimham\, the Stockbridge Mohicans\, and the Revolution’s “Missing Indians” \n3) “I Am\, Amen”: Black Freedom Struggles in the Berkshires\, from Agrippa Hull and Elizabeth Freeman to Samuel Harrison and W.E.B. Du Bois \n4) “Do Unto Others”: Rev. Thomas Allen\, Shays’s Rebellion\, and a Sovereign People’s Constitutions in Massachusetts and America \n5) “The Real Thing”: Herman Melville\, the Magic of Memory\, and Representing the American Dream \nAbout Justin F. Jackson\nJustin F. Jackson is a lecturer and visiting scholar at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst\, where he teaches US history\, and the history of Boston and Massachusetts. The Berkshire Eagle is publishing his monthly column\, “Revolution: Berkshires\,” on the American Revolution’s local history in the run-up to the semi-sesquicentennial in July 2026. A scholar of US foreign relations history\, he is author of The Work of Empire: War\, Occupation\, and the Making of American Colonialism in Cuba and the Philippines (University of North Carolina Press\, 2025). His next book\, “Cherry Cottage: Between Ruin and Restoration\, America’s History Retold through a Berkshire Home\,” explores how a preserved Stockbridge home produced Americans’ sense of the past\, and nation\, through place.
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/american-stories-rebels-and-revolutionaries-of-the-berkshires/2026-07-01/
LOCATION:Norman Rockwell Museum\, Glendale Road 9\, Stockbridge\, Massachusetts\, 01262\, United States
CATEGORIES:Black History,Event,Exhibit,Indigenous History,Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://massachusetts250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/HISTORY-ART-SERIES-American-Stories-Rebels-and-Revolutionaries-of-the-Berkshires.jpg
GEO:42.2892564;-73.3405966
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Norman Rockwell Museum Glendale Road 9 Stockbridge Massachusetts 01262 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=Glendale Road 9:geo:-73.3405966,42.2892564
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260701T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260701T183000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260615T171544Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260615T171544Z
UID:10014081-1782927000-1782930600@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:Robert Treat Paine Talk with Paul Przybyla
DESCRIPTION:Did you know?  Someone with ties to Shirley signed the Declaration of Independence and became the first Attorney General of Massachusetts.\nCelebrate America’s 250th Anniversary by exploring the life\, legacy\, and contributions of Robert Treat Paine.
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/robert-treat-paine-talk-with-paul-przybyla/
LOCATION:Hazen\, Keady Way 3\, Shirley\, MA\, 01464\, United States
CATEGORIES:Event,Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://massachusetts250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Robert-Treat-Paine-talk.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Hazen Memorial Library":MAILTO:sstewart@cwmars.org
GEO:42.5458298;-71.6413317
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Hazen Keady Way 3 Shirley MA 01464 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=Keady Way 3:geo:-71.6413317,42.5458298
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260701T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260701T200000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260622T152516Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260622T152516Z
UID:10014446-1782928800-1782936000@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:Independence 250: Quincy's Women on the Page
DESCRIPTION:Hear from bestselling authors Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie\, along with novelist Jodi Daynard\, as they share their experiences bringing Quincy women\, including Abigail Adams\, to life through historical fiction. This event is hosted in collaboration with Historic New England’s Quincy House and the National Parks Conservation Association. \nGet the details on this special program for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence at https://www.nps.gov/adam/planyourvisit/250-anniversary.htm.
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/independence-250-quincys-women-on-the-page/
LOCATION:Adams National Historical Park: Old House at Peace field\, 135 Adams St\, Quincy\, 02169\, United States
CATEGORIES:Anniversary,Event,July 4th,Outdoors,Speakers,Women's History
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://massachusetts250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/I250-schedule-4.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Adams National Historical Park":MAILTO:ADAM_Visitor_Center@nps.gov
GEO:42.2561259;-71.0108834
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Adams National Historical Park: Old House at Peace field 135 Adams St Quincy 02169 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=135 Adams St:geo:-71.0108834,42.2561259
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260701T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260701T213000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260605T192138Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260605T192138Z
UID:10013578-1782928800-1782941400@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:Sandwich\, MA Celebrates America 250
DESCRIPTION:-Welcome by Library Director Diane Costagliola\n-Presentation of Colors by American Legion Post 188 Color Guard\n-Pledge of Allegiance & Citation Presentation by Representative Steven Xiarhos\n-National Anthem by Jeanne Prendergast\n-Indigenous History & Recognition by the Wampanoag Tribe\n-Historical Reflections featuring Edward Bacon & Dr. Nathaniel Freeman\n-Abridged Reading of the Declaration of Independence with Town Clerk Taylor White\n-Community Sing-Along with Jeanne Prendergast\n-Commemorative Bell Ringing by St. John’s and First Church\n-Musical Selections by the Sandwich Town Band
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/sandwich-ma-celebrates-america-250/
LOCATION:142 main st\, sandwich\, ma\, Main Street 142\, Sandwich\, Massachusetts\, 02563\, United States
CATEGORIES:Event,Indigenous History,Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://massachusetts250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Sandwich-celebrates-america-250.png
ORGANIZER;CN="town of sandwich":MAILTO:townhall@sandwichmass.org
GEO:41.7579564;-70.4985246
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=142 main st sandwich ma Main Street 142 Sandwich Massachusetts 02563 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=Main Street 142:geo:-70.4985246,41.7579564
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260705T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260705T160000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260622T152550Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260622T152550Z
UID:10014445-1783245600-1783267200@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:Independence 250: Stories of the American Revolution
DESCRIPTION:Learn more about the many stories of the American Revolution through ranger talks and special programs.  \nGet the details on this special program for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence at https://www.nps.gov/adam/planyourvisit/250-anniversary.htm.
