Massachusetts

Ted Williams, lanky body coiled, wallops another rocket at Fenway’s Green Monster. A youthful “Johnny Appleseed” Chapman sprouts up in Longmeadow, while Howard Johnson plants his first franchise in Quincy. An old dune shack teems with life along the Cape Cod National Seashore. Seven hundred schoolchildren pour through Nantucket streets to march against King Alcohol. Whether it is a nostalgic jaunt through Cambridge or a bit of window shopping at Jordan Marsh, our Massachusetts history books catalogue celebrates every corner of Bay State history. [View all Massachusetts books]

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Peabody

Disaster Off Martha's Vineyard:

On This Day in Nantucket History

The North Shore Literary Trail: From Bradstreet's Andover to Hawthorne's Salem

Northborough in the Civil War:

University of Massachusetts Lowell

Brookline, Allston-Brighton and the Renewal of Boston

Old Days at Beverly Farms

The Rise of Tourism on Martha's Vineyard

Newburyport and the Civil War

Cape Cod's Highfield and Tanglewood:

Dorchester

East of Boston

Everyday Life in Truro:

Wellfleet

Mystery on the Vineyard:

Music on Martha's Vineyard:

Murder & Mayhem in Essex County

The Boston Harbor Islands:

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Peabody

9780738555461

$24.99

The historic photographs in this book offer early views of Peabody, Massachusetts, the vibrant manufacturing town once called the "Leather Capital of the World." The farms and industries of Peabody's past present an illuminating contrast when coupled with images from today, highlighting the vast changes that have occurred throughout the community's history. William R. Power is president of the Peabody Historical Society and Museum, chairman of the Peabody Historical Commission, and is the author of many historical volumes.

Disaster Off Martha's Vineyard:

9781609495107

$21.99

With its rocky coast and treacherous shoals, shipwrecks were a common occurrence in nineteenth-century Massachusetts. Few claimed as many lives as the City of Columbus. The night was clear and the route familiar for Captain Schuyler Wright and his experienced crew as they sailed a ship equipped with the latest technology. Yet with all this, the City of Columbus went down with 103 souls. Over a century later, Eric Takakjian and the Quest Marine Services team located the wreckage of the City of Columbus on the north ledge of the Devil's Bridge, off the southern tip of Gay Head. Historian Thomas Dresser takes us into the icy waters of the Atlantic as he recounts the terrible chain of events that led to disaster on that fateful night.

On This Day in Nantucket History

9781626196261

$19.99

Nantucket is much more than beautiful beaches and sailboats. One day at a time, author Amy Jenness offers up quirky and fascinating stories of the people and events that shaped this remote island. On August 11, 1841, Frederick Douglass made his first antislavery speech at the Nantucket Atheneum. The Great Fire of July 13, 1846, devastated the island, forcing residents to rebuild what they lost. On December 5, 1981, a nor'easter stranded nearly two thousand visitors and forced seventeen pilot whales to come ashore. Read a story a day or month at a time. Celebrate an entire year of Nantucket history.

The North Shore Literary Trail: From Bradstreet's Andover to Hawthorne's Salem

9781596295209

$21.99

You've devoured their pages of verse and prose--now witness firsthand the inspiration for those perfectly penned lines of Longfellow, Frost and Harriet Beecher Stowe. Discover the strong feminist voice of Judith Sargent Murray as you stroll down Middle Street in Gloucester, or navigate the narrow, winding streets of Marblehead and flip through the eighteenth-century journals of the sailor Ashley Bowen. Plan a literary-themed cultural outing or simply take a closer
look at your town's local landmarks. From the "gem-emblazoned shore" of "lovely Lynn" to the gleaming gables in Hawthorne's Salem, Bierfelt uncovers some of the North Shore's most precious literary treasures.

Northborough in the Civil War:

9781596292208

$21.99

A small town in the center of Massachusetts seems an unlikely place for altering the tide of war and public opinion, but the town of Northborough played just such a role. Slavery had already sparked the War Between the States, but abolition was not the majority view. Abolitionists on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line gave their lives for change, perhaps nowhere more passionately than in Northborough. More than half of the town's best and brightest joined the fray, and this vigorous anti-slavery activity demands attention: were towns like Northborough--welcoming of abolitionists and strongly involved in the fight--instrumental in changing the outcome via an emancipation that had to be proclaimed mid-war?

University of Massachusetts Lowell

9781467105552

$24.99

The University of Massachusetts Lowell owes its origins to two institutions founded in the 1890s. In 1894, the state authorized the founding of the Lowell Normal School, an institution that trained teachers for the state’s public school system. In 1895, the state also authorized the founding of Lowell Textile School to encourage research in new technologies related to textile manufacture. Over the decades, the two schools on opposite sides of the Merrimack River grew. Lowell Normal became Lowell Teacher’s College in 1932 and then Lowell State College in 1960, and Lowell Textile became Lowell Technological Institute in 1953. In 1975, the state merged the two institutions to form the University of Lowell, which, in 1991, became part of the UMass system. University of Massachusetts Lowell: 125 Years draws from a rich array of historical images to honor the school’s past and present and preserve the memory of students, faculty, staff, buildings, and events.

