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
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
Pipe stems and bowls such as these are very common among finds at digs in the northeastern United States, given how common they were during the 17th, 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. They were made of kaolin, a type of clay that was pressed into a mold and sometimes stamped or decorated before being … Continue reading Clay Pipes from the Jason Russell House Archaeological Dig: March 1985
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
Robert Nylander published a report in 1964 that suggested that Jason Russell built the house in two stages: one part in 1740 and an addition around 1750, around the time of his marriage to Elizabeth Winship. Jason’s grandfather, also called Jason Russell, had built a house on the property too, coinciding approximately with his marriage … Continue reading What do we know about the construction of the Jason Russell House?
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
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.
The Smith Museum is named in honor of three generations of Smiths: George A. Smith, Reverend Samuel Abbot Smith, and Reverend Abiel Abbot. The funds for the museum building itself were donated by Elizabeth Abbot Smith, George A. Smith’s daughter, who inherited her father’s fortune and realized his vision for his beloved Jason Russell House.
Benjamin Locke, 1738-1791, served as Menotomy’s Minute Men Captain during the Lexington Alarm. After both Paul Revere and William Dawes rode past his house at the Foot of the Rocks, on present day Appleton Street in Arlington, MA., Captain Locke and his lieutenant Solomon Bowman mustered their troops in the early morning of April 19 … Continue reading Benjamin Locke: Menotomy Minute Man
We found this video by lyontaylor on YouTube. It was taken April 20, 2008. Paul Hogman of the Menotomy Minutemen narrates. We’d be happy to provide more credit to the video’s creator, …if you let us know who you are.