Throwback Thursday
Throwback Thursday: When Lobsterbacks Pitched Tents on the Common
Some 251 years ago today, Parliament laid down the law for the American colonies when it came to British soldiers. Specifically, a law: the Quartering Act […]
Throwback Thursday: Five Vintage Photos From St. Paddy’s Day Parades Past
The annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in South Boston needs no introduction—it’s brought out droves of viewers, both Irish and not, for years. Today, it garners more […]
Throwback Thursday: When the First Telephone Call Was Made
If you’re reading this on your phone, give a nod to Dr. Alexander Graham Bell. On this day 140 years ago, he made the first-ever […]
Throwback Thursday: When America’s First Bar Opened in Boston
It’s very likely that America’s love affair with alcohol began prior to 1634. But for the sake of documented history, the first bar in […]
Throwback Thursday: Vaudeville Was Born in Boston
Boston is the birthplace of a long list of things beloved by Americans. Public transportation, public parks, and Dunkin’ Donuts originated here, but one thing it […]
Throwback Thursday: When Bostonians Met to Discuss the Irish Famine
Before Boston was known for its Irish, the Irish were a concern of the city. One hundred and sixty-nine years ago, citizens grew alarmed at news of the […]
Throwback Thursday: A Look Back at the First Days of Facebook
On February 4, 2004, 19-year-old Mark Zuckerberg and his roommates launched TheFacebook—as it was known—while he was a psychology and computer science student at Harvard. […]
TBT: When the Word ‘Serendipity’ Was Coined
Ser·en·dip·i·ty \ser-ən-ˈdi-pə-tē\ noun 1 an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident. 2 good fortune; luck On January 28, 1754, a very important letter […]
Throwback Thursday: When City Council Officially Supported the Union
There isn’t a city council meeting scheduled for today, but 155 years ago, an important one was held. At this meeting, the Board of Aldermen […]
Throwback Thursday: A Historically Curious Week for the North End
It’s no secret that Boston’s rich history is peppered with bizarre stories. From America’s first UFO sighting to the time the Omni Parker Hotel employed Ho […]
Throwback Thursday: Fannie Farmer’s Revolutionary Cookbook Was Published Today
The next time you’re rummaging through a drawer in your kitchen on the hunt for a half teaspoon, you can thank Medford native Fannie Merritt […]
Throwback Thursday: When Masked Balls Were Forbidden in Boston
If you slipped a sequin-studded mask over your head at a ball 206 years ago, you’d be breaking the law. On December 30, 1809, it […]
Throwback Thursday: Happy Birthday, Arthur Fiedler!
In the 1920s, a violinist in the Boston Symphony wanted to bring the orchestra to the people of Boston. His name was Arthur Fiedler, and […]
Throwback Thursday: When Flying Santa Would Drop Presents to New England Lighthouse Keepers
On Christmas day in 1929, pilot William Wincapaw loaded his airplane with gifts and took off, dropping them from high in the air to the […]
Throwback Thursday: Boston’s Helping Hand After a Disaster in Nova Scotia
When an explosion off the coast of Halifax, Nova Scotia, devastated much of the city on December 6, 1917, doctors and nurses in Boston were […]