http://www.massmoments.org/ A daily almanac of Massachusetts history 1440 Copyright 2006 Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities TheOtherRoom.com CFML RSS Generator Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:00:00 EST en-us Visitors of Mass Moments--a daily almanac of Massachusetts history--can learn more about the Moments presented on the radio, see images and illustrations, read a primary source document, and get suggestions of links to follow and places to visit. Additionally, they can view a timeline to see when a given Moment occurred, and where applicable, a map to see where it happened. Visitors are invited to comment or ask questions about a Moment on our message board, thus providing an on-line community where Bay State history enthusiasts can meet and discuss our past. They can sign up to receive Mass Moments daily in their email, and if they post a question to the message board, they can be notified when someone has responded. Past Moments (those posted since January 1, 2005) are searchable, by key words, subject, time period, and region. A daily almanac of Massachusetts history. Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities Massachusetts almanac, radio program, eMoment, eMoments, Massachusetts history, Bay State, Western Mass, MA, Eastern Mass, Boston, Mass Moments, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, daily history, this day in history, today's history, today in history no http://www.massmoments.org/rss/images/mass_moments_75.jpg http://www.massmoments.org/ info@massmoments.org Massachusetts Foundation for the Humanities http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=380 31 Dec 2012 04:00:00 EST http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=380 no 0:01:00 xxxxxxxxxxxxx: December 31, 1984 http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=378 31 Dec 2012 04:00:00 EST http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=378 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx no 0:01:00 xxxxxxxxxxxxx: December 31, 1984 http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=379 31 Dec 2012 04:00:00 EST http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=379 no 0:01:00 xxxxxxxxxxxxx: December 31, 1984 http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=381 31 Dec 2012 04:00:00 EST http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=381 no 0:01:00 xxxxxxxxxxxxx: December 31, 1984 http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=383 31 Dec 2012 04:00:00 EST http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=383 no 0:01:00 xxxxxxxxxxxxx: December 31, 1984 http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=382 31 Dec 2012 04:00:00 EST http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=382 no 0:01:00 xxxxxxxxxxxxx: December 31, 1984 http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=375 On this day, New Year's Eve 1862, William Lloyd Garrison, publisher of the abolitionist paper The Liberator, delayed printing the latest edition as he waited for news from Washington. At midnight, his son and daughter joined black worshipers in hopeful prayer at the AME Church on Beacon Hill. The next day, thousands of abolitionists gathered at the Music Hall and the Tremont Temple in Boston, hoping they would have cause to celebrate. At dusk, the wire finally came from Washington: President Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation. The crowds erupted in cheers. Garrison described the proclamation as "momentous" and continued publishing The Liberator until December 1865, when the 13th Amendment was ratified and all enslaved African Americans were set free. ]]> 31 Dec 2012 04:00:00 EST http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=375 On this day, New Year's Eve 1862, William Lloyd Garrison, publisher of the abolitionist paper The Liberator, delayed printing the latest edition as he waited for news from Washington. At midnight, his son and daughter joined black worshipers in hopeful prayer at the AME Church on Beacon Hill. The next day, thousands of abolitionists gathered at the Music Hall and the Tremont Temple in Boston, hoping they would have cause to celebrate. At dusk, the wire finally came from Washington: President Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation. The crowds erupted in cheers. Garrison described the proclamation as "momentous" and continued publishing The Liberator until December 1865, when the 13th Amendment was ratified and all enslaved African Americans were set free. no 0:01:00 Boston Abolitionists Await Emancipation Proclamation: December 31, 1862 http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=374 On this day in 1841, the Shakers in Harvard reported a spiritual visit by their long-dead founder Mother Ann, "Holy Angels," and "ancient Saints and departed spirits." Shaker communities across New England were receiving such strange manifestations, called "Mother Ann's Work." This brief period of intense spiritualism peaked in the early 1840s, as Shakers reported spiritual visits from prophets, Indians, and historical figures such as Napoleon and Washington. These visitations inspired unusual songs, dances, and art. After 1845, the spiritual intensity of Mother Ann's Work began to wane; by the end of the decade, this remarkable period in Shaker history had closed. ]]> 30 Dec 2012 04:00:00 EST http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=374 On this day in 1841, the Shakers in Harvard reported a spiritual visit by their long-dead founder Mother Ann, "Holy Angels," and "ancient Saints and departed spirits." Shaker communities across New England were receiving such strange manifestations, called "Mother Ann's Work." This brief period of intense spiritualism peaked in the early 1840s, as Shakers reported spiritual visits from prophets, Indians, and historical figures such as Napoleon and Washington. These visitations inspired unusual songs, dances, and art. After 1845, the spiritual intensity of Mother Ann's Work began to wane; by the end of the decade, this remarkable period in Shaker history had closed. no 0:01:00 Harvard Shakers Record Spiritual Visit: December 30, 1841 http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=373 On this day in 1918, Louis B. Mayer traveled from his Boston office to New York City for the premiere of his first movie release, the silent film Virtuous Wives. A decade earlier, Mayer had opened his first movie theater in Haverhill, which he quickly built into one of the earliest and the largest theater chains in New England. He soon branched into movie distribution, and with his growing fortune, the former Chelsea scrap metal dealer moved his family from their Haverhill apartment to a Brookline estate. But Mayer's dream was to make his own movies. Virtuous Wives marked his entrance into movie production, and his exit from Massachusetts. Within months, he had moved to Hollywood, where Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer would soon become one of the world's leading motion picture studios. ]]> 29 Dec 2012 04:00:00 EST http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=373 On this day in 1918, Louis B. Mayer traveled from his Boston office to New York City for the premiere of his first movie release, the silent film Virtuous Wives. A decade earlier, Mayer had opened his first movie theater in Haverhill, which he quickly built into one of the earliest and the largest theater chains in New England. He soon branched into movie distribution, and with his growing fortune, the former Chelsea scrap metal dealer moved his family from their Haverhill apartment to a Brookline estate. But Mayer's dream was to make his own movies. Virtuous Wives marked his entrance into movie production, and his exit from Massachusetts. Within months, he had moved to Hollywood, where Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer would soon become one of the world's leading motion picture studios. no 0:01:00 Boston Movie Mogul Releases First Movie: December 29, 1918 http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=372 On this day in 1630, the Massachusetts Bay Colony proprietors chose a site along the northern bank of the Charles River for their capital. They named it Newtowne, and laid out an orderly grid of streets fortified by a wooden palisade. It was the first planned town in English North America. Six years later, the colony's first college was established in Newtowne. In honor of the English university town, Newtowne was renamed Cambridge. Contemporary William Wood noted "this is one of the neatest . . . towns in New England, having many fair structures with many handsome . . . seats." Despite its well-ordered appearance, Cambridge did not remain the colony's capital. In 1638 the General Court settled five miles downstream, in the neighboring town of Boston. ]]> 28 Dec 2012 04:00:00 EST http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=372 On this day in 1630, the Massachusetts Bay Colony proprietors chose a site along the northern bank of the Charles River for their capital. They named it Newtowne, and laid out an orderly grid of streets fortified by a wooden palisade. It was the first planned town in English North America. Six years later, the colony's first college was established in Newtowne. In honor of the English university town, Newtowne was renamed Cambridge. Contemporary William Wood noted "this is one of the neatest . . . towns in New England, having many fair structures with many handsome . . . seats." Despite its well-ordered appearance, Cambridge did not remain the colony's capital. In 1638 the General Court settled five miles downstream, in the neighboring town of Boston. no 0:01:00 Site for Cambridge Selected: December 28, 1630 http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=371 On this day in 1934, Isabel and Monroe Smith opened the first U.S. youth hostel in Northfield. The young couple had discovered hosteling during a trip to Europe and had become devoted disciples of the German founder of the movement, Richard Schirrmann. Hoping to spread the popular European practice of providing inexpensive lodgings to young folk as they explored the world, the Smiths quickly built a New England network of hostels. They traveled the U.S., introducing the principles of youth hosteling. Although they believed they would foster intercultural understanding and community, the Smiths encountered stiff resistance from those who feared that they were secretly associated with the Nazis. Public officials and corporations withdrew their support, but the Smiths persisted and the hostel movement in the U.S. took root. ]]> 27 Dec 2012 04:00:00 EST http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=371 On this day in 1934, Isabel and Monroe Smith opened the first U.S. youth hostel in Northfield. The young couple had discovered hosteling during a trip to Europe and had become devoted disciples of the German founder of the movement, Richard Schirrmann. Hoping to spread the popular European practice of providing inexpensive lodgings to young folk as they explored the world, the Smiths quickly built a New England network of hostels. They traveled the U.S., introducing the principles of youth hosteling. Although they believed they would foster intercultural understanding and community, the Smiths encountered stiff resistance from those who