Brookline, Allston-Brighton and the Renewal of Boston

9781609491857

$21.99

In the aftermath of the Civil War and the Great Boston Fire of 1872, those who would rebuild Boston looked to new ground in Brookline and Allston-Brighton. The two towns were invited to join Boston, but only Allston-Brighton accepted. The decisions and subsequent growth of these communities, along with Boston's decline and fall during the same period, are told in a fast-paced story by local historian Ted Clarke. Learn about James Michael Curley's lasting impact on Boston as the city's mayor and of John Collins's collaboration with Edward Logue in their efforts to create a New Boston."? Travel with Clarke as he takes a look back at the fascinating events that shaped the character of these historic communities."

Old Days at Beverly Farms

9781596293991

$21.99

In a wealthy waterfront neighborhood filled with tradition, gardens and grand houses, residents of Beverly Farms once enjoyed pastoral views and over-the-fence chats. Mary Larcom Dow writes at the beginning of Old Days at Beverly Farms that she was nominated to pen her memories as a result of her absence from a historical society meeting. However, it is clear that no one was more inside the fold of the community than Dow. With her house-by-house description of architecture and inhabitants, landscape and gardens, Dow delightfully captures the "old days" of the nineteenth century. She focuses on the warmth of extended families, the particular sound of their laughter, their hardships and, most of all, their neighborly love.

The Rise of Tourism on Martha's Vineyard

9781467143370

$21.99

Now known as a resort community and vacation destination, Martha's Vineyard was once a simple fishing and whaling community. From the popularity of the Methodist Campground, founded in 1835, the Vineyard soon blossomed into a summer vacation mecca, welcoming visitors to its quaint villages and scenic seashores. As whaling lost its economic dominance, tourism became the catalyst for a revived prosperity on the Vineyard. President Grant's visit to the Vineyard in 1874 drew national attention and marked the beginning of several presidential visits to the island. By 1900, Oak Bluffs had developed an amusement park atmosphere with the iconic Flying Horses, toboggan slide and grand seaside hotels. Join local historian Tom Dresser as he reveals the island's transformation into a premier tourist destination.

Newburyport and the Civil War

9781609494483

$21.99

The smoke of cannon fire and the sound of rifles were not seen or heard in Newburyport, Massachusetts during the Civil War yet it was an all too familiar experience for many of its inhabitants. Local author William Hallett describes in thrilling detail the lives and deeds of those from the Clipper City that served both Union and Confederate causes. From the abolitionist preaching of William Lloyd Garrison to the heroism of Albert W. Bartlett, with naval warfare, including the construction of the U.S.S. Marblehead, and political intrigue in between, Newburyport left its mark on the Civil War. With stories of valor both on the battlefield and the home front, Hallett presents the history and legacy of Newburyport in Civil War.

Cape Cod's Highfield and Tanglewood:

9781609497910

$21.99

In 1876 wealthy Bostonian Pierson Beebe chose a secluded hill in Falmouth, Massachusetts, as the spot to build his summer cottage, Highfield Hall. The following year, his brother James Arthur Beebe began construction next door on his own mansion, Tanglewood. The Beebe Woods and the surrounding buildings do not simply belong to the history of one wealthy Boston family. Rather, the land that they preserved, the architecture they created and the cultural activities they promoted are deeply rooted in Falmouth's history. Author Kathleen Brunelle's grandparents were the caretakers of the cottages, and she grew up exploring their many secrets. Join Brunelle as she narrates the remarkable history of these treasured Falmouth landmarks and once again wanders the historic rooms of Highfield Hall.

Dorchester

9781609492175

$21.99

A few miles south of Boston, along the Neponset River, the small town of Dorchester grew from an industrial center into a thriving and inclusive neighborhood. This suburban community's booming population is supported by a network of railroads, streetcars and transit that has eased transportation in and out of Boston. The neighborhood has had many important residents, including Dr. James Baker, who supplied financial support to a local chocolate business that later became the Baker Chocolate Company, and Lucy Stone, an influential activist for women's rights and abolition. Noted historian Anthony Mitchell Sammarco compiles these and other insightful selections from his column in the Dorchester Community News, chronicling the rich and ever-evolving history of Dorchester.

East of Boston

9781596293793

$21.99

For the traveler who might not have a yacht--just a sense of humor and a spirit of adventure--Stephanie Schorow proves you can still embark on a voyage through the Boston Harbor Islands. A practical guide, complete with camping tips and driving directions, East of Boston's droll travelogue takes the measure of these gloriously wild Edens all within sight of the city's skyline. Join Schorow around a campfire for some friendly conversation about pirate treasure, elusive foxes, cross-dressing ghosts, flying Santas and a strange era of spontaneously combusting garbage dumps. And if you are truly brave, perhaps take a sip of the park ranger's "Sumac-ade."

