Samuel Thaler
HST 383
Professor Allison

Boston Holocaust Memorial

Few events in history incite more emotion than the Holocaust. The Holocaust took the lives of over six million jews and countless other minorities and ethnicities. It is an historical event that we have come to remember frequently and will continue to acknowledge in the future. There are many sites that pay tribute to these horrid events across the globe, One is located across from the Boston city hall steps.

Designed by Stanley Saitowitz and built in 1995, The memorial displays six enormous 54 foot glass towers.There is a walk way the travels under all six of the towers for visitors to walk through and admire. The towers consist of thousands of numbers that represent the six million jews that lost their lives during the holocaust. on the inside of the glass, there are many quotes from holocaust survivors inscribed on the walls. Each tower consist of 24 panels of glass with two of the panels containing quotes while the other 22 have the 7 digit number inscribed on them. Steam Rises from under the towers and billowing out of the top, which Saitowitz described as, “Like human breath as it passes through the glass chimneys to heaven”. The number six has many meanings that relate to the Holocaust. The Six towers in this case stand for 6 of the concentration camps that exterminated so many people,CHELMNO. TREBLINKA. MAJDANEK.  SOBIBOR. AUSCHWITZ-BIRKENAU. BELZEC. All six towers are placed over pits filled with black concrete and each pit has an glowing light at the bottom. Each end of the memorial has a large stone, one at the end of the walk way has a very moving quote from pastor Martin Niemoller reading,

“They came first for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist.Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew.Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist.Then they came for the Catholics,and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant.Then they came for me,
and by that time no one was left to speak up.”

This quote has come to remind many people why we have such a memorial and why we remember these events. It is hard to believe that anyone could be aware of the brutal events in the concentration camps, and if they did know, how could they not do anything? it shows us that we should always speak up for those who cannot speak for them selves. The quote also reminds us that it was not just the jews that received these unfair punishment but communist, trade unionists and catholics as well and of course countless other groups including the handicapped. This memorial is about remembrance and we must always remember it so that we do not repeat it.

the location of the memorial seemed a bit strange to me but I think being near the freedom trail is a good way of making the point that we must fight for everyones freedoms. it is located in carmen park which is named after william carmen for his role in creating the holocaust memorial. A collaboration of government and non-profits maintain operations and the Boston National Historic Park maintains it.

The Boston Beer Company began brewing Samuel Adams lager in 1985, based on a recipe of the founder’s great-great-grandfather from 1870. Today it is tied with Yuengling as the largest American-Owned beer maker. Jim Koch, that founder, called his beer Samuel Adams in reference to the fiery American Patriot from Boston, who traditionally had owned a brewing business inherited from his father.[1] The facts remain unclear as to whether or not this traditional idea is the complete truth but one thing is certain: whatever business Samuel Adams had he almost certainly gave it up for politics. As for his brewery, various scholars have found small pieces of evidence that lead to the truth of Samuel Adams’ brewery, and although they are minor I believe that they prove that this myth is fact, combined with some fiction.

Legend has it that upon his death, Samuel Adams senior bequeathed his brewing business to his eldest son Samuel Adams junior. A few years before this, Samuel Adams senior lent his son, one thousand pounds with which he was to start his own business. The first half of this he lent to a friend who never repaid him, and the second half he squandered. Why, then, his father would give him a brewing business is a mystery to all but he did and Samuel Adams took to managing it just fine until his love for politics drew him away and the business failed. Or so tradition says. And with this information I began to seek the facts.

I began my research at a location with a vast database of information and sources: Wikipedia. Samuel Adams had a large and well filled-out page with many references. I chose to look into two that seemed promising. First, a book called Brewed in America: A History of Beer and Ale in the United States by Stanley Baron. Baron discusses New England brewing for a whole chapter and introduces that chapter by discussing the popular legend of Samuel Adams the brewer, whom he calls “the most illustrious of her citizens who had anything to do with the brewing industry”.[2] The book was published in 1962, far before the modern Samuel Adams beer came about, so the legend hasn’t been perpetuated only by that. The second book I looked into was The Life and Public Services of Samuel Adams by William Wells. The Life and Public Services was the first biography of Samuel Adams, published in 1865. It documents the man’s entire life and uses several primary sources to determine the truth behind matters. Wells discusses Adams’ business ventures a few times in the first chapters of the book, describing Adams’ life before politics. Both of these authors agree that Samuel Adams was a maltster, and that he inherited a malting business from his father. Though malting is not the same as brewing, malt is a necessary ingredient in beer and likely where the legend comes from.