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/independence-250-stories-of-the-american-revolution/2026-07-05/
LOCATION:Adams National Historical Park: Old House at Peace field\, 135 Adams St\, Quincy\, 02169\, United States
CATEGORIES:Anniversary,Commemoration,Event,July 4th,Outdoors,Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://massachusetts250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/I250-schedule-3.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Adams National Historical Park":MAILTO:ADAM_Visitor_Center@nps.gov
GEO:42.2561259;-71.0108834
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Adams National Historical Park: Old House at Peace field 135 Adams St Quincy 02169 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=135 Adams St:geo:-71.0108834,42.2561259
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260705T130000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260705T140000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260608T181533Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260608T181533Z
UID:10013586-1783256400-1783260000@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:Periwigs\, Pouffs\, & Pomade: Hair and Wigs in 18th-century England and America
DESCRIPTION:Why did men in the 1700s wear wigs? What were they made of\, how were they styled\, and who wore what? How would the hair care routine of George Washington compare to that of a low-ranking British soldier? How would it compare to Martha Washington’s? Join living history interpreter and wig maker\, Audrey Stuck-Girard\, as she demonstrates trends and styling techniques used by wigmakers and hairdressers in the 18th century.
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/periwigs-pouffs-pomade-hair-and-wigs-in-18th-century-england-and-america/
LOCATION:1699 Isaac Winslow House\, 634 Careswell St\, Marshfield\, 02050\, United States
CATEGORIES:Event,Speakers,Women's History
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://massachusetts250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-06-at-5.54.03 PM.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Historic Winslow Hosue Association":MAILTO:whaboard@winslowhouse.org
GEO:42.0713374;-70.6730523
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=1699 Isaac Winslow House 634 Careswell St Marshfield 02050 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=634 Careswell St:geo:-70.6730523,42.0713374
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260707T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260707T200000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260529T155943Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260529T155943Z
UID:10010918-1783449000-1783454400@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:Book Talk & Signing with Tad Stoermer
DESCRIPTION:Join us at the Old North Church for the release of public historian Tad Stoermer’s new book\, A Resistance History of the United States. Tad will be joined by Prof. Vincent Brown of Harvard University and Sarah George\, State’s Attorney of Chittenden County\, Vermont\, for a panel discussion on resistance. Their conversation will re-examine resistance movements from U.S. history and consider the role that resistance continues to play in our country. Following the discussion\, the panelists will answer questions from the audience\, and Tad will be available to sign copies of his book. \nCopies of A Resistance History of the United States will be available to purchase onsite. Doors will open at 6pm\, and the talk will start at 6:30pm.
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/book-talk-signing-with-tad-stoermer/
LOCATION:Old North Church\, Salem Street 193\, Boston\, MA\, 02113\, United States
CATEGORIES:Event,Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://massachusetts250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/A-Resistance-History-of-the-United-States-with-Tad-Stoermer-3.png
GEO:42.366387;-71.0545858
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Old North Church Salem Street 193 Boston MA 02113 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=Salem Street 193:geo:-71.0545858,42.366387
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260708T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260708T123000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260616T142749Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260616T142749Z
UID:10014086-1783508400-1783513800@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:American Stories: Rebels and Revolutionaries of the Berkshires
DESCRIPTION:History & Art Series: This summer when America is celebrating its 250th anniversary\, join us for this historical and civic education program to learn how the Berkshires played a pivotal role in the founding of our nation. \n“American Stories: Rebels and Revolutionaries of the Berkshires” examines the history of the American Revolution and its reverberating echoes in the region\, nation\, and world by highlighting the fascinating but complicated biographies of Berkshire County residents who impacted American history and culture from the late 1700s onward. \nSign up for the entire series of five classes held at the Norman Rockwell Museum. Each class will begin in the galleries of Norman Rockwell Museum’s “American Stories: Revolution to Rockwell” with a discussion of a work on view that connects to the theme of that day’s class. \nCourse Instructor: Justin F. Jackson is a lecturer and visiting scholar at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst \nClasses and lectures include: \n1) “Declarations of Independence”: Theodore Sedgwick\, the Sheffield Resolves\, and the Rise of Protest in the Berkshires \n2) “Our America”: Daniel Nimham\, the Stockbridge Mohicans\, and the Revolution’s “Missing Indians” \n3) “I Am\, Amen”: Black Freedom Struggles in the Berkshires\, from Agrippa Hull and Elizabeth Freeman to Samuel Harrison and W.E.B. Du Bois \n4) “Do Unto Others”: Rev. Thomas Allen\, Shays’s Rebellion\, and a Sovereign People’s Constitutions in Massachusetts and America \n5) “The Real Thing”: Herman Melville\, the Magic of Memory\, and Representing the American Dream \nAbout Justin F. Jackson\nJustin F. Jackson is a lecturer and visiting scholar at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst\, where he teaches US history\, and the history of Boston and Massachusetts. The Berkshire Eagle is publishing his monthly column\, “Revolution: Berkshires\,” on the American Revolution’s local history in the run-up to the semi-sesquicentennial in July 2026. A scholar of US foreign relations history\, he is author of The Work of Empire: War\, Occupation\, and the Making of American Colonialism in Cuba and the Philippines (University of North Carolina Press\, 2025). His next book\, “Cherry Cottage: Between Ruin and Restoration\, America’s History Retold through a Berkshire Home\,” explores how a preserved Stockbridge home produced Americans’ sense of the past\, and nation\, through place.
