Tour the site of the Great Salem Fire, October 6, 1774 with retired park ranger, Curtis White. The fire destroyed shops, a meeting-house, dwellings, and the Custom House. Was the fire a diversionary tactic to deter the arrest of Massachusetts delegates who met in defiance of the Massachusetts Government Act? The 1.25-mile walking tour will […]
Before Lexington and Concord, there was “Leslie’s Retreat” – a confrontation between Salem residents and British soldiers in February 1775. Essex Heritage and its partners are inviting the public and media members to learn about this historic event, which is part of ongoing efforts to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. On February […]
In October 1774, the Massachusetts Provincial Congress ordered the towns across the colony to prepare for war with England. In response, Essex County entered a wartime phase that included creating minute-man companies, stockpiling arms, ammunition, and equipment, and establishing a defense network ready to mobilize if the redcoats marched from Boston into the countryside. Join […]
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