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John Adams Dies

July 4, 1826
July 4, 1826

John Adams Dies

On this day in 1826, 50 years after the Declaration of Independence was adopted in Philadelphia, John Adams died at home in Braintree. One of the great men of the Revolutionary generation and the second...

Aerosmith Opens Lansdowne Street Music Hall

December 19, 1994
December 19, 1994

Aerosmith Opens Lansdowne Street Music Hall

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...

Marblehead Carved Out of Salem

May 6, 1635
May 6, 1635

Marblehead Carved Out of Salem

On this day in 1635, the General Court of Massachusetts Bay established the town of Marblehead on land that belonged to Salem. The move was meant to punish Salem for allowing Roger Williams to express...

First Students Arrive at Mt. Holyoke Seminary

November 8, 1837
November 8, 1837

First Students Arrive at Mt. Holyoke Seminary

On this day in 1837, 80 students arrived at Mount Holyoke Female Seminary in the Connecticut Valley village of South Hadley. Many had traveled for days to reach what would become the first of the...

Boston Ends Discharge of Sewer Sludge into Harbor

December 24, 1991
December 24, 1991

Boston Ends Discharge of Sewer Sludge into Harbor

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...

The "Big E" Incorporated

May 27, 1914
May 27, 1914

The "Big E" Incorporated

On this day in 1914, a group of western Massachusetts businessmen created a new organization, the Eastern States Agricultural and Industrial Exposition. Its purpose was to promote New England agriculture, which was in serious decline,...

UMass Plays in Final Four

March 30, 1996
March 30, 1996

UMass Plays in Final Four

On this day in 1996, the UMass Minutemen ended the winningest season in UMass basketball history. Coached by John Calipari and led by future NBA star Marcus Camby, the Minutemen racked up a 26 game...

Central Artery Project Announced

August 8, 1954
August 8, 1954

Central Artery Project Announced

On this day in 1954, The Boston Globe announced the opening of the first elevated expressway in the United States. Hailed as an engineering marvel and a model of urban planning, the Central Artery incorporated...

First Steamboat Passes Through South Hadley Canal

December 1, 1826
December 1, 1826

First Steamboat Passes Through South Hadley Canal

On this day in 1826, the Barnet, the first steamboat to operate on the Connecticut River, passed through the South Hadley Canal on its way to Vermont. For centuries, despite waterfalls along the way, New...

Revolutionary War Commander Artemas Ward Dies

October 28, 1800
October 28, 1800

Revolutionary War Commander Artemas Ward Dies

On this day in 1800, the man who commanded the ragtag American force that chased the British Regulars back to Boston following the battles of Lexington and Concord died at home in Shrewsbury. Trusted and...

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