In 1776, as war raged across the American colonies, the clash of armies echoed far beyond the battlefield into everyday life in Newburyport. Historian and fan favorite Alex Cain invites you to step into a time where loyalists were persecuted, British prisoners were confined, and families struggled with soaring prices, shortages, and the constant shadow...
Scurvy —a debilitating disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin C, was a scourge among sailors, with hundreds of thousands perishing during the colonial period, and during the American Revolutionary War it became a critical strategic factor that severely weakened the British Royal Navy and affected the health of the Continental Army. Before the concept...
From Newburyport wharves, privateers pushed past Plum Island and into the Atlantic to strike British commerce. Operating under letters of marque, these privately owned vessels captured cargoes and ships, disrupted supply lines, and funneled provisions and matériel back to the Revolutionary cause. Privateering was also a community enterprise. Investors financed voyages; shipyard trades outfitted vessels;...
At the end of a landmark privateering symposium, what is there left to do but repair to the tavern? In Revolutionary Newburyport, taverns were more than places to drink. They were the town’s patriot headquarters, where news from other embattled towns was shared, committees met, captains were recruited, merchants and investors negotiated, and neighbors argued...
Join us at the Museum of Printing for Andy Volpe’s "Printing Revolution" lecture —press freedom and colonial resistance before Independence. Andy Volpe's "Printing Revolution" presentation takes a look not only at the printing press and printing technology being considered "revolutionary", but also looking at what was printed. Including the idea of Freedom of the Press,...
Newburyport's Offin Boardman carried secret letters for John Adams, who argued court cases in Newburyport. The USS Hancock was built in Newburyport in 1776, and all three families were linked by ties of blood and friendship to this community. Join Nina Sankovitch, author of American Rebels: How the Hancock, Adams, and Quincy Families Fanned the Flames...
Join us at the Museum of Printing for Andy Volpe’s "Printing Revolution" lecture —press freedom and colonial resistance before Independence. Andy Volpe's "Printing Revolution" presentation takes a look not only at the printing press and printing technology being considered "revolutionary", but also looking at what was printed. Including the idea of Freedom of the Press,...
The Battle of Gloucester On a summer day in 1775, the British warship HMS Falcon sailed into Gloucester Harbor in pursuit of two colonial schooners. What followed became one of the first naval engagements of the American Revolution—and an unlikely victory for the townspeople of Gloucester. Captain John Linzee of the fourteen-gun sloop HMS Falcon...
Celebrate the spirit of independence with Abigail Adams: Liberty and Legacy at the historic Rocky Hill Meeting House! In this engaging performance, local actor Sheryl Faye brings to life one of America’s most influential women—a revolutionary, mother, and advocate for women’s rights. Set in the eighteenth-century Rocky Hill Meeting House, this program explores Adams’s intelligence, courage, and her...
Concert at "Swett's Tavern": Ampersand Presents Music of a New Nation Enjoy Ampersand’s special American Revolution–era program, Music of the New Nation, set within the historic Swett-Illsley House, once a bustling colonial tavern. For this special evening, we will transform the house into Swett's Tavern, featuring period-inspired pub snacks and beer. The immersive performance explores life...