I wanted to see if I could find further information on this malting business, or any other scholarly accounts of whether or not Samuel Adams was a brewer, and so I searched through all the internet databases I could find but to no avail. I even visited the Massachusetts Historical Society to look through the John Adams family papers and see if I could find a reference to his cousin Sam brewing beer or malting, but that proved fruitless as well. Thus I was left with the same leads followed by Baron and Wells: the wills of fathers and grandfathers of the Adams family passing down the Malt House, and a reference to a poem (the full poem seems to be lost to time) by a man named “Green” who calls Samuel Adams’ “Sam the Maltster”.

The first piece of evidence linking the Adams family to a malting business is the will of Samuel Adams great-grandfather, Joseph Adams. In the will, dated July 18^th, 1694, Joseph made the following bequest: “I do give unto my son Peter Adams all my dwelling house &c Malt House with all those tools and vessels in my Malt House, commonly used about my malting.”[3] That malt house was likely passed down through the family until Samuel began working in it under his father after unsuccessfully starting his own business with the money his father lent him.[4] The records of the Probate Court of Boston show that when Samuel Adams senior died, his malt house passed to his son, who conducted business in person.[5] It should be noted that here, Wells first says not that Samuel took over as a maltster, but as a brewer. However, in the next few sentences he details more evidence for Samuel’s work as a maltster. According to him, an Admiral Coffin recalled after the Revolution, “that in boyhood he had carried malt on his back from Sam. Adams’s brewery,” and a “Hudibrastic poet Green, at a later day, in some of his lampoons of conspicuous characters, makes mention of him as ‘Sam the Maltster’”.[6]

Baron points out that by 1763 Samuel Adams had become active in politics, and the royal government had attempted to confiscate his property in 1758 as evidenced by an announcement in the August 1758 Boston News-Letter that said: “To be sold at public auction at the Exchange Tavern in Boston, Tomorrow at noon. The Dwelling House, Malt House, and other buildings….being part of the estate of the late Samuel Adams Esq. deceased.” Fortunately it seems Adams managed to call off or delay that auction until such a time as the Malt House disappeared from the record in 1763.[7] The only remaining evidence pointing to Samuel Adams work as a brewer is a receipt allegedly offered to James Koch signed by Samuel Adams, though this seems to be unconfirmed.[8]

In conclusion it seems clear that Samuel Adams was not a brewer but a maltster. The Adams family seemed to own a Malt House that was passed down through generations until its disappearance in the 1760s just as Samuel Adams was taking a step into the national limelight. Though there is some confusion as to whether he then used his malt to directly brew his own beer the evidence there is scarce, but it seems definite that at the very least he created malt. Since the 1980s the legend has been perpetuated by the Boston Beer Company and their Samuel Adams lager, but before that it’s difficult to say what kept it going. Clearly it was prevalent in the 1960s as Baron uses it to introduce his chapter on New England brewing. Perhaps the popularity of beer throughout American history has helped to keep the legend alive, tying a national figure to a national drink. Samuel Adams is interred at the Granary Burying Ground in Boston, across from a local pub, so whether he brewed it or not, next time you’re in town why not visit the bar and grab a cold Sam Adams while looking across the street at a cold Sam Adams.

Bibliography

Baron, Stanley. Brewed in America: A history of Beer and Ale in the United States (Boston: Little, Brown and Company (Inc.), 1962).

“Samuel Adams – History,” Boston Beer Company, accessed April 22, 2013, <http://www.samueladams.com/history>

Stoll, Ira. Samuel Adams: A Life (New York: Free Press, 2008).

Wells, William V. The Life and Public Services of Samuel Adams (Bedford: Applewood Books, 1865)

Arlington Street Church

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ArlingtonStChurch_ca1862_byJJHawes_MFABoston.jpeg

http://www.weddingbook.com/vendors/arlington_street_church/profiles/reception_site/photos/144119

http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/arlington-street-church-boston?select=VSzvgk_0fkjk_oalmTydyQ#VSzvgk_0fkjk_oalmTydyQ

History:

