The Beehive: the official blog of the Massachusetts Historical Society

Considering Collation: Decoding the Formula (2)

Series: From the Reading Room
By Dan Hinchen, Reader Services
If you have ever had the pleasure of perusing books from the 18th century, or earlier, you may have noticed the appearance of sequences of letters and numbers that appear at the bottom of pages. Maybe you saw a series of four pages that had C, C2, C3, C4, in that order, [...] read more

comments: 0 | permalink | Published: Friday, 29 November, 2013, 1:00 AM

Thanksgiving in War-time, 1862-1864

Series: Civil War  , From Our Collections
By Susan Martin, Collection Services
The life of a Civil War soldier was difficult even at the best of times, but holidays were particularly poignant. Many of the men were very young and away from home for the first time. Edward J. Bartlett of Concord, Mass. had been just 20 years old when he enlisted in August [...] read more

comments: 0 | permalink | Published: Wednesday, 27 November, 2013, 12:00 AM

This Week @ MHS

Series: Today @MHS
By Dan Hinchen
We start this week's installment of the events calendar by noting that the MHS is closed Thursday, 28 November - Saturday, 30 November, in observance of Thanksgiving. Normal hours resume on Monday, 2 December. But before that we have two public programs for you. First, [...] read more

comments: 0 | permalink | Published: Sunday, 24 November, 2013, 12:00 PM

Lovers’ Tiff in Turkey

Series: From Our Collections
By Andrea Cronin, Reader Services
Sometimes you come across the completely unexpected when searching the MHS collections. Initially I hoped to highlight the food of the season, and began a search for an interesting menu from any date in the month of November. If turkey had been on any of the menus, that [...] read more

comments: 0 | permalink | Published: Saturday, 23 November, 2013, 1:00 AM

Adventures in Western Massachusetts

Series: Education Programs
By Kathleen Barker, Education Department
What do Herman Melville, papermaking, and Shays’ Rebellion have in common? Perhaps you already knew that all three have a connection to Berkshire County in Massachusetts. On 15-16 November 2013, educators and history enthusiasts had the opportunity to immerse themselves [...] read more

comments: 0 | permalink | Published: Thursday, 21 November, 2013, 9:23 AM

The Real Gettysburg Address

Series: From Our Collections , Today @MHS
By Peter Drummey, Librarian
On November 19, 1863, when Abraham Lincoln spoke to an immense crowd at the consecration of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery at Gettysburg, Edward Everett of Massachusetts, the greatest orator of the day, was the primary speaker.  In his diary, Everett omitted [...] read more

comments: 0 | permalink | Published: Monday, 18 November, 2013, 10:00 AM

This Week @ MHS

Series: Today @MHS
By Dan Hinchen
Hello, and welcome once again to our weekly forecast of programs here at the Society. This week, the first and only full week in November for us at the MHS, we have four public programs for you to come in and experience. In addition, don't forget about our current public [...] read more

comments: 0 | permalink | Published: Sunday, 17 November, 2013, 12:00 PM

James Mease and American Sericulture

Series: From Our Collections
By Andrea Cronin, Reader Services
“We are striving to promote the Culture of Silk,” wrote Dr. James Mease of Philadelphia to Colonel Timothy Pickering of Salem on 13 November 1826. The wealthy physician dabbled in various interests outside of medicine including geology, agriculture, local history, [...] read more

comments: 0 | permalink | Published: Friday, 15 November, 2013, 1:00 AM

Adams, King, and Jack McCoy

Series: From Our Collections
By Amanda A. Mathews, Adams Papers
In the forthcoming Papers of John Adams, Volume 17, Massachusetts representative to the Continental Congress and future minister to Great Britain, Rufus King, pens his first letter to the sitting minister to Great Britain, John Adams, in November 1785, describing himself [...] read more

comments: 0 | permalink | Published: Wednesday, 13 November, 2013, 1:00 AM

This Week @ MHS

Series: Today @MHS
By Dan Hinchen
We return from a long weekend with several programs ready for public consumption this week. Starting the week off, on Tuesday, 12 November, is "Making Land in Earthquake Country: Urban Development and Disaster in San Francisco." In this Environmental History Seminar, Joanna [...] read more

comments: 0 | permalink | Published: Monday, 11 November, 2013, 8:48 PM

Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch, Post 27

Series: Civil War  , From Our Collections
By Elaine Grublin
The following excerpt is from the diary of Stephen Greenleaf Bulfinch. Sunday, Nov. 8th Of military affairs, the rumor is now, - said to be confirmed to-day, - of the taking of Fort Sumter by our forces. We hear of late sad accounts of the treatment of Union [...] read more

comments: 0 | permalink | Published: Friday, 8 November, 2013, 1:00 AM

Fur Trade in the Dorr Family Papers, Part II

Series: From Our Collections
By Andrea Cronin, Reader Services
“We desire you to embrace the first favourable Wind and weather and proceed to … any other ports places or Islands where you may think it likely to find seal plenty,” wrote the Boston fur merchants Ebenezer Dorr, Ebenezer Jr. Dorr, Joseph Dorr, and John [...] read more

comments: 0 | permalink | Published: Wednesday, 6 November, 2013, 8:00 AM

This Week @ MHS

Series: Today @MHS
By Dan Hinchen
It is a shortened week for us here at the Society with just a couple of public programs happening but, with the end of the Red Sox season, there are no excuses to miss out on any evening events. First up, on Tuesday, 5 November, is an Early American History seminar presented [...] read more

comments: 0 | permalink | Published: Sunday, 3 November, 2013, 12:00 PM

Coming Soon: Massachusetts Historical Review, Volume 15

Series: Around MHS
By Jim Connolly, Publications
Fractious centennial commemorations reveal ethnic and socioeconomic tensions in Boston! Daguerreotype of “white slave girl” rocks the North, stirs antislavery fervor! Radical agrarian thumbs nose at Knox, describes self as “Plaintive worm”! Real [...] read more

comments: 0 | permalink | Published: Friday, 1 November, 2013, 1:00 AM