History

Press leaks nothing new

adamg — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 10:25:28 -0500

J.L. Bell takes a look at press leaks in pre-Revolutionary Boston:

... The legal challenge to writs of assistance came in the midst of a feud between two Customs officials in Boston, Collector Benjamin Barons and Surveyor Charles Paxton. Both men slipped documents embarrassing to the other side into sympathetic newspapers. ...

Yuppies move next to Navy Yard, try to silence USS Constitution cannons

adamg — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:20:09 -0500

The Herald reports. Hmm, maybe they moved to Charlestown to get away from the noise at the South Street Diner.

Read more

Washington slept here, Marblehead edition

adamg — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:37:26 -0400

Chris Klein follows the president on his trip to Marblehead.

The president came to Boston after a stop in Cambridge

adamg — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 17:38:37 -0400

Washington, that is, not Obama - 220 years ago today:

... It seemed as if the whole town had turned out to greet Washington - with one notable exception. Governor John Hancock was not to be found among the dignitaries welcoming the president to the state capital, and he did not call upon him at his lodging. Apparently Hancock hadn’t brushed up on his Emily Post because, according to some accounts, he believed protocol dictated the president should pay the first call. ...

Rebelling against vaccinations

adamg — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:18:57 -0400

J.L. Bell proves what's old is new again, with a post on pre-Revolutionary fervor against vaccinations - for smallpox. In fact, anti-vacciners burned down a Marblehead hospital that was providing vaccinations - and when they were arrested, several hundred of their supporters beat back the local militia to spring them from jail.

Read more

Sleeping with the farmer's daughter in Revolutionary Massachusetts

adamg — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:06:18 -0400

Apparently it was the thing to do, even if you were a British officer being marched to Boston as a POW.

Read more

Keep the telephone mural in Boston

adamg — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 10:01:48 -0400

So Verizon removed the telephone-history mural in its old Post Office Square building because the new owner is not a big fan of the working classes, or something. Jay Fitzgerald is outraged at the thought it might be sold to somebody in Rhode Island:

... It's a striking mural in the old WPA style. It depicts a major innovation developed in Boston. It should remain in Boston. ...

Boston DPW unremembers Edgar Allan Poe

adamg — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:44:33 -0400

UPDATE: Box to return!

Mike Mennonno reports the transformer box by the Common that had been painted in honor of Edgar Allan Poe back when city officials claimed to care about the native-born writer has been repainted a standard dull gray:

... The least they could've done is painted it black.

Mennnonno provides the before and after photos.

Ed note: Seems kind of weird given that program Boston has to let artists paint circuit boxes across the city.

Paul Revere: Patriot, silversmith, editorial cartoonist

adamg — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 10:18:14 -0400

J.L. Bell highlights Revere's sarcastic stylings.

When news came from guys walking around Boston, bellowing

adamg — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:24:07 -0400

J.L. Bell educates us on some of the early, municipally appointed town criers of Boston. One got his job after telling selectmen (yep, Boston had selectmen back in the day) that one of his qualifications was:

"being weake in Body," so he needed a job with no heavy lifting, or else he might become a charity case for the town.