“This community was founded in 1729 by Scots-Irish Presbyterians, who were immigrants from the northern part of Ireland. The congregation was first referred to as the Church of the Presbyterian Strangers. Originally, their services were conducted in a converted barn; this structure was converted into a meeting house in 1744, which became known as “the Meeting House in Long Lane.” In 1786, the Massachusetts Convention met in this church, and in honor of this event the name of Long Lane was changed to Federal Street, and the church became known as the Federal Street Church. The congregation moved to a new building in 1862 on Arlington Street in the Back Bay section of Boston, and it became known as the Arlington Street Church. Some of the church’s early ministers were: John Moorhead (1729-1773); Robert Annan (1783-1786); Jeremy Belknap (1787-1798); John Snelling Popkin (1799-1802); William Ellery Channing (1803-1842); and Ezra Stiles Gannett (1824-1871).” (http://oasis.lib.harvard.edu/oasis/deliver/~div00004)

Emmanuel Episcopal Church (newbury street)

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Interior_-_Emmanuel_Episcopal_Church_%28Boston%29_-_DSC09268.JPG

http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg/4886834926/

History:

“Emmanuel Church was founded in 1860 as part of the Diocese of Massachusetts, and its cornerstone was laid on June 17th, 1861. Emmanuel’s Main Sanctuary was the first building on Newbury Street in Boston’s newly filled Back Bay. In 1898-9, the Main Sanctuary was expanded from 800 to 1200 seats and reoriented to its present east-west axis”….”

Emmanuel Episcopal Church, a parish in the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts, serves the urban community of greater Boston as a dynamic center for spiritual discovery and renewal. We explore Christian tradition and foster inquiry through the celebration of liturgy, music, and the arts. We strive for justice and peace. Emmanuel Church welcomes all people without exception to our Eucharistic table. We honor individuals of every age, gender, ethnic heritage, sexual orientation, and religious background, and we respect the dignity of every living being.” (http://www.emmanuel-boston.org/about.html)

Copley Square

http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fnart/fa267/boston/copley_sq02.jpg

http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fnart/fa267/copleysq.jpg

https://www.google.com/search?q=Copley+Square&client=firefox-a&hs=Udn&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=NCJ9UYvPNYXL0QG9lIGwAQ&ved=0CAoQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=582#imgrc=TpGu8Lw2G0hGHM%3A%3Br0y_8-mZ8vgK3M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F1.bp.blogspot.com%252F-k1GuyZa1zpM%252FUW1jTk8yPUI%252FAAAAAAAAAQc%252FYZdnU9h_Ioc%252Fs1600%252Fcopley-square-boston.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwritingthemessianic.blogspot.com%252F2013%252F04%252Fthe-image-of-city-copley-square.html%3B1200%3B801

http://copleyoralsurgery.com/2012/12/07/boston-oral-surgery-copley-location-best-yelp-dental-backbay-cambridge-implants-bonegrafts/

http://www.expedia.com/Copley-Square-Boston.d6070057.Vacation-Attraction

History:

“The history of Copley Square has been studied extensively.  Named for the American artist John Singleton Copley in 1883, Copley Square began as an afterthought, described by Walter Muir Whitehill as an “awkward spot …..where a projected street, in this case Huntington Avenue, started off at a different angle than its neighbors”  that was “never given any adequate monumental treatment.”

The site connected the formal grid of Boston’s Back Bay and the emerging South End with the square originating as two triangular landscape fragments, bisected by Huntington Avenue and framed by cultural and civic institutions.  These included the Museum of Fine Arts located on the square from 1876 to 1909.  The “Art Museum” is indicated on the 1888 Sampson Map seen below and lent its name to the “square” which became known as the Art Square.” (http://landscapenotes.com/2012/08/23/copley-square/)

Fairmont Copley Hotel

http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/p/m/1f368c/

http://www.orbitz.com/hotel/United_States–MA/Boston/Fairmont_Copley_Plaza.h31582/

http://www.everyonesanoriginal.com/post_detail/?contentid=9054263284556808341&categoryid=6139089408467261805

History:

“Centrally located in historic Back Bay, The Fairmont Copley Plaza stands alongside the Boston Public Library, Trinity Church and Hancock Tower, as the architectural landmarks of Copley Square. Since its opening in 1912, this Boston, Massachusetts luxury hotel has stood as a symbol of the city’s rich tradition of culture, history and hospitality.