Everyday Life in Truro:

9781596293649

$19.99

Have you ever wondered how life on the Outer Cape used to be, before traffic and summer visitors? In Everyday Life in Truro, longtime Truro resident Richard Whalen, author of
the companion volume Truro: The Story of a Cape Cod Town, illuminates Truro's past, describing in fascinating detail the everyday triumphs and tragedies of pre-World War II life on
remote and windswept Truro.

Everyday Life in Truro describes the idyllic days of the Pamet Indians and the storm-lashed hardships of Truro's first families as they worked to carve an enduring settlement amid the sandy soil and dangerous fishing grounds of Cape Cod.

Wellfleet

9780738549927

$24.99

Pirates? A disappearing island? A brand-new technology that would change the world? It isn't science-fiction, this is the history of Wellfleet, Massachusetts, and its neighbor, Billingsgate Island.

Originally settled by Europeans in the 1650s as Billingsgate, Wellfleet became a town with an important, if overlooked history, located between the "tip'? and the "elbow'? of Cape Cod. Today, the town may be famous for its oysters, but there is so much more to this small town than what may be immediately apparent. In 1717, the pirate "Black Sam'? Bellamy was sailing his ship nearby when it crashed, sending 4 tons of gold and silver, as well as 143 men, to a watery grave-- the shipwreck was discovered in 1984, the first of only two confirmed pirate shipwrecks ever recovered. By the time of the American Revolution, Wellfleet was well-known not just for their oysters, but their success in the whaling industry. As whaling declined in the late 19th century, it wasn't long before the spotlight once again shone on Wellfleet with Guglielmo Marconi built America's first transatlantic radio transmitter on the coastal bluff of South Wellfleet. Perhaps the most interesting story about Wellfleet isn't about Wellfleet at all, but Billingsgate Island. Generations lived there and built homes, wharves, a school, a lighthouse, and even founded a baseball team. By 1922, the sea swallowed this Wellfleet island, leaving nothing but a brick-strewn shoal, visible only at low tide. Sometimes called the "Atlantis of Cape Cod,'? locals can still access the island by boat on the occasions the tide leaves the land exposed, a perfect spot for picnics or shellfishing.

Mystery on the Vineyard:

9781596294233

$21.99

In the pre, World War II innocence of small-town America, a dapper off-Islander impresses the locals. Drawn to the prettiest girl, he is upset when an elderly woman tries to break off their romance. In a drunken stupor he murders the troublesome woman. Through an amazing confluence of circumstances, he avoids prosecution. The reclusive, paranoid teacher of the victim attracts the attention of a distracted district attorney who is eager for a sensational trial to promote himself in an impending election. The teacher is arrested and charged with the murder. The looming shadows of war on the international stage capture the people of Martha's Vineyard, and the local murder fades into the murky memoirs of history.

Music on Martha's Vineyard:

9781626196230

$21.99

Martha's Vineyard has a rich musical legacy that stretches back to the earliest drumbeats of the Wampanoags and the whaling chanteys of the nineteenth century. Returning Civil War veterans formed the island's oldest continuous music ensemble, the Vineyard Haven Band. Vineyarders embrace all things musical, from choral and string ensembles to singers and songwriters. Discover this melodious history from the early twentieth-century dance bands at the Tivoli ballroom, through the war years, the piano bars and the nascent folk music scene at the Mooncusser Cafe, where Carly Simon and James Taylor played their first licks. Authors Thomas Dresser and Jerry Muskin explore the homegrown music scene and the summer stars who keep islanders and visitors moving to the beat.

Murder & Mayhem in Essex County

9781609494001

$21.99

The idea of a criminal record originated in the early seventeenth century when the magistrates of the Massachusetts Bay Colony began recording dates, places, victims and criminals. Despite, or perhaps because of, the strict code of the Puritans, some early settlers earned quite the rap sheet that landed them either in the stocks or at the end of a noose. With biting wit and an eye for the macabre, local author Robert Wilhelm traces the first documented cases of murder and mayhem in Essex County, Massachusetts. Discover the story of Hannah Duston's revenge on her Abenaki Indian captors, why the witchcraft hysteria hung over Salem and Andover and how Rachel Wall made her living as a pirate. Decide for yourself whether the accused are guilty or if history lends itself to something else entirely.

The Boston Harbor Islands:

9781596292901

$21.99

Despite the relentless development of the past two centuries, Boston's coastal geography is still defined by its Harbor Islands. Carved and sculpted by massive glaciers from millennia past, this constellation of thirty-odd isles--notorious for swirling currents, surging tides, and treacherous submerged hazards--has played an outsized role in the city's history and growth.

In The Boston Harbor Islands: The History of An Urban Wilderness, David Kales examines the astonishing range of uses Bostonians have found for their neighboring archipelago. From pirates' havens to military fortifications, the Harbor Islands have undergone innumerable transformations. Now, as Kales describes, conservation agencies hope to revitalize the oft-neglected islands, which were recently designated as a National Park Area. Filled with fascinating stories, The Boston Harbor Islands is the perfect primer for readers seeking to learn more about a unique maritime landscape located just a ferry ride away from Boston.