The Commonwealth of Massachusetts made the decision in 1856 to fill in a section of Boston Harbor, which previously was being used as a trash dump and was the source of many complaints due to it’s wretched stench & pests. The City used new steam engine technology to bring in fill from the local suburbs,…
Category: Massachusetts
The House of Seven Gables: 1668 Salem Seaside Mansion
My first visit of 2021 was to The House of Seven Gables in Salem, MA. Salem is obviously well-known as the home of the Salem Witch trials, but I’ve learned so much since starting this project about the importance of the Salem Harbor and just how much wealth came to the state of Massachusetts because…
The Mount: Mansion & Grounds that Inspired Edith Wharton
As part of our recent weekend away to the Berkshires in Massachusetts, my husband & I stayed at the Seven Hills Inn which was right next door to The Mount. I found the two locations separately, but was thrilled to see that they were literally next door to each other! Not only did we thoroughly…
Seven Hills Inn: Farmhouse, “Cottage” and Inn in Lenox, MA
My husband & I celebrated our 10 year anniversary this year, and instead of our planned trip to Tulum, Mexico we thought heading out to Western Massachusetts for two nights seemed like a more sensible and safe way to celebrate. The leaf peepers were already packed up and home, but the weather forecast showed almost…
Beauport, The Sleeper-McCann House: Seaside Mansion of America’s First Professional Interior Designer
After what seems like eternity, I was finally able to visit Beauport, the Sleeper-McCann House! It is one of only a handful of historic homes that are currently open for tours at Historic New England, and I was so happy to see it on the list! This was an amazing one to get back into…
The Omni Parker House: Longest Operating Hotel in the United States
Boston is less than 40 miles from my home, so typically if we want to spend the day or go to an event there it’s easy enough to make the drive in & out (minus the ridiculous traffic that occurs at every.hour.of.the.day). But, my friend was celebrating a big birthday and I knew driving wasn’t…
Nichols House: 1804 Beacon Hill Townhouse
I visited the Nichols House prior to popping the champagne for a friend’s birthday this past weekend. A hidden gem located on Beacon Hill just behind the Massachusetts State House, this house somehow blends in yet stands out among the rows of pretty brick townhouses that make up the famous neighborhood. I love a Boston…
Framingham History Top 10 Exhibit: How much do you know about your hometown?
One of the biggest takeaways from this project is just how embarrassingly little I know about the town I live in. Thanks to public schools, I know a tad more about the town I actually grew up in, but I know not a darn thing about the historic homes, churches or buildings that I drive past…
Naumkeag: Berkshire Summer “Cottage”
As I was planning my trip out to the Berkshires to visit the Merwin House, I did a few google searches on other activities we could do over the weekend and one name kept coming up: Naumkeag. Not a word or name that I had seen or heard before – but it quickly got added…
Merwin House: “Tranquility” in the Berkshires
The Merwin Home is the western-most home in Massachusetts that Historic New England owns, located in Stockbridge, MA. Stockbridge is located in the heart of the Berkshires, and if you haven’t been, you should go! I actually went to college in Western Massachusetts, but didn’t really explore too much – what a dummy (but of…
The Historic New England Project 