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/american-stories-rebels-and-revolutionaries-of-the-berkshires/2026-07-08/
LOCATION:Norman Rockwell Museum\, Glendale Road 9\, Stockbridge\, Massachusetts\, 01262\, United States
CATEGORIES:Black History,Event,Exhibit,Indigenous History,Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://massachusetts250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/HISTORY-ART-SERIES-American-Stories-Rebels-and-Revolutionaries-of-the-Berkshires.jpg
GEO:42.2892564;-73.3405966
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Norman Rockwell Museum Glendale Road 9 Stockbridge Massachusetts 01262 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=Glendale Road 9:geo:-73.3405966,42.2892564
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260713T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260713T200000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260615T153805Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260615T153805Z
UID:10013608-1783967400-1783972800@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:Finding Your Revolutionary War Ancestors
DESCRIPTION:Join the Agawam Public Library for an evening of digging for your roots as Genealogist Dave Robison shows us how research our Revolutionary War relatives. In this semiquincentennial year of our country\, learn where to look for records and how to interpret historical documents. Get started on your genealogy journey and connect with your family history!
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/finding-your-revolutionary-war-ancestors/
LOCATION:Agawam Public Library\, Cooper Street 750\, Agawam\, MA\, 01001\, United States
CATEGORIES:Event,Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://massachusetts250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/light-geen-faticon.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Agawam Public Library":MAILTO:kfrost@agawamlibrary.org
GEO:42.0732063;-72.6432924
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Agawam Public Library Cooper Street 750 Agawam MA 01001 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=Cooper Street 750:geo:-72.6432924,42.0732063
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260714T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260714T190000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260507T213319Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260508T125725Z
UID:10010578-1784048400-1784055600@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:Vineyard Preservation Trust: 250 Years Later: Thoughts on the American Revolution with Nathaniel Philbrick
DESCRIPTION:Presented by the Martha’s Vineyard Museum and the Vineyard Preservation Trust\, join acclaimed historian and bestselling author Nathaniel Philbrick for an evening at the Old Whaling Church. Known for works such as Bunker Hill\, Valiant Ambition\, and In the Heart of the Sea\, Philbrick brings fresh perspective to the American Revolution 250 years on. With an introduction by Maritime Historian\, Matthew Stackpole.
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/vineyard-preservation-trust-250-years-later-thoughts-on-the-american-revolution-with-nathaniel-philbrick/
LOCATION:Vineyard Preservation Trust\, Old Whaling Church\, Main Street 89\, Edgartown\, Massachusetts\, 02539\, United States
CATEGORIES:Event,Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://massachusetts250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/26_VPT_250thWebEvent_250YrsLater_06-3-2-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Vineyard Preservation Trust":MAILTO:thecarnegie@mvpreservation.org
GEO:41.3905702;-70.5151729
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Vineyard Preservation Trust Old Whaling Church Main Street 89 Edgartown Massachusetts 02539 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=Main Street 89:geo:-70.5151729,41.3905702
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260715T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260715T123000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260616T142749Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260616T142749Z
UID:10014087-1784113200-1784118600@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:American Stories: Rebels and Revolutionaries of the Berkshires
DESCRIPTION:History & Art Series: This summer when America is celebrating its 250th anniversary\, join us for this historical and civic education program to learn how the Berkshires played a pivotal role in the founding of our nation. \n“American Stories: Rebels and Revolutionaries of the Berkshires” examines the history of the American Revolution and its reverberating echoes in the region\, nation\, and world by highlighting the fascinating but complicated biographies of Berkshire County residents who impacted American history and culture from the late 1700s onward. \nSign up for the entire series of five classes held at the Norman Rockwell Museum. Each class will begin in the galleries of Norman Rockwell Museum’s “American Stories: Revolution to Rockwell” with a discussion of a work on view that connects to the theme of that day’s class. \nCourse Instructor: Justin F. Jackson