feared that they were secretly associated with the Nazis. Public officials and corporations withdrew their support, but the Smiths persisted and the hostel movement in the U.S. took root. no 0:01:00 Northfield Couple Launches U.S. Youth Hostel Movement: December 27, 1934 http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=370 On this day in 1853, the Great Republic burned to the waterline in New York harbor the day before she was to set sail on her maiden voyage. Built by Donald McKay, the man most closely identified with the famous clipper ships of the mid-nineteenth century, the Great Republic was the largest wooden merchant sailing vessel ever built in the U.S. Clipper ships are thought by many to be the most beautiful of all sailing vessels; they were also the fastest, able to reach speeds of 20 knots. The clipper ship era passed quickly, like the ships themselves, but not before the best of McKay's vessels, built at his shipyard in East Boston, had set speed records that have never been broken. ]]> 26 Dec 2012 04:00:00 EST http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=370 On this day in 1853, the Great Republic burned to the waterline in New York harbor the day before she was to set sail on her maiden voyage. Built by Donald McKay, the man most closely identified with the famous clipper ships of the mid-nineteenth century, the Great Republic was the largest wooden merchant sailing vessel ever built in the U.S. Clipper ships are thought by many to be the most beautiful of all sailing vessels; they were also the fastest, able to reach speeds of 20 knots. The clipper ship era passed quickly, like the ships themselves, but not before the best of McKay's vessels, built at his shipyard in East Boston, had set speed records that have never been broken. no 0:01:00 The Great Republic Burns: December 26, 1853 http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=369 On this day in 1659, a law was passed by the General Court of Massachusetts Bay Colony requiring a five-shilling fine from anyone caught "observing any such day as Christmas or the like, either by forbearing of labor, feasting, or any other way." Christmas Day was deemed by the Puritans to be a time of seasonal excess with no Biblical authority. The law was repealed in 1681 along with several other laws, under pressure from the government in London. It was not until 1856 that Christmas Day became a state holiday in Massachusetts. For two centuries preceding that date, the observance of Christmas -- or lack thereof -- represented a cultural tug of war between Puritan ideals and British tradition. ]]> 25 Dec 2012 04:00:00 EST http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=369 On this day in 1659, a law was passed by the General Court of Massachusetts Bay Colony requiring a five-shilling fine from anyone caught "observing any such day as Christmas or the like, either by forbearing of labor, feasting, or any other way." Christmas Day was deemed by the Puritans to be a time of seasonal excess with no Biblical authority. The law was repealed in 1681 along with several other laws, under pressure from the government in London. It was not until 1856 that Christmas Day became a state holiday in Massachusetts. For two centuries preceding that date, the observance of Christmas -- or lack thereof -- represented a cultural tug of war between Puritan ideals and British tradition. no 0:01:00 Christmas Celebration Outlawed: December 25, 1659 http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=368 On this day in 1991, the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority ended an age-old practice of dumping sewer sludge directly into Boston Harbor. Proponents of the Boston Harbor Project celebrated this milestone in an 11-year, $3.6 billion effort to clean up the nation's dirtiest harbor. It had taken several centuries for Boston's harbor to reach its nadir as a "Harbor of Shame." Conservation activists had feared it might take just as long for various government agencies to agree on how to address the problem. But in the early 1980s, two landmark lawsuits produced a timeline for a mandated solution to be paid for by water bill surcharges. The Boston Harbor Project is now an international model of environmental restoration. ]]> 24 Dec 2012 04:00:00 EST http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=368 On this day in 1991, the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority ended an age-old practice of dumping sewer sludge directly into Boston Harbor. Proponents of the Boston Harbor Project celebrated this milestone in an 11-year, $3.6 billion effort to clean up the nation's dirtiest harbor. It had taken several centuries for Boston's harbor to reach its nadir as a "Harbor of Shame." Conservation activists had feared it might take just as long for various government agencies to agree on how to address the problem. But in the early 1980s, two landmark lawsuits produced a timeline for a mandated solution to be paid for by water bill surcharges. The Boston Harbor Project is now an international model of environmental restoration. no 0:01:00 Boston Ends Discharge of Sewer Sludge into Harbor: December 24, 1991 http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=367 On this day in 1887, Alice Freeman, charismatic president of Wellesley College, wed Harvard professor George Palmer, to the consternation of many Boston intellectuals. In her six years as president, Freeman had transformed the fledgling school from one devoted to Christian domesticity into one of the nation's premier colleges for women. Bright, charming, dedicated, and a gifted administrator, Freeman was considered a model of the "New Woman." But