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Boston Public Library Receives $1 Million Donation

September 5, 1947
September 5, 1947

Boston Public Library Receives $1 Million Donation

On this day in 1947, self-made millionaire John Deferrari donated over $1,000,000 to the Boston Public Library to express his gratitude to the institution he credited with his success. The son of poor Italian immigrants,...

First CCC Enrollees Arrive at Ft. Devens

April 13, 1933
April 13, 1933

First CCC Enrollees Arrive at Ft. Devens

On this day in 1933, the first enrollees of the Massachusetts Civilian Conservation Corps arrived at Fort Devens in Ayer. They were soldiers in a peacetime army that, in the words of the men who...

African Meeting House Opens

December 4, 1806
December 4, 1806

African Meeting House Opens

On this day in 1806, the Reverend Thomas Paul was installed as pastor of the new African Meeting House in Boston. Two days later, the church was officially dedicated. The Meeting House served as a...

Alice Freeman and George Palmer Marry

December 23, 1887
December 23, 1887

Alice Freeman and George Palmer Marry

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...

Globe Publishes First Edition

March 4, 1872
March 4, 1872

Globe Publishes First Edition

On this day in 1872, a brand-new newspaper hit the streets of Boston. Costing four cents, the Globe had twice the number of pages as most competitors for the same price. But even at a...

Architect Charles Bulfinch Obtains Mortgage

December 18, 1794
December 18, 1794

Architect Charles Bulfinch Obtains Mortgage

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,...

Legislature Guarantees Access to Public Schools

March 25, 1845
March 25, 1845

Legislature Guarantees Access to Public Schools

On this day in 1845, the Massachusetts legislature guaranteed that every child in the state would have access to a public school. One source of pressure on the lawmakers was a petition submitted by a...

Office to Help Freed Slaves Opens in Worcester

September 27, 1867
September 27, 1867

Office to Help Freed Slaves Opens in Worcester

On this day in 1867, a Worcester newspaper announced that "in accordance with the desire of a number of citizens," a freedmens' office would be established to make it easy for white employers to hire...

Composer Stravinsky Visits Gropius House in Lincoln

May 2, 1940
May 2, 1940

Composer Stravinsky Visits Gropius House in Lincoln

On this day in 1940, the German-born architect Walter Gropius and his wife Ise opened their new home in Lincoln to some old friends — the great composer Igor Stravinsky and his wife Vera. Gropius...

John Quincy Adams Returns to Paris

August 9, 1783
August 9, 1783

John Quincy Adams Returns to Paris

On this day in 1783 John Quincy Adams traveled from Holland to Paris with his father, John Adams. The senior Adams was involved in negotiating a peace treaty with Great Britain. On September 3rd, the...

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