is a lecturer and visiting scholar at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst \nClasses and lectures include: \n1) “Declarations of Independence”: Theodore Sedgwick\, the Sheffield Resolves\, and the Rise of Protest in the Berkshires \n2) “Our America”: Daniel Nimham\, the Stockbridge Mohicans\, and the Revolution’s “Missing Indians” \n3) “I Am\, Amen”: Black Freedom Struggles in the Berkshires\, from Agrippa Hull and Elizabeth Freeman to Samuel Harrison and W.E.B. Du Bois \n4) “Do Unto Others”: Rev. Thomas Allen\, Shays’s Rebellion\, and a Sovereign People’s Constitutions in Massachusetts and America \n5) “The Real Thing”: Herman Melville\, the Magic of Memory\, and Representing the American Dream \nAbout Justin F. Jackson\nJustin F. Jackson is a lecturer and visiting scholar at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst\, where he teaches US history\, and the history of Boston and Massachusetts. The Berkshire Eagle is publishing his monthly column\, “Revolution: Berkshires\,” on the American Revolution’s local history in the run-up to the semi-sesquicentennial in July 2026. A scholar of US foreign relations history\, he is author of The Work of Empire: War\, Occupation\, and the Making of American Colonialism in Cuba and the Philippines (University of North Carolina Press\, 2025). His next book\, “Cherry Cottage: Between Ruin and Restoration\, America’s History Retold through a Berkshire Home\,” explores how a preserved Stockbridge home produced Americans’ sense of the past\, and nation\, through place.
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/american-stories-rebels-and-revolutionaries-of-the-berkshires/2026-07-15/
LOCATION:Norman Rockwell Museum\, Glendale Road 9\, Stockbridge\, Massachusetts\, 01262\, United States
CATEGORIES:Black History,Event,Exhibit,Indigenous History,Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://massachusetts250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/HISTORY-ART-SERIES-American-Stories-Rebels-and-Revolutionaries-of-the-Berkshires.jpg
GEO:42.2892564;-73.3405966
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Norman Rockwell Museum Glendale Road 9 Stockbridge Massachusetts 01262 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=Glendale Road 9:geo:-73.3405966,42.2892564
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260715T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260715T200000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260619T163753Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260619T163753Z
UID:10014094-1784142000-1784145600@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:History Uncorked: A Summer Lecture Series at the Nickerson Mansion
DESCRIPTION:Visit Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club this summer for History Uncorked — a series of four evening lectures held inside the historic Nickerson Mansion in Brewster\, Cape Cod\, in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. \nLed by Ocean Edge’s resident historian Renee Dee and Cape Cod historian David Martin\, Ph.D.\, each talk explores a different chapter of American and local Revolutionary history — from the Nickerson family’s ties to George Washington\, to the role of what is now Brewster (then the North Parish of Harwich) during the Revolution\, to the Treaty of Paris and the path to the US Constitution. \nLECTURE SCHEDULE\nAll lectures begin at 7PM in the La Salette Room\, The Nickerson Mansion at Ocean Edge Resort. \nJune 24 — The (Brewster) Nickerson’s & America\nLed by Renee Dee\nTracing the Nickerson family lineage and its connections to Revolutionary-era figures\, including George Washington. \nJuly 15 — The American Revolution on Cape Cod & the Islands\nLed by David Martin\, Ph.D.\nA look at the Revolution across Cape Cod and the Islands\, including newly uncovered connections to residents of what is now Brewster — then the North Parish of Harwich. Drawn from the new 27-author volume on the American Revolution on Cape Cod and the Islands. \nAugust 12 — The Nickerson Legacy on Cape Cod\nLed by Renee Dee\nThe Nickerson family’s lasting impact on the region and the evolution of the property from private Gilded Age estate to the Ocean Edge of today. \nSeptember 9 — From Independence to Constitution\nLed by David Martin\, Ph.D.\nFrom the Declaration of Independence to the Treaty of Paris and the drafting of the US Constitution — the story of how a revolution becomes a republic. \nABOUT THE HISTORIANS \nRenee Dee is Ocean Edge’s Resident Historian\, researching the Nickerson family\, Fieldstone Hall\, and the property’s storied past since 2016. Through archival research and storytelling\, she continues to uncover new details about the estate and its former owners. \nDavid Martin\, Ph.D.\, is Professor/Dean Emeritus from Gallaudet University. Since retiring to Cape Cod\, he has served as past president of the Cape Cod Genealogical Society and currently serves as president of the Marstons Mills Historical Society. He chaired the committee behind a new 27-author book on the American Revolution on Cape Cod and the Islands. \nEach lecture is complimentary and open to resort guests. Seating is limited — reservations recommended.