when she married, Alice Freeman bowed to Palmer's desire that she resign her presidency. Friends and colleagues felt betrayed. But the Palmers shared equally in domestic and professional responsibilities, and eventually Alice Freeman Palmer served as the first dean of women at the new, coeducational University of Chicago. ]]> 23 Dec 2012 04:00:00 EST http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=367 On this day in 1887, Alice Freeman, charismatic president of Wellesley College, wed Harvard professor George Palmer, to the consternation of many Boston intellectuals. In her six years as president, Freeman had transformed the fledgling school from one devoted to Christian domesticity into one of the nation's premier colleges for women. Bright, charming, dedicated, and a gifted administrator, Freeman was considered a model of the "New Woman." But when she married, Alice Freeman bowed to Palmer's desire that she resign her presidency. Friends and colleagues felt betrayed. But the Palmers shared equally in domestic and professional responsibilities, and eventually Alice Freeman Palmer served as the first dean of women at the new, coeducational University of Chicago. no 0:01:00 Alice Freeman and George Palmer Marry: December 23, 1887 http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=366 On this day in 1865, Governor John Andrew officially received the battered regimental colors of Massachusetts units of the Union Army in a solemn State House ceremony called "The Return of the Flags." It had been customary since revolutionary days for the governor to present each regiment about to leave for battle with its own distinctive flag, a symbol of the regiment's honor. The units carried their colors into battle, and since the 1865 ceremony, every Massachusetts regiment returning from war has presented its flag to the governor. That historic collection of over 100 flags adorns the Hall of Flags in the State House, a memorial to all Massachusetts soldiers. ]]> 22 Dec 2012 04:00:00 EST http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=366 On this day in 1865, Governor John Andrew officially received the battered regimental colors of Massachusetts units of the Union Army in a solemn State House ceremony called "The Return of the Flags." It had been customary since revolutionary days for the governor to present each regiment about to leave for battle with its own distinctive flag, a symbol of the regiment's honor. The units carried their colors into battle, and since the 1865 ceremony, every Massachusetts regiment returning from war has presented its flag to the governor. That historic collection of over 100 flags adorns the Hall of Flags in the State House, a memorial to all Massachusetts soldiers. no 0:01:00 State House Celebrates "Return of the Colors": December 22, 1865 http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=365 On this day in 1891, the first game of basketball was played at what is now Springfield College. The game was invented by a Canadian, Dr. James Naismith, a versatile athlete, theologian, and physical education instructor, who envisioned "the time when Christian people would recognize the true value of athletics." He designed basketball to occupy a class of disagreeable male students at the Springfield YMCA, who were bored with the calisthenics and children's games in their gym class. The game attracted players and fans almost immediately. By 1936, basketball was included among the sports at the Olympic Games and is now played in 170 countries. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame opened in Springfield in 1968. ]]> 21 Dec 2012 04:00:00 EST http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=365 On this day in 1891, the first game of basketball was played at what is now Springfield College. The game was invented by a Canadian, Dr. James Naismith, a versatile athlete, theologian, and physical education instructor, who envisioned "the time when Christian people would recognize the true value of athletics." He designed basketball to occupy a class of disagreeable male students at the Springfield YMCA, who were bored with the calisthenics and children's games in their gym class. The game attracted players and fans almost immediately. By 1936, basketball was included among the sports at the Olympic Games and is now played in 170 countries. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame opened in Springfield in 1968. no 0:01:00 First Game of Basketball Played in Springfield: December 21, 1891 http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=364 On this day in 1833, religious and social reformer Abner Kneeland printed a letter deemed so blasphemous by a Massachusetts court that it landed the former clergyman in jail. Kneeland capped 30 years of increasingly liberal religious preaching by declaring, "Universalists believe in a god . . . that . . . is nothing more than a chimera of their own imagination." He was tried, convicted of having libeled God, and sentenced to 60 days in jail. Freethinkers such as Emerson, Garrison, and Alcott rallied, unsuccessfully, to defend his freedom of speech. Massachusetts authorities were so embarrassed by the case that, even though the law against blasphemy remains on the books, no one in the state has ever again been convicted of that offense. ]]> 20 Dec 2012 04:00:00 EST http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=364 On this day in 1833, religious and social reformer Abner Kneeland printed a letter deemed so blasphemous by a Massachusetts court that it landed the former clergyman in jail. Kneeland capped 30 years of increasingly liberal religious preaching by declaring, "Universalists