Tag Archives: 20th century

Commemorative Plates

May 18, 2017Blog20th century, Arlington, Arlington History, Arlington places, Arlington Town Hall, ceramics, commemorative, Cyrus Dallin, Cyrus E. Dallin, history, Indian Hunter, mementos, Menotomy, plates, souvenir, transferware, West CambridgeSara Lundberg

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

May 16, 2017Blog19th century, 20th century, Arlington Historical Society, Arlington History, Ball gown, Elizabeth Smith, Hannah Hall Cutter, history, Nina Winn, plays, poems, Red Cross, Richard A. Duffy, Robbins Sisters, Smith Museum, Susanna Adams Winn, Textiles, War of 1812, West Cambridge, Winn Family, World War 1, World War ISara Lundberg

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 →

Highlights of the AHS Quilt Collection – Introduction

August 19, 2015Uncategorized18th century, 19th century, 20th century, Arlington History, bed, bedding, history, quilt, quilts, sew, sewing, sleep, sleepingMegan Mary Creamer

Bedding and quilts in particular are an interesting way to imagine the everyday or perhaps rather “everynight” lives of people in our past. We all have blankets, bedding, quilts, comforters and afghans for all seasons for all of our beds. Usually only our closest family and friends come into our bedrooms or use our blankets. Peering … Continue reading Highlights of the AHS Quilt Collection – Introduction →

Glass Artifacts from the Jason Russell House Dig, March 1985

October 28, 2014Blog20th century, Archaeology, excavation, fragments, Jason Russell House, medicine bottlesCarolyn Carlson

Many, many fragments of glass were found at the Jason Russell House dig, in all excavation locations. Glass doesn’t break down in soil easily, so it is among the most common kind of artifact found at archaeological digs in the northeast. The dig at the Jason Russell House yielded glass from window panes, beverage bottles, … Continue reading Glass Artifacts from the Jason Russell House Dig, March 1985 →

Archaeology at the Jason Russell House

October 8, 2014Uncategorized18th century, 19th century, 20th century, Archaeology, Arlington History, Jason Russell House, Mark Boulding, VisitorsCarolyn Carlson

October is Massachusetts Archaeology Month! The Arlington Historical Society is celebrating in this space by revisiting the Jason Russell House’s own experience with archaeological excavations. Visitors often ask if any archaeological digs have taken place at the Jason Russell House. The answer is yes! Nearly thirty years ago, in March 1985, a team of archaeologists … Continue reading Archaeology at the Jason Russell House →

Centennial Celebration of Arlington Town Hall

July 8, 2013Blog19th century, 20th century, Arlington History, Devereaux Road, fountain, garden, Massachusetts Avenue, Mystic Street, old town hall, Pageant, residents, Robbins Garden, Town Hall, Vittoria Colonna Dallin, West Cambridge, Winfield Robbins Memorial GardenRichard Duffy

These are selected images from the 2013 Centennial Celebration of Arlington Town Hall display at Robbins Library, and the “Picture Postcard Perfect!” display installed in the lobby of Town Hall. The complete storyboards, displayed throughout May 2013, were designed and written by Richard A. Duffy. Images are from the collections of the Arlington Historical Society … Continue reading Centennial Celebration of Arlington Town Hall →

Vintage photos of the Jason Russell House

April 5, 2013Blog19th century, 20th century, Arlington History, battlefield, Jason Russell House, Jason Street, Massachusetts Avenue, orchard, restoration, Wanzer's, White StoreRichard Duffy

This page contains five selected images related to the Jason Russell House. Click on any of them to launch the slide show. [hr] For more images of Arlington as it appeared in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, see Richard Duffy’s new series ‘Images of History’ on Wicked Local, Arlington.