Constructed on the original site of The Museum of Fine Arts, The Fairmont Copley Plaza Boston hotel was designed by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh, who also designed The Plaza in New York and The Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C.” (http://www.fairmont.com/copley-plaza-boston/hotelhistory/)

Old South Church

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Oldsouthc1882.jpg

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60745-d279055-Reviews-Old_South_Church-Boston_Massachusetts.html

http://filipdemuinck-kristelpardon.blogspot.com/2010/08/old-south-church-boston.html

History:

“Standing at the northwest corner of Copley Square, Old South Church is an outstanding and colorful example of Northern Italian Gothic architecture, advocated in the 1850s by the English architectural critic John Ruskin. This National Historic Landmark building is an unusually ornate design for a New England Congregational church. It radiates the opulent taste and the sense of optimism and progress of the Industrial Revolution following the Civil War. The building, formally known as the “New” Old South Church, is the third home of the congregation, which was gathered in 1669. The building was completed in 1875, and is distinguished by its tall bell tower (campanile); brown, pink and grey stonework; walls of Roxbury puddingstone; decorative carvings; its polychromatic roof of red and black slate tiles; and its copper cupola or lantern.” (http://www.oldsouth.org/about/history)

Trinity Church in Copley Square

http://www.photographium.com/trinity-church-and-copley-square-boston-massachusetts-1903

http://www.celebrateboston.com/freepostcards/trinitychurch001.htm

http://www.bostonbyfoot.org/tours/Victorian_Back_Bay

http://stevedunwell.photoshelter.com/image/I00002YnRwuYZvR4

History:

Trinity Church is an Episcopal church located in the center of Boston’s Back Bay on Copley Square. It is home to a vibrant parish founded before the American Revolution.

Established in 1733, the church is a masterpiece of the American architect, H.H. Richardson. The church is a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion and stands as a cherished landmark at the heart of Boston.” (http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h2387.html)

John Hancock Building

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:John_Hancock_Tower,_Blue_Hour.jpg

http://blaineharrington.photoshelter.com/image/I0000qjZ6FzJlryQ

History:

http://www.aviewoncities.com/boston/hancocktower.htm

(old and new building)

The Rogers Building, original MIT building

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/150th-1104.html

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:PSM_V55_D471_Boston_society_of_natural_history_and_mit_rogers_building.png

http://www.worldofstock.com/stock-photos/rogers-building-entrance-to-the-massachusetts-institute/ANB3097

History:

http://libraries.mit.edu/archives/exhibits/rogers-building/

Boston Public Library

http://www.designlaboratory.com/courses/96.2/studios/a584.s96.matthews/library/history.html

History:

“The Boston Public Library was designed and built by the New York architecture firm of Mead, McKim, and White in the four year period from 1888-1892. It is situated on the south side of Copley Square, opposite Richardson’s Trinity Church in the Back Bay area of Boston. In the last forty years of the 19th century, the Back Bay flourished with development. When built, the library was seen as a keystone in what would be a plan to bring cultural and scientific institutions into Boston.” ( http://www.designlaboratory.com/courses/96.2/studios/a584.s96.matthews/library/history.html)

http://www.123rf.com/photo_13140811_boston–april-7-bates-hall-in-boston-public-library-april-7-2012-in-boston-ma-the-library-was-the-fi.html

http://batscapades.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/18-boston-public-library-copy.jpg

http://foundationsofamerica.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=392%3Aboston-public-library&catid=56%3Apublic-buildings&Itemid=68

Prudential Center

http://nerej.com/33921

http://www.boston-discovery-guide.com/prudential-skywalk.html

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prudential_Center_-_Boston,_MA_-_DSC03973.JPG

History:

http://www.emporis.com/building/prudentialtower-boston-ma-usa

Firehouse 941 Boylston Street

http://www.bostonfirehistory.org/activefirehouseengine33.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/relyford/2751357993/

St Clements Church on Boylston street

http://www.stclementshrine.org/node/4

http://adorationboston.org/about/st-clement-eucharistic-shrine/

Back Bay

Map:

http://www.starthereboston.com/Attractions-Map-Back-Bay.html

http://bostinno.streetwise.co/2011/04/27/old-school-maps-of-boston/

Photo:

http://www.wallsfeed.com/back-bay-in-boston/

Laura Bouliane

HST 383 Boston: Heritage of a City

Professor Allison

Boston Fact or Fiction

6.) Theatre was banned in Puritan Boston. To get around the ban, enterprising actors would bill their performances as moral lectures.

FACT.