believe in a god . . . that . . . is nothing more than a chimera of their own imagination." He was tried, convicted of having libeled God, and sentenced to 60 days in jail. Freethinkers such as Emerson, Garrison, and Alcott rallied, unsuccessfully, to defend his freedom of speech. Massachusetts authorities were so embarrassed by the case that, even though the law against blasphemy remains on the books, no one in the state has ever again been convicted of that offense. no 0:01:00 Abner Kneeland Prints Blasphemous Letter: December 20, 1833 http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=363 On this day in 1994, Boston-based rock band Aerosmith opened the Mama Kin Music Hall. In the shadow of Fenway Park, the Lansdowne Street facility enjoyed moderate success as a live music venue before the band sold its share of the business in 1999. Long after their 1970 debut gig at a Massachusetts high school, Aerosmith remains one of the more iconic representatives of modern American rock music. Despite early puritanical laws prohibiting music for secular purposes, Massachusetts has fostered some of the most innovative performers in American music history. The state is home to the oldest music conservatory in the country, the first female principal player in an American orchestra, and a rock star who is also a starting pitcher. ]]> 19 Dec 2012 04:00:00 EST http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=363 On this day in 1994, Boston-based rock band Aerosmith opened the Mama Kin Music Hall. In the shadow of Fenway Park, the Lansdowne Street facility enjoyed moderate success as a live music venue before the band sold its share of the business in 1999. Long after their 1970 debut gig at a Massachusetts high school, Aerosmith remains one of the more iconic representatives of modern American rock music. Despite early puritanical laws prohibiting music for secular purposes, Massachusetts has fostered some of the most innovative performers in American music history. The state is home to the oldest music conservatory in the country, the first female principal player in an American orchestra, and a rock star who is also a starting pitcher. no 0:01:00 Aerosmith Opens Lansdowne Street Music Hall: December 19, 1994 http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=362 On this day in 1794, Boston architect Charles Bulfinch obtained a mortgage for the house he had recently designed and built for his family. The 31-year-old Bulfinch had donated so many plans for city churches, monuments, and public buildings that the architect seemed to be single-handedly re-creating his hometown as a place of classical beauty. A bad investment eventually sent Bulfinch to debtors' prison. The city responded by offering him a salary; for the next 20 years Bulfinch served as a city administrator, planner, and master designer. Boston was the beneficiary of the nation's first native-born professional architect. "Bulfinch's Boston" includes the State House, India Wharf, and the Ether Dome at Massachusetts General Hospital. ]]> 18 Dec 2012 04:00:00 EST http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=362 On this day in 1794, Boston architect Charles Bulfinch obtained a mortgage for the house he had recently designed and built for his family. The 31-year-old Bulfinch had donated so many plans for city churches, monuments, and public buildings that the architect seemed to be single-handedly re-creating his hometown as a place of classical beauty. A bad investment eventually sent Bulfinch to debtors' prison. The city responded by offering him a salary; for the next 20 years Bulfinch served as a city administrator, planner, and master designer. Boston was the beneficiary of the nation's first native-born professional architect. "Bulfinch's Boston" includes the State House, India Wharf, and the Ether Dome at Massachusetts General Hospital. no 0:01:00 Architect Charles Bulfinch Obtains Mortgage: December 18, 1794 http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=361 On this day in 1927, a Navy submarine, S-4, and a Coast Guard cutter collided within sight of Provincetown. The cutter's bow sliced into the submarine's hull, sending it to the bottom of the bay within minutes. The Coast Guard and Navy immediately dispatched rescue ships and divers, but a growing nor'easter and treacherous underwater currents thwarted their attempts to rescue the six trapped survivors. By the time divers reached them again four days after the accident, all six had died. The failed rescue attempt got international media coverage, and an inquiry followed. To the outrage of many, only the captain of the submarine was held responsible for the tragedy. However, subsequent improvements in rescue equipment helped save lives in later sea disasters. ]]> 17 Dec 2012 04:00:00 EST http://www.massmoments.org/index.cfm?mid=361 On this day in 1927, a Navy submarine, S-4, and a Coast Guard cutter collided within sight of Provincetown. The cutter's bow sliced into the submarine's hull, sending it to the bottom of the bay within minutes. The Coast Guard and Navy immediately dispatched rescue ships and divers, but a growing nor'easter and treacherous underwater currents thwarted their attempts to rescue the six trapped survivors. By the time divers reached them again four days after the accident, all six had died. The failed rescue attempt got international media coverage, and an inquiry followed. To the outrage of many, only the captain of the submarine was held responsible for the tragedy. However, subsequent improvements in rescue equipment helped save lives in later sea disasters. no 0:01:00 Coast Guard Cutter Collides with Navy Submarine: December 17, 1927