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Quincy's Granite Industry Begins

November 16, 1825
November 16, 1825

Quincy's Granite Industry Begins

On this day in 1825, a Boston newspaper carried a notice seeking 9,000 tons of "the best Quincy granite" for the Bunker Hill Monument. This marked the beginning of the granite industry in Quincy. For...

Mayor Curley Jeopardizes Election

November 3, 1929
November 3, 1929

Mayor Curley Jeopardizes Election

On this day in 1929, James Michael Curley, heavily favored to win his third term as mayor of Boston, used a radio appearance to defame a school committee member who had spoken out against him....

"Good Will Hunting" Released

December 5, 1997
December 5, 1997

"Good Will Hunting" Released

On this day in 1997, Miramax released "Good Will Hunting," a movie about the collision of two Boston-area cultures: the heady, prestigious world of Cambridge academia and the proud but gritty working-class brotherhood of South...

Polaroid Wins Patent Suit Against Kodak

September 13, 1985
September 13, 1985

Polaroid Wins Patent Suit Against Kodak

On this day in 1985, Polaroid won a huge victory in federal court. A judge ruled that Kodak had violated Polaroid's patents for instant photography. The decision ended a nine-year legal struggle between the two...

Telephone Operators Strike

April 20, 1919
April 20, 1919

Telephone Operators Strike

On this day in 1919, striking telephone operators in Massachusetts won the right to negotiate with the New England Telephone Company. The young, single women who had flooded into the industry in the early 1900s...

Rockport Women Smash Liquor Barrels

July 8, 1856
July 8, 1856

Rockport Women Smash Liquor Barrels

On this day in 1856, 200 women, some of them wielding hatchets and ranging in age from 37 to 75, rampaged through the town of Rockport destroying every container of alcohol they could find. One...

Springfield Armory Closes

April 30, 1968
April 30, 1968

Springfield Armory Closes

On this day in 1968, there was great sadness in Springfield as the city's historic armory closed its doors after nearly two centuries as the leading producer of small arms for the American military. First...

Massachusetts Soldiers Threaten Mutiny

September 30, 1759
September 30, 1759

Massachusetts Soldiers Threaten Mutiny

On this day in 1759, a regiment of Massachusetts men serving in the French and Indian War began to talk of mutiny against their British commander. The colonel had decided not to release the volunteers...

Boston's Poor Riot Over Cost of Bread

May 19, 1713
May 19, 1713

Boston's Poor Riot Over Cost of Bread

On this day in 1713, more than 200 people rioted on Boston Common over the high price of bread. The lieutenant governor tried to intervene but was shot and wounded for his efforts. This was...

Coast Guard Cutter Collides with Navy Submarine

December 17, 1927
December 17, 1927

Coast Guard Cutter Collides with Navy Submarine

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...

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