Puritans dominated Boston after there arrival around 1630 and onward. Opposed to the Church of England, Puritans migrated from England to America in search of better life, and new opportunities. Since 1687, it has been against the Puritan faith to engage in any sort of theatrics, claiming that stage productions were a source of immorality. In addition, the Puritans who left England based on there flimsy religion, believed that British institutionalized theater was a risk to American life and culture. John Wing, a tavern owner in 1687 sought to open an amateur theater, however was denied by Increase Mather’s effort to emphasize the ‘dangers’ of theater. The Massachusetts General Court passed a ban on all theatre in 1750, called, “An Act for Preventing Stage-Plays, and other Theatrical Entertainments.”

The Tontine Association, a life insurance and real estate company managed to open a theater in August of 1792. The theater, which could not be publicized due to the ban, was called Exhibition Hall. Governor John Hancock, a traditionalist, however ordered the closure of the theater. As he addressed the Massachusetts Legislature in 1792, he spoke, “under advertisements insulting to the habits and education of the citizens, have been pleased to invite them to, and to exhibit before such as attended Stage Plays, Interludes, and Entertainments, under the …appellation of ‘Moral Lectures’…no measures have been taken to punish a most open breach of the laws, and a most contemptuous insult upon the powers of the government.” Based on Hancock’s proposal to the Massachusetts Legislature, it is evident that people who did engage in theater production publicized it as “moral lectures;” in order to bypass the law. However, John Hancock died in 1793, and the Federal Street Theatre opened months later further signifying vast opposition of the theatre ban from the public. Of those disputing the ban on theater included John Quincy Adams and John Adams. They were in favor of the entertainment purposes, as seen in several letters exchanged between them. John Quincy Adams developed a case to repeal the 1750 act, and supported the establishment of the Federal Street Theatre.

References:

1.) Carpenter, John B. “New England’s Puritan Century: Three Generations of Continuity in the City upon a Hill.”  2003.

2.) Clapp, William. A Record of the Boston Stage. Boston: James Munroe & Co., 1853.

3.) An Exhibition at the Boston Public Library and Massachusetts Historical Society. Chapter 6. The First Seasons of the Federal Street Theatre: 1794-1798. City of Boston. March 28 2012. <http://www.bostonliteraryhistory.com/chapter-6/theater-no-john-hancock>

4.) Massachusetts Historical Society. “Prologue to Zara 1776.” 1923. <http://www.masshist.org/objects/2004march.cfm>

Max Maroney
Boston Heritage of a City
April 29, 2013
Did Samuel Adams Operate a Brewery?

Samuel Adams is one of the most well-known and influential residents in Boston’s history. He was born here in 1722 and lived in the Boston area his whole life dying in Cambridge at the age of 81, in 1803. Adams was one of the founding fathers of the United States having signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Today Samuel Adams’ name is most closely associated with a brand of beer made by the Boston Brewing Company that is named in his honor, but did Samuel Adams have anything to do with this company and brewing beers or was it just named after him? Well it turns out that both of these things are true.
The Samuel Adams brand of beer was not created until 1984 by James Koch, more than 180 years after Samuel Adam’s death, so clearly he had nothing to do with the Boston Brewing company. Samuel Adams, however, did come from a family of brewers and maltsters. When Adams was 21 years old, like a lot of people at that age, he had to decide what he wanted to do with his life. He debated back and forth in his head between becoming a businessman and practicing law as a lawyer. Eventually he decided that he wanted to go into the business world. Adams’ father operated a fairly successful malt house and was able to loan him 1,000 pounds, which was a fairly large amount of money at the time, to go into business for himself after a failed attempt by Samuel to work at Thomas Cushing’s Counting House. Adams quickly proved that the business world was no place for him by losing the entire loan his father gave to him with nothing to show for it. After losing the money, Samuel’s father made him a partner at the family’s malt house which was located right next to the Adams’ home on Purchase Street. The Adams malt house made enough profits, under Samuel’s father, to buy the family a house with an orchard, a garden, and even a few servants to help out. The ales and beers that the Adams family helped to make were all sold locally due to the poor refrigeration and pasteurization technology at the time that made it impossible to ship it very far without the beers and ales going bad. There was a history of maltsters in the Adams family going back multiple generations. Samuel continued to run the malt house after his father’s death and even earned himself the nickname Sammy the maltster by his political foes. This nickname was not given to him in a positive manner and was supposed to be a shot at Samuel and his family.
To get back to the main question of whether or not Samuel Adams was a brewer, I feel it is a bit of a leap to call him that. The title of maltster seems much more appropriate to me. According to a 1986 article in Boston Magazine Samuel Adams was not a brewer. The founding father was “a maltster, a soaker and drier of barley, and not a very eager or adept one at that. Sam inherited the malting house from his father and rode it straight into collapse, four times starving off receivership only by bullying creditors with fast talk.”[1] This may sound like nitpicking about definitions, but there really is a difference between a maltster and a brewer. A maltster simply makes the malt that is to be used in brewing beer, while a brewer actually makes the beer or ale from the malt and hops. It is kind of like comparing a lumberjack to a carpenter. The lumberjack, just like the maltster, only provides a key element for the carpenter to use in the harvesting of wood, or making of malt. The carpenter then takes the wood from the lumberjack and makes the final product just like a brewer takes the malt from a maltster. A brewer is a more skilled position and one that Samuel Adams did not have much interest in perusing. All of Samuel’s time and effort was concentrated on his political career and not with operating the family malt house.
The Boston Brewing Company has forever associated the brewing of beers with Samuel Adams’ name even though Samuel was not a brewer himself. I do think it was a smart marketing choice by the company to name their brand of beer after Samuel, because of the Adams family’s ties into the brewing industry and the positive patriotic images that are thought of when hearing Samuel Adams’ name. Adams’ name has helped to make the Samuel Adams beer brand the most popular in America as of 2011, generating more sales than any other American brewing company.[5] The casual Boston historian may not realize that Adams was more of a maltster than anything else and it wasn’t necessarily by choice. Adams’ true passion was politics and only took control over the malt house when his father passed away.

