Mad about the Massachusetts Historical Society’s Collections
Those objects don’t appear to include the broadside titled “Wolfe’s summit of human glory” which I wrote about here and is one of my personal favorites.
But they do include the Samuel Selden powder horn and many other treasures from the Revolutionary period:
- Phillis Wheatley’s writing desk.
- a panorama of besieged Boston based on the work of Lt. Richard Williams.
- Col. Henry Knox’s diary for the winter of 1775-76.
- epaulets worn by Gen. George Washington.
- Washington’s address to the officers at Newburgh, written in his own hand.
- the Bucks of America medallion from (I believe) the mid-1780s.
- Elbridge Gerry’s notes on the Constitution.
- the one known image of Lucy Knox, a caricature in silhouette.
- Paul Revere’s most detailed description of his ride on 18-19 Apr 1775.
Starting today, the M.H.S. is hosting some sort of bracket competition involving 64 of those objects, designated by red dots on the collection page. Since that hasn’t started yet, I don’t know how it works, but I’m sure the webpage will be happy to explain.
In addition, the society’s exhibit on “The Private Jefferson” has opened and will be free to visitors Monday through Saturday until 20 May. There’s also a new illustrated book highlighting Thomas Jefferson documents in the society’s collections.
3 comments:
The MHS also used to own the very first edition of Canada's first newspaper, dating from 1752. That paper was the Halifax Gazette, and was started by two Bostonians who made their way to Nova Scotia. It kindly passed it on (sold it ?) to the National Archives in Ottawa in 2002.
Didn’t know that story! And it reminds me that I must get around to writing about how Isaiah Thomas responded to the Stamp Act when he was a journeyman printer in Halifax.
Yes, that's a very cool story. Do it !!
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