All posts by Sara Lundberg

A REMEMBRANCE of GERALDINE KAYE

A REMEMBRANCE of GERALDINE KAYE It is with great sadness that we report that Gerry Kaye, our former Assistant Treasurer/Membership Secretary and Director, died in a snorkeling accident in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean on March 9.  She and her husband, David, had moved to Portland, OR to be near their daughters.  We remember Gerry asresponsible, conscientious, and meticulous, but … Continue reading A REMEMBRANCE of GERALDINE KAYE

Town Meetings in the Northwest Precinct of Cambridge, 1736-1795

One of the earliest and purest forms of Democracy in the United States took place at “town meetings”- a practice established in Massachusetts and distinct to the New England region. Unlike in our present-day use of “town halls”, qualified residents had the opportunity to not only discuss matters particular to their communities, but to actively … Continue reading Town Meetings in the Northwest Precinct of Cambridge, 1736-1795

Moxie: “It’s a drink for those who are at all particular”

It’s the official soft drink of Maine, but Moxie has Arlington connections. Moxie’s originator, Dr. Augustin Thompson (1835-1903), came from Union, Maine and set up his medical practice in Lowell, MA. He wanted to create a “cure-all” medicinal tonic. Using a “secret ingredient”, later known to be gentian root extract, he created a syrup called … Continue reading Moxie: “It’s a drink for those who are at all particular”

Commemorative Plates

Ceramic objects in the AHS collection span centuries while telling local stories. Of these ceramics, several plates uniquely celebrate and document Arlington history. These pieces are known as commemorative or souvenir plates. Popularized toward the end of the 19th century,  plates of this kind were relatively cheap to produce and a novel way to memorialize … Continue reading Commemorative Plates

Ballad of the War of 1812

On Tuesday, April 24, 1917, Nina Winn wrote about attending a Historical Society event in which “Aunt Sue  read a poem & Elizabeth Smith wore the ball dress she wrote of – made by Hannah Hall [later Mrs. Cyrus Cutter] & given by Mrs. Sterling & Mrs. Bates. Then the ‘[Old] Peabody Pew’ was presented and … Continue reading Ballad of the War of 1812

My Experience as a Tour Guide at the Jason Russell House

This is a guest post from Colleen Cunningham, one of our most experienced tour guides at the Jason Russell House.  She talks about why she enjoys showing visitors around the house. Entertaining Jason Russell House visitors with stories of life in Menotomy (as Arlington was then called) is the most fun part of being a … Continue reading My Experience as a Tour Guide at the Jason Russell House

Tornadoes In Arlington

On Tuesday, June 24, 2015 Arlington residents were under a tornado watch until 11 p.m.  Luckily the time passed without incident.  There were at least two destructive tornadoes in 19th century Arlington; one in 1851 and another in 1871.  Both tornadoes happened on hot August days. The 1851 tornado is described as more severe, and … Continue reading Tornadoes In Arlington