Sources:

1. Bauld, Harold. “Good for What Ales You.” Boston magazine, June 1986.

2. “Samuel Adams.” U.S. History. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2013. .

3. Samuel Adams Brewery Tour. April 11, 2013.

4. Noon, Mark A. Yuengling: A History of America’s Oldest Brewery. Jefferson, NC: McFarland &, 2005. Print

5. Mittelman, Amy. Brewing Battles: A History of American Beer. New York: Algora Pub., 2008. Print.

6. Kidder, David S., and Noah D. Oppenheim. “Page 153.” The Intellectual Devotional: Revive Your Mind, Complete Your Education, and Roam Confidently with the Cultured Class. New York: Rodale, 2006. N. pag. Print.

7. “Samuel Adams Facts.” Revolutionary War and Beyond. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2013. .

Laura Bouliane

HST 383 Boston: Heritage of a City

Professor Allison

Boston Historical Site

Massachusetts General Hospital: Boston’s Most Historical and Practical Landmark

Massachusetts General Hospital is historical and necessary to study in a course dedicated to Boston. Previous to MGH, the only two hospitals in existence for general healthcare were established in New York and Pennsylvania. Most wealthy people were medically treated at there homes, however those with less money usually went without, or with poor treatment (Brown, 2011). Development of the architecture was provided by Charles Bulfinch,who received a charter for the construction of the hospital in 1811 (Brown, 2011). Fundraising began shortly after, and contributions were made by many different people in many different dollar amounts. Although the building of the hospital was delayed due to the War of 1812, the building on the Prince’s Pasture’s large, four-acre field in Boston’s West End was in operation by 1821. Within its first year of opening, the hospital treated their first patient, a man diagnosed with syphilis, and served as Harvard Medical School’s teaching grounds.

Mass General Hospital continued to be a place of innovative medical science, and a building of historical prominence. In 1846, William T.G. Morton and John Collins Warren (who’s father advocated the hospital’s construction before its charter), performed the first public demonstration of surgical anesthesia, the painless medication which allowed them the ability to surgically remove a man’s tumor. This presentation was delivered in the Ether Dome, an important expansion of Mass General Hospital. The dome today is available to Harvard Medical School students to perform medical tasks.

In 1886, Reginald Fitz identified appendicitis at Mass General Hospital. In 1905, MGH became the first hospital to offer social workers within the hospital’s facilities. In 1962, surgeons lead by Ronald Matt performed the first surgical reattachment of a patient’s severed arm (Massachusetts General Hospital, 2013). This large, innovative, prestigious hospital continues to be a source of medical expansion, discovery, and treatment for not only Bostonians, but also the world.