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/history-uncorked-a-summer-lecture-series-at-the-nickerson-mansion/2026-07-15/
LOCATION:The Mansion at Ocean Edge\, Main Street 2907\, Brewster\, MA\, 02631\, United States
CATEGORIES:Event,Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://massachusetts250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/AMERICAS-250th.png
GEO:41.77465;-70.052547
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=The Mansion at Ocean Edge Main Street 2907 Brewster MA 02631 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=Main Street 2907:geo:-70.052547,41.77465
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260716T160000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260716T173000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260224T202821Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260224T202821Z
UID:10006605-1784217600-1784223000@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:Cape Cod and Islands in the Revolution
DESCRIPTION:Cape Cod and Islands in the Revolution –A new illustrated book about the events of the Revolutionary War on Cape Cod and the Islands provides an overview of key events for our region between 1761 and 1783\, eventually leading to national Independence. An overview of highlights from the book will be presented as part of the observances of the 250th Anniversary of the United States—with an opportunity to purchase the book. \nJuly 16th\, 4pm \nTickets: $10 Museums on the Green members\, $20 non-member\, or donation-based ticket \nDavid S. Martin\, Ph.D. bio: \nDavid S. Martin\, Ph.D.\, is Professor/Dean Emeritus from Gallaudet University in Washington\, DC\, the world’s only university for deaf students. Previously a teacher\, school administrator\, and curriculum developer\, he holds a B.A. from Yale\, an Ed.M. from Harvard\, the Certificate of Advanced Study from Harvard\, and a Ph.D. from Boston College. \nIn retirement\, he is President of the Marstons Mills (Cape Cod) Historical Society\, Treasurer of the Yale Club of Cape Cod\, and active in the leadership of the Cape Cod Genealogical Society. He teaches part-time in the Master’s Program in Critical and Creative Thinking at the University of Massachusetts at Boston. He and his wife Susan reside in Marstons Mills.
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/cape-cod-and-islands-in-the-revolution/
LOCATION:Falmouth Museums on the Green\, Palmer Avenue 55\, Falmouth\, MA\, 02540\, United States
CATEGORIES:Event,Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://massachusetts250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/Cover-of-book-by-D-Martin-and-others-scaled.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="Falmouth Museums on the Green":MAILTO:info@museumsonthegreen.org
GEO:41.555236;-70.6190536
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Falmouth Museums on the Green Palmer Avenue 55 Falmouth MA 02540 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=Palmer Avenue 55:geo:-70.6190536,41.555236
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260716T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260716T193000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260421T164404Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260421T164404Z
UID:10008345-1784226600-1784230200@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:Author James L. Nelson discusses his book "George Washington's Secret Navy"
DESCRIPTION:As part of the Topsfield Library’s Rev 250 programming marking 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence\, and with tall ships visiting Boston for Sail Boston 2026 \, we are excited to host author James L. Nelson to discuss his book George Washington’s Secret Navy. \nABOUT THE BOOK: In 1775\, General George Washington secretly armed a handful of small ships and sent them to sea against the world’s mightiest navy. This is the story of how America’s first commander-in-chief–whose previous military experience had been entirely on land–nursed the fledgling American Revolution through a season of stalemate by sending troops to sea. Mining previously overlooked sources\, James L. Nelson’s swiftly moving narrative shows that George Washington deliberately withheld knowledge of his tiny navy from the Continental Congress for more than two critical months\, and that he did so precisely because he knew Congress would not approve. \nABOUT THE AUTHOR: James L. Nelson was born and raised in Lewiston\, Maine and graduated from UCLA with a degree in motion picture/television production. Finding that despite being in Southern California\, it was a damp\, drizzly November in his soul\, Jim took the cure Melville recommended and decided to sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. For six years he worked on board traditional sailing ships\, but on turning thirty he realizing it would be easier to write about sailing rather than actually doing it. His career as a writer began in 1994 and he has since written more than twenty-five works of maritime fiction and history. He is the winner or the American Library Association/William Young Boyd Award and the Naval Order’s Samuel Eliot Morison Award. Nelson has lectured all over the country and appeared on the Discovery Channel\, History Channel\, National Geographic and BookTV. He currently lives\, writes and sails in Harpswell\, Maine\, with his former shipmate\, now wife Lisa and two of their four children.
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/author-james-l-nelson-discusses-his-book-george-washingtons-secret-navy/
LOCATION:Topsfield Town Library\, 1 South Common St\, Topsfield\, MA\, 01983\, United States
CATEGORIES:Event,Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://massachusetts250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Untitled-design-4-1.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Topsfield Town Library":MAILTO:ask@topsfieldlibrary.org
GEO:42.6408809;-70.9496755
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Topsfield Town Library 1 South Common St Topsfield MA 01983 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=1 South Common St:geo:-70.9496755,42.6408809
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260716T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260716T193000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260602T140549Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260602T140549Z
UID:10013570-1784226600-1784230200@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:Prepared for War: Sudbury and the Massachusetts Militia on the Eve of Lexington and Concord
DESCRIPTION:Join us on July 16th for a fascinating evening lecture on Sudbury and the Massachusetts Militia on the eve of Lexington and Concord! \nIn October 1774\, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress ordered towns across the Colony to prepare for war with England. In response\, the Colony entered a wartime phase that included creating minute companies\, stockpiling arms\, ammunition\, and equipment\, and establishing a defense network ready to mobilize if the redcoats marched from Boston into the countryside. \nJoin historian Alexander Cain as he discusees the Colony’s response to the British threat of war and examines the Massachusetts militia and minuteman system\, with an emphasis on Sudbury on the eve of Lexington and Concord.
