Step into the fraught winter of early 1776 with historian Alexander Cain. As Boston freezes under siege and smallpox shadows the lines, tensions ignite from barracks to backrooms. Then the spotlight shifts to Newburyport: independence is in the air, or is it treason? Alex has authored numerous research articles and presentations on the American Revolution, including...
During the first months of the War of Independence, the Continental Army set its sights on the Province of Quebec. This British colony, born from the ashes of New France, is equally a threat and an opportunity for the Thirteen Colonies. How did the Canadian population react to the invasion of their territory? How did...
Join us as we honor the 251st anniversary of Leslie's Retreat with the dedication of a new monument. This significant addition to our community will preserve the memory of this important historical event for generations to come. The dedication ceremony will feature remarks from local historians and community leaders. We hope you’ll be part of...
Join History Alive and Hamilton Hall for a celebratory, historical runway of Black creativity and activism. Discover the stories of abolitionists, artists, and entrepreneurs — from 18th century figures like Jenny Slew and King Pompey Mansfield to trailblazers including members of the Remond family, Anna Douglass, Charlotte Forten, and Edmonia Lewis — who helped shape...
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,...
Join us as we welcome Sarah Walsh back to Buttonwoods on Wednesday, April 1st at 6:30pm to give a talk about Abigail Adams and 18th-century clothing. We will serve punch made from a period recipe and very light snacks. Tickets will be $30* and all proceeds will go towards funding our upcoming “Stitching History Together”...
In this first of eleven FREE illustrated talks offered by the Marblehead 250 Committee and Marblehead's Abbot Public Library in 2026, the United States’ 250th year, see and hear the fascinating story of how the first shots of the American Revolution were almost fired in Marblehead or Salem on a cold Sunday in February 1775,...
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...