Due to its extraordinary historical significance, Mass General Hospital has a massive supportive association working to preserve its historical contributions. The development of the MGH museum within the Beacon Hill museum contains many exhibits modeling artifacts, visuals, and photographs captures and maintains the hospital’s importance. Fundraising for the museum took place privately, establishing that a substantial amount of people care about the historical preservation of the hospital and its projects. Massachusetts General Hospital continues to be in operation, treating several thousand medical patients a year. Top medical students are found studying there, as well as many outstanding medical professionals are found working there. Ranked as the number one best hospital by U.S. News and Report in 2012, MGH is a place of contemporary excellence in the medical field (Comorow, 2012). Still a place of discovery and learning, Massachusetts General Hospital is a historic as well as modern enchanting place to study.

References:

1.) Brown, Sarah. “New Becon Hill Museun Will Showcase MGH Medical Innovations.” The Boston Globe. 2-23-2011. <http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/beacon_hill/2011/02/new_beacon_hill_museum_will_sh.html>

2.) Comarow, Avery. “U.S. News Best Hospitals 2012-2013: The Honor Roll.” U.S. News and World Report. 7-16-2012.

<http://health.usnews.com/health-news/best-hospitals/articles/2012/07/16/best-hospitals-2012-13-the-honor-roll>

3.) Massachusetts General Hospital. History of Mass General. 2013. <http://www.massgeneral.org/history/narrativehistory/>

Dorchester Heights

The hills of Dorchester Heights in South Boston served as a station for troops during the War of 1812. Although Dorchester Neck was annexed in 1804, in 1898 the General Court of Massachusetts declared that a monument be built on the Heights’ hills. Constructed of white marble, the “Georgian revival tower,” pays tribute to the 1776 victory during the American Revolutionary War when George Washington and colonists migrated cannons and guns without being seen by the British. On March 4th, 1776, the colonists of Massachusetts and surrounding areas fortified Dorchester Heights, forcing the British out. Years later, Dorchester Heights was added to Boston National Historical Park. This site is important to the study of Boston, as surviving proof of the successful fortification of an important battle in 1776. With the team work of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and volunteers as well as the militia from New York, the colonists triumphed the British on the hills of Dorchester Heights. In such an act of team work and courage, the site signifies Boston’s strength and community from past to present. It also reminds Bostonians of the annexation of Dorchester Neck, and how that created a beneficial relationship between the two in many years to come politically, economically, and structurally with the building of roads and subway stations.

National Park Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. 4-22-2013. <http://www.nps.gov/bost/historyculture/dohe.htm>

Old Harbor Housing Projects

With the influx of immigrants overseas, South Boston became home to many struggling Europeans, especially the growing Irish population. In the 1930’s, Mary Ellen McCormack (originally Old Harbor Village) was constructed as, “the first public housing development in New England and it remains one of the largest.” Composed of twenty two buildings among many row houses, the development was renamed after Mary Ellen McCormick for her housing and human rights campaign as former Speaker of the House of Representatives. Although there are other housing projects in South Boston such as the Old Colony Housing Project, Old Harbor is most notably the former home to gangster James, “Whitey” Bulger.

Boston Housing Authority. Mary Ellen McCormack. <http://www.bostonhousing.org/detpages/devinfo37.html>

Irish Culture in South Boston

  “Southie,” South Boston was home to many Irish immigrants during their massive migration from the 1820’s to the 1840’s. As the largest Irish-American population in any United States city, Irish culture has played an immense role in the development of Boston. Most Irish immigrants originally settled close to the docks by the North End, where they worked. At this time, most upper class residents moved toward Beacon Hill and other areas of Boston. Seeking prosperous opportunities in America, Irish immigrants offered cheap labor, and eventually contributed to the growing economy and structure of the city. Irish workers helped in the building of Back Bay, colleges (Boston College), hospitals, and churches. Irish mayors such as John F. Fitzegerald (“Honey Fitz”), Ray Flynn (Boston’s first and only South Boston native mayor), and James Michael Curley dominated Boston politics. James Michael Curley designated the construction of several important structures including the public libraries, subways, Boston City Hospital, roads, parks, and improved hygienic codes throughout the city and fire safety. This culture is still vibrant in the city, and embraced by several Irish-American heritage preservation organizations throughout the nation. This culture is important to acknowledge and study within the course of Boston due to their large impact to the structure, history, economy, and social aspects of the city.

People, Places, & Planning in Boston. Irish. 2013.