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/prepared-for-war-sudbury-and-the-massachusetts-militia-on-the-eve-of-lexington-and-concord/
LOCATION:Sudbury History Center and Museum\, Old Sudbury Road 288\, Sudbury\, Massachusetts\, 01776\, United States
CATEGORIES:Anniversary,Event,Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://massachusetts250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Cain-Lecture.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Sudbury Historical Society":MAILTO:info@sudbury01776.org
GEO:42.3826;-71.4107566
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Sudbury History Center and Museum Old Sudbury Road 288 Sudbury Massachusetts 01776 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=Old Sudbury Road 288:geo:-71.4107566,42.3826
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260718T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260718T140000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260326T215334Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T215334Z
UID:10007271-1784368800-1784383200@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:Reading and Celebration of the Declaration of Independence
DESCRIPTION:Join us as we celebrate the birth of our country with our community at the beautiful Greylock Glen Center\, situated at the base of Mount Greylock\, the tallest mountain in all of southern New England. Join other attendees while dressed in colonial era clothing.\nCommemorate and celebrate the birth of our country with our community through: \nReading the Declaration of Independence\nA 13 gun salute with the firing of a cannon\nDrum and fife band\nGames popular with children during the American Revolution\nColonial era cooking demonstration by the 18th Century Cook\nCommunity supper\nHandcrafted items offered for sale by local artisans\nFlags and copies of the Declaration of Independence will be handed out to attendees\nRaffle
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/reading-and-celebration-of-the-declaration-of-independence/
LOCATION:Greylock Glen Center\, Gould Road 165\, Adams\, Massachusetts\, 01220\, United States
CATEGORIES:Anniversary,Celebration,Event,Outdoors,Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://massachusetts250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/GreylockGlen.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="250 Celebration Committee of Adams and North Berkshire":MAILTO:info@250adams.com
GEO:42.6268519;-73.1436545
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Greylock Glen Center Gould Road 165 Adams Massachusetts 01220 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=Gould Road 165:geo:-73.1436545,42.6268519
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260719T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260719T170000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260608T181444Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260608T181444Z
UID:10013587-1784448000-1784480400@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:Printing Revolution
DESCRIPTION:Andy Volpe will present a slide lecture titled “Printing Revolution\,” which has a dual significance\, referring to both the printing press and the “Revolutionary” nature of what was printed. The program will concentrate on the events leading up to the American Revolution and the printing of the Declaration of Independence. It will also discuss the legal disputes between Colonial printers and England concerning the concepts of a Free Press and Freedom of Speech. After the presentation\, several replica prints\, including the Declaration\, will be displayed. The program lasts approximately 1 hour and is suitable for grades 5 and up\, adults\, and seniors.
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/printing-revolution/
LOCATION:1699 Isaac Winslow House\, 634 Careswell St\, Marshfield\, 02050\, United States
CATEGORIES:Event,Speakers
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://massachusetts250.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-06-at-5.59.11 PM.png
ORGANIZER;CN="Historic Winslow House Association":MAILTO:whaboard@winslowhouse.org
GEO:42.0713374;-70.6730523
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=1699 Isaac Winslow House 634 Careswell St Marshfield 02050 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=634 Careswell St:geo:-70.6730523,42.0713374
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260719T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260719T150000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260624T153937Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260624T153937Z
UID:10014473-1784462400-1784473200@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:Voices of Revolution | Groton's Legacy at Bunker Hill and Beyond
DESCRIPTION:Join Destination Groton and community partners for a special Massachusetts 250 event commemorating Groton’s role in the American Revolution and the Battle of Bunker Hill. The program begins with a Revolutionary War reenactment and living history presentation featuring the 6th Middlesex Regiment and the Concord Fife & Drum Corps. Afternoon speakers include historians\, authors\, and preservationists Joshua Vollmar\, Amelia McNutt\, Dr. Paul Staiti\, and Julie Hall\, who will explore the stories of Colonel William Prescott\, Massachusetts soldiers of the Revolution\, Revolutionary-era art and culture\, and the enduring legacy of Bunker Hill. The event concludes with a reception in the Conant Gallery. Admission is free and open to the public.
