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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...

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...

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...

Memorial to Anne Bradstreet Dedicated

September 12, 2000
September 12, 2000

Memorial to Anne Bradstreet Dedicated

On this day in 2000, several North Shore communities were celebrating "Anne Bradstreet Week" to mark the 350th anniversary of the publication of her work. A reenactment commemorated her arrival in Salem in 1630. Events...

Ted Williams Bats for the Last Time

September 28, 1960
September 28, 1960

Ted Williams Bats for the Last Time

On this day in 1960, Ted Williams thrilled the fans at Fenway by hitting a dramatic homer at his last at-bat in his 21-year career with the Boston Red Sox. A complicated man and brilliant...

WW II Sends Record Number of Bay State Women to Work

December 7, 1941
December 7, 1941

WW II Sends Record Number of Bay State Women to Work

On this day in 1941, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor launched the people of Massachusetts into World War II — and out of the Depression. The state's industrial cities and shipyards sprang back to...

Fans Celebrate John L. Sullivan

August 18, 1887
August 18, 1887

Fans Celebrate John L. Sullivan

On this day in 1887, thousands of adoring hometown fans flocked to Nantasket Beach in Hull to glimpse Boston-born John L. Sullivan, the Heavyweight Champion of the World, and the diamond-studded, gold-plated belt he was...

U.S. Hockey Team Wins Olympic Gold

February 24, 1980
February 24, 1980

U.S. Hockey Team Wins Olympic Gold

On this day in 1980, the U.S. hockey team beat Finland to win the Gold Medal at the Lake Placid Olympics. What really captured the country's imagination occurred two days earlier in the semi-finals. The...

Quincy Shipyard Launches First Nuclear Powered Cruiser

July 14, 1959
July 14, 1959

Quincy Shipyard Launches First Nuclear Powered Cruiser

On this day in 1959, the nation's first nuclear-powered cruiser was launched from Fore River Shipyard in Quincy. With its deep and sheltered harbor, Quincy was an ideal site for shipbuilding. Men had been building...

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