<http://planningboston.org/people/irish/>

Castle Island

Although rebuilt several times, Fort Independence at Castle Island is one of the oldest fortified sites in America, since 1634. The site that exists now was built from 1833 to 1851, and is now part of the National Register of Historic Places. Historically, Castle William was a base during the beginning of the American Revolution and was destroyed in 1776. It also served as a fort during the War of 1812. The United States Navy had a station at the site during World War II. In addition to its several purposes and reconstruction, erosion and land reclamation the site has been moved to the mainland and it connected through roads and walkways. The site is said to be the basis of Edgar Allen Poe’s, “The Cask of Amontillado.” This site is an important part of Boston due to its multiple military uses throughout several important wars. It is also historically prominent to Boston’s culture, geographic structure, and tourism. Many Bostonians have engaged in the cause to protect the historic significance of Castle Island, therefore making it a vital site to study in Boston.

Department of Conservation and Recreation. Castle Island, Pleasure Bay, M Street Beach, and Carson Beach.

<http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/metroboston/castle.htm>

Works Cited:

1.) Allison, Robert J. A Short History of Boston. Carlisle, MA: Commonwealth Editions, 2004. Print.

2.) Boston Housing Authority. Mary Ellen McCormack. <http://www.bostonhousing.org/detpages/devinfo37.html>

3.) Department of Conservation and Recreation. Castle Island, Pleasure Bay, M Street Beach, and Carson Beach.

<http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/metroboston/castle.htm>

4.) National Park Service. U.S. Department of the Interior. 4-22-2013. <http://www.nps.gov/bost/historyculture/dohe.htm>

5.) People, Places, & Planning in Boston. Irish. 2013.

<http://planningboston.org/people/irish/>

By: Laura Bouliane, Thomas McDonnell, Sam Nelson, Matt Byrne, and Dennis Hickey.

Tyler Parmelee

4/29/13

Fact or Fiction?

Did Samuel Adams operate a brewery?

Samuel Adams Jr. had 11 siblings. He was 1 of three that lived passed their third birthdays. He was born to Samuel Adams Sr. and Mary Adams. His father was a businessman, a politician, and a deacon at the congregational church. His mother was a very religious woman, which played a great role in influencing Adams life. His father owned a brewery. There were several generations of Adams’ that were brewers. Samuel Adams Jr. had another idea on what he wanted to be. After Graduating from Harvard with a bachelors degree then shortly after a masters in the arts Adams decided to begin practicing law. His parents did not approve of this so they got their family friend Thomas Cushing to teach Samuel at the counting house. Samuel had no interest in this and their partnership failed. His father decided to lend him 1000 pounds so he could start his own business. Samuel was not a very good businessman but his father had faith until he lost every penny. His father then hired him as a partner at the brewery. Samuel had no interest in this and did not want to learn. He found his love in politics where he thrived. But the question is not whether he thrived in politics or not. It is whether he ran a brewery or not. The facts seem to suggest that yes indeed he did. When his parents passed away they left him the family estate and business. Samuel Adams obtained the brewery, which he ran for a short time. Adams actually ran the brewery into the ground. Adams was too focused on his political career to run a successful brewery. He became bankrupt and had to fight to keep his families estate. He did everything he could to keep the estate from falling into the hands of the governing body; and he succeeded.

The myth about Samuel Adams is that he created the beer Samuel Adams. Which is not true at all. A man named Jim Koch who is a six-generation brewer created it. Koch did not go right into brewing, first he went to undergraduate and then graduate school he began a career in management consulting. He would eventually come to his senses and in 1984 the Boston Brewing Company was born. His first beer made was Samuel Adams Boston Lager. He says he picked this name because of Samuel Adams significant roll in the Revolution; but most importantly because Sam Adams also inherited the brewing tradition from his father. Jim Koch started small first releasing his beer in 23 bars in Boston; now the Boston Brewing Company is huge and is sold all around the country and around the world.

 Works Cited

 ”Samuel Adams.” Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale, 1998. U.S. History In Context. Web. 28 Apr. 2013.

“Early Career.” Samuel Adams Heritage Society. Boston Tea Party Historical Society, n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2013.

Shirley, Thomas. “Samuel Adams, Jr. (1722 – 1803) – Genealogy.” Geni_family_tree. Geni.com, 6 Feb. 2013. Web. 29 Apr. 2013.

“Samuel Adams® – History of Samuel Adams and Craft Beer.” Samuel Adams® – History of Samuel Adams and Craft Beer. Boston Beer Company, n.d. Web. 29 Apr. 2013.