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/voices-of-revolution-grotons-legacy-at-bunker-hill-and-beyond/
LOCATION:Lawrence Adademy; Richardson-Mees Perfoming Arts Center\, Powderhouse Road 26\, Groton\, Massachusetts\, 01450\, United States
CATEGORIES:Reenactment,Speakers
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GEO:42.6051909;-71.5672721
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Lawrence Adademy; Richardson-Mees Perfoming Arts Center Powderhouse Road 26 Groton Massachusetts 01450 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=Powderhouse Road 26:geo:-71.5672721,42.6051909
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260719T133000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260719T173000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260526T163910Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260526T163910Z
UID:10010899-1784467800-1784482200@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:Newburyport 250 Declaration of Independence Day: The Die Is Cast
DESCRIPTION:Commemoration of the 250th anniversary of Newburyport’s first reading of the Declaration of Independence\, with readings\, music\, reenactors and more. \nThe Museum of Old Newbury\, in Newburyport\, MA\, in partnership with the Custom House Maritime Museum\, Lowell’s Boat Shop\, the First Religious Society\, Theater in the Open\, the City of Newburyport\, the Greater Newburyport Chamber of Commerce and many more community partners\, will present Newburyport 250 Declaration of Independence Day: The Die Is Cast on Sunday\, July 19\, 2026\, in Market Square\, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in Newburyport. \nSponsored in part by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) as part of the statewide MA250 campaign. \nAt a glance: \nWhat: A public commemoration of the 250th anniversary of Newburyport’s first reading of the Declaration of Independence\, with readings\, music\, reenactors\, family-friendly activities\, a waterfront salute by two schooners\, and more. \nWhen: Sunday\, July 19\, 2026; 1:45 p.m. procession\, 2:00 p.m. program \nWhere: Brown Square to Market Square\, with a stop at FRS UU Church\, followed by a waterfront observance and family friendly activities. \nIncludes: Community readings\, Revolutionary soldiers\, sailors\, and colonial-era townspeople\, ceremonial music and salutes\, the arrival of two schooners honored by privateers on board\, public access to the schooners until 5:30 p.m.\, and activities for families. \nOn July 19\, 1776\, the people of Newburyport assembled at the Meetinghouse then standing in Market Square to hear the Declaration of Independence read aloud for the first time. In the aftermath of that extraordinary moment\, patriot and future Senator Tristram Dalton wrote to Elbridge Gerry\, “The die is cast. All is at stake. The way is made plain.” \nThat plain way was not peace\, comfort\, or certainty. It was sacrifice. War had already touched Newburyport for more than a year\, but the Declaration transformed resistance into resolve. It proclaimed before the world that Americans were entitled to “Life\, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness\,” and most Newburyporters were prepared to defend those rights at any cost. \nTwo hundred and fifty years later\, Newburyport will gather again to remember that turning point in the life of the town and the nation. The day will begin at 1:45 p.m. with a procession from Brown Square to Market Square\, including a stop at FRS UU Church\, before the public commemoration begins at 2:00 p.m. in the heart of downtown. This anniversary observance invites the public to stand where earlier generations stood and to hear once more the words that changed the course of our history. \nThe program will bring together neighbors and friends\, past and present\, along with Revolutionary soldiers\, sailors\, colonial-era townsfolk\, and special guests\, for a public reading of the Declaration of Independence. With music\, salutes\, and ceremonial observances\, the event will honor those who\, in 1776\, pledged to each other their “Lives\, Fortunes\, and sacred Honor” in the defense of liberty. \nFollowing the Market Square program\, participants will proceed to the waterfront to greet the arrival of the Schooner Ardelle and the Schooner Isabella. There\, the commemoration will continue with salutes by privateers on board\, recalling the maritime world in which Newburyport lived\, fought\, and sacrificed during the Revolution. The schooners will remain in port and available to the public until 5:30 p.m. \nAs the nation marks the 250th anniversary of American independence\, Newburyport 250 Declaration of Independence Day: The Die Is Cast offers a chance not only to remember the past\, but to renew a shared civic promise. It is a day to reflect on the cost of freedom\, the courage of those who declared it\, and the enduring obligation to defend the rights and principles for which they risked everything. \nEvent is free\, donations appreciated!
