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...
Early revolutionary resistance! Hear the dramatic tale of Michael Corbett and his Marblehead shipmates who resisted British tyranny at sea on King Hooper's merchant ship, the Pitt Packet - named after a British prime minister who was sympathetic to Americans' grievances - a full year before the 1770 Boston "Massacre" and six years before the...
Join award-winning historian and educator Michele Gabrielson for a delectable journey through taste, tradition, and transformation in the world of 18th-century chocolate. This interactive program explores the fascinating history of chocolate during the 18th century, a pivotal time when this once-exclusive beverage became a beloved delicacy across the world. We will examine the origins of...
Join us in celebrating America's extraordinary artistic legacy as we commemorate our nation's 250th anniversary with a curated exploration of the masterworks that have defined our cultural identity. From the luminous landscapes of the Hudson River School to the bold innovations of Abstract Expressionism, this program showcases the diverse voices and revolutionary spirits that have...
This conversational presentation with General Thomas Gage, the last Royal Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony shares his perspective of the War for Independence after leaving Danvers in 1774 and Boston in 1776, and making his way home to England. Historian and reenactor Paul O’Shaughnessy will reflect on the summer of 1774, when Gage moved the...
The Marblehead Museum will debut the new the Road to Independence Walking Tour on Friday, April 17th at 7pm and Saturday, April 18th at 10am and 1pm. The tour will feature the history of Marblehead in the early 1770s, highlighting the town’s pivotal role in such famous events as the Boston Tea Party, the Battle...
The Marblehead Museum will debut the new the Road to Independence Walking Tour on Friday, April 17th at 7pm and Saturday, April 18th at 10am and 1pm. The tour will feature the history of Marblehead in the early 1770s, highlighting the town’s pivotal role in such famous events as the Boston Tea Party, the Battle...
