The Beehive: the official blog of the Massachusetts Historical Society

Celebrating Independence on July 2nd!

Series: Exhibitions News , Today @MHS
By Elaine Grublin
Yesterday we shared an Independence Day message from John Quincy Adams on the Beehive. In keeping in the spirit of preparing to celebrate our nation's birthday, today we share some of John Adams' words on the subject.  In a letter dated 3 July 1776 future president [...] read more

comments: 1 | permalink | Published: Saturday, 30 June, 2012, 1:00 AM

An Independence Day Message for the World

Series: Around MHS
By Amanda A. Mathews, Adams Papers
Here at the Adams Papers we receive calls on occasion from the media looking for information on John and John Quincy Adams. This past month, Gregg Lint, Series Editor for The Papers of John Adams, and Jim Taylor, Editor-in-Chief, fielded a somewhat more unusual request. [...] read more

comments: 0 | permalink | Published: Friday, 29 June, 2012, 1:00 AM

John Boyle O’Reilly Memorial

Series: Around the Neighborhood
By Daniel Hinchen, Reader Services
John Boyle O’Reilly’s faults were few, his virtues many. He did his work fearlessly and brilliantly. He did it, too, with a conspicuous ability which was seen and appreciated by men of all classes and men of all creeds. He has gone from among us, but he [...] read more

comments: 0 | permalink | Published: Wednesday, 27 June, 2012, 8:00 AM

Help Us Identify This Civil War Photo

Series: Civil War  , From Our Collections
By Emilie Haertsch, Publications
We need your help identifying the location of this photo! Taken during the Civil War, it was a 1911 gift from Edmund A. Whitman to the Society. The photograph accompanied the materials of his father, Col. Edmund Burke Whitman, a Harvard graduate and army quartermaster in [...] read more

comments: 2 | permalink | Published: Wednesday, 20 June, 2012, 1:00 AM

Caroline Dall Gears Up for Summer in 1862

Series: From Our Collections
By Jim Connolly, Publications
I don't know how your week is going, but Caroline Healey Dall had a pretty nice one 150 years ago. Dall was a leading 19th-century reformer and essayist who played a significant role in the antislavery and women’s suffrage movements. The MHS published the Selected [...] read more

comments: 0 | permalink | Published: Friday, 15 June, 2012, 8:00 AM

Join Us for Our Open House!

Series: Around MHS
By Elaine Grublin
Join us on Saturday, 16 June from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM at our annual Open House featuring a preview of our summer exhibition Mr. Madison’s War: The Controversial War of 1812. Visitors are invited to participate in tours; listen to exhibition talks; enjoy refreshments; [...] read more

comments: 0 | permalink | Published: Thursday, 14 June, 2012, 8:00 AM

History’s Mysteries: Building a Family Tree

Series: Exhibitions News
By Emilie Haertsch, Publications
The protagonist of my favorite mystery novel series, Maisie Dobbs, creates a map of each case she works on. A London detective in the 1930s, she pins down a large piece of paper and writes down every bit of information she discovers, drawing lines to connect the pieces as [...] read more

comments: 0 | permalink | Published: Friday, 8 June, 2012, 1:00 AM

The New Riding Club of Boston

Series: Around the Neighborhood
By Daniel Hinchen, Reader Services

The Boston area is known for some very famous examples of architecture. Just think of the variously colored steeples that dot the campus of Harvard in nearby Cambridge; the golden dome of the State House; and of course, the grand brownstones that line Newbury and Beacon [...] read more

comments: 2 | permalink | Published: Wednesday, 6 June, 2012, 8:00 AM

This Week @ MHS

Series: Today @MHS
By Elaine Grublin
There is much happening at the MHS this week. Be sure to check out our online calendar for more information about these and other upcoming programs.  Do not miss your chance to learn more about the fenced in gardens on the Fenway and to join in celebrating the 70th [...] read more

comments: 0 | permalink | Published: Monday, 4 June, 2012, 8:00 AM

Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch, Post 14

Series: Civil War  , From Our Collections
By Elaine Grublin
The following excerpt is from the diary of Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch. Thursday, June 19th, 1862 Of public events the chief worthy of record is the sudden irruption of the rebel force into central Virginia, occasioning the retreat of Gen. Banks, & an instant [...] read more

comments: 0 | permalink | Published: Friday, 1 June, 2012, 10:00 AM