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/newburyport-250-declaration-of-independence-day-the-die-is-cast/
LOCATION:Brown Square Newburyport\, MA 01950\, Brown Square\, Newburyport\, MA\, 01950\, United States
CATEGORIES:Anniversary,Celebration,Commemoration,Event,Outdoors,Reenactment,Speakers
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ORGANIZER;CN="Museum of Old Newbury":MAILTO:info@newburyhistory.org
GEO:42.8109002;-70.873384
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Brown Square Newburyport MA 01950 Brown Square Newburyport MA 01950 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=Brown Square:geo:-70.873384,42.8109002
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260722T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260722T123000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260616T142749Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260616T142749Z
UID:10014088-1784718000-1784723400@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:American Stories: Rebels and Revolutionaries of the Berkshires
DESCRIPTION:History & Art Series: This summer when America is celebrating its 250th anniversary\, join us for this historical and civic education program to learn how the Berkshires played a pivotal role in the founding of our nation. \n“American Stories: Rebels and Revolutionaries of the Berkshires” examines the history of the American Revolution and its reverberating echoes in the region\, nation\, and world by highlighting the fascinating but complicated biographies of Berkshire County residents who impacted American history and culture from the late 1700s onward. \nSign up for the entire series of five classes held at the Norman Rockwell Museum. Each class will begin in the galleries of Norman Rockwell Museum’s “American Stories: Revolution to Rockwell” with a discussion of a work on view that connects to the theme of that day’s class. \nCourse Instructor: Justin F. Jackson is a lecturer and visiting scholar at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst \nClasses and lectures include: \n1) “Declarations of Independence”: Theodore Sedgwick\, the Sheffield Resolves\, and the Rise of Protest in the Berkshires \n2) “Our America”: Daniel Nimham\, the Stockbridge Mohicans\, and the Revolution’s “Missing Indians” \n3) “I Am\, Amen”: Black Freedom Struggles in the Berkshires\, from Agrippa Hull and Elizabeth Freeman to Samuel Harrison and W.E.B. Du Bois \n4) “Do Unto Others”: Rev. Thomas Allen\, Shays’s Rebellion\, and a Sovereign People’s Constitutions in Massachusetts and America \n5) “The Real Thing”: Herman Melville\, the Magic of Memory\, and Representing the American Dream \nAbout Justin F. Jackson\nJustin F. Jackson is a lecturer and visiting scholar at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst\, where he teaches US history\, and the history of Boston and Massachusetts. The Berkshire Eagle is publishing his monthly column\, “Revolution: Berkshires\,” on the American Revolution’s local history in the run-up to the semi-sesquicentennial in July 2026. A scholar of US foreign relations history\, he is author of The Work of Empire: War\, Occupation\, and the Making of American Colonialism in Cuba and the Philippines (University of North Carolina Press\, 2025). His next book\, “Cherry Cottage: Between Ruin and Restoration\, America’s History Retold through a Berkshire Home\,” explores how a preserved Stockbridge home produced Americans’ sense of the past\, and nation\, through place.
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/american-stories-rebels-and-revolutionaries-of-the-berkshires/2026-07-22/
LOCATION:Norman Rockwell Museum\, Glendale Road 9\, Stockbridge\, Massachusetts\, 01262\, United States
CATEGORIES:Black History,Event,Exhibit,Indigenous History,Speakers
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GEO:42.2892564;-73.3405966
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Norman Rockwell Museum Glendale Road 9 Stockbridge Massachusetts 01262 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=Glendale Road 9:geo:-73.3405966,42.2892564
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260722T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260722T203000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260608T180038Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260608T180038Z
UID:10013588-1784746800-1784752200@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:Drums in the Revolution and Early Republic: Sounds and Symbols of Patriotism
DESCRIPTION:During the American Revolution and Early Republic\, drums were crucial for military communication\, discipline\, and morale\, serving as the “soundtrack” of the war by conveying orders over the chaos of battle. Rope-tension drums\, typically played by young boys\, emerged as lasting symbols of patriotism\, often decorated with eagles and national colors. \nStephen O’Neill serves as the Executive Director of the Hanover Historical Society and is also the Director of the Dyer Memorial Library in Abington. In 2017\, he curated the “Historic American Drums” exhibit at the Hanover Historical Society\, featuring drums from the early 18th century to the present.
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/drums-in-the-revolution-and-early-republic-sounds-and-symbols-of-patriotism/
LOCATION:1699 Isaac Winslow House\, 634 Careswell St\, Marshfield\, 02050\, United States
CATEGORIES:Event,Speakers
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ORGANIZER;CN="Historic Winslow House Association":MAILTO:whaboard@winslowhouse.org
GEO:42.0713374;-70.6730523
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=1699 Isaac Winslow House 634 Careswell St Marshfield 02050 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=634 Careswell St:geo:-70.6730523,42.0713374
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260723T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260723T200000
DTSTAMP:20260624T153111
CREATED:20260505T144852Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260505T144852Z
UID:10010303-1784831400-1784836800@massachusetts250.org
SUMMARY:Walt Whitman’s American Dream
DESCRIPTION:As the country celebrates its 250th Anniversary\, enjoy a staged reading and discussion of the new play Walt Whitman’s American Dream by Sarah Vander Schaaff\, directed by Brendon Fox\, Artistic Director of the renowned Peterborough Players. A juicy biopic\, the play stirs the bigger questions still at the heart of our experience; the ensemble of characters includes Concord’s own\, Ralph Waldo Emerson. This is a rare chance to see this play as it makes its way across the country. In Partnership with Whitman Crossing and Peterborough Players.  \nJoin us starting at 6:30pm for a reception outside in the courtyard before the performance. Drinks at the reception are included in the tickets.  \n$15 Members | $25 Non-Members
URL:https://massachusetts250.org/event/walt-whitmans-american-dream/
LOCATION:Concord Museum\, 53 Cambridge Turnpike\, Concord\, MA\, 01742\, United States
CATEGORIES:Drama,Event,Speakers
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GEO:42.457529;-71.3417985
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Concord Museum 53 Cambridge Turnpike Concord MA 01742 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=53 Cambridge Turnpike:geo:-71.3417985,42.457529
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END:VCALENDAR