MA250

The Road to Revolution: Massachusetts and the Independence Movement
2026-09-16 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-09-17 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-09-18 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-09-19 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-09-20 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-09-21 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-09-22 10:00 - 17:00, 2026-09-23 10:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) and 2 more dates | Old State House, 206 Washington St, Boston, MA, 02109, United States
Explore major Massachusetts events in the first year of the American Revolution at the Old State House, where protest turned into action and the momentum for independence accelerated. Created through a partnership between Revolutionary Spaces and the Massachusetts Historical Society, The Road to Revolution: Massachusetts and the Independence Movement invites visitors to step into 1775 and 1776—a moment defined by uncertainty, debate, and decisions that would reshape the world.

AudaTours Stoneham Audio Tour: Timeless Tales of Historic Pride and Heritage
2026-09-16 12:00 - 14:00, 2026-09-17 12:00 - 14:00, 2026-09-18 12:00 - 14:00, 2026-09-19 12:00 - 14:00, 2026-09-20 12:00 - 14:00, 2026-09-21 12:00 - 14:00, 2026-09-22 12:00 - 14:00, 2026-09-23 12:00 - 14:00 and 1 more date | Nobility Hill Historic District, Stoneham, Massachusetts, 02180, United States
In Stoneham, the shadows of colonial fires and twentieth-century neon flicker side by side. Few realize how many secrets linger behind these iconic facades.
This self-guided audio tour leads straight through the city’s untold stories. Encounter corners and chapters that even locals walk past, and let carefully crafted tales reveal what hides beneath the ordinary.
Why did a quiet night at the Bernard Cogan House erupt into controversy that changed a neighborhood? Who vanished beneath the glowing beacon of Stoneham’s eerily beautiful gas station? What explains the perfectly preserved pencil marks under the Warren Sweetser House staircase?
Move between centuries as you cross storied main streets and hidden lanes. Each step peels back another layer of rebellion, ambition, and intrigue, letting Stoneham rise up around you as never before.
Tap play and see how deep Stoneham’s shadows can stretch. The secrets are waiting.

1776: Declaring Independence
2026-09-17 09:30 - 16:00, 2026-09-18 09:30 - 16:00, 2026-09-19 09:30 - 16:00, 2026-09-21 09:30 - 16:00, 2026-09-22 09:30 - 16:00, 2026-09-23 09:30 - 16:00, 2026-09-24 09:30 - 16:00, 2026-09-25 09:30 - 16:00 | Massachusetts Historical Society, Boylston Street 1154, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States
Featuring manuscripts, artifacts, and rarely seen treasures, this exhibition captures a monumental moment in American history.
In 1776, people grappled with ideas of liberty, loyalty, and the role of government in society. Private letters, intimate diaries, and newspaper accounts reveal how the Declaration of Independence grew from draft to founding document. 1776: Declaring Independence spotlights handwritten copies of the Declaration by John Adams and Thomas Jefferson as well as multiple early printings, including a rare Dunlap broadside. On and off the page, we explore how it echoed across the commonwealth and around the world, reshaping the colonists’ chances of launching a new nation. How did the Declaration change Americans’ quest for liberty, then and now? We invite visitors to trace the Declaration’s complex legacy as a national beacon for celebration and protest.
Check here for closures and more admission information: https://www.masshist.org/visit/hours-and-admission

Our Founding Mothers and Fathers: More Revolutionary War Connections to the Salem Witch Trials
2026-09-17 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual Program, North Washington Square 19 1/2, Salem, MA, 01970, United States
Each year we meet hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals who can trace their family line back to the Salem witch trials. We often tell visitors that the English colonists of 1692 were the founding fathers and mothers of our country. They were themselves descended from the earliest settlers, who were establishing a new country and took the biblical instruction “be fruitful and multiply” to heart.
It is fascinating to consider the many connections between the Salem witch trials and the Revolutionary War generation, particularly the one most often referred to as our “Founding Fathers.” Part II of our Rev250 lecture series will focus on four more notable connections, including witchcraft skeptic Robert Calef, Ipswich court clerk Thomas Wade, condemned witch Mary Bradbury, and accuser Bathsheba Pope.
Join us on Thursday, September 17th at 1:00 pm for this free, virtual program. Registration is required for this event.

Vineyard Preservation Trust Walking Tour: Independence on Foot
2026-09-18 14:00 - 2026-12-05 14:30, 2026-09-19 14:00 - 2026-12-06 14:30 | Vincent House, Main Street 99, Edgartown, Massachusetts, 02539, United States
Meet historian Norah Van Riper in Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard, for Independence on Foot, a spirited walking tour exploring Martha’s Vineyard’s revolutionary past. Beginning at the Vincent House Museum, this 90-minute walking tour connects Edgartown sites, stories, and civic ideals – bringing the Island’s role in the American Revolution and its independent spirit to life. Participating families receive a President’s for Kids activity book.
